Jordans success in the finals and post-season was an amazing feat thatll probably never come close to being accomplished ever again (Zachmo Marsupalami.). And he was 2-of-8 on 3-pointers for the season. Most people know that Lebron James and Stephen Curry play in a dissimilar position, style of playing, careers and so on. They both just want to be the best teammates for their own teams. If you utilize material unique to a Sports Reference If a role player missed an open shot, Michael was thinking that he could have done that with three guys on him. He was also named finals MVP all six times. Well, he didnt play in 1967-68, having to sit out the season over contractual rights before jumping leagues and the Bay to join the Oakland Oaks of the American Basketball Association. LeBron was leading the Cavs in his 2003-2010 season, but never got them a championship, LeBron was very close though. WebPlayer Comparison: Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James. Hed read newspapers on road trips looking for something to fuel his fire. In conclusion, LeBron James is statistically a better player when it comes to all-around basketball. However, Michael Jordan was a much better scorer. He won more on the biggest stage, but failed often in the playoffs and rarely beat some of his greatest opponents. James played with better teammates than Jordan did. Most of the players who criticize LeBron for passing instead of shooting, especially when its time to take the last shot, are speaking from their own abilities, not his. Six championships. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Numerous players who defended both Jordan and James agreed with this distinction. LeBron has put up some unheard of and unthinkable numbers, while leading a team in 2007 to the National Basketball Association finals that had no other star players on the roster. Do legends such as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have a stronger case than Michael Jordan? The playoff statisticsmirror what Jordan and James produce during the regular season. The debate is most often between LeBron James and Michael Jordan, though Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has some backers, too. Curry posted the highest scoring season of his career the year after his hand injury limited him to five appearances in 2019-20. Jordan and Lebron, Mike and the King, have been exalted above all other players, repeatedly for their superior play and championship drive. Over 14 games, James is averaging 34.7 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game on 51.6% shooting. As stated by ESPN.com (2016) Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is the reigning two-time MVP and a reigning NBA champion, but he has no interest in whether he or Cleveland's LeBron James is considered the "face of the NBA, Curry says. If youre looking for legends, this is a tier that has them. Jordan is the all-time playoff leader in PER and Box Plus/Minus, and he has the highest usage percentage. As you can see on the list below, James playing at or near his current level should have a solid shot at the setting age 38 and age 39 marks held respectively by Abdul-Jabbar (23.4) and Malone (20.6). This year he may see his first ring. He was listed on the Most Hated Persons n America in 2010. "More Than an Athlete" is an eight-episode series that examines the various stages and moments of LeBron James' journey from basketball prodigy to global sports icon, businessman and philanthropist through the lens of the unique bonds of friendship and partnership that forged among four men -- James, Maverick Carter, Randy Mims and Rich Paul -- over more than two decades. Whether it was through basketball or his own brand, Jordan was making everyone want to be like Mike. Data Provided By Pick a side, nerds! The answer to that is very tough to come upon and will likely be unknown for a long time. Barry averaged 30.6 in 1974-75 and led an ensemble Golden State team to the NBA championship, but finished a dubious fourth in MVP voting behind Bob McAdoo, Dave Cowens and Elvin Hayes back when players voted for the award. The G League Ignite guard has been toward the top of several draft boards ahead of the 2023 Draft. LeBron James is far from finished. Michael Jordan and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf recount a funny conversation when discussing his recovery from a foot injury. Jordan has 38 career 40-point games in the playoffs and eight 50-point games (including his NBA playoff-record 63). Has not lost in his era. Bucks: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Grizzlies vs. Hes great at baiting the defense and making plays for his teammates. Jordans Bulls were favored to win all six times they reached the Finals, but James teams were the betting underdog seven of 10 times. Michael Jordan says he takes the comparison between him and LeBron James with a grain of salt because they played in different eras. Click on the red text to pre-fill the form with various values, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 4:56AM. There are many reasons why Lebron can not be the better than Michael Jordan was. We dont even think of any other stars in his era. See All. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The Sporting News' Bill Benderhas a helpful guidewith the most importanttalking points if you're ready to discussMJ vs. LeBron, but we're simply here to provide the facts you need to justify your choice. When most people think about Michael Jordan, they think about him as the greatest basketball player who ever played. Wilt Chamberlain, 1960-61 38.4 ppg. Bucks: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Grizzlies vs. Michael Jordan may have retired, but he still a 5 time MVP trophy winner, he also been in 6 championship games. LeBron has only three championship rings but has been to the Finals eight times. If he got a half-step of separation, he could slice into the paint for acrobatic layups. He wasnt able to singlehandedly drag the Los Angeles Lakers into the postseason. A current star has complicated that GOAT (greatest of all time) conversation, of course. Fundamentally it is real, but at the same time, they also have some correspondence with goals and others. This was the only by-age slot for James until this season. Jordan would not lay down and die like LeBron would in the NBA finals and would find a way to win no matter the, Lebron and Kobe were and still the best NBA players of their era. The author explains that actually, Stephen Curry has no intrigued about the new face of NBA between him and Lebron James. Compare player statistics for: James and his closest friends idolized Michael Jordan while they grew up together in Akron, Ohio. Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA. One reason is because of Jordans NBA finals stats. Michael Jordan career vs. LeBron James career. Bill Russel, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Julius Dr. Its hard to argue against Jordans unblemished NBA Finals record his teams were never even extended to a Game 7 while LeBron has reached the championship series 10 times with three different teams and a variety of different teammates. Karl Malone averaged 23.2 points at that age and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went for 22.0, and they were two of the most prolific graybeards in the games history. So he debuts with 37.6 in his rookie season which would rank as the highest scoring average for any age except ages 24-27. Some people way say Lebron James is the best player to play the over ichael jordan and people say he could be the person to change the logo to the. These reasons listed all show how Michael Jordan is the best player of all time and Lebron is not. Do you have a sports website? This tells us that Jordan played better, when the stage was the biggest. They are more than confident in being the best on the court. Makes it hard to guard someone that big and athletic, while on the other hand Kobe scores so smoothly off the pull up of post up game and so more, Lebron James won 2 rings for winning the championship. What about LeBron James? However, the reporters and fans always want to compare both of them because both players become one of the best players in NBA nowadays. The key difference is three-point shooting. Im thinking, What the hell? 2 scorer (Paul George, 28.0) was greater than from George to No. He adopts a comic tone in order to amuse and entertain the reader, but also to establish a common ground with the reader in order for them to consider his inquiry that consistent, continuous competition has been the catalyst for bringing James into the discussion for the greatest of, Who is better Lebron James or Michael Jordan? Not only dont players lead the league in scoring (or nearly so) at 37, they dont get close to averaging 30. James has 28 career 40-point games in the playoffs While both players are known for tenacious defense on the wing, Jordan finished first in the league in steals three times in his career. The harsh debate has gone on ever since Lebrons rookie season in 2004 when people started comparing him to Jordan. No other non-center ever stonewalled the aging process like Carter. most points scored by a player in their 20th season, LeBron James will be GOAT over Michael Jordan once he gets NBA's scoring record, says Chandler Parsons. 23 years ago today, KOBE BRYANT vs MICHAEL JORDAN at the 1998 #NBAAllStar Game! Jamess all-around playmaking polish led Christie to throw out prepared scouting reports, focusing instead on keeping a running checklist of Jamess shots. Two of the greatest players to ever step on a basketball court, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. LeBron has put up some unheard of and unthinkable numbers, while leading a team in 2007 to the National Basketball Association finals that had no other star players on the roster. The analytics dont really help because LeBrons so complete, he said. The 7-foot-1 Hall of Fame center destroyed rims, glass backboards and entire baskets on multiple occasions throughout his career.Michael Jordan is already eternalized in silhouette. Now 38 and just a game or two from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot on that same list, James is one of the few players who can legitimately be discussed alongside Jordan when it comes to laying claim to the title of G.O.A.T. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Michael Jordan is still considered the greatest basketball player of all time. James wins the longevity argument (with anyone), still playing at an All-NBA level and averaging 30 points per game in his 20th season with clear plans to play at least a few more. If LeBron James is not better than Michael Jordan he is just as good because of his career accomplishments, his statistical numbers, as well, Comparison Of Michael Jordan And Lebron James, Who is the greatest basketball player of all time? They both managed to have a killer mentality where winning was the number one priority, and health was just a second thought. Carters improbably long career faded not into the sunset but into the COVID-19 shutdown. How LeBron can top Jordan for GOAT status. James is the NBA's all-time scoring leader, but Jordan hit major scoring milestones well ahead of James throughout his career. The debate between who the best basketball player of all time has been going on for many years. (Greatest of All Time). LeBron does not have the dominance of Michael Jordan. Date of birth: Feb 17, 1963. Here are Jordan and James, in their own words, talking about each other over nearly two decades. Stathead: Baseball's Most Powerful Search Tool, Stathead: Basketball's Most Powerful Research Tool, Stathead: Football's Most Powerful Research Tool, Stathead: Hockey's Most Powerful Research Tool, Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Per 36 minutes this season, his 15.2 scoring wasnt much off his 19.4 pro-rated rate nine years earlier. Wings had to track his every movement and battle for position before the ball arrived. And he shot better now from distance (38.9% vs. 36.7%). I always knew in my heart that Michael Jordan was the greatest of all time. Christie estimated 40 points per game. The two are known to have gotten into multiple disagreements between which of the two are the best. BPM, VORP, handedness not available for WNBA. LeBron is just the opposite and I say, bravo. Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins are split on Isiah Thomas' comment that LeBron James will surpass Michael Jordan as the game's greatest if he wins a fourth championship. For most of our panel, Michael is still the man; but that doesn't mean the argument is entirely one-sided, nor is the opinion unanimous. Michael with no doubt left the NBA as one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. During games he blames the referees for every game error. Also read: LeBron James will be GOAT over Michael Jordan once he gets NBA's scoring record, says Chandler Parsons, Be the first one to comment on this story. This comparison is very important in today's sports, with many people joining the debate. Considering James' elite scoring production at age 37, we examine the NBA's all-time highest scorers by age. If Jordan got to his preferred spots, he could set up his trademark turnaround. James has 28 career 40-point games in the playoffs and one 50-point game in the 2018 NBA Finals. If youre looking for legends, this is a tier that has Please enable JavaScript for the best experience. James has not yet claimed a steals title. Kyrie on the other hand has no rings. 1 overall pick in 2003. RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Tuesday night's 10 game slate. GS since 1981-82. Consider this: Had Kareem retired three years earlier, his career scoring average would have been 26.4, good for 8th all-time on the current list. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. When thinking of greatness in the realm of basketball, these two definitely come to mind. Jordan didnt bother to bait anyone. Over his past five seasons, those numbers are 27.1, 51.8% (35.6%) and 19.7 FGA. In addition to his more imposing physique, James has surpassed Jordan in other ways. By: HoopsHype, But when you want to say whos the greatest ever its still Michael Jordan, Im going with MJ because I played with him. WebThe 7-foot-1 Hall of Fame center destroyed rims, glass backboards and entire baskets on multiple occasions throughout his career.Michael Jordan is already eternalized in silhouette. Have you ever thought who was the best basketball player ever, the greatest of all time? At his current scoring pace, he should pass Bryant, another Lakers legend, during the 2019-20 season if he maintains good health. VORP and Win Shares favor James, but PER and Box Plus/Minus go to Jordan. Daring James to shoot proved effective for stretches because it caused James to overthink. So for the record, youve got MJ, then Kobe, then LeBron. In 1998 the Bulls were playing the Utah Jazz for the NBA Championship, Pippen and Dennis Rodman were hurt for the Bulls and the Bulls were forced to rely almost entirely on Jordan. On March 28th, 2003 the ultimate rivalry took place between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Bill Russells nemesis in their famous rivalry dropped off by nearly six points per game from the season before and still posted the second-highest scoring average in NBA history. (greatest of all time), Id give the nod to Michael Jordan is because he had more of an assassin mentality, You cannot put that man in the same category as MJ right now, I love you, brother, but I have to go with Mike, MJ is the greatest basketball player of all-time, Thats just what separated Michael from everybody else including Magic, Bird, the greats of the greats, He is the greatest player in the history of basketball, Pelicans vs. Blazers: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Magic vs. The debate rages on. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Jordan had the drive and edge over his opponents to win games. As stated by ESPN.com (2016) Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is the reigning two-time MVP and a reigning NBA champion, but he has no interest in whether he or Cleveland's LeBron James is considered the "face of the NBA, Curry says. For his efforts there, Jordan received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Many of the reasons why this decision can never be agreed on is because of many things. Age: 59 years old as of April 2022. Nikola Jokic remains at No. That site uses Jan. 31 as the cutoff date to classify a players age. 1 on his list of top NBA players of all time. He played both ends at the highest level, Christie said. The top of the people that could change the logo would be the person that is the best to play the game and is Michael Jordan and is also the jumpman logo. While some differences between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan are evident, the similarities are striking which caused the entire dilemma on whos the better version. Stephen Jackson settles MJ-Kobe-LeBron GOAT debate, Stephen A.: LeBron can't be GOAT playing in NBA's softest era, Jordan: Comparison between LeBron and me will always be there, SC Featured: Jordan-LeBron debate tackled by Harvard and Yale (6:40), Everything you need to know about the NBA GOAT debate, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, Driven Giannis 'OK' if people take him for granted, Durant to debut for Suns on Wed. vs. Hornets, Pels say injured Zion progressing, set for imaging, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, NBA stars on why Nikola Jokic's prior awards shouldn't hurt 3-peat chances: 'He's playing like an MVP', 'Legendary': NBA Twitter sounds off for Lillard's historic night, West juggernauts loom, while East plots thicken: What we're watching for the NBA's stretch run, Waiver wire pickups: Look to Malik Monk, Kevon Looney. As previously mentioned, James is currently averaging 30.2PPG in his 20th season. He had to dial it back to win his titles. Look back at Karl Malone's legendary NBA career. With these and plenty other factors taken into consideration, LeBron James is the better overall player. At 40, his playing time was below 30 minutes nightly and he was getting up only 11.3 shots, about half what he averaged in his 20s. Don't be the person yelling "six rings" with no backup plan. Both players are well known players on and off the court but when it comes down to the best of the best MJ wins. Curiously, his 10th scoring crown came with his lowest average of the bunch, but it was enough to edge Shaquille ONeals 28.3 that season. He had been called to active duty in the U.S. Army Reserves and was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington. They have both made the most impact for their respective teams, they have also made rookie of the year their first years. He lost one series as the favorite (2011 vs. Dallas) but led his teams to a pair of series wins as the oddsmakers underdog (2012 vs. Oklahoma City and 2016 vs. Golden State, when Cleveland memorably erased a 3-1 deficit to beat the 73-9 record-setting Warriors). The Warriors dominated the series, winning four games to two. Both players do not care about who is going to be new faces of NBA or whatever. This essay will highlight the life and career of Lebron James. Not only does he need improvement his team needs it to. But what do LeBron's and MJ's overall Finals track records really tell us about the choice between them as the greatest of all time? WebEvery time Lebron wins a championship ring, he is compared to Jordan more. For those who witnessed Jordan's excellence over the course of two three-peats with the Bulls, itreinforced the belief that he is the greatest player to ever touch the court. Bryant is followed by Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki (12.0PPG) and fellow Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10.1PPG). The only question now is, Who is the best basketball player?, Although the stats do not lie, people still believe there is an argument to be made over who the greatest basketball player of all time is because of the number of championships won. The moves they made were the exact same from the fade away jump shot, to the way they dunked the ball. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting. His ability to find the open man makes it difficult to double-team him on the perimeter, forcing wing defenders to play him in single coverage. LeBron feels he's the GOAT after Cavs' 2016 title win. Ive failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed (MJ). @NBATV pic.twitter.com/bhOOosMjpe, Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 9, 2022. Most people know that Lebron James and Stephen Curry play in a dissimilar position, style of playing, careers and so on. The top three point scorers Since Jordan was a guard, one would think that Jordan would have more assists, but that is not the case. But it doesn't matter what we say. Look back at Wilt Chamberlain's legendary NBA career. Both of them would dunk on you. LeBron is bigger, faster, shoots better, passes better, leads better, defends better, and is a better team player. He also has a better personality than the arrogant Jordan. Whether one-on-one or HORSE, James is better. In fact, he's an athletic genius with all the intangibles. Well never know where Jordans totals would have ended up if not for a pair of early retirements (missing nearly two full seasons when he walked away the first time at age 30). He In the comments section. If James missed from a particular spot early on, Christie would try to steer him back there as the game unfolded. Who is the real GOAT? Go to ESPN+ and subscribe now to view full episodes. Chris Paul is the 1st player in NBA history to be part of 4 teams to set a franchise record for wins in a season. Design and development by Virginia Singarayar. ORB, DRB, STL, BLK, DRtg, BPM, VORP, and per 100 Poss stats since 1973-74. By the way, Malone played 81 games and Jordan, in his final season, played 82. was an inspiration, James told reporters on March 7, 2019, the night he passed Jordan for fourth place on the NBAs career scoring list. Michael Jordan has retired, then made his return to the NBA. Kobe Bryant wanted to show out Jordan himself by dropping a total of fifty-five points in the game. So Karl Malone would have caught and passed him in 2003 before LeBron and reigned as the NBAs all-time points leader for 19 years until March 19 in Washington, when James would have taken over by reaching 36,929. From the day LeBron James first picked up a basketball, he wanted to be like Mike. However, Jordan was not only a basketball player, but someone who influenced the American culture and society. MP and PER since 1951-52. Then theres Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at 34.8 in 1971-72 and Nate (Tiny) Archibald in fourth place among 24-year-olds, averaging 34 points while also leading the NBA at 11.4 assists per game in 1972-73. Lebron or Kobe? Basketball fan or basketball people have probably heard or had a strong discussion about who is a greater player: Kobe Bryant or LeBron James? source for the material. As a point forward, he initiates the offense more often, requiring defenders to pick him up farther away from the basket. Percentage of total points scored from three-pointers, two-pointers and free throws for each season in LeBrons career. Of course, losing those seasons would have cost him 3,279 points off his total of 38,387. Jordan took over in his playoff runs scoring over 33 points a game compared to Lebron's 28 points. Source: Getty Images. Jordan has another amazing record when he scored 63 points against the Boston Celtics in 1986. [Jordan] is somebody I looked up to and always believed was the greatest. The Emmy Award-winning 10-part documentary is now available on Blu-ray for a limited time. But within the confines of the NBA, where 37 can feel like dog years to many players, James 2021-22 individual season hasnt just been remarkable. It was all identical but not the same(P//5). Abdul-Jabbar had averaged 17.5 points at age 39 but that still was a 20-point rate pro-rated to 36 minutes. In response to Jordan and James, frustrated opposing coaches resorted to unconventional tactics. Jordan carried the Bulls on his back and won a NBA championship, something LeBron James has not done. These two players were very similar in many ways. When asked to weigh Jordan against James as scorers, opponents who guarded both kept returning to the mind-set issue: Jordan was the superior scorer, they argued, because he was more consumed by the act. It was all identical but not the same(P//5). Kobe has 5 championships, and out of those 5 he was the MVP of two of them (2007-08). Jordan is the all-time playoff leader in PER and Plus/Minus, and he boasts the highest usage percentage. TheESPN documentary series "The Last Dance" showed a younger generation of NBA fans that Michael Jordan is much more than a guy who sells retro sneakers. 1, but plenty of other performers are staying in the mix as the Kia MVP discussion nears the finish line. For the record, were clipping off this list here. However, it looks like LeBron James is set to smash every single scoring record in relation to longevity. Michael Jordan averaged 30.1 points per game over his career the highest in NBA history. His final seasons thinned that to 24.6, dropping him to 17th. As a result of the rule changes, an increase in pace, and a rise in the prevalence of three-pointers, NBA teams are averaging 110.9 points per game WNBA all-time (since 1997) unless otherwise noted. Christie, Cassell and Smith all agreed with Bowen that Jordan, not James, should get the ball with the season on the line. It depends what the rest of his career will look like, and how long he continues to play. James had a clear-cut advantage, with Jordan having averaged 22.9PPG, 5.7RPG and 5.2APG on 41.6% shooting, however, many fans took issue with the comparison. Both LeBron and MJ won Rookie of the Year for their respective teams. He played only 48 games while adding 18.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Rule changes have led to a different game, three-pointers, two-pointers and free throws. They do not believe that anyone is better than them. 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