MJ Kobe Lebron?

[SJ76]

That was a grueling project. McGrady and Jason Williams say Lebron is better than MJ.

Jason Williams calls LeBron James ‘the GOAT’ over Michael Jordan

McGrady - "I think if you want to start a team, I’m going to go with LeBron because of him being able to take lesser talent and elevate those guys… Because of his pass-first mentality, being able to elevate his team in terms of their style of play. Mike is going out there trying to get 30 and 40 points. He’s not looking to make his team better."

Welcome aboard.

Who guarded all 3 Jeffy. Lol. You are slow


And Watch the video I posted at 5:35 mark. “Lebron isn’t in the GOAT conversation at all”

—TMac

 

[CitySushi]

To be fair, a lot of them went cold last 2-3 games, but no doubt I liked seeing the ball in his hands in game 7 especially.

If you want to blame anyone for Durant joining the Warriors, it's actually Harrison Barnes tbh. Not even joking.

 

[SJ76]

Guarding a player is different than who is better. Skill-sets vary wildly between MJ/Kobe and Lebron. MJ and Kobe were high volume scorers. When you're a defender, you take someone scoring against you very personally. If you're not able to shut them down it goes against your ego and therefore you praise them differently.

The best example of this is Gary Payton. Payton is universally considered one of the best defenders in NBA history. He guarded every tough guard matchup including MJ. When asked who the hardest player to guard was in his career, he said John Stockton. Some people called him crazy and he elaborated on his thoughts. He said Stockton was harder to guard because throughout the course of the game he did so many different things. Jordan wasn't hard to guard, he was hard to stop. He knew what Jordan was going to do. But with Stockton, he had to play the pick and roll. He had to play the passing lanes. He had to watch back cuts. If Payton went under a screen, Stockton would hit a three. If he went over, he'd hit Malone for the easy wing bucket.

This is exactly the same situation with Lebron and Kobe/MJ. MJ and Kobe are going to give you buckets. But all of their assists will come off of being double teamed or as a secondary option. With Lebron he makes the right plays at the right time. He may not go off like Kobe and MJ did in scoring volume, but if he gives you 25 and 10 assists, he's still responsible for at least 45 points that night for his team.

Edit: BTW, I think Jordan is the GOAT, unquestioned. Lebron though is top 3 now after Kareem. Kobe is in my top 10 though.

If you guard someone.. you know how good that player is. You know the talent you are facing. Lol It is certainly not rocket science

 

[dtgold88]

It's crazy that Game 7 was so low scoring. It was the throwback game of that series.

Right? Think Cavs outscored them 4-0 in the last 5 minutes. Was some tough D, sure, but also some makeable shots that were missed.

 

[dtgold88]

If you guard someone.. you know how good that player is. You know the talent you are facing. Lol It is certainly not rocket science

ok....11

 

[dtgold88]

Who guarded all 3 Jeffy. Lol. You are slow


And Watch the video I posted at 5:35 mark. “Lebron isn’t in the GOAT conversation at all”

—TMac

you think williams never covered all 3 at least once? Not once? Never switched onto them? And in a later comment McGrady said he'd take Lebron over MJ. Maybe he had MJ 3rd in GOAT discussions?

McGrady - "I think if you want to start a team, I’m going to go with LeBron because of him being able to take lesser talent and elevate those guys… Because of his pass-first mentality, being able to elevate his team in terms of their style of play. Mike is going out there trying to get 30 and 40 points. He’s not looking to make his team better."

 

[CitySushi]

If you guard someone.. you know how good that player is. You know the talent you are facing. Lol It is certainly not rocket science

Well what I was alluding too was that the metric of guarding someone is gauged differently based on the defender. Saying someone is harder to guard isn't universal in standard. So using that as your main source of evidence isn't exactly solid.

 

[Ojb81]

No Kareem is blasphemy

mmm...as far as skill goes, i gotta side with cowherd, i don't include centers.

 

[bksballer89]

Yeah Kobe is borderline top 10

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't really have Kobe in my top 8.
Jordon
Magic
LeBron
Wilt
Kareem
Duncan
Bird
Russell
Kobe?

Yeah, I'm a Lakers fan and I have Kobe at 11 all time.

 

[trojanfan12]

And I'm guessing the emotional factor usually favors Kobe for most people. On top of that, LeBron isn't the most likable person to begin with.

Neither was Kobe for most of his career.

 

[trojanfan12]

Especially right now considering the circumstances.

Ask Ray Allen that question in 10 years and he will probably have a different answer.

Yeah, it's amazing how many top 10's and top 5's Kobe has suddenly been showing up in.

 

[msgkings322]

My top 5


MJ
Magic
Kobe
Lebron
Wilt or Bird

Fuck that Lew Alcindor scrub

 

[StanMarsh51]

If you guard someone.. you know how good that player is. You know the talent you are facing. Lol It is certainly not rocket science

So then how/why do NBA players do a pretty poor job on on the whole when it comes to all star voting? I mean, a third of players didn't think Gainnis was worthy of starting and nearly 40% of players didn't think LeBron was worthy... Should we trust their judgement and use your belief system that 'they know the talent they're facing?'

Analysis: Too many players making mockery of All-Star voting

 

[msgkings322]

Here it is folks. The denial is real

Who are these folks you are addressing? Everyone here disagrees with you.

 

[trojanfan12]

So then how/why do NBA players do a pretty poor job on on the whole when it comes to all star voting? I mean, a third of players didn't think Gainnis was worthy of starting and nearly 40% of players didn't think LeBron was worthy... Should we trust their judgement and use your belief system that 'they know the talent they're facing?'

Analysis: Too many players making mockery of All-Star voting

They're not terribly objective about it. They'll vote for friends, not vote guys they don't like, etc.

 

[trojanfan12]

Even the Kobe Kids gave this argument up years ago. lol

 

[bksballer89]

Yeah, it's amazing how many top 10's and top 5's Kobe has suddenly been showing up in.

Yep i didn't want to be the one to say it but yeah since he passed, he is now a slam dunk for top 5. Before he was roughly borderline top 10

 

[msgkings322]

Oh man, you just had to remind me of Barnes. 5/32 shooting. The guy couldn't hit the side of a barn in the last 3 games of that Finals. Absolutely the worst timing to have a historic shooting slump. LOL.

As bad as the Rockets' 0 for 23 or whatever it was?

 

[msgkings322]

Guarding a player is different than who is better. Skill-sets vary wildly between MJ/Kobe and Lebron. MJ and Kobe were high volume scorers. When you're a defender, you take someone scoring against you very personally. If you're not able to shut them down it goes against your ego and therefore you praise them differently.

The best example of this is Gary Payton. Payton is universally considered one of the best defenders in NBA history. He guarded every tough guard matchup including MJ. When asked who the hardest player to guard was in his career, he said John Stockton. Some people called him crazy and he elaborated on his thoughts. He said Stockton was harder to guard because throughout the course of the game he did so many different things. Jordan wasn't hard to guard, he was hard to stop. He knew what Jordan was going to do. But with Stockton, he had to play the pick and roll. He had to play the passing lanes. He had to watch back cuts. If Payton went under a screen, Stockton would hit a three. If he went over, he'd hit Malone for the easy wing bucket.

This is exactly the same situation with Lebron and Kobe/MJ. MJ and Kobe are going to give you buckets. But all of their assists will come off of being double teamed or as a secondary option. With Lebron he makes the right plays at the right time. He may not go off like Kobe and MJ did in scoring volume, but if he gives you 25 and 10 assists, he's still responsible for at least 45 points that night for his team.

Edit: BTW, I think Jordan is the GOAT, unquestioned. Lebron though is top 3 now after Kareem. Kobe is in my top 10 though.

Once again CitySushi brings the science