Play Nice Michael Jordan vs LeBron James

[fidstar]

Here are the greatest 50 nba players in 1996, list made during the 50 year anniversary

NBA at 50: Top 50 Players | NBA.com

NBA at 50: Top 50 Players

www.nba.com

mchale and parish do make the cut

Just because they were in the Top 50 back in 96 doesn't mean they should even be mentioned in the same breathe as LeBron.

 

[peternorth]

Just because they were in the Top 50 back in 96 doesn't mean they should even be mentioned in the same breathe as LeBron.

this is awkward

 

[fidstar]

well put your clothes on.

 

[savagelunchbox]

LeBron isn't even in the top 3 best players of all time.

Those who've watched from at least the 90's will know that the lack of physicality in today's game over-inflates the abilities of the the modern players.

The likes of Jordan would have averaged 40ppg in today's softness.

 

[Primetime Pricey]

Having been lucky enough to watch both players i think LeBron is the better all-round player but obviously the majority will think otherwise.
Either way they are all in the top 3 players to have ever played alongside Kareem. You could throw make a case for all 3 so it's all opinion.

 

[YippeeYiYeo]

Lebron just displays character traits that disqualify him from being the GOAT. His flopping for calls. Giving up on his team and having Kuzma push Lebron in the back to play defense. Leaving Cleveland and travelling from team to team like the Leyland brothers in search of joining up with better teammates. None of that screams GOAT.

Jordan had a killer instinct and he didnt separate opposition players from teammates. If you got in his way of success you got torched.

 

[Venkman]

Lebron would smash Jordan 1 v 1 and is probably the more devastating player.
But it's about context - everything came together around Jordan - he took the NBA global, six titles, so many clutch moments. It can't really be replicated.

 

[Bostonian]

Prime Larry Bird is better than LeBron.

 

[Bostonian]

LeBron wouldn't be considered in the top ten jump shooters, FTers or 3pt shooters in the history of the game from volume shooters.

Jordan would.

Nobody is picking LeBron to take the shot if their life depends on it.

 

[fidstar]

LeBron wouldn't be considered in the top ten jump shooters, FTers or 3pt shooters in the history of the game from volume shooters.

Jordan would.

Nobody is picking LeBron to take the shot if their life depends on it.

Jordan wouldn't be classified as a Top 10 FT shooter or 3 point shooter.

What drugs are you on?

Just the Warriors had 3 high volume 3 point shooters better than Jordan last year.

It's such an easy thing to check as well.

 

[Bostonian]

Jordan wouldn't be classified as a Top 10 FT shooter or 3 point shooter.

What drugs are you on?

Just the Warriors had 3 high volume 3 point shooters better than Jordan last year.

It's such an easy thing to check as well.

No it's not an easy thing to check. Stats don't tell the whole picture at all.

Warriors play a soft utensil brand of basketball that's taken over the NBA. So they spend hours just shooting threes.

There were plenty of players back in Jordan's era that could have hit higher 3pt numbers if the NBA played that style of basketball at the time.

They didn't shoot that kind of volume though because the game wasn't boring as heck 3 ballin then and there were still plenty of good big men who demanded the ball inside.

In todays game Jordan would go to the line twice as much as he did back then for one thing. They weren't calling all this soft as crap calls that gets Harden to the line so often now.

Not many players were training to shoot 3's back then.

Larry Bird who could go toe to toe with any of those three ballin Warriors in pure three point shooting only had threes seasons where he attempted more that 3 three point attempts per game(all of which just nudged past 3 attempts). Curry and Thompson avg. a heap more attempts though.

If Jordan decided he wanted to train his arse off and become a three point threat, he'd have achieved it.

 

[savagelunchbox]

Jordan's best year of shooting 3's in terms of percentage outranks all of the modern day great scorers.

But why would he shoot threes when he's averaging 37ppg during a 5 year playoff stretch from not relying on shooting 3's?

But to compare Jordan and LeBron, Jordan has led the league in scoring and won a championship in the same season 6x. This has only been done 11x in total. Only Shaq has done it since Jordan last did it in 98. All done while not relying on a high percentage of 3pt shots... or flopping.

 

[QuietB]

No it's not an easy thing to check. Stats don't tell the whole picture at all.

Warriors play a soft utensil brand of basketball that's taken over the NBA. So they spend hours just shooting threes.

There were plenty of players back in Jordan's era that could have hit higher 3pt numbers if the NBA played that style of basketball at the time.

They didn't shoot that kind of volume though because the game wasn't boring as fu** 3 ballin then and there were still plenty of good big men who demanded the ball inside.

In todays game Jordan would go to the line twice as much as he did back then for one thing. They weren't calling all this soft as crap calls that gets Harden to the line so often now.

Not many players were training to shoot 3's back then.

Larry Bird who could go toe to toe with any of those three ballin Warriors in pure three point shooting only had threes seasons where he attempted more that 3 three point attempts per game(all of which just nudged past 3 attempts). Curry and Thompson avg. a heap more attempts though.

If Jordan decided he wanted to train his arse off and become a three point threat, he'd have achieved it.

I doubt Steve Kerr could have gone at a much higher clip

 

[fidstar]

No it's not an easy thing to check. Stats don't tell the whole picture at all.

Warriors play a soft utensil brand of basketball that's taken over the NBA. So they spend hours just shooting threes.

There were plenty of players back in Jordan's era that could have hit higher 3pt numbers if the NBA played that style of basketball at the time.

They didn't shoot that kind of volume though because the game wasn't boring as fu** 3 ballin then and there were still plenty of good big men who demanded the ball inside.

In todays game Jordan would go to the line twice as much as he did back then for one thing. They weren't calling all this soft as crap calls that gets Harden to the line so often now.

Not many players were training to shoot 3's back then.

Larry Bird who could go toe to toe with any of those three ballin Warriors in pure three point shooting only had threes seasons where he attempted more that 3 three point attempts per game(all of which just nudged past 3 attempts). Curry and Thompson avg. a heap more attempts though.

If Jordan decided he wanted to train his arse off and become a three point threat, he'd have achieved it.

Half your argument doesn't even make sense. Jordan shot 10 free throws a game. His shooting percentage from the free throw line wouldn't be any different if he shot 20 a game. He's not a Top 10 free throw shooter of all time.

Good point about Larry Bird. There's another one that in front of MJ in both free throw and three point shooting.

Jordan could have been a good three point shooter, but never a Top 10 of all time. Just like Harden isn't even though he shoots a bunch.

Another fun fact about the 80s/90s. Lots of three point shots were taken without the defender even putting a hand up.

 

[fidstar]

Jordan's best year of shooting 3's in terms of percentage outranks all of the modern day great scorers.

Fun fact about MJ's best three 3 point shooting season. It was with the 22 foot line.

At regulation distance, MJ had two out of 2 seasons out of 14 where he shot better than 30% from the three point line.

In comparison Curry and Thompson have never shot worse than 40% from the three point line in any season of their careers.

It makes you think what a Warriors team would have done with a 22 foot three point line.

I mean Kerr is a career 44% three point shooter from regulation distance and 50% shooter at 22 feet.

Anyway MJ doesn't need s**t made up about him to be the GOAT. He is the GOAT. Doesn't mean he's a top 10 of all time from 3 or the free throw line.

But why would he shoot threes when he's averaging 37ppg during a 5 year playoff stretch from not relying on shooting 3's?

But to compare Jordan and LeBron, Jordan has led the league in scoring and won a championship in the same season 6x. This has only been done 11x in total. Only Shaq has done it since Jordan last did it in 98. All done while not relying on a high percentage of 3pt shots...

Exactly. MJ doesn't need fake story lines to be the GOAT. His resume speaks for itself.

 

[Bostonian]

I doubt Steve Kerr could have gone at a much higher clip

He never avg'd more than 2.9 3PT attempts per game in a season.

Only 4 seasons out of 17 did he avg. above 2.

 

[savagelunchbox]

Fun fact about MJ's best three 3 point shooting season. It was with the 22 foot line.

I don't think that's true?
In 94/95 they reduced the 3pt line to 22ft for a couple of seasons, but before that, when Jordan did have that career best 3pt% season, it was at the same distance it is now.

 

[QuietB]

He never avg'd more than 2.9 3PT attempts per game in a season.

Only 4 seasons out of 17 did he avg. above 2.

I was more referring to his shooting percentage. In 90's basketball Kerr was lucky to be getting 2.9 attempt per game.

 

[Bostonian]

I was more referring to his shooting percentage. In 90's basketball Kerr was lucky to be getting 2.9 attempt per game.

The impact Jordan would have on a game for todays 3pt line campers would be huge.

His game created a lot of open shots for team mates.

 

[fidstar]

I don't think that's true?
In 94/95 they reduced the 3pt line to 22ft for a couple of seasons, but before that, when Jordan did have that career best 3pt% season, it was at the same distance it is now.

92/93 was his 5th best season at shooting 3s.

 

[fidstar]

Jordan would be a fine volume 3 point shooter in today's league.

He's be a guy that shoots between 35 and 38% every year. Might even crack 40% in a career year. Much like a Harden.

But also, much like Harden, he wouldn't be a Steph Curry or an all time great shooter.

 

[peternorth]

Anyone remember when they brought the 3 pt line in?

 

[The King!]

im glad ive seen both, would have been good to be able to watch jordan in australia like we have most of lebronm(ie every game)

as i was a kid i didnt really appreciate Jordan at the time

i dont get being offended either way , the mystique around jordan is higher

to me he remains the goat, but lebron has made it at least a conversation, some wont accept it is of course

 

[The King!]

LeBron isn't even in the top 3 best players of all time.

Those who've watched from at least the 90's will know that the lack of physicality in today's game over-inflates the abilities of the the modern players.

The likes of Jordan would have averaged 40ppg in today's softness.

a 6 foot 9 260-270 pound guy would have been able to cope i reckon

 

[QuietB]

This is all a bit odd