Maybe it's just me but I don't think Larry Bird is ranked nearly as high if he isn't white.
NBA: Micheal vs Lebron
- Thread starter snowcraig2.0
- Start date
Some more objective comparisons than "you're too old so you're wrong" which the thread is mostly based on:
http://www.landofbasketball.com/player_comparison/lebron_james_vs_michael_jordan.htm
Finals #s includes Kobe, pretty obvious 1 - 2 - 3 there for any objective person.
I'll also add that this became a very fun conversation worth arguing the minute LBJ led that insane comeback over that 73 win warrior team. Before that the Finals performance it was a very easy argument. To me that performance in that series by LeBron is probably the pinnacle of individual achievement in basketball...but over his career MJ had more of those playoffs moments to edge him.
The reddit link dispels the common ignorance of young fans that LeBron is always running into the best team in the finals and Jordan always played scrubs. I'd also add that the East was usually the tougher conference to get through in Jordan's career and it's undeniably the much easier one to get through in LeBron's.
MJ faced the #1 offensive team in the NBA 2 out of 6 times in the Finals and the best defensive team once, that's half of his performances and went 3-0 against them, arguing he played scrubs in the finals means you are stupid. LBJ face the #1 offensive team in basketball the same two times in the finals and the best defensive team the same 1 time in the finals...over 8 years and went 1-2 (basically until this Warriors trilogy he was playing slightly easier Finals opponents and now he's playing better). The quality of Finals opponent is likely a push with LeBron catching both the toughest opponents and the easiest. The Mavs who beat LeBron's super team the year LeBron played bad in the NBA finals were only ranked 8th and 8th.
http://www.landofbasketball.com/player_comparison/lebron_james_vs_michael_jordan.htm
Finals #s includes Kobe, pretty obvious 1 - 2 - 3 there for any objective person.
I'll also add that this became a very fun conversation worth arguing the minute LBJ led that insane comeback over that 73 win warrior team. Before that the Finals performance it was a very easy argument. To me that performance in that series by LeBron is probably the pinnacle of individual achievement in basketball...but over his career MJ had more of those playoffs moments to edge him.
The reddit link dispels the common ignorance of young fans that LeBron is always running into the best team in the finals and Jordan always played scrubs. I'd also add that the East was usually the tougher conference to get through in Jordan's career and it's undeniably the much easier one to get through in LeBron's.
MJ faced the #1 offensive team in the NBA 2 out of 6 times in the Finals and the best defensive team once, that's half of his performances and went 3-0 against them, arguing he played scrubs in the finals means you are stupid. LBJ face the #1 offensive team in basketball the same two times in the finals and the best defensive team the same 1 time in the finals...over 8 years and went 1-2 (basically until this Warriors trilogy he was playing slightly easier Finals opponents and now he's playing better). The quality of Finals opponent is likely a push with LeBron catching both the toughest opponents and the easiest. The Mavs who beat LeBron's super team the year LeBron played bad in the NBA finals were only ranked 8th and 8th.
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Kobe, behind Duncan and prime Shaq, was the best player of his generation. He also took a huge contract to ensure that the team would not compete and crater leaving them in a rebuild that is still going on 5 years later.
People like melo refused to go to LA because they didn’t want to play with Kobe. Christ, had the league not pushed through the Memphis trade for pau, they wouldn’t have had their second run.
I think you’re on to something here, I love watching old bird videos. But yeah, he gets a lot of love due to how he looked.
He won his first ring with Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish, Hall of Famers.
Yeah, busts, haha.
Good lord.
He is a top five player in terms of creativity, to me that's where he stands out. Whether he has the all time passing numbers or not he made assists where others including some of the top point guards of all time would not have made the play. It was an incredible era in that buildup to the Jordan years where you had two big guys who were the two best passers in him and Magic.
I'll watch highlights of him passing occasionally, there's not many players of any color that can replicate it. In numbers they can, but not artistry.
You could probably make the case Pistol Pete was the best white guy ever. Seems like Bird just played on better teams.
I actually looked up that roster, Wayne kreklow went to Drake. I knew I remembered that name.
Dirk is in the discussion for that title too, he'd have two championships if not for the worst officiated Finals I've ever watched. I watch Pistol Pete highlights all the time and wish I could have watched that era of basketball to better judge him. I know from reading stories he was hampered by injuries after just a few years of pro basketball.
People don't realize Dirk is 6th in NBA in scoring...all time. He'll pass Wilt Chamberlain for sure next year if he's healthy...but LeBron will pass him. Would need a slightly better season than this year to pass MJ but that's possible too.
Kobe should not even be mentioned in this thread; he rarely cracks top 10 lists put together by anyone outside of a 300 mile radius of LA.
MJ is #1 and Lebron is a consensus 2nd-4th of all time. That said I think Lebron is better than MJ overall, including off the court. Could you imagine if Twitter was around when MJ was drinking and gambling into the late hours of the morning? Not to mention all of the infidelity swirling around. Nike PR did an incredible job of protecting that image to sell shoes.
MJ is #1 and Lebron is a consensus 2nd-4th of all time. That said I think Lebron is better than MJ overall, including off the court. Could you imagine if Twitter was around when MJ was drinking and gambling into the late hours of the morning? Not to mention all of the infidelity swirling around. Nike PR did an incredible job of protecting that image to sell shoes.
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I love these arguments. Fast forward 10 years and the argument is going to be "Who's better, LeBron or (insert best player of the 2020s)?"
Each era always has its greats. Instead of getting into a pissing match just sit back and watch the great players while you still can.
Each era always has its greats. Instead of getting into a pissing match just sit back and watch the great players while you still can.
Since we're posting rumors, I wonder if we'll ever learn about LeBron's PED use.
Lebron isn't even the best small forward. Once he catches up to Bird, then maybe he can be compared to Jordan.
