with Jordan averaging 8 more shots a game than Wilt did in the playoffs (only .4 more shots per game in the reg season). That's a pretty big deal.
NBA: Should LeBron James be compared to Michael Jordan?
- Thread starter Clones21
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with Jordan averaging 8 more shots a game than Wilt did in the playoffs (only .4 more shots per game in the reg season). That's a pretty big deal.
I did not read the whole thread so I apologize if this has been covered. I thinks James is every it as talented as Jordan but not nearly as well coached. I would hate to think how good James and this Miami team would be if they had a coach like Phil Jackson. Spolstra spent most of this series with that dopey deer in the headlight look.
I'm actually one of those people who still thinks Kobe is better than LeBron (historically) and same with Tim Duncan. LeBron still has a lot of work to do.
I don't know if you're being serious here or not but he probably is the most underrated player of all time.
I agree with you on Kobe, and would put Magic, Oscar, Kareem, Bird, Russell and Chamberlain among others above him, but I think LeBron can still pass them in his career (and likely will pass them, but it is dependent on the rest of his career)
For sure, earlier in the thread I said I think he would finish as the 2nd best player ever, but he still has a lot of work to do.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Why shouldn't he be compared to Michael Jordan?
Let's see--he's bigger, taller, and might be a better passer. Michael Jordan, on the other hand, is the better player.
See? Was that hard? I compared him to MJ. Jordan is better.
Quite fortunately, "compare" is not synonymous with "equate".
Let's see--he's bigger, taller, and might be a better passer. Michael Jordan, on the other hand, is the better player.
See? Was that hard? I compared him to MJ. Jordan is better.
Quite fortunately, "compare" is not synonymous with "equate".
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Comparing LeBron to Jordan is like comparing Clones21 to an actual police officer.
Talent wise LeBron is every bit as talented as Jordan was and probably even more physically gifted. However, where MJ trumps LeBron is the mental game and how he was able to use his talents to make the team around him better. If the Spurs win the finals this year it's not because they had more talent it's because they play better as a team which I don't think the Heat do as they rely too much on LeBron and Wade to carry them most games.
MJ had a way of out-smarting his opponents and never took a game off mentally or physically even if he was so sick he shouldn't be on the court (see epic game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals as proof.) Until LeBron wins 6 rings and starts to handle himself professionally like MJ did I don't see a case for him to be better than MJ. MJ didn't need to whine to refs about calls and flop and he certainly never needed a prime time special on ESPN to announce where he was going to sign either.
It's going to be a generational thing, Those like me that grew up watching MJ play and now see LeBron play as an adult are likely to side with MJ. Those who were too young or not born in the era MJ played only have highlights and ESPN classics to compare him with LeBron. I'm not a big fan of the NBA today as I was in the late 80's and 90's but I can still appreciate the era of players I was too young to know like Kareem, Dr. J, the "Bad Boys" Piston's teams, James Worthy, Moses Malone, etc.
MJ had a way of out-smarting his opponents and never took a game off mentally or physically even if he was so sick he shouldn't be on the court (see epic game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals as proof.) Until LeBron wins 6 rings and starts to handle himself professionally like MJ did I don't see a case for him to be better than MJ. MJ didn't need to whine to refs about calls and flop and he certainly never needed a prime time special on ESPN to announce where he was going to sign either.
It's going to be a generational thing, Those like me that grew up watching MJ play and now see LeBron play as an adult are likely to side with MJ. Those who were too young or not born in the era MJ played only have highlights and ESPN classics to compare him with LeBron. I'm not a big fan of the NBA today as I was in the late 80's and 90's but I can still appreciate the era of players I was too young to know like Kareem, Dr. J, the "Bad Boys" Piston's teams, James Worthy, Moses Malone, etc.
At this point in their careers they are similar in more ways than they are different , and that is not debatable.
Who knows what lays ahead for LeBron, but he will have an opportunity to match MJ's rings and surpass his statistics.
I have a feeling nothing he could ever do would allow people who witnessed MJ to concede that they could be considered equals, just because MJ is deified. And he definitely hasn't done near enough YET to be in that conversation, but even if he did I think fans would find excuses.
Good talk.
Who knows what lays ahead for LeBron, but he will have an opportunity to match MJ's rings and surpass his statistics.
I have a feeling nothing he could ever do would allow people who witnessed MJ to concede that they could be considered equals, just because MJ is deified. And he definitely hasn't done near enough YET to be in that conversation, but even if he did I think fans would find excuses.
Good talk.
Come on dude, MJ didn't have five rings when he was 28. Jordan actually won his first championship when he was 28. To this point in their careers they are very similar.
