simple reason why I think Jordan > Kobe or LeBron

[DMAVS41]

this just proves my point. you have no clue what you are talking about.

given the circumstances, that was one of the best games i've ever seen played.

[NumberSix]

this just proves my point. you have no clue what you are talking about.

given the circumstances, that was one of the best games i've ever seen played.

So, you said you were how old?

[BlackVVaves]

Lebron's a great defender. But in terms of consistent defensive dominance, and specifically man to man defense, he hasn't displayed that he's as good as Jordan (or Pippen) was defensively.

Just my two cents.

[Legends66NBA7]

Michael Jordan was a more consistent regular season and playoff performer than Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

All there is to it, really.

[DatAsh]

My reasoning is also quite simple. He was more athletic than Kobe which allowed him to get to the basket at a better rate....and when combined with better shot selection it made him a more reliable scorer...which combined with better and more game in game out high level defense makes him a better player.

Far as Lebron....Jordan simply....either had a greater desire to win or at least played angrier which made him appear to. He was also a better midrange shooter, man to man defender, and less likely to defer to a worse player down the stretch. If Lebron had Jordans "Something to prove" mentality he might be Jordan good...if he also had a better 10-18 foot game.

As things are...Jordan is just better.

He could have won 1 ring or 35. I dont need that information to see who was best among those three.

That reasoning is more reasonable.

[pauk]

Jordan never lost in the Finals and he was always the FMVP.

Kobe has 5 rings but he lost twice in the Finals and was FMVP only twice which means he got carried on the other 3 titles otherwise he would've won FMVP.

LBJ only has one ring and one FMVP and he has already lost in the Finals.

Thank you.

What the hell... a Heat/Lebron fan with Kobetard troll logic?

You dont understand the problem with that logic do you?

Player A:
Loses in the 1st round and/or misses playoffs for 3 years and next year gets to Finals and wins = 1 / 1 in Finals.

or

Player B:
Loses in the Finals for 3 years and next year gets to Finals again and wins = 1 / 4 in Finals.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Feel free to point one out.

His 55 against the Suns in the 93 finals

[pauk]

Lebron's a great defender. But in terms of consistent defensive dominance, and specifically man to man defense, he hasn't displayed that he's as good as Jordan (or Pippen) was defensively.

Just my two cents.

Yes, but Lebron effectively defends all other positions compared to Jordan who would guard only SG or a PG at times.... let that one sink in... Pippen though was just as versatile of defender but he couldnt guard Centers for example as effectively (he could, but not exactly as effective) mostly due to about 1 inch, 50 lbs and a portion of athleticism less....

[DatAsh]

Yes, but Lebron defends 4 other positions compared to Jordan.... let that one sink in... Pippen though was just as versatile of defender but he couldnt guard Centers for example as effectively (he could, but not exactly as effective) due to about 1 inch and 50 lbs less....

Jordan was better defending the SG, and PG positions. Lebron is better at defending the other 3. Jordan at his best was still a notch or two above Lebron defensively, though it would be interesting to see how Lebron would utilize handchecking.

[BlackVVaves]

Michael Jordan was a more consistent regular season and playoff performer than Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

All there is to it, really.

Pretty much.

Kobe, in reality, only had a couple seasons that were really comparable to Jordan.

From 2006 to 2008, he averaged 32, 6, and 5 on 46% FG, 57% TS.

And even so, those years weren't as good as Jordan's, just...Jordan-esque. If you are going to compare just those years, Kobe was not even in the same league with Jordan defensively...and yet, Jordan would put up those numbers, on better efficiency, with un-worldly defense.

As for Lebron, in terms of impact, he has the potential to have the same comprehensive effect on a game as peak MJ and peak Kareem did, however he's just not there yet. I'd like to see him for the next couple of seasons really commit to dominating the game defensively, as well as score, rebound, and distribute the ball as he has been these last 2 seasons. If he can do that....

[pauk]

My reasoning is also quite simple. He was more athletic than Kobe which allowed him to get to the basket at a better rate....and when combined with better shot selection it made him a more reliable scorer...which combined with better and more game in game out high level defense makes him a better player.


Far as Lebron....Jordan simply.... either had a greater desire to win or at least played angrier which made him appear to.
He was also a better midrange shooter, man to man defender, and less likely to defer to a worse player down the stretch. If Lebron had Jordans "Something to prove" mentality he might be Jordan good...if he also had a better 10-18 foot game.

Kblaze you were really not so benovelent & honest in your Jordan/Lebron comparison, you basically told everything Jordan was better at and left out EVERYTHING Lebron is better at extremly clearly:

*Offensive & Defensive versatility (lets just say he could guard & play more positions)
*Rebounding
*Passing ability & court vision

At the end of the day i hate comparing those two players.... completely different games & MINDSETS (which you were talking about)...... the mindset of Jordan having a greater desire to win than Lebron is extremly combative, but Jordan sure had a different mindset, he was more scoring minded, more agressive scoring wise and his persona was just more serious...... where as Lebrons mindset was more similar to Magic, more unselfish is the word and not "defering to a worse player down the stretch" Being doubled and kicking it out to example a wideopen shooter like Ray Allen / Mike Miller / James Jones is a very fundamental & logical basketball play.... yes those players are worse than Lebron, but not at hitting wideopen jumpshots... i would take any pure shooting specialist over Jordan or Lebron or ANYBODY to take the wideopen shot, especially in god damn last second gamewinning/gamelosing situations.....

Because the mindsets/styles are different that doesnt mean one mindset/style is better....


You have been fair in your Kobe/Jordan comparison though, way to fair imo.... in reality Michael Jordan was better at EVERYTHING (tied only in the FT/3PT department).... its factual, objective, rational and extremly simple aswell...

Unlike Lebron there is not a single thing Kobe was better at than Jordan, whatsoever... nada...

[BlackVVaves]

Yes, but Lebron effectively defends all other positions compared to Jordan who would guard only SG or a PG at times.... let that one sink in... Pippen though was just as versatile of defender but he couldnt guard Centers for example as effectively (he could, but not exactly as effective) mostly due to about 1 inch, 50 lbs and a portion of athleticism less....

Let me preface by saying that, please spare me the "he can defend centers" sentiment...let me see Lebron lock down Marc Gasol, a healthy Andrew Bynum, or even Tim Duncan in the post for a game or series and then I'll concede credibility to this notion that Lebron can guard all 5 positions. Defending Kendrick Perkins or Noah, or those type of centers doesn't apply, at least not for me.

As we proceed. Though versatility accounts for something, it doesn't replace impact. We've all seen MJ completely shut down opposing stars for entire halves and games before. It was so bad that he would just shut down an entire side of the floor for spurts of time, similiar to an elite cornerback in football. I've literally never seen Lebron do this. KD still scored 30 points per game on 50% in the Finals against the Heat last year. If you tell me that's because Lebron wasn't guarding him, that tells me that he wasn't up to the challenge or wasn't confident in him being able to slow KD down. If you tell me he did guard KD, then that tells me that he wasn't as effective a defender as he is made out to be.

He certainly has the tools to be a shut down defender though, and that's why I think it's still within the realm of possiblity for him to grow into a more treacherous defender role. Like MJ was...like Pippen was. But, he's not there yet.

[Segatti]

Says who?

I'm not even having this discussion. Their eras had wildly different defensive rules. Saying one is definitively better than the other defensively is absurd.

lol

Lebron just can't shut down players like Jordan did, just deal with it.

[veilside23]

jordan is the goat

then there's everyone else...

and about lebron defending all positions is a myth... no player can guard all positions on a consistent basis .. KG is the closest in my book . Lebron's defense is quite overrated actually .. he has been in the league for a decade now and he never led the league in steals as oppose to MJ who has won it 3 times. He never led the league in blocks because in reality lebron is just good in chasing small guys and goes up for the block.. defensively dwade is better than lebron .

scoring MJ's go to move is money ... i find it hard to believe that lebron doesnt have a go to move? if he does please educate me . A go to move is not a buzzer beater shot. kobe on the other hand is like a 90% MJ when it comes to offense.. maybe better at the 3 point shot but MJ's midgame is money even at age 40 :)

its just sad that young kids can only see the highlights of MJ.

[3LiftHeatCurse]

Let me get this right going to the finals is worse than the being eliminated in the first/second or third or even missing the playoffs.

Fail logic

Yes it's worse, because if your team sucks, you get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round.

But if your team is good enough to reach the Finals, you are good enough to win the ring. So losing in the Finals is worse than losing in the 1st or 2nd round.