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Who is better: Jordan or James

  • I believe MJ is the best player ever toplay in the NBA because of his all around playing ability. I watched the Bulls just to see MJ play. He seemed to float for minutes when he took off to dunk the ball and his trademark tongue sticking out as he attcked was so cool. he won several championships and MVP awards. LBJ is a great ball player no doubt but the excitement doesnt manifest itself when I watch him play. So tell me if you agree or think Im crazy.

    sleepydog

  • Nate87

  • I think it's Jordan right now, and I don't think it's that close.

    Kevin Ryan

  • Kevin Ryan said...

    I think it's Jordan right now, and I don't think it's that close.

    100%

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    Wildmoon

  • Kevin Ryan said...

    I think it's Jordan right now, and I don't think it's that close.

    Glad to hear that Im not the only one that thinks that but really its no surprise because I never watched the NBA before MJ started playing although I watched Dr. J. some and thought he was something else. I would have liked to have seen Pistol Pete Maravich play in the NBA like he did in college he was so exciting to watch when he played for LSU.

    sleepydog

  • MJ ... the thing that separates him was his absolute non-stop killer-instinct. If he had to beat you sick with the flu, on one leg, with a broken finger ... he'd do it.

    WildcatKNH :: my NCAA Resource Center > www.knhayes.com/NCAA

    wildcatknh

  • It's not close...? Wow. I don't like LeBron as a person, but man, the guy is the best player in the game. When he plays like he did in last year's playoffs, there is virtually no difference between Jordan and James. If you are down by one with 3 seconds left, the ball is Jordan's hands not James'. I think that's the biggest difference.

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    Twitter - @JEdwar247

    Josh Edwards

  • MJ. No comparison

    JISLIFER

  • Josh Edwards said...

    It's not close...? Wow. I don't like LeBron as a person, but man, the guy is the best player in the game. When he plays like he did in last year's playoffs, there is virtually no difference between Jordan and James. If you are down by one with 3 seconds left, the ball is Jordan's hands not James'. I think that's the biggest difference.

    James is a top five talent of all time, no doubt. Jordan is in a class of his own. I honestly think the James comparisons to Jordan are merely a result of looking for the next big thing. Michael Jordan was one of the most recognizable people in the world. James is too, but not on Jordan's level.

    With that said, I personally think James as a player is more comparable to Magic. LeBron is the greatest player of his time. If you're going to compare him to somebody compare him to a similar player. Kobe comparisons to MJ make more sense to me, despite the fact Kobe doesn't touch Jordan.

    Not all of this tangent is directed to you, Josh.

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    Nate87

  • We can split hairs all day, I am not arguing that Jordan is not the best ever and James will never overtake him in that regard. To say that it isn't close though? I disagree. Michael Jordan and LeBron are both unstoppable when in the correct mindset. When considering efficiency, I don't think anyone else compares to those two. Kobe is a great defender in his own regard, but I think LeBron has him there.

    LeBron may overtake MJ's records, but LeBron has ten years already at the age of 27.

    Jordan
    Points 32,292 (30.1 ppg)
    Rebounds 6,672 (6.2 rpg)
    Assists 5,633 (5.3 apg)
    9x First Team All-Defense

    James
    Points 19,293 (27.6)
    Rebounds 5,035 (7.2)
    Assists 4,819 (6.9)
    4x First Team All-Defense

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    Twitter - @JEdwar247

    Josh Edwards

  • Not denying the numbers, but if we are basing the conversation about those then LeBron will overtake Jordan. It's not about number though. Jordan dominated games like nobody else ever will. Of course of the next gen or talking heads will tab someone as such, but that's either bias or to sell the game. Jordan might never be replicated. Period.

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    Nate87

  • Career FG %:

    Jordan: 49.7%
    James: 48.4%
    Bryant: 45.4%...

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    Twitter - @JEdwar247

    Josh Edwards

  • The rings don't lie so Jordan is proven, however I think James is as athletic as Jordan and when you figure in the sheer size advantage to that athleticism then i'd say James. The bulls and Jordan also had a perfect storm going on with the best players in the league in the prime of their games when they won all those titles. Even though the Heat lineup ain't too bad itself LOL.

    mr289

  • I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Koby Bryant has been a better player than James so far in his career. When he has a few more titles it can be discussed in earnest.

    BlueGhost

  • Titles are big, but that doesn't determine a player's individual worth. Who was a better quarterback: Trent Dilfer or Dan Marino?

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    Twitter - @JEdwar247

    Josh Edwards

  • Josh Edwards said...

    Titles are big, but that doesn't determine a player's individual worth. Who was a better quarterback: Trent Dilfer or Dan Marino?

    You're going to really pull that argument in the Jordan versus Lebron argument? bs_sign

    BlueGhost

  • LBJ is a great player one of the best ever but I still insist that MJ was and is the best pro to ever play the game in the NBA. I think that is because of what was said in an earlier comment that if you were down by 1or2 pts. with 3 or 4 seconds left you could almost guarantee that your team would win if MJ had the ball in that situation and he proved it 100s of times. I would like to ask Phil Jackson who coached MJ and coached against LBJ who he thinks is the better of the 2. I know he would be a little or a lot prejudicial in the matter but it would be interesting to get his opinion.

    sleepydog

  • Jordan & it's not close. I like Lebron, but Jordan was in a league of his own when it came to competing & his will to win games. I'm sorry, but Jordan did not have to leave his team to join another HOF to be able to win a championship.

    ukcats2123

  • ukcats2123 said...

    Jordan & it's not close. I like Lebron, but Jordan was in a league of his own when it came to competing & his will to win games. I'm sorry, but Jordan did not have to leave his team to join another HOF to be able to win a championship.

    I think your right and MJ had a couple of guys that he could count on to do their jobs every night out and those two were Pippen and Rodman. Pippens job was to back MJ up in the scoring category and Rodman of course was the rebounding machine and got the ball out to MJ in transition. Jordan wasnt just a great scorer but he was great on defense also a lot of people dont recognize that about MJs career. Now Im not knocking LBJ because I would include him on my alltime greatest NBA team but he isnt in MJs class.

    sleepydog

  • MJ by mile

    Problem with looking at Jordan's # is that he did couple weird things.

    1. During his prime he took basketball off. So after scoring

    32.6 ppg, 49.5%, 6.7 rpg, 5.5 apg he took a season off, in which he returned after the break w/
    26.9 ppg, 41.1%, 6.9 rpg, 5.3 apg, Rebound and Assist had no drop off, but scoring clearly took a hit.

    2. He came back when he was REALLY Old with the wizard. Which he had 2 seasons of
    22.9 ppg and 41.6% FG
    20.0 ppg and 44.5% FG

    Which statistically hurt is #. Total #'s improved, but averaged went down.

    Finally, Lebron James stats in defense isn't as good as MJ.

    Career BPG is .8 MJ ties at .8
    Career SPG is 1.7 MJ has 2.3

    Again, this includes MJ's down years. I would actually say MJ was probably 1.0 BPG, 2.6 spg same time in their career.

    Also, MJ's best numbers are insane. In one year MJ did average 8 rpg and 8 apg. Even Lebron can't say that. While scoring 32.5 ppg. Which is higher than Lebron ever scored.

    Also his second career (after 94 season) with addition of Dennis Rodman, i bet his rebounding took a small hit. his 3 season with rodman was 6.6, 5.9, 5.8, and before was 6.4, 6.7, and 6.9.

    Just discussing #s here.

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    Wildmoon

  • Michael Jordan is the best basketball player that's ever lived. The end.

    signature image

    CarlLexington

  • mr289 said...

    The rings don't lie so Jordan is proven, however I think James is as athletic as Jordan and when you figure in the sheer size advantage to that athleticism then i'd say James. The bulls and Jordan also had a perfect storm going on with the best players in the league in the prime of their games when they won all those titles. Even though the Heat lineup ain't too bad itself LOL.

    The Bulls had the best players in the league? Beyond Jordan and Pippen, it was a roster of role players -- centers like Cartwright, Longley, and Wennington; PGs like Armstrong, Paxson, and Kerr.

    If the question is "Who IS better" then the obvious answer is James. James would physically dominate the older Jordan. But in terms of the greatest player ever, the answer today has to be Jordan because he combined elite athleticism, extremely high skill level, an incredible will to win, and a basketball IQ that allowed him to combine all of those other elements.

    That said, James is still early in his career. It was at about this point in Jordan's career that his teams started to string together championships. James could still do that, and will also probably pass Jordan in many if not all statistical categories, which would certainly alter this debate in the future.

    Ultimately, however, this comes down to the eye test and I think it would be hard for those that have watched both play at the heights of their careers to not view Jordan as the greatest ever.

    ukcat15

  • Steve Massiello. Oops!! Sorry. I forgot he wasn't one of the choices.headslap

    ukblueforever

  • ukcat15 said...

    The Bulls had the best players in the league? Beyond Jordan and Pippen, it was a roster of role players -- centers like Cartwright, Longley, and Wennington; PGs like Armstrong, Paxson, and Kerr.

    If the question is "Who IS better" then the obvious answer is James. James would physically dominate the older Jordan. But in terms of the greatest player ever, the answer today has to be Jordan because he combined elite athleticism, extremely high skill level, an incredible will to win, and a basketball IQ that allowed him to combine all of those other elements.

    That said, James is still early in his career. It was at about this point in Jordan's career that his teams started to string together championships. James could still do that, and will also probably pass Jordan in many if not all statistical categories, which would certainly alter this debate in the future.

    Ultimately, however, this comes down to the eye test and I think it would be hard for those that have watched both play at the heights of their careers to not view Jordan as the greatest ever.

    Excellent comment on the topic and you might be right that LBJ may pass MJs stats in the future but I also base my opinion that Mj is and was the best of all time on how much I enjoyed watching him play, and I know thats not scientific or statistical but that is 1 measure that I used to determine how I feel. PS: Have you guys heard that Cal has offered another 2015 center named Labissiere a scholarship?

    sleepydog

  • I have trouble taking these threads seriously. Sorry. Not trying to be an ass just being honest.

    tWhit ●

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