NBA: Should LeBron James be compared to Michael Jordan?

[Gravy79]

James has never scored more than 32 points in a finals game. Jordan scored more than 40 six times, and 55 once.

James has scored 30 or more points two times. Jordan scored more than 40 six times, and 55 once.

James has never scored more than Jordan’s NBA Finals average of 33.6 ppg, and Jordan never scored less than LeBron’s average of 21.6 ppg.

James has tallied 10+ assists five times in 18 games. Jordan averaged 11.4 in his first NBA Finals.

James has scored under 20 in seven finals games, including all three games during this series. Jordan never scored less than 22 points in a Finals game.

James worst game was in Game Four of the 2011 Finals against Dallas, scoring eight on 3-11 shooting. Jordan’s worst finals performance came in Game Four of the Utah series in 1997 when he scored 22 points on 11-27 shooting in a 78-73 loss.

 

[Clark]

So you want to argue that LeBron is GOAT...what the whole thread is about...and then ignore his most disastrous flop?

You're gonna have to show me where I said any such thing. 90% of my posts in this thread have been about Wade. If you want to call me out for derailing a thread so be it, but at least get your facts straight.

So again, what did your post have to do with my post that you quoted?

 

[Rabbuk]

James has never scored more than 32 points in a finals game. Jordan scored more than 40 six times, and 55 once.

James has scored 30 or more points two times. Jordan scored more than 40 six times, and 55 once.

James has never scored more than Jordan’s NBA Finals average of 33.6 ppg, and Jordan never scored less than LeBron’s average of 21.6 ppg.

James has tallied 10+ assists five times in 18 games. Jordan averaged 11.4 in his first NBA Finals.

James has scored under 20 in seven finals games, including all three games during this series. Jordan never scored less than 22 points in a Finals game.

James worst game was in Game Four of the 2011 Finals against Dallas, scoring eight on 3-11 shooting. Jordan’s worst finals performance came in Game Four of the Utah series in 1997 when he scored 22 points on 11-27 shooting in a 78-73 loss.

Game blouses

 

[HFCS]

You're gonna have to show me where I said any such thing. 90% of my posts in this thread have been about Wade. If you want to call me out for derailing a thread so be it, but at least get your facts straight.

So again, what did your post have to do with my post that you quoted?

Since this is a thread about comparing LeBron to MJ...I took the radical idea that when we talked about the supporting cast, we were talking about the past three years, and not exclusively this NBA finals. If you're saying exclusively this playoffs, yes DWade who LeBron hitched his wagon to has not been playing well.

For the LeBron is GOAT crowd, DWade had an all time top ten PER NBA Finals in 2011 when LeBron choked, Jordan never had a supporting cast give him a finals like that, yet still never lost. The "LeBron's supporting cast is weak" argument as a whole these past three seasons makes no sense comparing Jordan to LeBron...which the thread is about.

I don't get why Wade playing fantastic in 2011, or Wade playing bad in 2013 has anything to do with LeBron's scoring decreasing the most ever in 2011 finals and down 8 points this finals from his typical ho hum regular season game. He's the most talented ever, but he's simply not the competitor that Jordan was.

 

[Clark]

I don't ignore them, in the "greatest" thread I had Russel, Wilt and Oscar Robertson in my top five along with Jordan and Duncan. If LeBron wins this title I said I'd bump Roberston for him but I still don't consider him remotely in the discussion for being better than MJ, not even close.

This is not a discussion...because it's not, in going 6-0 in finals:
31-7-11
36-5-7
41-9-6
27-5-4
32-7-6
34-4-2

LeBron's 2011 Finals stats with his most talented team were the biggest drop off by any player ever. Through three games this year:
17-12-9, again an 8 point point scoring dropoff from his ho-hum regular season game

GOAT's do not drastically decrease their scoring when it matters most multiple times in different NBA finals. Pick that you're a contrarian, Heat fan, or too young to have watched MJ. Those are the only three that make sense.

If you're using championships as the argument, what makes Jordan better than Russell? If we're going by stats, what makes him better than Wilt or Kareem? If we're going by raw talent, what makes him better than James or Wilt?

That's my point. Chicago fans really are unbearable sometimes

 

[Tre4ISU]

If you're using championships as the argument, what makes Jordan better than Russell? If we're going by stats, what makes him better than Wilt or Kareem? If we're going by raw talent, what makes him better than James or Wilt?

That's my point. Chicago fans really are unbearable sometimes

However, it is fun to question the legitimacy of MJ to see the reaction. It's also fun to hear them talk about the "bandwagon" fans as they all pile on the hate because they are ****** no one wanted to go to Chicago.

 

[CloneAggie]

That's my point. Chicago fans really are unbearable sometimes

And now you know how it feels dealing with Hawkeye fans. :wink:

 

[bringmagicback]

Anyone ever notice lebron lovers blame everyone but lebron. When kobe fails its on kobe, nobody ever said well if kukoc didnt suck wed have won.

 

[Clark]

And now you know how it feels dealing with Hawkeye fans. :wink:

 

[klamath632]

If you're using championships as the argument, what makes Jordan better than Russell? If we're going by stats, what makes him better than Wilt or Kareem? If we're going by raw talent, what makes him better than James or Wilt?

That's my point. Chicago fans really are unbearable sometimes

I hate Michael Jordan. I know my Jazz teams were better than his Bulls teams. But when the game was on the line, MJ found a way to win. If you've never watched the 1997/1998 Finals, every single game (except for the one clunker) pretty much came down to the wire. In most of those games, MJ was the deciding factor on the final play of the game.

Everyone has seen the MJ "shove and shoot" play to win the 1998 Finals, but they rarely show what happened right before that. Karl Malone in the final minute with a one point lead, gets fed the ball in the low post, where he was unstoppable... and then Jordan looping around his blind side and stealing the ball from him. That play setup "the shot."

I've watched both of them play. LBJ is taller and stronger than MJ, but I firmly believe that MJ's competitiveness would still allow him to win the matchup. That's why he's the GOAT.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

So you want to argue that LeBron is GOAT...what the whole thread is about...and then ignore his most disastrous flop?

The thread is discussing if you should compare the two. I don't think anyone in here has said that LeBron is the greatest of at time. LeBron is the greatest active player and MJ is the greatest ever. Why shouldn't you compare two of the greatest?

 

[cyclonespiker33]

James has never scored more than 32 points in a finals game. Jordan scored more than 40 six times, and 55 once.

James has scored 30 or more points two times. Jordan scored more than 40 six times, and 55 once.

James has never scored more than Jordan’s NBA Finals average of 33.6 ppg, and Jordan never scored less than LeBron’s average of 21.6 ppg.

James has tallied 10+ assists five times in 18 games. Jordan averaged 11.4 in his first NBA Finals.

James has scored under 20 in seven finals games, including all three games during this series. Jordan never scored less than 22 points in a Finals game.

James worst game was in Game Four of the 2011 Finals against Dallas, scoring eight on 3-11 shooting. Jordan’s worst finals performance came in Game Four of the Utah series in 1997 when he scored 22 points on 11-27 shooting in a 78-73 loss.

LeBron has never taken more than 24 shot attempts in an NBA finals game. MJ had more in his worst game? Of course his scoring average is going to be higher. The guy was a ball-hog whereas LeBron finds the open shot.

 

[ISUME]

LeBron has never taken more than 24 shot attempts in an NBA finals game. MJ had more in his worst game? Of course his scoring average is going to be higher. The guy was a ball-hog whereas LeBron finds the open shot.

If this is the case shouldn't Lebron average a lot more assist than MJ in the Finals?

 

[klamath632]

LeBron has never taken more than 24 shot attempts in an NBA finals game. MJ had more in his worst game? Of course his scoring average is going to be higher. The guy was a ball-hog whereas LeBron finds the open shot.

That's one way of putting it. The truth is that MJ knew his role and made no excuses. The game was on his shoulders and he had no problem taking over as needed. LBJ has shown little appetite for doing what needs to be done at the end of games.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

If this is the case shouldn't Lebron average a lot more assist than MJ in the Finals?

He should but it doesn't help when his teammates shooting percentages take a dive

 

[cyclonespiker33]

That's one way of putting it. The truth is that MJ knew his role and made no excuses. The game was on his shoulders and he had no problem taking over as needed. LBJ has shown little appetite for doing what needs to be done at the end of games.

LeBron's role is to be a scorer and a passer

 

[Cyclonesince78]

I'd compare lebron more to Scottie Pippen than to Jordan.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

Parker has missed more games than Wade. He's been hampered by the hamstring off and on for months now.

Parker in the finals so far. 13.3 ppg, 6.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds, 0.3 steals in 33 minutes
Wade in the finals so far. 14.3 ppg, 4.3 assists, 1.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals in 34 minutes

Parker is the Spurs best player and Wade is the Heats 2nd best player....but yeah Lebron doesn't have a good supporting cast around him. His roster is soooo weak.

If we are just going on stats

D Green has 18.7 ppg in the finals so he is their best player and Parker would be 2nd best

 

[Rabbuk]

If you're the best player on the planet right now, you need to be a ballhog when you're team is throwing the series.

 

[Clones85']

If we are just going on stats

D Green has 18.7 ppg in the finals so he is their best player and Parker would be 2nd best

You are changing the topic. The topic was that Lebron James has a bad roster around him. I argued that it's an asinine statement seeing as he has the best roster around him and the last 3 years shows that. Others argued that Wade isn't what he use to be. I showed that everyone in the playoffs is losing guys and Parker is just as hurt and ineffictive right now. I than showed stats to show that the Spurs best player isn't even outplaying the Heats 2nd best player. It's not an argument over this player is better than this player b/c of stats. It's a roster argument and health argument.

Anyone that thinks the Heat has a bad roster hasn't been paying attention the last 3 years.