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Link: https://twitter.com/firsttake/status/1250144083001163779?s=21
At his peak, Jordan was the better player, but due to his 2 premature retirements, LeBron will likely have the more impressive overall career. Unfortunately for LeBron the 2020 title (which was looking very likely) probably won't happen.
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I'm originally from Akron and went to St V-M, so I am not objective at all. I have no idea who is the GOAT.
One thing that I've always appreciated about LeBron is that he has always been very loyal to Akron, even after he left for Miami. He has done - and continues to do - so much in the community. I appreciate that he has been outspoken on many issues. Somebody of his stature can truly influence. If you understand what piece of work his mother is, and his upbringing, it really is astonishing how he turned out.
Jordan, on the other hand, has NEVER taken a stand on anything, other than his wallet. Can you imagine the impact he could have had? If he had taken up a cause - ANY cause - he could have moved mountains. But he has remained completely silent. I stood up and applauded when Jim Brown took him to task for this.
I don't remember seeing Lebron elevate the play of his teammates and In most cases they regressed. Jordan elevated players around him, most of whom were role players and with them he won 6 titles.
He leads the league in assists.
Also...how’s Kyrie playing without him?
LeBron is the most dominant player I’ve ever seen. I’d choose him over Jordan or anyone from the 90s.
I say this merely to confirm your suspicions. You know full well I prefer the old over the new at all turns and as I remenisce in my lawn chair, shooing children out of my yard.
I'm also relatively certain that you rank nearly everything that is newer better, so I'm highly skeptical of your evaluation. For example, I would guess that you would conclude that Brian Kelly's best team would beat Lou's best team.
Perhaps the best way to confirm this is to ask what your opinion of the new Coke was at the time?
With the exception of maybe his first title. But LeBron had to go up against them 4 years in a row. By the time of the second 3-peat, the league had gotten watered down by expansion. The Stockton-Malone Jazz were the 2nd best team of that era. That should tell you something.
I still think peak Jordan is better than peak LeBron, but it's close.
No way Kelly's best team beats Lou's best team.
And, I'm one of those guys who thinks that modern athletes are bigger, stronger and faster on average.
They were all darn good players by themselves and would likely have won tittles without him provided in his absence they had their equal on the floor too.
I do remember Magic making all of his teammates better players as did Bird. Can’t say I ever saw Jordan do that - and I watched a lot of basketball back then.
Jordan didn't elevate the play of his teammates? I watched a whole lot of NBA back then.
A. Jordan pushed his teammates a ton. He was brutal. Most of them seem to appreciate that in retrospect.
B. He numerous times set up teammates for big shots and big plays, both on offense and defense. He was All-Defense several times.
He had some solid players around him all of whom could be the front line of any other team in the NBA.
He may have been hard on his teammates - when I think of players elevating the play of his teammates, I think of Magic Johnson
Larry Bird who did exactly that. They were leaders. Jordan was just a great athlete who was a bit of a pussy - Refs looked the other way
when he fouled others, he palmed the ball (carried the ball) took extra steps (just like Ewing) - so no, to me he was just a great athlete
playing basketball. I appreciated his skill but that doesn't mean he elevated his teammates play.
You can disagree all you like - I stand by my statement.
I had seasons tickets (just off the the floor center court) to the (awful) Knicks in those years - I did see a lot of BB.
Go back and watch how many times he passed off to someone else for a big shot or play, or worked in tandem with Pippen to create a big defensive play or purposely tried to get a teammate to come up big in a playoff game.
And I can't believe I'm here talking up Michael Jordan, but short of Kobe, the current, second-rate game has not produced players who deserve to be ranked above him, period.
All-time leading scorer and 6 titles with two teams. Dominant player.
Pick the order.
Part of the reason Jordan was better than James is because he did have to face and beat the Pistons and, later the discount version in the Knicks. It was a different level of defense and physicality. It's one thing if you have a team or several teams whose offenses revolve around three-point chucking. It's an entirely different game when all offenses are three-point chucks and dunks, minus what they call the "mid-range" shot. You have a fundamentally different sport. No question, athleticism has continued to evolve and that would be the challenge fo the greats from past decades. At the same time, I can't imagine what some of those greats from the past would be able to do if they were free to carry the ball to the ridiculous degree that it's allowed in the current game or would be afforded the number of foul shots provided in the current game based upon the way the game is refereed today. Can you imagine what prime Maravich would do today if he were allowed to carry the basketball every time up the court? And with a three-point line? Can you imagine the and-ones Moses would be able to rack up today with the way the game is called?
Mostly before my time...but he should come up in these conversations.
Hard to be considered the best ever when you aren't the best player on your own team. That said, he's probably in the top 5.
He's also viewed more as a compiler rather than the best at any one point in time.
Maybe that’s personal bias.
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It's transparent what's going on here. Laimbeer being Laimbeer, he's still bitter about how their little pretend dynasty ended, so naturally he elevates James above Jordan.
No, James is not a better player than Jordan at his peak. The predictable, "new is better" voice will of course like this position. I didn't like Jordan at all, in the interests of full disclosure. Kobe over Jordan? I'm perfectly willing to entertain that one.
Thought he was a bad ass player for the Irish though.
In my generation, Magic and Bird.
Never been a Jordan fan. He palmed the ball, walked (traveled, carried the ball) and was a bit of a cry baby. Media darling who got protected.
Not saying he wasn't a great player and gifted, but really, if you're that good, why do you always need the rules to bend
in your favor?
Not a BB fan anymore so I've never seen LaBron play. I really didn't like Kobe that much - saw him play, gifted but selfish.
He was on his way to another MVP this year, having changed his game - he led the league in assists, by a lot.
But LeBron was probably 2nd.
It was a fun NBA season. Bummer it got cut short.
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