Great example why Lebron will never reach Michael Jordan status

[lebron23james]

I respectfully disagree. The physicality of the game is night and day from the 90's to today. In the 90's, the Pistons never would have won a title under today's rules as they would have had guys ejected almost daily. Today's NBA, all the rules favor the team with the ball -- and all the flopping the players do, it has started to look like soccer.

This isn't physical?

 

[gordontrue]

I can leave this thread alone knowing it is in the capable hands of @tlance, @Hornsstampede2.0 , & @bksballer89

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

This isn't physical?

You cannot be serious. The NBA is night and day in terms of the physicality of the game. HAND CHECKING is a foul now. Players have resorted to soccer style flopping, not only on defense, but offense too, because they know a foul will be called.

 

[Black Adam]

You cannot be serious. The NBA is night and day in terms of the physicality of the game. HAND CHECKING is a foul now. Players have resorted to soccer style flopping, not only on defense, but offense too, because they know a foul will be called.

hell, the fact that they changed up the rules to allow zone defenses was kind of a sign, not to mention the "Shaq" rule. game DEFINITELY favors the offense. imo it's because the fans want to see more scoring, and the NBA wanted to please them. kinda like when star calls started become a big thing...

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I've said quite a few times how Lebron may be the most physically gifted player in NBA, but he will never be in the GOAT conversation because he lacks the intangibles that can't be taught. He lacks the killer instinct where you will step on the throat of anyone in your way, that burning hatred to lose at anything at any time.

Jordan is in his 50's, I believe, and he still has it. Here is a video of him crushing the dreams of all the kids at Chris Paul's basketball camp.

WATCH: Michael Jordan ruthlessly ends the shoe hopes of kids at Chris Paul's camp

Agree, he's not MJ and never will be...Kobe came the closest to being MJ 2.0

Disagree, Lebron is already in the conversation of GOAT...that he is worthy of.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Agree, he's not MJ and never will be...Kobe came the closest to being MJ 2.0

Disagree, Lebron is already in the conversation of GOAT...that he is worthy of.

If in the conversation means in the top 5. I agree. If you are saying, the GOAT, you are talking about Jordan and I, wholeheartedly agree, he will never be MJ and in turn, never be the GOAT.

If you asked me this when he first came into the league. I would have been arguing it wasn't a matter of, if, he surpassed MJ, but when. After watching his career -- he lacks the intangibles that most of the all time greats have, and you are either born with them or you aren't. So it isn't his fault.

I will saying he is the most physically gifted player in the NBA history.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

hell, the fact that they changed up the rules to allow zone defenses was kind of a sign, not to mention the "Shaq" rule. game DEFINITELY favors the offense. imo it's because the fans want to see more scoring, and the NBA wanted to please them. kinda like when star calls started become a big thing...

Without a doubt. It is the same in the NFL. This is why I laughed when someone said Jordan wouldn't average 30 ppg in today's NBA. He'd average 15-20 free throws a game in today's NBA.

I don't blame the NBA -- they are putting out a product for the fans and they want to see scoring.

 

[Kold]

You see this is what I don't get about most people who defend Lebron. When Lebron loses, it's "don't compare him to Jordan, it's not fair". When Lebron wins, it's "he's better then Jordan".

 

[Shanemansj13]

Lebron will have more years in the NBA because he came straight from High School.

Give me a straight 13 Season comparison...

Jordan wins.

Well of course. Coming out of the NBA from high school is very hard and to dominate like Lebron did so early is even tougher. MJ got the experience from college while Lebron's transition to the NBA was much tougher, but Lebron still averaged over 20 5 and 5 but he was only 18 and MJ was 21. Still very impressive what MJ did in his rookie season as well. If we compare their first 13 seasons then MJ's career is basically over and that would be fair but still before 31 James is not on MJ's level but as close to it as you can be especially he has played 3 more seasons and the wear and tear. But anyway I don't see Lebron getting to MJ's status with this Warriors team out West, it would be near impossible. If Lebron were to somehow get to 5 or 6 rings having to go against the Warriors team every year he would be the greatest IMO but yeah I said "if".

 

[Bulletz]

You see this is what I don't get about most people who defend Lebron. When Lebron loses, it's "don't compare him to Jordan, it's not fair". When Lebron wins, it's "he's better then Jordan".

Truth bomb.

 

[Wamu]

You see this is what I don't get about most people who defend Lebron. When Lebron loses, it's "don't compare him to Jordan, it's not fair". When Lebron wins, it's "he's better then Jordan".

Wait a minute...who in their right mind would ever say LeBron is better than MJ? I don't recall any Cavs homers saying that. Doesn't mean some biased Cavs fan could have said that though.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

If in the conversation means in the top 5. I agree. If you are saying, the GOAT, you are talking about Jordan and I, wholeheartedly agree, he will never be MJ and in turn, never be the GOAT.

If you asked me this when he first came into the league. I would have been arguing it wasn't a matter of, if, he surpassed MJ, but when. After watching his career -- he lacks the intangibles that most of the all time greats have, and you are either born with them or you aren't. So it isn't his fault.

I will saying he is the most physically gifted player in the NBA history.

Yeah, when I say in the conversation...like many of the old timers on this board...I've been watching NBA since the early 70s...I think he's top 5, maybe even top 3.

To your point of what he lacks...I'm not so sure he lacks them, but he doesn't have them to the degree that MJ and Kobe had...imo Lebron is a different kind of player from them...a lot more Magic in his game to me.

Maybe the hardcore Lebron fans feel differently, but imo it's not a slight to say he's not as good as MJ....he's an all-time great player...that's kind of like saying Tiger is not as good a Jack...okay, if major wins are the benchmark, he's not....what's the problem? If you saw him play you know he's in the conversation...same with LJ.

 

[bksballer89]

You see this is what I don't get about most people who defend Lebron. When Lebron loses, it's "don't compare him to Jordan, it's not fair". When Lebron wins, it's "he's better then Jordan".

Who said that? Not me

 

[Black Adam]

Wait a minute...who in their right mind would ever say LeBron is better than MJ? I don't recall any Cavs homers saying that. Doesn't mean some biased Cavs fan could have said that though.

well, you DID say "their RIGHT mind"...

 

[Kold]

Wait a minute...who in their right mind would ever say LeBron is better than MJ? I don't recall any Cavs homers saying that. Doesn't mean some biased Cavs fan could have said that though.

There is one(maybe another) in general on here, but I didn't just say Cavs fans...I said "most(definitely not all) people who defend Lebron". It's just that everything goes back to Jordan when Lebron wins. When he won his first title, it was he won his first title at a younger age then Jordan(albeit more seasons). The second was that Jordan never had a performance like that in a game 7 Finals(albeit Jordan always won in 6)....and throughout the playoffs of the 4th year in Miami, the talk of Lebron being better than Jordan was at an all-time high. I don't know if there's a way to pull up threads on here from that long ago, but there were plenty of discussions about that, which cooled down after SA won that year. Now the comparisons have once again gone back to Lebron/Jordan after this year's Finals. I guess what I'm saying is anyone whom defends Lebron, should leave any Jordan comparison alone, and would be far better off in saying that Lebron will be one of the greatest of all-time when he hangs em up. There is no opposition to that, Lebron will be at the table with all of the greats when it's all said and done

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

It is a different era. I'm so sick of guys bringing up that Jordan didn't leave chicago after losing to detroit. Free agency back then is nothing like it is today so bringing that up is irrelevant. You don't know what Jordan would have done if he played in this era and couldn't get over detroit and became a free agent immediately after.

And if Jordan could have hand picked two teammates and where he wanted to play -- instead of 6 championships, who knows how many he would have won.

As I've said -- I think LeBron will be one of the all time greats and is already in the conversation. I just said he will never be THE GOAT.

When you are jumping from team to team chasing rings and hand picking your teammates -- It is nice to see him get to the NBA finals, year after year, but when you are 3-4 and your finals record is 17-23 overall. You can't put him on MJ's level.

If anything -- LBJ should be thankful he plays in the Eastern Conference, because he can at least say he got to the NBA finals all those times.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Well of course. Coming out of the NBA from high school is very hard and to dominate like Lebron did so early is even tougher. MJ got the experience from college while Lebron's transition to the NBA was much tougher, but Lebron still averaged over 20 5 and 5 but he was only 18 and MJ was 21. Still very impressive what MJ did in his rookie season as well. If we compare their first 13 seasons then MJ's career is basically over and that would be fair but still before 31 James is not on MJ's level but as close to it as you can be especially he has played 3 more seasons and the wear and tear. But anyway I don't see Lebron getting to MJ's status with this Warriors team out West, it would be near impossible. If Lebron were to somehow get to 5 or 6 rings having to go against the Warriors team every year he would be the greatest IMO but yeah I said "if".

I can respect this opinion and agree -- If Lebron is able to get to 6 rings, the argument would be legit for Lebron and Jordan. It is a huge 'if' though, as GS has a ridiculous amount of talent now.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I'm wondering what the excuse will be when in three, four years max lebron will succumb to father time and drop out of the top 10 players in the league.

 

[lebron23james]

I'm wondering what the excuse will be when in three, four years max lebron will succumb to father time and drop out of the top 10 players in the league.

Is getting older an excuse? lmfao

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Is getting older an excuse? lmfao

Just wondering who you'll be jerking off to when lebron gets shit!