Forget LeBronVsKobe,if LeBron wins the championship thisyear is he better than Jordan

[Manute for Ever!]

The way I look at things is... if two players had equal talent, then who would win?

In a LeBron v Jordan scenario, LeBron beats him 7 out of 10 times. His doinance is too much for Jordan to overcome. Frankly, Lebron can check Jordan adequately while Jordan would stand no chancve versus LeBron.

Game. Set. Match.

You say that you saw Jordan play, how can you be so blind to what you saw? Nobody is saying that Lebron isn't great, they are just saying there was someone better. Currently at any given time, there are 450 players in the league. The league has been in existence for over 60 years, had betwen 8 and 30 teams with 15 players on each roster in its history. It's okay if one or two players out of a demographic that big was better.

[Scott Pippen]

Let us not jump to conclusion too fast. LeBron is not Jordan. He may be one day, but he is only 6 years into the NBA. He is not the offensive or defensive player peak Jordan was and of course the accomplishments speak for themselves. He has the chance to get there. At the rate he is going I think it's very possible he may be among the GOAT's one day. But not yet.

[Lebron23]

Two different leagues. MJ dominated a big man's league. Lebron is dominating a perimeter-oriented league. And even then, MJ was better. Check what each was able to accomplish after relatively the same amount of games.

Reg Season
MJ (85-91, 509 games)
32.6 pts, 5.9 asts, 6.3 rebs, 2.8 stls, 1.1 blks, 52 fg%

LB (05-09, 472 games and counting)
27.5 pts, 6.7 asts, 7.0 rebs, 1.8 stls, 0.9 blks, 47 fg%

Playoffs
MJ (85-90, 53 games)
35.8 pts, 6.7 asts, 6.9 rebs, 2.5 stls, 1.0 blks, 51 fg%

LB (05-09, 53 games and counting)
28.4 pts, 7.2 asts, 8.3 rebs, 1.7 stls, 0.8 blks, 45 fg%

I hope LeBron wins more than 3 NBA Championships because he has the stats and basketball resume to surpass Bird, Duncan, and Shaq in the All time Rankings.

I am a bit surprised that Jordan only played 53 playoffs games in his first 6 NBA Seasons.

[RapsFan]

These threads are a joke. Only people who are probably in the early 20s and under would be stupid enough to make this comment. It's a shame that this new generation of NBA fans are ignorant to how good Jordan was. But, in time they will be the ones arguing against some young pup about how good Lebron was. It's all a cycle. I much prefer the opinion of someone in the 30s, 40s, 50s who was able to watch Jordan's career, as well as all of Kobe and Lebrons and is able to make an intelligent opinion.

Jordan's supporting cast wasn't elite at all. His best teammate was a great player, but was a slashing, defensive small forward. Lebron's teammates aren't great either (the comment about # of all stars is dumb). That is why I think Lebron is the best player right now.

[Roundball_Rock]

The issue PB raised is talent. The current Cleveland roster has more talent than the Bulls of Jordan's prime.

If you want to factor in injury all-stars that plays with Jordan too. Pippen was an all-star in 1990 only due to injuries. In 1991--the Bulls first title year--he was not an all-star. Nor was he in 1998 because he only played about 10 games before the all-star break. So Jordan won in 1991 without a legitimate all-star on his team and technically won two championships without an all-star teammate.

James has among the weakest supporting casts of any legitimate title contender in recent years. However, so did prime Jordan. Heck, even old Jordan had a team one year in which only two players averaged more than 8 points per game in the playoffs. How great is a supporting cast where the third best offensive player averages 7.9 ppg on 36% shooting? People act as if MJ had stacked teams like Magic and Bird did. This just adds to MJ's status as the GOAT. Magic was barely above .500 (5-4) in the finals despite having Kareem (himself a GOAT candidate), Worthy, Scott, McAdoo, Wilkes, AC Green, Norm Nixon, Sam Perkins, and Divac while Bird was "only" 3-2 with McHale, Parish, Johnson, Archibald, Ainge, and Maxwell.

[Lebron23]

And Pleezebelieve is senile. Don't take his posts seriously.

It's time to close this thread.

[Da_Realist]

I hope LeBron wins more than 3 NBA Championships because he has the stats and basketball resume to surpass Bird, Duncan, and Shaq in the All time Rankings.

I am a bit surprised that Jordan only played 53 playoffs games in his first 6 NBA Seasons.

The East was loaded back then. Celtics, Pistons, Cavs, Bucks...they were all very good teams.

[Roundball_Rock]

Lebron's teammates aren't great either (the comment about # of all stars is dumb).

It isn't dumb to assess the talent level of a player's teammates when someone raises that very issue. Obviously Z, Wally, Wallace, and Smith are past their prime but compare them to Paxson, Armstrong, Stacey King, and Bill Cartwright.

[Meticode]

I honestly don't give a fuck who's better anymore. I'm tired of these threads. I'm just going to enjoy watching basketball and stop comparing fuck number one with fuck number two. It's getting so old and played out.

[Johnni Gade]

As a player right now, he might be near Jordans level. Statisticly Jordan is still way ahead of him.

[Lebron23]

The East was loaded back then. Celtics, Pistons, Cavs, Bucks...they were all very good teams.

But three of the best teams in the NBA are playing in the Eastern Conference.

Cavs won 66 games
Boston won 60 Games
Orlando won 59 games.

Head to Head

East 221 wins - West- 219 wins

[Da_Realist]

This ain't just about Jordan. I'd like to introduce the OP to a fella named Magic Johnson who averaged more rebounds, more assists, more steals and shot a higher fg% after 906 reg season games than James has after only 472.

[2LeTTeRS]

The way I look at things is... if two players had equal talent, then who would win?

In a LeBron v Jordan scenario, LeBron beats him 7 out of 10 times. His doinance is too much for Jordan to overcome. Frankly, Lebron can check Jordan adequately while Jordan would stand no chancve versus LeBron.

Game. Set. Match.

LeBron has come a long way defensively, but he can't check Jordan. And why would you ask him to do that, when he makes the most impact defensively as a help defender? Jordan is still a better man defender than Bron, and seeing that Bron has a hard time with defenders that have strong cores and can keep up with him, I say he'd have a harder time being D'ed by Jordan than Jordan would against Bron. Until Bron gets the ability to score in a variety of ways (i.e. continuing to improve his mid-range/post game, to go with his long range Js and drives to the basket) like Jordan, than I take Jordan.

[Lebron23]

Michael Jordan and Pleezebelieve.

[godofgods]

Lebron is not as good as Jordan yet.
However, when it's all said and done (and if he never joins the Knicks), Lebron will be the greatest player ever. It's just a matter of time.