This is beyond insulting, so allow me to rant...
When Muhammad Ali lost his first match to Joe Frazier in 1971, he was coming off a 3.5 year layoff where he was banned from boxing because of his anti-war stance and religious beliefs. It cost him his prime and lightning-fast speed. Ali then transformed from dancer to tactician and overcame insurmountable odds by beating George Foreman in Zaire.
Ali became the people's champion because he stood up for the little man, defied the odds, and transcended sports. He was beloved in both victory and defeat. And he never lost in his prime.
Whenever LeBron James has lost, it's been a mixed bag:
Yes, he faced superior competition like 07, 15, 17, and 18.
However, he has also lost 3 consecutive playoff series during the prime of his career as a favorite, and despite having home court.
He has lost 5x as a playoff series favorite overall.
He has failed to make the playoffs 3x in his career despite being favored to do so.
Lastly, his teams have failed to reach the over/under pre-season win total 15x in 23 seasons.
Lebron James lost, because he lost. He was never beloved for this. He was crucified.
Rich Paul compares LeBron James to Muhammad Ali
“I always looked at LeBron as more of what I would call the people’s champion, like Muhammad Ali. Even when he lost, I feel like people really embraced him.”
(Via Game Over / h/t
@NBA__Courtside )