Is LeBron James better than Michael Jordan?

[tlance]

I had Duncan as the best PF of all-time. Not the scorer that Malone was but better defender and team player. It has nothing to do with titles I just think he was better all-around.

I also have Hakeem as the best center. The best athlete at C of all-time. Hard to compare with Wilt bc of the time frame. Hakeem also willed his team to a championship one year.

I got:

PG Magic
SG MJ
SF Lebron
PF Duncan
C Hakeem

I like this team a lot.

I think I would sub Kareem for Hakeem though. And I might consider a floor spacer at 4 instead of another big. Larry Bird perhaps? He would be a 4 if he played today.

Here is my mostly positionless 5:

Magic
MJ
LeBron
Bird
Kareem

 

[Wamu]

Who would you say is arguably above Lebron at SF?

I'm a bit biased but the only SF I would even consider over LeBron is Bird. My guess is some people would take KD. He's a great player but he's never led a team to a title. Larry the Legend did that 3 times.

 

[Wamu]

In 1993,The Bulls beat the Knicks in the ECF and the Suns in the Finals, both of those team had better records than Chicago.

Damn good stat.

 

[Raw_Bee808]

I had Duncan as the best PF of all-time. Not the scorer that Malone was but better defender and team player. It has nothing to do with titles I just think he was better all-around.

I also have Hakeem as the best center. The best athlete at C of all-time. Hard to compare with Wilt bc of the time frame. Hakeem also willed his team to a championship one year.

I got:

PG Magic
SG MJ
SF Lebron
PF Duncan
C Hakeem

Damn, that was the team I was gonna go with, Hakeem is my favorite center of all time and TD is the GOAT PF. So I'll try to switch it up a little bit, here goes...

PG: Penny Hardaway (prime Penny is one of my favorite players ever)
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Scottie Pippen
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Hakeem Olajuwon

 

[flyerhawk]

I'm a bit biased but the only SF I would even consider over LeBron is Bird. My guess is some people would take KD. He's a great player but he's never led a team to a title. Larry the Legend did that 3 times.

Bird was a great player. Top 10 all time for sure.

I have a really tough time putting him in the top 5 though.

 

[Wamu]

Bird was a great player. Top 10 all time for sure.

I have a really tough time putting him in the top 5 though.

To each their own. That's why there's no wrong answer. Well if you put together a starting 5 of Swaggy P, Jimmer Fredette, Adam Morrison, Kwame Brown & Greg Kite that would be wrong.

 

[cwalke3408]

It's MJ.
Better Scorer, Better Defender, and Better Winner.

 

[trojanfan12]

Which teams did the Bulls beat that you think were better than the Golden State Warriors of today?

I said "getting to the finals" .

I've already posted that MJ faced better competition getting to the finals and Lebron has faced better competition once in the finals.

 

[trojanfan12]

Hence the 8 straight Finals but almost every team Lebron has faced in the Finals has beeb better than those West teams. You put MJ in the west and he probably has 8 plus appearances in the early 90’s but he would be 3-5 or 3-6. Boston and Detroit murdered him.

And what's your point?

I already posted that MJ faced better competition getting to the finals and Lebron has faced better competition once reaching the finals.

 

[tlance]

And what's your point?

I already posted that MJ faced better competition getting to the finals and Lebron has faced better competition once reaching the finals.

I don't agree with what Shane said, because he would have beaten those same teams in the Finals if the Bulls were in the West too.

But the point is that it most defintely does not even out.

The better team almost always wins a 7 game series. Jordan was always in the better team throughout the 90s.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

never saw MJ in the NBA Finals 8 years running…


and never saw anyone stop either of these two guys.

 

[DorianRo]

I'll take nothing away from Lebron's physical attributes and individual ability. Props to him. He's been a great player for a long time.

The main difference between MJ and... Well everyone else for that matter is the mental department and that killer instinct.

Jordan was the PERFECT construct of a player from mental to physical ability. Thats what separates the two mostly. Well and the fact MJ was much better on both ends of the court

What Jordan accomplished in just 13 seasons is INSANE. Imagine if he played 20 seasons straight.

Lebron is great but he's NO Jordan. He's a supped up version of Magic

 

[tlance]

I'll take nothing away from Lebron's physical attributes and individual ability. Props to him. He's been a great player for a long time.

The main difference between MJ and... Well everyone else for that matter is the mental department and that killer instinct.

Jordan was the PERFECT construct of a player from mental to physical ability. Thats what separates the two mostly. Well and the fact MJ was much better on both ends of the court

What Jordan accomplished in just 13 seasons is INSANE. Imagine if he played 20 seasons straight.

Lebron is great but he's NO Jordan. He's a supped up version of Magic

Exactly.

He is a more athletic, better version of Magic.

For once you got something right.

Even you have to put him in your top 5 by now or you are simply lying to yourself.

 

[Raw_Bee808]

@tlance If the Cavs beat either GS or Houston would that put LeBron above Jordan in your book?



(I bet he says yes)

 

[flyerhawk]

I said "getting to the finals" .

I've already posted that MJ faced better competition getting to the finals and Lebron has faced better competition once in the finals.

But you are trying to argue that this is more or less a wash. It isn't.

Jordan faced tougher competition in the East than Lebron did. But Lebron faced tougher competition overall because the Western teams were so damn good. Lebron's Western competition dramatically better than MJ's Eastern competition.

 

[DorianRo]

Exactly.

He is a more athletic, better version of Magic.

For once you got something right.

Even you have to put him in your top 5 by now or you are simply lying to yourself.

With only 3 titles and a losing Finals record (Could be worse after this year). Nahhh.. Can't do that. He doesn't warrant it.

Thats just NOT top 5 material. Talent-wise sure he's probably top 5. But what are we putting up GOAT lists just off "talent" alone?

 

[msgkings322]

never saw MJ in the NBA Finals 8 years running…


and never saw anyone stop either of these two guys.



View attachment 180009

Um, Russell stopped Wilt a lot. And Kareem lost some Finals too.

 

[Raw_Bee808]

With only 3 titles and a losing Finals record (Could be worse after this year). Nahhh.. Can't do that. He doesn't warrant it.

Thats just NOT top 5 material. Talent-wise sure he's probably top 5. But what are we putting up GOAT lists just off "talent" alone?

Who do you have in your top 5?

 

[DorianRo]

MJ would have had 8 straight finals and even better 8 straight titles if he didn't retire right in the middle of his peak.

 

[DorianRo]

Who do you have in your top 5?

1. Jordan
2. Kareem
3. Russell
4. Magic
5. Bird/Duncan/Shaq. All arguable there

.. As of now anyways.

It may change.. It may not though. I would need to see 1-2 more champions/FMVP from Lebron. And probably 3 more FMVP/title for GOAT