Better defender - Jordan vs. Lebron?

[RRR3]

Exactly. Jordan never got outplayed by a role player on the opposing team during a Finals.

completely irrelevant to the discussion.

[EllisGW]

what does mj do better than lebron on defense that is significant ?

[bleedinpurpleTwo]

what does mj do better than lebron on defense that is significant ?

He doesn't get beat off the dribble by 6'11" players.

[EllisGW]

He doesn't get beat off the dribble by 6'11" players.

what are you talking about?

Jordan does not even guard 6'11 players.

[ripthekik]

Exactly. Jordan never got outplayed by a role player on the opposing team during a Finals.

[WockaVodka]

He doesn't get beat off the dribble by 6'11" players.

You don't think hand-checks have anything to do with it? It's easier to score with no hand-checks and it's also harder to defend with no hand-checks.

[AlphaWolf24]

You don't think hand-checks have anything to do with it? It's easier to score with no hand-checks and it's also harder to defend with no hand-checks.

who says no one hand checks??....they still play defense with a fore arm or arm slightly extended.

U think in the 80's players were allowed to push you when you started your dribble??...

[OldSchoolBBall]

Jordan was not as consistent a defender as Lebron?

[RIP CITY]

get back to me when mj can guard 1 through 5

Get back to me when LeBron can. This myth that LeBron can guard PF's and C's is ridiculous. LeBron James can not guard PF's and C's on any remotely consistent basis. A few games here and there against offensively inept players at the PF/C position, maybe but if you ran LeBron out there against PF's and C's for a full season he would get raped. It's the most ridiculous notion I've ever heard. He couldn't guard PG's for 82 games either without getting lit up half the time. He can guard 1 through 5 for moments, a few minutes here or there or against guys who are so bad offensively that it's already basically 4 on 5. He can't guard these type of players on any kind of consistent basis. I've seen Michael Jordan in the post with Patrick Ewing and embarrassingly block his shot with such force it started an easy fastbreak, but Jordan, like LeBron can not guard a Center for 48 minutes and be effective.

LeBron has become a great defender in the last 2 or 3 seasons, before that he was not a great defender by any means. He's improved his defense alot and I give him all the credit in the world for doing so. But he's still not one of the greatest defensive players ever, it's just baffling to me how all of the sudden he's viewed as playing Scottie Pippen or Michael Jordan level defense. He's a great defender but he's not that great. There are a slew of guys that weren't as good of defenders as Jordan that are better defenders than LeBron. This has nothing to do with people idolizing MJ and hating LeBron, it's people putting LeBron's defense on a pedestal is doesn't belong on. You want to call him the greatest offensive player of All-Time, I can see that argument being made, I don't agree but at least there is something to it. His defense is not on that level.

[OldSchoolBBall]

what does mj do better than lebron on defense that is significant ?

Far better team/help defender. More disruptive defender. Better at containing penetration. Better rotations on the perimeter. Better hands. Better pressurer of the ball. Better fastbreak defender overall.

[LikeABosh]

People loved to talk about the hand checking rule, saying how Jordan would score 40+ per game in todays NBA due to the rules, but what about the defensive end? You don't think Jordan benefited from the hand checking on defense?

[Ikill]

MJ was the better defender but I expect the OP to get a lot of shit for making this thread, not because it is a bad comparison but because MJ is the most beloved on this site and LBJ is the most hated.

I saw this comparison on another site and it was actually a close comparison but then again the LBJ hate is not as big as it is over here.

LIES!

[LebronairJAMES]

Spin off from the top 10 perimeter defenders of all-time thread.

Who do you guys think was the better defender, Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James? Simple question, would like in-depth answers though.

op your a ****en ******


















































































































and its JORDAN

[Mach_3]

People loved to talk about the hand checking rule, saying how Jordan would score 40+ per game in todays NBA due to the rules, but what about the defensive end? You don't think Jordan benefited from the hand checking on defense?

This is true, every player from back then benefited as well from the hand checking rules allowing them to play scrappier D. However even with that weighted in Jordan imo was a superior defender due to his quickness, hand speed, IQ, ability to read and react to the defenders and the great defensive footwork he showed

[LikeABosh]

This is true, every player from back then benefited as well from the hand checking rules allowing them to play scrappier D. However even with that weighted in Jordan imo was a superior defender due to his quickness, hand speed, IQ, ability to read and react to the defenders and the great defensive footwork he showed

I agree, but I think it's closer than people think. Lebron is alot bigger and stronger, and more versatile. In one game he'll go from guarding Rondo, to Pierce, to Brandon Bass, to Garnett.