Sting
Well-Known Member
I'm agreeing with it being overboard. In the next few weeks, he'll either be 3-3 or 2-4. Jordan went 6-0
Lebron James is the greatest basketball player
- Thread starter Bane
- Start date
It ain't overboard.
Dude has lived up hype. It's hard to folks to process that. I get it.
Sting
Well-Known Member
It's hard for folks to process when it comes to the Finals, MJ took over and did what it took to win each and every time. No you don't get that.
JSU/99
Well-Known Member
Jordan almost always had the better team - the year against Phoenix being the exception. Jordan never dragged a team that lost his top sidekicks for stretches during the playoffs to the finals. None of this says Lebron is better than Jordan - I still put Jordan #1. But Lebron is the most complete player in league history and he shoulders a bigger load than any player in history. I won't hold his finals record against him.
Sting
Well-Known Member
On paper, that Heat team in 2011 was better than the Mavs LeBron didn't produce
Bane
The Vilian
How do you figure? The Bulls were eliminated in the playoffs by the Pistons in Jackson's first year as head coach. The Bulls were just finally due to beat the Pistons. Did Detroit fire Chuck Daly when they couldn't get past Boston? No, they stuck with Daly and eventually won championships. The Bulls with Collins would have did the same.
Bane
The Vilian
John Paxton stepped up big against the Lakers in the first champion. He hit some big shots against the Suns for the third championship as well. Steve Kerr stepped up big time against the Utah Jazz.
People don't understand how fortunate Chicago was in those series man. The breaks/ luck/ fortune (whatever you want to call it) they got (and I'm not talking about officiating) in individual posteason games helped them win some of those championships if you reexamine those runs.
Sting
Well-Known Member
They contributed and hit big shots but it was Jordan who led them.
JSU/99
Well-Known Member
Maybe, maybe not. Coaching matters and Carlisle ran circles around Spoelstra. But that was one year. You can't blame James solely for that loss.
Sting
Well-Known Member
Name a team thhat hasn't hard breaks/luck/fortune that helped them win a championship? It happens.
Sting
Well-Known Member
Blame him? No. But he didn't step up that game and averaged about 18 pts that series.
JSU/99
Well-Known Member
Jordan needed a team around him just like Lebron. Also, those last 3 years Jordan took full advantage of a weaker NBA. Even weaker than the east is now. That Indiana team he beat in the conference finals that year was full of golden oldies.
Sting
Well-Known Member
Dude, you might want to research that. The EAST today only has about 5 winning teams. The East was definitely stronger back then than it is right now.
JSU/99
Well-Known Member
No doubt he had a poor series but that doesn't negate his greatness. Not after the way he carried mediocre Cavs teams to the finals twice now, and a damn near broken down and depleted Miami team last year. Look at what happens after he leaves a team. They go into the crapper. Lebron is the only player in history that has been the best scorer, rebounder, distributor and defender on a championship caliber team. No one else in history has shouldered that burden.
JSU/99
Well-Known Member
The NBA as a whole was weaker then than it is now - even taking into account the relative weakness of the east.
Sting
Well-Known Member
Who said he wasn't a great player? I'm saying that when it comes to the Finals, Jordan >LeBron.
JSU/99
Well-Known Member
I'm with you - like I said Jordan is still the best player in history by a good margin. But some people act as if he set a standard that unreachable. Someone will overtake him someday, right now Lebron is closing in. I never thought I'd say this but Lebron is better than Bird and Magic even during their prime.
The reason I chose Jordan in the end is because when the series was on the line and you needed your best player to step up, you could count on him to drop however many points you need to win. If Jordan needed to drop 50 at MSG to beat a tough Knicks team in a critical game 5, he'd do it. Even if it meant getting to the line 20 times because his outside shot wasn't falling. Lebron isn't that player, but he does more for his teams than anyone in history and he's been dealt a mediocre hand for most of his career.
Sting
Well-Known Member
That's what I'm saying bruh lol. He's a great player but I'm not sure he'll be able to pass Jordan. Reason being is because he's getting older and in 3-4 years, he won't be able to move like he is right now. He's a big guy and as time goes on, it's going to be harder for him to get up the court like in the past. What he's done this year in Cleveland has been great but I'm ready to see can he finish off the Warriors.
JSU/99
Well-Known Member
I'll save you some time - he can't lol. The Warriors have too many players to throw at him on defense. This is where he'll miss Kevin Love. Maybe if Kyrie was 100% healthy and playing lights out this would be a close call.
Sting
Well-Known Member
Lol, now see if I said this I would be called a Hater.
D3zii
Active Member
Tbh I really think Is Jordan then Magic at #2..den I would bring Lebron up as a top 5..no doubt Lebron is the greatest to play in this era, but have you ever seen a so called Goat get dominated?? I've seen it 3x twice by the Spurs and Once by Dallas.. Ive never seen Jordan get b****** like that, and I'm just calling it like I see it..
I Just feel that's what seperates the Greats from the GOAT.. they live for moments like that Jordan or Magic never ran from the moment like I see LBJ do at times.. and the records speak for themselves 6-0 > 2-5
I Just feel that's what seperates the Greats from the GOAT.. they live for moments like that Jordan or Magic never ran from the moment like I see LBJ do at times.. and the records speak for themselves 6-0 > 2-5
You do realize in his first Finals LeBron was 21, and playing on a team that had no business even getting that far, right? The only Finals failure you can hang on LeBron is Dallas.
But he played great in the last two Finals against the Spurs.
LOL If you are going to put John Paxon on that type of pedastal you have to place Boobie Gibson there as well. Not to mention Ray Allen, Mike MIller, JR Smith, Dellevedova and James Jones.
Bane
The Vilian
Early in his career Jordan used to get the shat beat out of him by Celtics and Pistons.