LeBron or Michael

[TrueBigRedFan]

I've watched both. It seems to me that bron is a great player with a Roman God like physique... That could never make Pippen into a hall of fame player. Despite, Lebrons size and bulk, I think MJ would beat him with his resolve in a physical contest. Skill goes to his airness all day.

Of the two, Michael is my pick, easily. Times are different, I'm older and I really don't care.

LeBron is a great player, but it seems it has become LeBron vs the other team. And I don't buy into the "Poor LeBron, the rest of his team is just so Worthless" dialogue. I don't think he elevates the play of his teammates like I feel some of the others have. And I also don't feel that his public persona highlighting his sense of greatness helps his cause.

LeBron would most likely be in my top 5. But he wouldn't be in my top 2-3. Right now, I would take Jordan, Johnson and Bird in their prime, before LeBron. Maybe another or two, haven't really invested that much time watching film and breaking it down.

 

[SoFL Husker]

Agree about Lebron vs. Michael, but I think a lot of people forget how the refs "contained" Shaq. Many games where he was on the bench in the 1st quarter after 3 quick "fouls" to make the games competitive. Shaq was lazy and let himself go a bit after he got the money, but he was still the most dominant player of the last 30 years. The refs would contain Shaq and give Michael/Kobe all the calls in the world.

 

[SoFL Husker]

People forget how dominant this mofo was.

The best center next to Jabbar, IMO.

That good.

 

[SoFL Husker]

LeBron finally got his supporting cast. Winking

Great post TFraz. Classic play on words. Well done!

 

[SoFL Husker]

 

[huskerfan_12_05]

MJ would run circles around LeBron, much quicker & faster overall though LeBron is very quick for as big as he is. He (MJ) made teammates better & led his team to 6 titles where Lebrons handpicked teams all run completely through him & he gets huge stat lines because of it & can win the East but would & has lost handily to multiple teams from the west.

 

[TheNewNU_rivals50820]

MJ would run circles around LeBron, much quicker & faster overall though LeBron is very quick for as big as he is. He (MJ) made teammates better & led his team to 6 titles where Lebrons handpicked teams all run completely through him & he gets huge stat lines because of it & can win the East but would & has lost handily to multiple teams from the west.

Great point. Lebron has been a defacto GM ever since he arrived back in Cleveland. He wanted Kevin Love, JR Smith, Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson, Kyle Korver, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose and had them all get massive deals, much more than they were worth on the free market. He painted Cleveland into a total corner with a bunch of bad contracts that they can't dump and they are going to be absolutely awful when he leaves and heads to Houston, LA or Philly

 

[oldjar07]

I'm ok with people saying MJ is better than LeBron. But leaving Lebron out of your top 5 and the people saying Kobe is better, that's just a complete lack of respect for LeBron. If LeBron's career ended tomorrow, he's already in the top 5 all time. He'll likely be top 2 by the time his career is over.

Now will he ever surpass Jordan? If I had to guess, I'd say no, but it's certainly possible if he keeps up his level of play for several more years and is able to win a few more championships and match Jordan's 6 titles.

 

[BK12]

I'm ok with people saying MJ is better than LeBron. But leaving Lebron out of your top 5 and the people saying Kobe is better, that's just a complete lack of respect for LeBron. If LeBron's career ended tomorrow, he's already in the top 5 all time. He'll likely be top 2 by the time his career is over.

You don’t see why people think Kobe and his 33500 points and 5 titles is better then Lebron and his 31000 and 3 titles? Really?

 

[huskerfan_12_05]

MJ would run circles around LeBron, much quicker & faster overall though LeBron is very quick for as big as he is. He (MJ) made teammates better & led his team to 6 titles where Lebrons handpicked teams all run completely through him & he gets huge stat lines because of it & can win the East but would & has lost handily to multiple teams from the west.

Great point. Lebron has been a defacto GM ever since he arrived back in Cleveland. He wanted Kevin Love, JR Smith, Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson, Kyle Korver, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose and had them all get massive deals, much more than they were worth on the free market. He painted Cleveland into a total corner with a bunch of bad contracts that they can't dump and they are going to be absolutely awful when he leaves and heads to Houston, LA or Philly

No doubt about this.. I don’t think he has a future as a GM. But it speaks volumes to me that Kyrie left for Boston last year

 

[klemman]

Both great players, arguably the best ever. To win a championship you need support. To win multiple championships you need great players and a great coach. If it was just about Jordan’s competitiveness and skill set, he would have won a championship earlier in his career. He never won a championship without Pippen. To act as if either player is unquestionably better is ridiculous.

 

[oldjar07]

Kobe's 5 titles all came against rather weak Finals teams and he didn't do it without having the best big men in the league on his team. 3 of his titles were because he had Shaq on his team. His last 2, Pau Gasol was the best big man in the league at the time. He also had very good role players on those teams.

When Kobe had to play the caliber of teams James has had to in the Finals, he didn't fair any better. I've seen both of them play. Kobe is probably the closest to Jordan the league has seen. Still LeBron is easily the better player of the two.

 

[BK12]

Kobe's 5 titles all came against rather weak Finals teams and he didn't do it without having the best big men in the league on his team. 3 of his titles were because he had Shaq on his team. His last 2, Pau Gasol was the best big man in the league at the time. He also had very good role players on those teams.

When Kobe had to play the caliber of teams James has had to in the Finals, he didn't fair any better. I've seen both of them play. Kobe is probably the closest to Jordan the league has seen. Still LeBron is easily the better player of the two.

Pau Gasol was the best big man in the league? He averaged 18.9 and 18.3 PPG and 9.6 and 11.3 RPG the two title years with Kobe.
Kevin Love averaged 19 and 17.6 PPG and 11.1 and 9.3 RPG the last 2 years. looks pretty similar to me.

The Spurs won 5 titles during Kobe's career - guess they weren't any good. Beat Lebron twice - 1 rebound away from beating him all 3 times. Only reason Lebron gets to the finals is because the East is terrible.

 

[ThrowBones92]

I don't know the answer, but pose a scenario. MJ and Lebron at their primes with the best cast they had. Now switch them. Who is the better basketball player and why?

I think what is also important is to look at who they played in the Finals and switch the teams. Did MJ ever have to win a Finals where he beat a team with 3-4 HOFers? We can disagree on the number and agree that there are two HOF locks and Lebron is playing with nobody. When you depend on Rodney Hood to get buckets, you're in trouble. Jordan had an excellent sidekick and supporting cast, and also was coached by the best to ever coach the pro game. Best ever.

 

[BK12]

Switch the teams? Ok. Does anybody think Jordan Wade and Bosh couldn’t beat the Dallas Macericks in the finals? Funny how wade and Shaq could beat them but Lebron couldn’t with 2 other max players in the prime of their careers. Pretty sure Jordan Kyrie and Love would have done much better then Lebron did with them. 1 title - and that was only because Green got suspended.

What did Lebron do that was so great this year? Him and another max player won the east by beating the Celtics in 7 games without their 2 star players. We are supposed to call him the goat because he beat the Toronto Raptors? Who the F do they have on their team? 7 games to beat the pacers who have no star players. Come on.

 

[Spectrumalaska]

One won everywhere, the other was one everywhere.

I choose the one who won.

 

[oldjar07]

Switch the teams? Ok. Does anybody think Jordan Wade and Bosh couldn’t beat the Dallas Macericks in the finals? Funny how wade and Shaq could beat them but Lebron couldn’t with 2 other max players in the prime of their careers. Pretty sure Jordan Kyrie and Love would have done much better then Lebron did with them. 1 title - and that was only because Green got suspended.

What did Lebron do that was so great this year? Him and another max player won the east by beating the Celtics in 7 games without their 2 star players. We are supposed to call him the goat because he beat the Toronto Raptors? Who the F do they have on their team? 7 games to beat the pacers who have no star players. Come on.

Kyrie and Love were both injured in the Finals that first year otherwise they likely would have won that year.

Yeah LeBron played like **** that series against Dallas. It's hard to explain. But more often than not he's able to put his team on his back and accomplish far greater than his team would ever be able to do without him.

 

[timnsun]

Kyrie and Love were both injured in the Finals that first year otherwise they likely would have won that year.

Yeah LeBron played like **** that series against Dallas. It's hard to explain. But more often than not he's able to put his team on his back and accomplish far greater than his team would ever be able to do without him.

Sorry, but this is obvious. Of course they accomplished far greater things than they would have without him. He’s an all time great, so it stands to reason if he was shelved they wouldn’t accomplish as much.

 

[morninghusker]

They changed the rules so Michael could score and players have benefited since .Carrying and traveling no longer exist and that's ok you really can't compare players before and after MJ but I did love some magic and bird .

 

[jeans15]

They changed the rules so Michael could score and players have benefited since .Carrying and traveling no longer exist and that's ok you really can't compare players before and after MJ but I did love some magic and bird .

Laughing good grief.

 

[AngryHusker88]

Kobe Bryant in his prime would school Lebron James

 

[NECoach31BB]

LBJ has been basically the GM since he went back home. He might be the greatest player of all time but we’ll never know because he surrounds himself with players that are just good enough that he has to be the savior for the franchise. He’s made the deals and look what it’s gotten them bunch a conference titles and some nice runner up hardware. He’s picked the supporting cast that goes into the role of being the greatest of all time can you get people to come play for you. Or he really hasn’t he’s had to get average to above average guys over paid to play with him in Cleveland. To me that sums up the conversation

 

[morninghusker]

Laughing good grief.

Just an old man who used to love basketball but can hardly stand to watch it now. Not taking away from current players....it's just a different game. Reckon the same will happen to you one day jeans.

 

[jteten]

Most Old people: Jordan
Most Young people: Lebron

 

[jeans15]

Just an old man who used to love basketball but can hardly stand to watch it now. Not taking away from current players....it's just a different game. Reckon the same will happen to you one day jeans.

I hate NBA basketball now Laughing

 

[ThrowBones92]

Another piece to consider, when discussing talent levels from the 70's, 80's and early 90's compared to today: Up until 1989, there were 30% fewer teams than there are today. They didn't even play with a 8-team conference playoff format. 6 teams from each conference made the playoffs until the NBA expanded to 25 teams in '89.

 

[huskerhooligansdotcom]

Kobe Bryant in his prime would school Lebron James

Kobe would score 55... Lebron would have a 35 point triple double and Lebron's team would win.

 

[PeliniTheCrutch_rivals294365]

Another piece to consider, when discussing talent levels from the 70's, 80's and early 90's compared to today: Up until 1989, there were 30% fewer teams than there are today. They didn't even play with a 8-team conference playoff format. 6 teams from each conference made the playoffs until the NBA expanded to 25 teams in '89.

No.

 

[red scowl]

I'm ok with people saying MJ is better than LeBron. But leaving Lebron out of your top 5 and the people saying Kobe is better, that's just a complete lack of respect for LeBron. If LeBron's career ended tomorrow, he's already in the top 5 all time. He'll likely be top 2 by the time his career is over.

Now will he ever surpass Jordan? If I had to guess, I'd say no, but it's certainly possible if he keeps up his level of play for several more years and is able to win a few more championships and match Jordan's 6 titles.

Is LeBron a greater player, than Kareem?

 

[Redscarlet]

Is LeBron a greater player, than Kareem?

Come on man two different positions.

Is a apple better than a orange.

 

[red scowl]

Come on man two different positions.

Is a apple better than a orange.

Greatest player doesn't have a position. Hmmm?

 

[Solana Beach Husker]

Dallas Mavericks 2011

End of discussion.


Wait. Sag off Jordan...lmao.....That's what they did at the beginning of his career we he was averaging 30 a game.

The things people say to make excuses for LeBron are incredible.

The damn Warriors play guys who can't hit a shot to save their life now. They have never played a team as Ggreat as the Bulls.

you don't understand the rules of 80s and 90s...you couldn't sag off of players...that was called illegal defense. Even Bill Lambeer had to be guarded on the perimeter if he chose to stand out there...in fact rodman would stand at the 3 point line often to open the lane...all players had to be guarded 1 on 1 and there could not be a zone type defense at that time. When lebron is played one on one he scores nearly every time, in the game today lebron is bracketed meaning he has a main defender and at least one of other defender assigned to rotate to him before he gets to the restricted area. In the jordan era you could not rotate to jordan until he was making a shooting move at the hoop. That is why he has so many dunks over people, people were stuck to lame rodman until jordan was at the rim. They were rotating late to him. Now he had the perfect skill set for the era, he was the greatest of the era, he is basically a supercharged dwade...and you deal with dwade by keeping him off the free throw line, making sure he has to go through two/three defenders to get to the rim, and forcing him to pass, which he doesn't like to do, and then make him settle for 3s. Maybe jordan becomes a passable 3 point shooter in the game today, but if he doesn't he would not be as effective.

 

[Solana Beach Husker]

Great point. Lebron has been a defacto GM ever since he arrived back in Cleveland. He wanted Kevin Love, JR Smith, Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson, Kyle Korver, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose and had them all get massive deals, much more than they were worth on the free market. He painted Cleveland into a total corner with a bunch of bad contracts that they can't dump and they are going to be absolutely awful when he leaves and heads to Houston, LA or Philly

So you are saying lebron is the best player in the league and the gm of a championship team...that is something jordan never accomplished. You convinced me Lebron is the GOAT! Thanks

 

[jeans15]

you don't understand the rules of 80s and 90s...you couldn't sag off of players...that was called illegal defense. Even Bill Lambeer had to be guarded on the perimeter if he chose to stand out there...in fact rodman would stand at the 3 point line often to open the lane...all players had to be guarded 1 on 1 and there could not be a zone type defense at that time. When lebron is played one on one he scores nearly every time, in the game today lebron is bracketed meaning he has a main defender and at least one of other defender assigned to rotate to him before he gets to the restricted area. In the jordan era you could not rotate to jordan until he was making a shooting move at the hoop. That is why he has so many dunks over people, people were stuck to lame rodman until jordan was at the rim. They were rotating late to him. Now he had the perfect skill set for the era, he was the greatest of the era, he is basically a supercharged dwade...and you deal with dwade by keeping him off the free throw line, making sure he has to go through two/three defenders to get to the rim, and forcing him to pass, which he doesn't like to do, and then make him settle for 3s. Maybe jordan becomes a passable 3 point shooter in the game today, but if he doesn't he would not be as effective.

Lmao. Yes you could. Please. How do you think Michael made the steal against Karl Malone. By sagging off his man.

What you just wrote was absolutely terrible. No other way to describe it.


The fact you think a body doesn't need to be with Rodman all the time is suspect to me. Secondly. The Bulls ran a motion offense. Where all the players can play all 5 positions. Yes they inverted their offense to post up Jordan.Thats old basketball. So Rodman may start out on the wing or in the corner on or in the post or out top.

Jordan was a great post player. They could double anytime if they wanted too. The Bulls allowed Scottie to float and sag like they do now. You arent seeing anything new. They chose not too because Jordan beat them with the pass too as his teammates got better.

Hell the Pistons ran a zone in 1989. You got a lot to learn.