Lebron vs. Magic

[COnDEMnED]

Many people here have Magic in their top 5 and Lebron out of their top 10.

How is Magic a better basketball player than Lebron?

Lebron is a much better scorer, an infinitely better defender, more efficent, a better rebounder, a better finisher, more durable, way better from 3, and is on a completely different level as an athlete.

Even Magics best quality, passing, is one of Lebrons strengths. I'm not saying he passes like Magic, but he is in the conversation with Bird for the best passing SF in history.

Outside of stupid shit that can't be measured like "killer will" or "leadership", I'm interested in hearing arguments for why Magic should be ranked over Lebron in anyones list.

People often knock Kobe for having Shaq and argue that he shouldn't be in the top 10 because of it. Well, KAJ is a GOAT candidate and those showtime teams were among the most stacked in history. Yet, for some reason Magic is in everyones top 5.

Doesn't really add up.

Perhaps it's because his career was cut short. Who knows what could have happened. Maybe top 3 wasn't out of the question.

[Marchesk]

Then people shouldn't call their rankings the top 10 basketball players. They should call it the 10 most acomplished basketball players, with Russell at the top of it.

Stats and accolades also factor into it. Most people don't put Russell at the top because he wasn't a great scorer (unlike Wilt, Oscar, West, Baylor in his era), and he had a stacked roster.

But really, if we're gong by accomplishments, Mikan has a case.

[NZStreetBaller]

One on one of course lebron would beat magic.
but that doesnt necessarily make lebron better.
The two things you often hear about these two are all round (can play any postion) and "makes their team mates better" Magic Johnson wins this by a LANDSLIDE. he basically orchestrated his team to championships with his leader ship and his passing (GOAT passer in my books btw) he was a massive dude who played point guard. and at a very young age played Center which brings up the "all rounder in him" and dominated that game and won (stepping up to the plate in a high pressure situation)

[wakencdukest]

Many people here have Magic in their top 5 and Lebron out of their top 10.

How is Magic a better basketball player than Lebron?

Lebron is a much better scorer, an infinitely better defender, more efficent, a better rebounder, a better finisher, more durable, way better from 3, and is on a completely different level as an athlete.

Even Magics best quality, passing, is one of Lebrons strengths. I'm not saying he passes like Magic, but he is in the conversation with Bird for the best passing SF in history.

Outside of stupid shit that can't be measured like "killer will" or "leadership", I'm interested in hearing arguments for why Magic should be ranked over Lebron in anyones list.

People often knock Kobe for having Shaq and argue that he shouldn't be in the top 10 because of it. Well, KAJ is a GOAT candidate and those showtime teams were among the most stacked in history. Yet, for some reason Magic is in everyones top 5.

Doesn't really add up.

LeBron is not a better rebounder or finisher, and is not more efficient. Check your stats dude, Magic averaged more rebounds, assists, steals, shot a higher percentage from the field and the free throw line.

[GimmeThat]

because people are still waiting to see Lebron putting up great finals numbers in order to put him ahead of Magic.


there ARE Lakers fan/people who already put Kobe ahead of Magic because of his last 2 championships.

maybe it's because no one expected him to win another 1 or 2, maybe it's because no one expected him to win with Pau.

but those banners are hanging.



word

[dc_chilling]

LeBron is not a better rebounder or finisher, and is not more efficient. Check your stats dude, Magic averaged more rebounds, assists, steals, shot a higher percentage from the field and the free throw line.

They average the same amount of rebounds for their careers, but adjusting for pace, it's safe to say Lebron is a little better.

Lebrons past two seasons are better from the field than any of Magics seasons, despite shooting way more threes. Lebron shoots 2's better and 3's better.

You are right about the assists and ft%. Although, I gave Magic credit for being the better passer.

I'll give him steals too. Although pace and handchecking help his cause tremendously.

[Rose'sACL]

lebron has been a way better defender than magic since 2007-08.
Lebron is a way better scorer than magic.
Magic Career: 19.2 PPG ,11.2 APM, 7.2RPG
on 52%FG,30.2% 3P% on 1.2 attempts per game

LeBron Career: 27.5ppg , 6.9 APG, 7.2RPG
on 49.7%FG, 34.1% 3P% on 4 attempts per game.

even if you consider it close going by offensive stats, lebron even on his bad days is a better defender than magic. Even in his so called bad defensive series in 2014 finals, he shut down manu and parker whenever he was on them.
Stats per 100 possessions makes the gap even larger given that magic played a more fast paced game.

[Iceman#44]

Magic could have been a 22-25 ppg scorer for his career easily

[Rose'sACL]

Magic could have been a 22-25 ppg scorer for his career easily

lebron could have been 32 ppg scorer for his career easily.

[Iceman#44]

CAREER STATS

MAGIC: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RBS, 11.2 AST, .520 fg%, .303 3P%, .848 FT%
LEBRON: 27.5 PPG, 7.2 RBS, 6.9 AST, .497 FG%, .341 3P%, .747 FT%


iT'S crazy that Magic out-shoot .848 to .747 LBJ from the FT line

[Iceman#44]

lebron could have been 32 ppg scorer for his career easily.

32 ppg career AVERAGE? Are you serious Bro? You know that the NBA Record for Career Average is 30.1 right?

[Rose'sACL]

32 ppg career AVERAGE? Are you serious Bro? You know that the NBA Record for Career Average is 30.1 right?

you increase magic's average and i increase lebron's. I have never made a thread or comment about lebron could score "this much" if he tried, neither should you.
facts are there for you to use. Stop using ifs and buts because those favor lebron too. What if he didn't get drafted by cavs and got drafted by a classy organization like lakers who could hire pat riley? May be he would be a better player but you don't see me making those statements so just use the actual stats instead of using ifs and buts.

[Sarcastic]

I appreciate your thoughtful analysis. We disagree, but you made some strong points.

Even if you argue that Magic is as good as Lebron on offense (I don't agree but for the sake of argument), there is no question that Lebron is a much better defender than Magic. Since half the game is played on the defensive end, he should get the nod on that premise alone.

One point I did want to touch on though. Lebron's athletic advantage surely comes into play when grading players. It is a major reason why he is as dominant as he is.

Honestly, Lebron has a much easier time guarding Magic than Magic does Lebron.

How the hell would you know this? Did you make a time machine? Magic was a tough matchup for anyone that ever guarded him. There is a myth floating around that somehow Pippen shut him down in the 1991 finals. He put up 18/8/12 in that series. If that is him being "shut down", imagine what he would have done without being "shut down".

[dc_chilling]

How the hell would you know this? Did you make a time machine? Magic was a tough matchup for anyone that ever guarded him. There is a myth floating around that somehow Pippen shut him down in the 1991 finals. He put up 18/8/12 in that series. If that is him being "shut down", imagine what he would have done without being "shut down".

I know this because one player is a 260 pound super athlete that prides himself on defense. The other player is listed at 220 pounds and is an average athlete with below average defense.

It's common sense.

[Rose'sACL]

I know this because one player is a 260 pound super athlete that prides himself on defense. The other player is listed at 220 pounds and is an average athlete with below average defense.

It's common sense.

the problem is that magic would never have to guard lebron as lakers tried to hide him on defense.
Lebron would be guarding magic though. i hear all this talk about how magic would play SF for the current team if he was to replace him but that is pure BS. He would run PG all the time. He was not capable of guarding players KD, Melo, PG or any good fast player who can go to the rim or fck him in the post. He would always be put on the worst wing offensive player on the other team.
Pistons game plan was to expose magic's defense in the finals and they succeeded in it. What more do you have to know about magic's defense? good defenders have some bad series but no good defender is though of like pistons thought about magic.