There are many theories about who is the first person in the league this season, but there are still very few who choose James as the first person in the league. In a sense, James is indeed not the first person in the league. While James may be the top scorer again this season, it's hard to see James's regression, just as at its peak, it's hard to show his value.
James has been treated a lot unfairly throughout his career, but is also the most talked about and most successful player in NBA history. In some ways, he's more successful than Jordan, so what kind of a player James is, the media and the fans are showing two very different attitudes. People who like James think he's more influential than Jordan, and people who don't like him think James is the sinner of basketball right now. Therefore, for James, it is difficult to have a more objective and fair evaluation.
The reason why I say that James is not the first person in the league today is mainly based on the following points.
First: defensive ability
As we all know, the peak James is not only very good in attack, but also in defense. Not only can you play from the first position to the fifth position, but also from the first position to the fifth position. In normal games, we can sometimes see that James is very relaxed when defending the opposing center players, and his physical fitness and basketball IQ allow him to navigate in any position. But with the increase of James's age, in recent years, James's defensive ability has seen a great decline, especially in the Lakers in these seasons, sometimes after the attack is finished, James does not go back to the defense, standing at the bottom line gasping for breath. Defense has always been a must-have weapon in the fight for championships, and once defense slips, championships become a bit difficult.
Second: team record
Before the season started, I never thought James' team would not make the playoffs. At any time before, you can fully believe that James, as long as he is there, is not just the playoffs, but the guarantee of the Finals. In the Lakers' past few years, James has not been able to reach the playoffs for two years, which has a great impact on his league status and historical status. In the first year of the Lakers failed to successfully enter the playoffs, it is understandable, but this season there are three More All-Stars who can not play in the playoffs, not even the playoff qualifications, somewhat unspeakable, not that others hack him, but his record is really too bad.
Third: dominance
The reason why James has been in the league's first man position for so many years is mainly his super dominance. After leading a bunch of blue-collar players to the Finals for the first time, James's dominance was demonstrated, and then he reached the Finals for eight consecutive years, once again showing that James is the most dominant player on the court. In the 2018 season, in the case of the Cavaliers' uneven personnel and the overall strength of the team, it can still reach the Finals, and since ancient times, only James can do it. In the past few years of the Lakers, although he led the team to win a championship, his dominance has not been as good as before. The decline in dominance is the most critical factor in losing the first person in the league.