Jordan/LeBron one on one

[Prometheus]

okay so ESPN started bringing this up a lot back when LeBron was doin that 6 straight games with 30+ on 60%+, and everyone kept yappin about who would win in a 1 on 1 contest. and I'm a fan of bron but this question was offensive to me. my friends are all hockey fans and hardly anyone I know personally gives two shits about basketball, so I've been itchin to put in my two cents on this issue, so here goes

LeBron would get his ass handed to him so bad, I can't see him having any desire to keep playing after 4 or 5 games against Jordan. put them both in their primes, and this is not even close. at all.

first of all, 1 on 1 has almost nothing to do with who is a better basketball player at the professional level. I think Carmelo Anthony would beat magic Johnson, but not even a stan on crack would say he's a better player. so let that be understood right from the get go, that I'm not saying the disparity between them as overall players is as astronomical (though I still think it's clear that mj was better by a decent margin), just that in a one-on-one contest, it would be so lopsided that I honestly think LeBron might be moved to tears. and here's why:

though they are very different players, with different advantages over one another, EVERY single one of Jordan's advantages would not only apply to a game of 1on1, but would be magnified in it, whereas every advantage of bron bron's (except for his size/strength) would be either diminished or irrelevant.

first, there's the difference between speed and quickness. end to end, LeBron is one of the fastest players I've ever seen. obviously that's why he's so dangerous in transition, because once he gets a head of steam he has that wide-receiver type speed. I think it's safe to say in the open court he could run faster than mj. but LeBron is NOT quick. I'm talking about his first step, change of direction, ability to pivot quickly. Jordan on the other hand? his first step was absolutely superb, one of the quickest we've ever seen. that fastbreak speed would have no relevance whatsoever in a game of 1on1, whereas quickness off the dribble is everything

then of course you have the one decisive advantage that LeBron has - he's a superior passer/playmaker. and no I'm not stupid saying Jordan was a ballhog or anything, and he was a tremendous playmaker when he wanted to be (he was especially adept at knowing when to distribute and when to take over), had 8 apg the one year, and totally trolled magic in the finals with 11 per game, but we all know lbj is an elite playmaker. scouting reports dating back to his high school days praised his ability to pass, and it has been his most important talent since day one. but would this matter in a game of 1on1? obviously not.

now has anyone failed to realize by now that LeBron's handles are kind of sloppy? his offense in the pick and roll or in the post is great, but I've never seen him as a tremendous iso player. he typically only takes guys off the dribble when he gets a favorable switch, and often is forced to turn away or give up the ball when a defender guards him too close on the perimeter. mj? no one's gonna question his ability to take defenders off the dribble. GOAT iso player next to maybe Iverson and kobe (and Durant is well on his way).

then there's a more subtle detail that not a lot of people seem to pick up on: their leaping styles. Jordan liked to hop off of both feet, LeBron almost always takes off in stride from his left leg. go watch all of their signature dunks, mj liked to plant both feet and spring, whereas LeBron almost never does that. why does this matter? it makes mj less predictable. if he's close enough to the basket as he goes for his gather, by planting both feet he could either go for the dunk, layup, or pull up for the shot. bron on the other hand is very easy to read when he drives. if his momentum is carrying him toward the hoop, he jumps off of one leg and you know he's trying to finish at the rim, and it's much easier to time.

also, as is evidenced by bron's shot charts on the season (and which results in his ridiculous fg%), he likes to either score inside or take the catch-and-shoot three. if mj can guard him close enough to stop the three, and also not allow him to get to the hoop, he's gonna have to rely on his midrange game... does he have one though? it's certainly nothing special. I see a few midrange jumpers from time to time, but his % from that area is not so good, and he's certainly not known for it. do I even need to describe mj's midrange game? maybe... the greatest of all time? for all of the defensive greatness, for all of the posterizing, all of the acrobatic layups... what made mj the best ever was his midrange game. his elite quickness, ability to stop on a dime and pull up with tremendous elevation, and his pin-point accuracy on such shots are what really made him the most unguardable offensive force of the modern era (perhaps ever... I never actually watched chamberlain). as 1on1 is pure isolation ball, this would be absolutely crucial.

now LeBron is known as a great defender (although this reputation is suspect, and is certainly no consensus on this board), but that's because of his versatility, ability to guard multiple positions on the floor, and his off the ball defense. he's great at providing help defense, and you can plug him in almost anywhere. but once again, in a game of 1on1 against another wing player, this is totally irrelevant. mj on the other hand? as a defender he ate his man alive. he was great at playing the passing lanes, but no one questions that he's also one of the GOAT man to man defenders. once again... advantage mj

finally we come to the most obvious advantage of all: the mental game. now haters take it way too far, and the narrative really is blown way out of proportion. lbj's stigma as a "choker, beta, quitter" etc. is tired and ridiculous. the guy has more than proven himself in pressure situations since that 2011 catastrophe. see boston 2012, indy 2012/13, the headband game, game 7 last year, yada yada. we all know he can get it done... sometimes. but would even the most hardcore of bron stans deny that he certainly loses his focus sometimes? I mentioned this in another thread recently, and was applauded for it by multiple people, but most of you probably didn't see it: LeBron is sooo non-confrontational. every time someone gets in his face and makes shit personal, he tightens up. he's a nice guy, it's simply not in his nature to really go to war against another man and be ruthless about it. kobe at the all star game is a perfect example. swaggy p xmas mvp is another, but it happens ALL THE TIME. it really is crazy how often the game's best player is prone to getting punked by anyone who wants to bring it that night. again, I'm not saying he's a total b*tch, and we've certainly seen him rise to the occasion many times, but non-confrontational is very obvious. Jordan on the other hand??? :oldlol: the single most ruthless, cold-blooded, competitive lion in sports history. it's to the point that no one even questions it. anyone watch that special on the dream team last year? that gym was full of hall of famers, and every single one of them told the story that "well magic was coming at him, and it didn't take much before Michael got that look... once we saw that, we knew it was give him the ball and get the hell out of the way" and then on open court you had magic Johnson talkin about how "well we never really passed the torch to Jordan... he just kind of took it". the dude was an absolute monster at heart. the contrast between the two of them is laughable in this regard. once mj got a few buckets on him, the trash talk would escalate to the point that I don't think it's unreasonable at all to imagine bron crying, or at least having that totally zoned-out look he had against dallas.

the only thing that might save LeBron is his size. so lbj would most likely try to resort to posting up. but if a defender can get his center of gravity low enough, he can deny deep position even against a defender much bigger. don't believe me? go look up the defense rodman used to play on shaq. bron would have to try and back him down all the way from the 3pt line. there's no way it would be a reliable strategy.

all things considered, I think I've made a pretty convincing argument. if they played 5 games, mj would win all 5. if they played 100 games, mj would win all 100. first game mj wins 11-5, lbj posts up successfully a few times, spins and gets a lefty layup, maybe hits a few fades, but that's it. gets stripped tryin to hit the turnaround several times, gets the ball stolen outright on the dribble, and mj blows by him over and over again. game 2 the anxiety starts to set it, LeBron loses his focus like we've often seen, mj the shark smells the blood in the water, only picks up the intensity, 11-2. game 3 the humiliation starts to set in, 11-0. LeBron gives up and has his chauffer drive him home, then goes on national tv and talks about how it's okay that he lost because all the people watching in the gym have to go back home to their normal lives anyway. mj goes on to bang LeBron's mom. the end

[GoranDragon]

They play 5 games Jordan win 3. Lebron would take 2.

It's basically a toss-up.

[Milbuck]

They play 5 games Jordan win 3. Lebron would take 2.

It's basically a toss-up.
:roll: :roll: :roll:

[GoranDragon]

:roll: :roll: :roll:
Lebron has size advantage you fool.:no:

[navy]

They wouldnt be able to stop each other one on one to be honest. Jordans mid range is a little bit better so Ill go with him 6/10.

[JebronLames]

Lebron all day.

[Angel Face]

Obviously the guy with killer instinct and the consensus GOAT.

[GoranDragon]

They wouldnt be able to stop each other one on one to be honest. Jordans mid range is a litle bit better so Ill go with him 6/10.
This.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Damn! That big of an essay over a discussion that even hypothetically sounds dumb (it's 5 vs 5).

Anyways, if it happened, Jordan would win most of the time, quicker on the half-court, more agile, better footwork, better mid-range game, better post-game too. Lebron has the size advantage but his post-game doesn't take a huge advantage out of it like others do, more on drives.

[ssginc]

I don't know about Lebron crying, but I suspect that by the 4th or 5th game he'd be ready to take his ball and go home. lol

Besides all that your assessment of the two players is spot on, except for the part about James being a "superior" playmaker. He plays that role more often than Jordan did, but that doesn't make him superior. Take the 89 season as a case in point, when MJ was asked to assume the playmaker/PG role during the last half of the season; he responded with double-digit Assists in 19 of the Bulls' final 26 games, including a streak of 12 straight and 17 in 19 games. Jordan could have been the greatest PG / playmaker ever if he wanted to. In that respect he took a back seat to no one.

I also disagree with the notion that James is a superior passer, but since there is no way to substantiate the argument one way or the other I'll just leave it at that.

[CelticBaller]

I'm not reading that barrage of shit

[Mr. Jabbar]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qSC5GzG3SSs/UZAJbjapFUI/AAAAAAAAApc/WkEIHM_iO24/s1600/didntreadintro.png

[SamuraiSWISH]

http://cdn.niketalk.com/0/08/900x900px-LL-08d56470_Capture.PNG

[ssginc]

http://cdn.niketalk.com/0/08/900x900px-LL-08d56470_Capture.PNG


lol classic!

[Deuce Bigalow]

1701 words :lol

[GoranDragon]

http://cdn.niketalk.com/0/08/900x900px-LL-08d56470_Capture.PNG
No surprise Durant and Melo scared to block. Betas stay on the floor.:lol :roll:

[VIntageNOvel]

1701 words :lol
thats paukesque there,
difference is pauk did it in like 10 minutes span, with a beautiful wildlife analogy
try harder son

[buddha]

we all know MJ would destroy LJ 1on1, as would Kobe since his playing style is identical to MJ's. The real question is who would win 1on1 between MJ and Kobe?

[SamuraiSWISH]

we all know MJ would destroy LJ 1on1, as would Kobe since his playing style is identical to MJ's. The real question is who would win 1on1 between MJ and Kobe?
They'd trade off wins / losses. Only difference is prime MJ is clearly the superior athlete, comparable skill sets, yet an even better defender than even Kobe at his very best. Those 2 are the best 1v1 players of all-time. Jordan, and his derivative.

[knicksman]

LOL pauk d 2nd

[JebronLames]

we all know MJ would destroy LJ 1on1, as would Kobe since his playing style is identical to MJ's. The real question is who would win 1on1 between MJ and Kobe?
Haha lebron destroys kobe.

[JM720]

Jordan wins, Ive seen a older less athletic Kobe defensively bother Bron in 1 on 1 situations a few time way more than he should, and its weird cause he should be able to easily overpower him.

[riseagainst]

okay so ESPN started bringing this up a lot back when LeBron was doin that 6 straight games with 30+ on 60%+, and everyone kept yappin about who would win in a 1 on 1 contest. and I'm a fan of bron but this question was offensive to me. my friends are all hockey fans and hardly anyone I know personally gives two shits about basketball, so I've been itchin to put in my two cents on this issue, so here goes

LeBron would get his ass handed to him so bad, I can't see him having any desire to keep playing after 4 or 5 games against Jordan. put them both in their primes, and this is not even close. at all.

first of all, 1 on 1 has almost nothing to do with who is a better basketball player at the professional level. I think Carmelo Anthony would beat magic Johnson, but not even a stan on crack would say he's a better player. so let that be understood right from the get go, that I'm not saying the disparity between them as overall players is as astronomical (though I still think it's clear that mj was better by a decent margin), just that in a one-on-one contest, it would be so lopsided that I honestly think LeBron might be moved to tears. and here's why:

though they are very different players, with different advantages over one another, EVERY single one of Jordan's advantages would not only apply to a game of 1on1, but would be magnified in it, whereas every advantage of bron bron's (except for his size/strength) would be either diminished or irrelevant.

first, there's the difference between speed and quickness. end to end, LeBron is one of the fastest players I've ever seen. obviously that's why he's so dangerous in transition, because once he gets a head of steam he has that wide-receiver type speed. I think it's safe to say in the open court he could run faster than mj. but LeBron is NOT quick. I'm talking about his first step, change of direction, ability to pivot quickly. Jordan on the other hand? his first step was absolutely superb, one of the quickest we've ever seen. that fastbreak speed would have no relevance whatsoever in a game of 1on1, whereas quickness off the dribble is everything

then of course you have the one decisive advantage that LeBron has - he's a superior passer/playmaker. and no I'm not stupid saying Jordan was a ballhog or anything, and he was a tremendous playmaker when he wanted to be (he was especially adept at knowing when to distribute and when to take over), had 8 apg the one year, and totally trolled magic in the finals with 11 per game, but we all know lbj is an elite playmaker. scouting reports dating back to his high school days praised his ability to pass, and it has been his most important talent since day one. but would this matter in a game of 1on1? obviously not.

now has anyone failed to realize by now that LeBron's handles are kind of sloppy? his offense in the pick and roll or in the post is great, but I've never seen him as a tremendous iso player. he typically only takes guys off the dribble when he gets a favorable switch, and often is forced to turn away or give up the ball when a defender guards him too close on the perimeter. mj? no one's gonna question his ability to take defenders off the dribble. GOAT iso player next to maybe Iverson and kobe (and Durant is well on his way).

then there's a more subtle detail that not a lot of people seem to pick up on: their leaping styles. Jordan liked to hop off of both feet, LeBron almost always takes off in stride from his left leg. go watch all of their signature dunks, mj liked to plant both feet and spring, whereas LeBron almost never does that. why does this matter? it makes mj less predictable. if he's close enough to the basket as he goes for his gather, by planting both feet he could either go for the dunk, layup, or pull up for the shot. bron on the other hand is very easy to read when he drives. if his momentum is carrying him toward the hoop, he jumps off of one leg and you know he's trying to finish at the rim, and it's much easier to time.

also, as is evidenced by bron's shot charts on the season (and which results in his ridiculous fg%), he likes to either score inside or take the catch-and-shoot three. if mj can guard him close enough to stop the three, and also not allow him to get to the hoop, he's gonna have to rely on his midrange game... does he have one though? it's certainly nothing special. I see a few midrange jumpers from time to time, but his % from that area is not so good, and he's certainly not known for it. do I even need to describe mj's midrange game? maybe... the greatest of all time? for all of the defensive greatness, for all of the posterizing, all of the acrobatic layups... what made mj the best ever was his midrange game. his elite quickness, ability to stop on a dime and pull up with tremendous elevation, and his pin-point accuracy on such shots are what really made him the most unguardable offensive force of the modern era (perhaps ever... I never actually watched chamberlain). as 1on1 is pure isolation ball, this would be absolutely crucial.

now LeBron is known as a great defender (although this reputation is suspect, and is certainly no consensus on this board), but that's because of his versatility, ability to guard multiple positions on the floor, and his off the ball defense. he's great at providing help defense, and you can plug him in almost anywhere. but once again, in a game of 1on1 against another wing player, this is totally irrelevant. mj on the other hand? as a defender he ate his man alive. he was great at playing the passing lanes, but no one questions that he's also one of the GOAT man to man defenders. once again... advantage mj

finally we come to the most obvious advantage of all: the mental game. now haters take it way too far, and the narrative really is blown way out of proportion. lbj's stigma as a "choker, beta, quitter" etc. is tired and ridiculous. the guy has more than proven himself in pressure situations since that 2011 catastrophe. see boston 2012, indy 2012/13, the headband game, game 7 last year, yada yada. we all know he can get it done... sometimes. but would even the most hardcore of bron stans deny that he certainly loses his focus sometimes? I mentioned this in another thread recently, and was applauded for it by multiple people, but most of you probably didn't see it: LeBron is sooo non-confrontational. every time someone gets in his face and makes shit personal, he tightens up. he's a nice guy, it's simply not in his nature to really go to war against another man and be ruthless about it. kobe at the all star game is a perfect example. swaggy p xmas mvp is another, but it happens ALL THE TIME. it really is crazy how often the game's best player is prone to getting punked by anyone who wants to bring it that night. again, I'm not saying he's a total b*tch, and we've certainly seen him rise to the occasion many times, but non-confrontational is very obvious. Jordan on the other hand??? :oldlol: the single most ruthless, cold-blooded, competitive lion in sports history. it's to the point that no one even questions it. anyone watch that special on the dream team last year? that gym was full of hall of famers, and every single one of them told the story that "well magic was coming at him, and it didn't take much before Michael got that look... once we saw that, we knew it was give him the ball and get the hell out of the way" and then on open court you had magic Johnson talkin about how "well we never really passed the torch to Jordan... he just kind of took it". the dude was an absolute monster at heart. the contrast between the two of them is laughable in this regard. once mj got a few buckets on him, the trash talk would escalate to the point that I don't think it's unreasonable at all to imagine bron crying, or at least having that totally zoned-out look he had against dallas.

the only thing that might save LeBron is his size. so lbj would most likely try to resort to posting up. but if a defender can get his center of gravity low enough, he can deny deep position even against a defender much bigger. don't believe me? go look up the defense rodman used to play on shaq. bron would have to try and back him down all the way from the 3pt line. there's no way it would be a reliable strategy.

all things considered, I think I've made a pretty convincing argument. if they played 5 games, mj would win all 5. if they played 100 games, mj would win all 100. first game mj wins 11-5, lbj posts up successfully a few times, spins and gets a lefty layup, maybe hits a few fades, but that's it. gets stripped tryin to hit the turnaround several times, gets the ball stolen outright on the dribble, and mj blows by him over and over again. game 2 the anxiety starts to set it, LeBron loses his focus like we've often seen, mj the shark smells the blood in the water, only picks up the intensity, 11-2. game 3 the humiliation starts to set in, 11-0. LeBron gives up and has his chauffer drive him home, then goes on national tv and talks about how it's okay that he lost because all the people watching in the gym have to go back home to their normal lives anyway. mj goes on to bang LeBron's mom. the end

:biggums:

[SHAQisGOAT]

1701 words :lol

:biggums: :wtf:

Again, who in the **** writtes that big of an essay talking about an hypothetical 1on1 with MJ vs Lebron?? :facepalm

[Prometheus]

:oldlol: :oldlol: :oldlol: ing myself to death over you punks talking about how many words I used when most of you have twice that many posts

[swagga]

y'all ever played 1v1? Size and ball handling is what matters, you don't even need a decent post game if you can trample the other guy.

lebron would murk jordan doe. Jordan maybe a better player, but in 1v1 brute force always wins when skill (not astethics) is comparable.

Here's doc vs cap. 3:11 is where it's at. And the speed diference is MUCH MUCH bigger in this case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WagLsOTNlF8

Kobe/jordan stans :lol

Any 6'9' dude with decent handles and decent weight is a nightmare in 1v1. Bird, magic, lebron would just wipe the floor with other SGs, PGs. Why you think the bulls ALWAYS put scottie on magic and not MJ, bucause Magic was fcukin MJ in the ass tbh. Go watch the series. :sleeping

[ImKobe]

y'all ever played 1v1? Size and ball handling is what matters, you don't even need a decent post game if you can trample the other guy.

lebron would murk jordan doe. Jordan maybe a better player, but in 1v1 brute force always wins when skill (not astethics) is comparable.

Here's doc vs cap. 3:11 is where it's at. And the speed diference is MUCH MUCH bigger in this case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WagLsOTNlF8

Kobe/jordan stans :lol

Any 6'9' dude with decent handles and decent weight is a nightmare in 1v1. Bird, magic, lebron would just wipe the floor with other SGs, PGs. Why you think the bulls ALWAYS put scottie on magic and not MJ, bucause Magic was fcukin MJ in the ass tbh. Go watch the series. :sleeping

:lol

MJ lost to Charlie and Martin Sheen on a 2 v 1 basketball game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQhRklAIqa0

[andgar923]

In the past I would've simply dismissed it as an easy matchup for MJ, in which MJ would've won 9/10 games (most with ease). But Bron's post up game has improved so it would be a tougher matchup for MJ.

I think they'd split.

It'll be easier for MJ to guard Bron than vice versa, but Bron's skill level and understanding of the game has improved to the point where it's harder to guard when you add his size and athleticism.

Naturally, MJ would destroy Bron if they were the same size.

[sejoon101]

Holy hell, I see this wall of text then I proceed to see the most utterly stupidest post ever in the first reply..

Mind = shattered

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk158/sejoon101/a0028b0cd44b088fa2440a5968fb9d2065a000fe-m.gif (http://s279.photobucket.com/user/sejoon101/media/a0028b0cd44b088fa2440a5968fb9d2065a000fe-m.gif.html)

[iamgine]

okay so ESPN started bringing this up a lot back when LeBron was doin that 6 straight games with 30+ on 60%+, and everyone kept yappin about who would win in a 1 on 1 contest. and I'm a fan of bron but this question was offensive to me. my friends are all hockey fans and hardly anyone I know personally gives two shits about basketball, so I've been itchin to put in my two cents on this issue, so here goes

LeBron would get his ass handed to him so bad, I can't see him having any desire to keep playing after 4 or 5 games against Jordan. put them both in their primes, and this is not even close. at all.

first of all, 1 on 1 has almost nothing to do with who is a better basketball player at the professional level. I think Carmelo Anthony would beat magic Johnson, but not even a stan on crack would say he's a better player. so let that be understood right from the get go, that I'm not saying the disparity between them as overall players is as astronomical (though I still think it's clear that mj was better by a decent margin), just that in a one-on-one contest, it would be so lopsided that I honestly think LeBron might be moved to tears. and here's why:

though they are very different players, with different advantages over one another, EVERY single one of Jordan's advantages would not only apply to a game of 1on1, but would be magnified in it, whereas every advantage of bron bron's (except for his size/strength) would be either diminished or irrelevant.

first, there's the difference between speed and quickness. end to end, LeBron is one of the fastest players I've ever seen. obviously that's why he's so dangerous in transition, because once he gets a head of steam he has that wide-receiver type speed. I think it's safe to say in the open court he could run faster than mj. but LeBron is NOT quick. I'm talking about his first step, change of direction, ability to pivot quickly. Jordan on the other hand? his first step was absolutely superb, one of the quickest we've ever seen. that fastbreak speed would have no relevance whatsoever in a game of 1on1, whereas quickness off the dribble is everything

then of course you have the one decisive advantage that LeBron has - he's a superior passer/playmaker. and no I'm not stupid saying Jordan was a ballhog or anything, and he was a tremendous playmaker when he wanted to be (he was especially adept at knowing when to distribute and when to take over), had 8 apg the one year, and totally trolled magic in the finals with 11 per game, but we all know lbj is an elite playmaker. scouting reports dating back to his high school days praised his ability to pass, and it has been his most important talent since day one. but would this matter in a game of 1on1? obviously not.

now has anyone failed to realize by now that LeBron's handles are kind of sloppy? his offense in the pick and roll or in the post is great, but I've never seen him as a tremendous iso player. he typically only takes guys off the dribble when he gets a favorable switch, and often is forced to turn away or give up the ball when a defender guards him too close on the perimeter. mj? no one's gonna question his ability to take defenders off the dribble. GOAT iso player next to maybe Iverson and kobe (and Durant is well on his way).

then there's a more subtle detail that not a lot of people seem to pick up on: their leaping styles. Jordan liked to hop off of both feet, LeBron almost always takes off in stride from his left leg. go watch all of their signature dunks, mj liked to plant both feet and spring, whereas LeBron almost never does that. why does this matter? it makes mj less predictable. if he's close enough to the basket as he goes for his gather, by planting both feet he could either go for the dunk, layup, or pull up for the shot. bron on the other hand is very easy to read when he drives. if his momentum is carrying him toward the hoop, he jumps off of one leg and you know he's trying to finish at the rim, and it's much easier to time.

also, as is evidenced by bron's shot charts on the season (and which results in his ridiculous fg%), he likes to either score inside or take the catch-and-shoot three. if mj can guard him close enough to stop the three, and also not allow him to get to the hoop, he's gonna have to rely on his midrange game... does he have one though? it's certainly nothing special. I see a few midrange jumpers from time to time, but his % from that area is not so good, and he's certainly not known for it. do I even need to describe mj's midrange game? maybe... the greatest of all time? for all of the defensive greatness, for all of the posterizing, all of the acrobatic layups... what made mj the best ever was his midrange game. his elite quickness, ability to stop on a dime and pull up with tremendous elevation, and his pin-point accuracy on such shots are what really made him the most unguardable offensive force of the modern era (perhaps ever... I never actually watched chamberlain). as 1on1 is pure isolation ball, this would be absolutely crucial.

now LeBron is known as a great defender (although this reputation is suspect, and is certainly no consensus on this board), but that's because of his versatility, ability to guard multiple positions on the floor, and his off the ball defense. he's great at providing help defense, and you can plug him in almost anywhere. but once again, in a game of 1on1 against another wing player, this is totally irrelevant. mj on the other hand? as a defender he ate his man alive. he was great at playing the passing lanes, but no one questions that he's also one of the GOAT man to man defenders. once again... advantage mj

finally we come to the most obvious advantage of all: the mental game. now haters take it way too far, and the narrative really is blown way out of proportion. lbj's stigma as a "choker, beta, quitter" etc. is tired and ridiculous. the guy has more than proven himself in pressure situations since that 2011 catastrophe. see boston 2012, indy 2012/13, the headband game, game 7 last year, yada yada. we all know he can get it done... sometimes. but would even the most hardcore of bron stans deny that he certainly loses his focus sometimes? I mentioned this in another thread recently, and was applauded for it by multiple people, but most of you probably didn't see it: LeBron is sooo non-confrontational. every time someone gets in his face and makes shit personal, he tightens up. he's a nice guy, it's simply not in his nature to really go to war against another man and be ruthless about it. kobe at the all star game is a perfect example. swaggy p xmas mvp is another, but it happens ALL THE TIME. it really is crazy how often the game's best player is prone to getting punked by anyone who wants to bring it that night. again, I'm not saying he's a total b*tch, and we've certainly seen him rise to the occasion many times, but non-confrontational is very obvious. Jordan on the other hand??? :oldlol: the single most ruthless, cold-blooded, competitive lion in sports history. it's to the point that no one even questions it. anyone watch that special on the dream team last year? that gym was full of hall of famers, and every single one of them told the story that "well magic was coming at him, and it didn't take much before Michael got that look... once we saw that, we knew it was give him the ball and get the hell out of the way" and then on open court you had magic Johnson talkin about how "well we never really passed the torch to Jordan... he just kind of took it". the dude was an absolute monster at heart. the contrast between the two of them is laughable in this regard. once mj got a few buckets on him, the trash talk would escalate to the point that I don't think it's unreasonable at all to imagine bron crying, or at least having that totally zoned-out look he had against dallas.

the only thing that might save LeBron is his size. so lbj would most likely try to resort to posting up. but if a defender can get his center of gravity low enough, he can deny deep position even against a defender much bigger. don't believe me? go look up the defense rodman used to play on shaq. bron would have to try and back him down all the way from the 3pt line. there's no way it would be a reliable strategy.

all things considered, I think I've made a pretty convincing argument. if they played 5 games, mj would win all 5. if they played 100 games, mj would win all 100. first game mj wins 11-5, lbj posts up successfully a few times, spins and gets a lefty layup, maybe hits a few fades, but that's it. gets stripped tryin to hit the turnaround several times, gets the ball stolen outright on the dribble, and mj blows by him over and over again. game 2 the anxiety starts to set it, LeBron loses his focus like we've often seen, mj the shark smells the blood in the water, only picks up the intensity, 11-2. game 3 the humiliation starts to set in, 11-0. LeBron gives up and has his chauffer drive him home, then goes on national tv and talks about how it's okay that he lost because all the people watching in the gym have to go back home to their normal lives anyway. mj goes on to bang LeBron's mom. the end
In a serious one on one, Lebron would just post up Mike all the time. He would simply back jordan up from the 3 point line. He would just go left-right-left-right while backing him down to the rim. It would be very tiring for MJ holding a bigger body for a long time. The only course for him is to foul.

[Dragonyeuw]

All this talk of Lebron's size/strength advantage, one would think MJ was a slouch in strength or something.

Anyways, we can break down all the physical/ skill attributes ad nauseum, the mental aspect is what I think determines a series of games. As stated by the OP on a few occasions, MJ is going to be relentless with his trashtalking, Lebron has never been the kind of guy that will accept that kind of challenge head on, MJ on the other hand takes any challenge as an excuse to push harder.

I think they'd split games in the beginning, with MJ's mental edge winning out in the end. He's not going to get flustered or lose confidence, and he has far more offensive skill at his disposal. MJ has the lateral quickness to keep Lebron in front and the defensive skills to keep Lebron from trying to do too much with the dribble. Take away his driving game, contain his post game as much as possible, and make him beat you from outside, where he has shown a knack for seizing up and hesitating once he realizes he needs to beat you with the jumper. Lebron's jumpshot is a compliment to his game, and its usually on when the rest of his game is on. MJ offensively has several weapons to go to if you happen to close out one of them.

A much better apples to apples one on one game is MJ/Kobe, similar size, similar iso skills, similar competitive killer instinct to go HAM if you challenge them. I recall a game back in (2008 maybe?) when Kobe was playing against Ron Artest in Houston, they got into a trashtalking affair and then Kobe proceeded to just score on him at will afterwards.

If Kobe beats MJ in a one on one game, its because he outskilled him that particular game. Lebron beating MJ in one on one wouldnt be a question of outskilling him, because he doesn't and cant, not in iso situations. It would be because he outsized and outbeefed MJ with brute force.

[swagga]

All this talk of Lebron's size/strength advantage, one would think MJ was a slouch in strength or something.

Anyways, we can break down all the physical/ skill attributes ad nauseum, the mental aspect is what I think determines a series of games. As stated by the OP on a few occasions, MJ is going to be relentless with his trashtalking, Lebron has never been the kind of guy that will accept that kind of challenge head on, MJ on the other hand takes any challenge as an excuse to push harder.

I think they'd split games in the beginning, with MJ's mental edge winning out in the end. He's not going to get flustered or lose confidence, and he has far more offensive skill at his disposal. MJ has the lateral quickness to keep Lebron in front and the defensive skills to keep Lebron from trying to do too much with the dribble. Take away his driving game, contain his post game as much as possible, and make him beat you from outside, where he has shown a knack for seizing up and hesitating once he realizes he needs to beat you with the jumper. Lebron's jumpshot is a compliment to his game, and its usually on when the rest of his game is on. MJ offensively has several weapons to go to if you happen to close out one of them.

A much better apples to apples one on one game is MJ/Kobe, similar size, similar iso skills, similar competitive killer instinct to go HAM if you challenge them. I recall a game back in (2008 maybe?) when Kobe was playing against Ron Artest in Houston, they got into a trashtalking affair and then Kobe proceeded to just score on him at will afterwards.

If Kobe beats MJ in a one on one game, its because he outskilled him that particular game. Lebron beating MJ in one on one wouldnt be a question of outskilling him, because he doesn't and cant, not in iso situations. It would be because he outsized and outbeefed MJ with brute force.

nobody sayin MJ isn't more skill but basketball ain't only a skill game. 1v1 to 21 lebron takes about 80-85 out of a hundred games because of bullying, as anybody who plays one-on-one seriously would undoubtly know. It's no stain on MJ, Lebron just has too much physical advantage.

Young shaq would be a monster at 1v1, so would young kareem, they would simply regulate anybody including lebron btw. Hell, add in there KG or any other big that can handle the rock.

I'd easily put money down that josh smith gets the best of kobe(any variant) if they play 10 games to 21.

[swagga]

and LMAO at killer instinct.

1v1 is a different game and even the softest of softies will quickly understand that if:
- he has 50 pounds and 3 inches on you
- and you have comparable skill levels (i.e nba players, not even superstar-to-superstar comparisons)

He will just bully the fcuk out you.


Killer instinct is good for soloing in a team concept, 1v1 not so much.

Just proves to you nigs on this board ain't playin much.

[Dragonyeuw]

nobody sayin MJ isn't more skill but basketball ain't only a skill game.

I never argued otherwise, nor have I argued that Lebron is incapable of beating MJ. I am saying that MJ vs Kobe is a straight skill vs skill contest, whereas Lebron beating MJ would not be because he outskilled him,but outsized him. At no point did I say that basketball is only a skill game, but I'd have greater respect for someone who actually outskilled Jordan to a win, as opposed to outsized. Skill is earned, size isn't.

[Dragonyeuw]

and LMAO at killer instinct.

1v1 is a different game and even the softest of softies will quickly understand that if:
- he has 50 pounds and 3 inches on you
- and you have comparable skill levels (i.e nba players, not even superstar-to-superstar comparisons)

He will just bully the fcuk out you.


Killer instinct is good for soloing in a team concept, 1v1 not so much.

Just proves to you nigs on this board ain't playin much.

Iso skills are also incredibly important in one on one, and in terms of size difference you talk like we're debating Shaq vs Jordan or something. Lebron's edge in size isn't as insurmountable as you say.

Furthermore, while MJ has to defend Lebron, the reverse is also true. Having superior iso skills means Jordan can attack from a variety of angles and be more unpredictable. Over a series of games, MJ has the defensive IQ to figure out Lebron's tendencies, and the speed to keep him in front. Yeah, Lebron can simply back his way down, lets not act like Lebron is Hakeem down low. They'd split games, in a series of 10 I'd give MJ 6. Lebron winning 85% of the games as you suggest above.....LMAO.

[swagga]

I never argued otherwise, nor have I argued that Lebron is incapable of beating MJ. I am saying that MJ vs Kobe is a straight skill vs skill contest, whereas Lebron beating MJ would not be because he outskilled him,but outsized him. At no point did I say that basketball is only a skill game, but I'd have greater respect for someone who actually outskilled Jordan to a win, as opposed to outsized. Skill is earned, size isn't.

I agree with you, never intended to say otherwise, just that you can argue that as you get bigger it is much more difficult to be have good ballhandling/shooting/footwork so even if you win the genetic lottery you still have to train like nuts. Can you say you respect more kobe's fadeaway/MJ slashing then lebrons ability to handle the ball in trafic at his freakish size?

I'm basically arguing that even if size is given the ability to use it isn't, it takes training too, coordination is harder when you're bigger. Ofc I love kobe/MJ footwork/ball/slash skills, but in 1v1 it's not about fairness, just about winning.



Nonetheless my the best 1v1 player in the league right should be blake griffin, excellent monility/speed/size/strength/stamina + best ballhandling big in a while. Jumper is irrelevant in 1v1.

[swagga]

Btw, disregarding team D(big assumption right here) it's no wonder that guys like diaw, blake griffin give lebron more trouble than paul george, KD (underrated man2man d) or kobe because they are bulkier but mobile. Strength is underrated in basketball.

The more uninformed posters were laughing at this but wtf they know about ball? :lol

[jzek]

Why post so many words on a casual message board? Leave that sh*t on your school papers. :facepalm

[imdaman99]

http://weknowgifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/didnt-read-lol-gif-4.gif

[STATUTORY]

suddenly a new contender arise for the biggest stan on ish competition

unclear what OP's agenda is just yet

[Dragonyeuw]

I agree with you, never intended to say otherwise, just that you can argue that as you get bigger it is much more difficult to be have good ballhandling/shooting/footwork so even if you win the genetic lottery you still have to train like nuts. Can you say you respect more kobe's fadeaway/MJ slashing then lebrons ability to handle the ball in trafic at his freakish size?
.

I respect skill, which is not to say I don't respect what Lebron does at his size. However there have been players similar in size like magic, penny, grant hill who can handle the rock with the finesse of players smaller than them. Only MJ and Kobe have displayed the complete arsenal of scoring skills at their position and size. But, we're talking two different things here. I agree that size plays a role in 1 on 1, I'm not sure how much of an impact it has in this matchup, Jordan is smaller but no slouch himself in strength and Lebron is still not what I would call a 'skilled' post player where he could abuse that to his advantage time and time again.

[swagga]

I respect skill, which is not to say I don't respect what Lebron does at his size. However there have been players similar in size like magic, penny, grant hill who can handle the rock with the finesse of players smaller than them. Only MJ and Kobe have displayed the complete arsenal of scoring skills at their position and size. But, we're talking too different things here. I agree that size plays a role in 1 on 1, I'm not sure how much of an impact it has in this matchup, Jordan is smaller but no slouch himself in strength.

everybody should love kobe's 81 or 63, if not he ain't a fan of hoops.

@strength : look at the the 1991 finals and how MJ was guarding magic. He wasn't. Because he couldn't, Phil tried it but he got burned time after time. You don't stop a much stronger good ballhandler fron posting you up. That's why they put scottie on magic.

even this sell-out saw it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ARHtF4Letw

[swagga]

oh and btw I picked the 1991 finals for one more reason: a PRIME physical MJ vs an older slower magic. Can you imagine how it'd go if magic were in his physical prime, it'd get ugly MJ for sure.

and that's even disregarding defense where the scales would be more even if we pick a young magic. as i've said, it's very hard to beat a bigger decent player.

[Dragonyeuw]

everybody should love kobe's 81 or 63, if not he ain't a fan of hoops.

@strength : look at the the 1991 finals and how MJ was guarding magic. He wasn't. Because he couldn't, Phil tried it but he got burned time after time. You don't stop a much stronger good ballhandler fron posting you up. That's why they put scottie on magic.

even this sell-out saw it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ARHtF4Letw

Magic was a much better post player than Lebron, better footwork, capable of babyhooks from either hand which, again, is a skill issue and not a size one. In that video MJ also has to deal with the fact that magic down low is a double threat to either score or pass as its a team 5 on 5 scenario. We're talking about one on one, there's no one for Lebron to pass to on the occasion where MJ may be able to maneuver him into a tough shot in the post. Kobe down low would give MJ more trouble simply because Kobe has a number of weapons he can go to, the fadeaway, up and unders, hooks, and impeccable footwork.

At the end of the day, if the argument is that Lebron will simply bully MJ down low, that can be said of just about any center or power forward who has ever played. Get the ball down low, and they'd score on MJ at will. If thats the barometer for who's a better one on one player, then there are thousands of players better at one on one than MJ. My question is.... is who wins in a game of one on one and who is a better one on on player......the same question?

[navy]

everybody should love kobe's 81 or 63, if not he ain't a fan of hoops.

@strength : look at the the 1991 finals and how MJ was guarding magic. He wasn't. Because he couldn't, Phil tried it but he got burned time after time. You don't stop a much stronger good ballhandler fron posting you up. That's why they put scottie on magic.

even this sell-out saw it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ARHtF4Letw

This. Honestly you you dont know need alot of skill in a one on one situation post up. The entire court is open to you and there is no help defense or five second call.

The teams that successfully guard lebron packed the paint so he wont drive right past them. Bulls, Pacers, Spurs. People say Boris Diaw stopped Lebron, and I wont deny he did a good job in some games, but that was only because the spurs packed the paint to stop lebron's driving lanes. Just go watch the fourth quarter game 6 of the nba finals. Lebron was driving past everyone when he had room. Just nothing you can do.


Jordan would not be able to stop Lebron one on one. But at the same time, there is no way Lebron would not be able to stop Jordan. I would give it Jordan 6/10 times because his midrange game is slightly better. But it wouldnt be a domination of any sort.

[Dragonyeuw]

Jordan would not be able to stop Lebron one on one. But at the same time, there is no way Lebron would not be able to stop Jordan. I would give it Jordan 6/10 times because his midrange game is slightly better. But it wouldnt be a domination of any sort.

Pretty much this, though I'd say MJ's midrange is more than slightly better.

Another question, looking at the kareem-dr. J game, will this be with or without a shotclock? Because MJ is much more of a quick-strike player and he would certainly be better in a scenario where the clock is running and he has to manufacture a shot. But, if theres no clock and Lebron has time to pound pound dribble dribble with infinite time to establish himself down low for a shot, that changes the dynamic of the matchup.

[navy]

Pretty much this, though I'd say MJ's midrange is more than slightly better.

Another question, looking at the kareem-dr. J game, will this be with or without a shotclock? Because MJ is much more of a quick-strike player and he would certainly be better in a scenario where the clock is running and he has to manufacture a shot. But, if theres no clock and Lebron has time to pound pound dribble dribble with infinite time to establish himself down low for a shot, that changes the dynamic of the matchup.

Lebron's shooting has improved though. He's a better three point shooter than Jordan, but yeah his mid range shot isnt quite there.

There is no shot clock in one on one. How would you time it?

[Dragonyeuw]

Lebron's shooting has improved though. He's a better three point shooter than Jordan, but yeah his mid range shot isnt quite there.

There is no shot clock in one on one. How would you time it?

The thing with Lebron's shooting is that it can go awry in situations where he's forced to beat you from outside. Thats why the Spurs were daring him to shoot in last year's finals while they packed the lanes to minimize driving. If Lebron has his driving game going, that gets the rest of his offense going and he shoots with more confidence. Jordan and kobe can both kill you from outside in a 7 game series, Lebron won't if you've got a defensive strategy to cut off the driving lanes.

I'm saying look at the kareem-dr. J matchup, there was 12 second shotclocks. I think if theres no clock, Lebron has more an edge because he can take his time to pound down low and get off a shot. MJ is better in situations where there's 10 seconds on the clock, and his superior ISO skills come to the fore. Also, is this make it take it? This could come down to who misses first because neither one can stop the other.

[Indian guy]

Let's see now....the game's greatest finisher ever + also the current most effective post player in the league going up against a player 50 pounds lighter, 2 inches shorter, and there's no help D? WOW, this sure is a toughie....wait, no, it's actually not. This is LeBron. Every single time. There's not a single 1-on-1 match-up that I can actually see him losing. He'd always be be able to guard you better than you can guard him. He would completely overpower MJ here, who has no history of any defensive success against players bigger than him(he often struggled against them, in fact). Even someone like Clyde Drexler, who was barely bigger than him, generally had his way in the post with MJ. Just watch any Bulls-Blazers/Rockets game. Bulls had to double/triple Magic in the post every single time MJ was on him in the '91 Finals. Magic backed him down that easily. MJ's defensive greatness lied in guarding players smaller than him, and just his general activity(help D).

And what is this garbage about LeBron wilting the moment there's some trash talk? For one, LeBron's success in H2H match-ups against his peers is pretty much unprecedented. Particularly against the 2 premiere perimeter players of his era - Durant and Kobe. Two, can this bogus legend of MJ being this master trash talker who just shook you with words any time he was challenged end? There's not a single documented story of MJ trash talking against a star player and that player wilting. None. MJ wasn't even much of a talker. Maybe a comment here or there, but for the most part, he let his game entirely do the talking. Just watch the games, you pretty much never see him say anything. He even confirmed this in an interview with Leno in '97, how he NEVER talks and believes doing so would actually take him out of his game.

[Element]

LOL

LeBron would get obliterated by Jordan, Kobe, Melo, T-Mac, Carter in a 1v1 contest

his biggest strength is bulldozing into the paint with open spaces. Not slithering through guys, faking out players, tough shot-making off the dribble, posting up or crossing anyone up.
Wow he has one season with above average (they're actually really good) post up numbers so far (this one), and people are already on his dick about it. Let's see if it'll hold up in the playoffs, like his annually "improved jumpshot" which falls off a cliff whenever the postseason starts.

[AirFederer]

I think you nailed it, but MJ would not get 100/100, more like 70 imho. Bron's a great player, but not the best one on one, which Jordan clearly is.

:applause:


okay so ESPN started bringing this up a lot back when LeBron was doin that 6 straight games with 30+ on 60%+, and everyone kept yappin about who would win in a 1 on 1 contest. and I'm a fan of bron but this question was offensive to me. my friends are all hockey fans and hardly anyone I know personally gives two shits about basketball, so I've been itchin to put in my two cents on this issue, so here goes

LeBron would get his ass handed to him so bad, I can't see him having any desire to keep playing after 4 or 5 games against Jordan. put them both in their primes, and this is not even close. at all.

first of all, 1 on 1 has almost nothing to do with who is a better basketball player at the professional level. I think Carmelo Anthony would beat magic Johnson, but not even a stan on crack would say he's a better player. so let that be understood right from the get go, that I'm not saying the disparity between them as overall players is as astronomical (though I still think it's clear that mj was better by a decent margin), just that in a one-on-one contest, it would be so lopsided that I honestly think LeBron might be moved to tears. and here's why:

though they are very different players, with different advantages over one another, EVERY single one of Jordan's advantages would not only apply to a game of 1on1, but would be magnified in it, whereas every advantage of bron bron's (except for his size/strength) would be either diminished or irrelevant.

first, there's the difference between speed and quickness. end to end, LeBron is one of the fastest players I've ever seen. obviously that's why he's so dangerous in transition, because once he gets a head of steam he has that wide-receiver type speed. I think it's safe to say in the open court he could run faster than mj. but LeBron is NOT quick. I'm talking about his first step, change of direction, ability to pivot quickly. Jordan on the other hand? his first step was absolutely superb, one of the quickest we've ever seen. that fastbreak speed would have no relevance whatsoever in a game of 1on1, whereas quickness off the dribble is everything

then of course you have the one decisive advantage that LeBron has - he's a superior passer/playmaker. and no I'm not stupid saying Jordan was a ballhog or anything, and he was a tremendous playmaker when he wanted to be (he was especially adept at knowing when to distribute and when to take over), had 8 apg the one year, and totally trolled magic in the finals with 11 per game, but we all know lbj is an elite playmaker. scouting reports dating back to his high school days praised his ability to pass, and it has been his most important talent since day one. but would this matter in a game of 1on1? obviously not.

now has anyone failed to realize by now that LeBron's handles are kind of sloppy? his offense in the pick and roll or in the post is great, but I've never seen him as a tremendous iso player. he typically only takes guys off the dribble when he gets a favorable switch, and often is forced to turn away or give up the ball when a defender guards him too close on the perimeter. mj? no one's gonna question his ability to take defenders off the dribble. GOAT iso player next to maybe Iverson and kobe (and Durant is well on his way).

then there's a more subtle detail that not a lot of people seem to pick up on: their leaping styles. Jordan liked to hop off of both feet, LeBron almost always takes off in stride from his left leg. go watch all of their signature dunks, mj liked to plant both feet and spring, whereas LeBron almost never does that. why does this matter? it makes mj less predictable. if he's close enough to the basket as he goes for his gather, by planting both feet he could either go for the dunk, layup, or pull up for the shot. bron on the other hand is very easy to read when he drives. if his momentum is carrying him toward the hoop, he jumps off of one leg and you know he's trying to finish at the rim, and it's much easier to time.

also, as is evidenced by bron's shot charts on the season (and which results in his ridiculous fg%), he likes to either score inside or take the catch-and-shoot three. if mj can guard him close enough to stop the three, and also not allow him to get to the hoop, he's gonna have to rely on his midrange game... does he have one though? it's certainly nothing special. I see a few midrange jumpers from time to time, but his % from that area is not so good, and he's certainly not known for it. do I even need to describe mj's midrange game? maybe... the greatest of all time? for all of the defensive greatness, for all of the posterizing, all of the acrobatic layups... what made mj the best ever was his midrange game. his elite quickness, ability to stop on a dime and pull up with tremendous elevation, and his pin-point accuracy on such shots are what really made him the most unguardable offensive force of the modern era (perhaps ever... I never actually watched chamberlain). as 1on1 is pure isolation ball, this would be absolutely crucial.

now LeBron is known as a great defender (although this reputation is suspect, and is certainly no consensus on this board), but that's because of his versatility, ability to guard multiple positions on the floor, and his off the ball defense. he's great at providing help defense, and you can plug him in almost anywhere. but once again, in a game of 1on1 against another wing player, this is totally irrelevant. mj on the other hand? as a defender he ate his man alive. he was great at playing the passing lanes, but no one questions that he's also one of the GOAT man to man defenders. once again... advantage mj

finally we come to the most obvious advantage of all: the mental game. now haters take it way too far, and the narrative really is blown way out of proportion. lbj's stigma as a "choker, beta, quitter" etc. is tired and ridiculous. the guy has more than proven himself in pressure situations since that 2011 catastrophe. see boston 2012, indy 2012/13, the headband game, game 7 last year, yada yada. we all know he can get it done... sometimes. but would even the most hardcore of bron stans deny that he certainly loses his focus sometimes? I mentioned this in another thread recently, and was applauded for it by multiple people, but most of you probably didn't see it: LeBron is sooo non-confrontational. every time someone gets in his face and makes shit personal, he tightens up. he's a nice guy, it's simply not in his nature to really go to war against another man and be ruthless about it. kobe at the all star game is a perfect example. swaggy p xmas mvp is another, but it happens ALL THE TIME. it really is crazy how often the game's best player is prone to getting punked by anyone who wants to bring it that night. again, I'm not saying he's a total b*tch, and we've certainly seen him rise to the occasion many times, but non-confrontational is very obvious. Jordan on the other hand??? :oldlol: the single most ruthless, cold-blooded, competitive lion in sports history. it's to the point that no one even questions it. anyone watch that special on the dream team last year? that gym was full of hall of famers, and every single one of them told the story that "well magic was coming at him, and it didn't take much before Michael got that look... once we saw that, we knew it was give him the ball and get the hell out of the way" and then on open court you had magic Johnson talkin about how "well we never really passed the torch to Jordan... he just kind of took it". the dude was an absolute monster at heart. the contrast between the two of them is laughable in this regard. once mj got a few buckets on him, the trash talk would escalate to the point that I don't think it's unreasonable at all to imagine bron crying, or at least having that totally zoned-out look he had against dallas.

the only thing that might save LeBron is his size. so lbj would most likely try to resort to posting up. but if a defender can get his center of gravity low enough, he can deny deep position even against a defender much bigger. don't believe me? go look up the defense rodman used to play on shaq. bron would have to try and back him down all the way from the 3pt line. there's no way it would be a reliable strategy.

all things considered, I think I've made a pretty convincing argument. if they played 5 games, mj would win all 5. if they played 100 games, mj would win all 100. first game mj wins 11-5, lbj posts up successfully a few times, spins and gets a lefty layup, maybe hits a few fades, but that's it. gets stripped tryin to hit the turnaround several times, gets the ball stolen outright on the dribble, and mj blows by him over and over again. game 2 the anxiety starts to set it, LeBron loses his focus like we've often seen, mj the shark smells the blood in the water, only picks up the intensity, 11-2. game 3 the humiliation starts to set in, 11-0. LeBron gives up and has his chauffer drive him home, then goes on national tv and talks about how it's okay that he lost because all the people watching in the gym have to go back home to their normal lives anyway. mj goes on to bang LeBron's mom. the end

[OldSchoolBBall]

They wouldnt be able to stop each other one on one to be honest. Jordans mid range is a little bit better so Ill go with him 6/10.

lol @ MJ's midrange being only a "little better." It's in a different universe entirely.

[Harison]

MJ would win more often than not, I would never bet against him.

[sejoon101]

Kendrick Perkins vs Nate Robinson 1v1. Pick 1. g0.

[swagga]

MJ would win more often than not, I would never bet against him.

yo homie ever played 1v1 ? Any big ballhandler like griffin/lebron/magic would cream any guard in the league in 1v1 if we have a 24 shotclock.
Why do you think doc played kareem on a 12sec shotclock, in order to speed up the game, as in to minimize the advantage of the bigman, and it still easily showed how much of a disparity 2-3 inches and 50+ pounds make.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Let's see now....the game's greatest finisher ever + also the current most effective post player in the league going up against a player 50 pounds lighter, 2 inches shorter, and there's no help D? WOW, this sure is a toughie....wait, no, it's actually not. This is LeBron. Every single time. There's not a single 1-on-1 match-up that I can actually see him losing. He'd always be be able to guard you better than you can guard him. He would completely overpower MJ here, who has no history of any defensive success against players bigger than him(he often struggled against them, in fact). Even someone like Clyde Drexler, who was barely bigger than him, generally had his way in the post with MJ. Just watch any Bulls-Blazers/Rockets game. Bulls had to double/triple Magic in the post every single time MJ was on him in the '91 Finals. Magic backed him down that easily. MJ's defensive greatness lied in guarding players smaller than him, and just his general activity(help D).

And what is this garbage about LeBron wilting the moment there's some trash talk? For one, LeBron's success in H2H match-ups against his peers is pretty much unprecedented. Particularly against the 2 premiere perimeter players of his era - Durant and Kobe. Two, can this bogus legend of MJ being this master trash talker who just shook you with words any time he was challenged end? There's not a single documented story of MJ trash talking against a star player and that player wilting. None. MJ wasn't even much of a talker. Maybe a comment here or there, but for the most part, he let his game entirely do the talking. Just watch the games, you pretty much never see him say anything. He even confirmed this in an interview with Leno in '97, how he NEVER talks and believes doing so would actually take him out of his game.

Spare us your hero worship. If Jordan gets the ball, Lebron isn't getting it back. Period.


MJ wasn't even much of a talker.

Wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ms02gNaYjk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEnOf9okUdg

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

MJ's rocker-step, first-step, that quick jab into a drive, pump fakes, ball fakes, the fundamentals, the footwork, his jumpshot, his quicks (he was faster in the half-court set when it pertains to off the dribble). Honestly it's not even close. MJ would shit on Lebron. Do we even know Lebron could beat Carmelo 1v1? :oldlol:

[97 bulls]

I gotta go with Jordan. I think it comes down to who has the better jumper. Neither would be able to stay in front of the other if they opted to play up on the other.

Even if James attempted to take Jordan to the post. People forget Jordan was exceptionally strong. And I personally dont feel James post game is that good.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Let's see now....the game's greatest finisher ever + also the current most effective post player in the league going up against a player 50 pounds lighter, 2 inches shorter, and there's no help D? WOW, this sure is a toughie....wait, no, it's actually not. This is LeBron. Every single time. There's not a single 1-on-1 match-up that I can actually see him losing. He'd always be be able to guard you better than you can guard him. He would completely overpower MJ here, who has no history of any defensive success against players bigger than him(he often struggled against them, in fact). Even someone like Clyde Drexler, who was barely bigger than him, generally had his way in the post with MJ. Just watch any Bulls-Blazers/Rockets game. Bulls had to double/triple Magic in the post every single time MJ was on him in the '91 Finals. Magic backed him down that easily. MJ's defensive greatness lied in guarding players smaller than him, and just his general activity(help D).

And what is this garbage about LeBron wilting the moment there's some trash talk? For one, LeBron's success in H2H match-ups against his peers is pretty much unprecedented. Particularly against the 2 premiere perimeter players of his era - Durant and Kobe. Two, can this bogus legend of MJ being this master trash talker who just shook you with words any time he was challenged end? There's not a single documented story of MJ trash talking against a star player and that player wilting. None. MJ wasn't even much of a talker. Maybe a comment here or there, but for the most part, he let his game entirely do the talking. Just watch the games, you pretty much never see him say anything. He even confirmed this in an interview with Leno in '97, how he NEVER talks and believes doing so would actually take him out of his game.
:oldlol:

This guy has to be "Lambo"

[Prometheus]

wow glad we actually got some talk going here. to you clowns talkin trash at me for posting a wordy essay about this - I like to talk about basketball, and I'm an intelligent man with many thoughts and a lot to say. if you weren't a basketball nerd as well you wouldn't be on this f___ing site in the first place so stop being so self-conscious and piss off if you don't wanna read my thoughts.

and for the record (i'll go more in depth about it later), kobe/mj I would give mj the edge about 60/40. mj is more competitive, but kobe is more stubborn. they're so similar it's eerie. obviously mj was a lot better in the real 5 on 5 game, but in 1 on 1 it would be so close

[r0drig0lac]

I don't know about Lebron crying, but I suspect that by the 4th or 5th game he'd be ready to take his ball and go home. lol

Besides all that your assessment of the two players is spot on, except for the part about James being a "superior" playmaker. He plays that role more often than Jordan did, but that doesn't make him superior. Take the 89 season as a case in point, when MJ was asked to assume the playmaker/PG role during the last half of the season; he responded with double-digit Assists in 19 of the Bulls' final 26 games, including a streak of 12 straight and 17 in 19 games. Jordan could have been the greatest PG / playmaker ever if he wanted to. In that respect he took a back seat to no one.

I also disagree with the notion that James is a superior passer, but since there is no way to substantiate the argument one way or the other I'll just leave it at that.
this, Jordan was also a better playmaker

[SamuraiSWISH]

kobe/mj I would give mj the edge about 60/40. mj is more competitive, but kobe is more stubborn. they're so similar it's eerie. obviously mj was a lot better in the real 5 on 5 game, but in 1 on 1 it would be so close
Not only that but MJ was just the more athletic specimen. Prime for prime of both their careers they have comparable skill sets, but MJ had it on a superior athletic body. Most likely superior intelligence, and mentality too.

Kobe would have the superior range, but long balls no matter how well shot aren't consistent. I take MJ's superior quickness off the bounce or triple threat ... and his superior ability to get to the basket and finish. With finesse, or power. Those hands, shoulders, innate strength, body dexterity, and leaping ability all favor Mike.

I too believe MJ was more competitive, Kobe more stubborn. Big difference, but on the surface very similar. Kobe would be the person best equipped to challenge Jordan. Specifically mentally, not getting shook / losing confidence, etc where LeBron would most likely cower. As he did to old Kobe in an ASG. But MJ would just be a tad bit better.

MJ acknowledge this in the 2k14 interview. Kobe is a Junior Mints version of Jordan. So of course he'd give him problems at times.

LeBron isn't near as good as an on ball defender as either MJ, or Kobe. He's a better 5 on 5 player than Kobe, but he's an inferior ISO player. On either side of the ball. See how Jason Terry lite up LeBron in the Finals, without defensive help the way he had the previous series with D. Rose.

And Indian Guy expects us to believe LeBron would be able to stop a guy just 2 inches shorter than himself, arguably as quick / fast, with better deceptive footwork (jab step, rocker step, first step) much superior length and finishing ability than Rose?

Not to mention the best mid range shooting ability of these three guys? MJ is the best of both worlds. He's a better 5 on 5 player than Kobe, comparable 1 on 1 player with Kobe (little better due to athleticism) better 1 on 1 player than LeBron, yet comparable 5 on 5 player to James.

Arguably better considering his best statistical seasons, he put up better all around numbers than LeBron, doing things less ball in hand. Takes better quick strike skill. When he did have the ball in his hands as much as LeBron, in a PG facility to end the '89 season? He was putting up like 35 / 12 / 12 to end the season.

The answer is obvious.

[tpols]

Let's see now....the game's greatest finisher ever + also the current most effective post player in the league going up against a player 50 pounds lighter, 2 inches shorter, and there's no help D? WOW, this sure is a toughie....wait, no, it's actually not. This is LeBron. Every single time. There's not a single 1-on-1 match-up that I can actually see him losing. He'd always be be able to guard you better than you can guard him. He would completely overpower MJ here, who has no history of any defensive success against players bigger than him(he often struggled against them, in fact). Even someone like Clyde Drexler, who was barely bigger than him, generally had his way in the post with MJ. Just watch any Bulls-Blazers/Rockets game. Bulls had to double/triple Magic in the post every single time MJ was on him in the '91 Finals. Magic backed him down that easily. MJ's defensive greatness lied in guarding players smaller than him, and just his general activity(help D).

And what is this garbage about LeBron wilting the moment there's some trash talk? For one, LeBron's success in H2H match-ups against his peers is pretty much unprecedented. Particularly against the 2 premiere perimeter players of his era - Durant and Kobe. Two, can this bogus legend of MJ being this master trash talker who just shook you with words any time he was challenged end? There's not a single documented story of MJ trash talking against a star player and that player wilting. None. MJ wasn't even much of a talker. Maybe a comment here or there, but for the most part, he let his game entirely do the talking. Just watch the games, you pretty much never see him say anything. He even confirmed this in an interview with Leno in '97, how he NEVER talks and believes doing so would actually take him out of his game.
And I would take Magic's post game and in general back to the basket ability well before I'd take Brons.

Lebron wouldnt be able to back down Jordan:oldlol: Hes not quick enough or skilled enough to back down from 15 feet and out.. Jordan would be all over him poking the ball away.. cutting angles off by predicting his moves. And Lebron could never keep up with Jordan one on one.. hes a better help defender than man.

[freshperry]

y'all ever played 1v1? Size and ball handling is what matters, you don't even need a decent post game if you can trample the other guy.

lebron would murk jordan doe. Jordan maybe a better player, but in 1v1 brute force always wins when skill (not astethics) is comparable.

Here's doc vs cap. 3:11 is where it's at. And the speed diference is MUCH MUCH bigger in this case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WagLsOTNlF8

Kobe/jordan stans :lol

Any 6'9' dude with decent handles and decent weight is a nightmare in 1v1. Bird, magic, lebron would just wipe the floor with other SGs, PGs. Why you think the bulls ALWAYS put scottie on magic and not MJ, bucause Magic was fcukin MJ in the ass tbh. Go watch the series. :sleeping


I agree with you. Strictly speaking 1v1, I think you guys are blowing things way out of proportion in terms of jordan having better first step, dribbling and shooting. If its just a pick up game thats 1v1 and less fouls are called you have to go with the 6'8 250 pound guy. Lets be real, jordan is going to have a tough time defending lbj and lbj is going to have a tough time guarding jordan. To say if they play 100 times and jordan wins 100 times is just ridiculous. Also I know I am taking the bait of the LBJ hater trolls but for those people saying LBJ has very good bball skills but weak mentality, dont you think that would be less amplified in a street game/ 1v1? If what you guys are saying about LBJ choking in the limelight is true, then LBJ should have no problem showing his true potential in a pickup game.....

[CavaliersFTW]

Holy f*ck 1,700+ words!?

http://pikof.com/di/E358/its-time-to-stop-posting.jpg

[tpols]

I agree with you. Strictly speaking 1v1, I think you guys are blowing things way out of proportion in terms of jordan having better first step, dribbling and shooting. If its just a pick up game thats 1v1 and less fouls are called you have to go with the 6'8 250 pound guy. Lets be real, jordan is going to have a tough time defending lbj and lbj is going to have a tough time guarding jordan. To say if they play 100 times and jordan wins 100 times is just ridiculous. Also I know I am taking the bait of the LBJ hater trolls but for those people saying LBJ has very good bball skills but weak mentality, dont you think that would be less amplified in a street game/ 1v1? If what you guys are saying about LBJ choking in the limelight is true, then LBJ should have no problem showing his true potential in a pickup game.....
I mean its not like people wouldnt know about it.. Lebron absolutely shudders at the thought of losing a competitive one on one game to another all time great.:oldlol:

Same guy who wouldnt do a dunk contest.. hes not going to partake in anything extra that could potentially be embarrased in.


Lebron doesnt have 1/100th of the ISO ability of MJ.. hes a playmaker, ballhandler and creator first and foremost and likes to have picks set and play a more team oriented style of ball.

MJ is GOAT isolation player and in a different league than Lebron

[Prometheus]

Holy f*ck 1,700+ words!?

http://pikof.com/di/E358/its-time-to-stop-posting.jpg

this one is old get some new ammo. come on I get dunked on at the park but you can't come that weak

[Prometheus]

I mean its not like people wouldnt know about it.. Lebron absolutely shudders at the thought of losing a competitive one on one game to another all time great.:oldlol:

Same guy who wouldnt do a dunk contest.. hes not going to partake in anything extra that could potentially be embarrased in.


Lebron doesnt have 1/100th of the ISO ability of MJ.. hes a playmaker, ballhandler and creator first and foremost and likes to have picks set and play a more team oriented style of ball.

MJ is GOAT isolation player and in a different league than Lebron

this guy gets it. it's not even really about the limelight, LeBron is just non-confrontational and doesn't seem to thrive in personal challenges, just wants to be great at contributing to something

[navy]

wow glad we actually got some talk going here. to you clowns talkin trash at me for posting a wordy essay about this - I like to talk about basketball, and I'm an intelligent man with many thoughts and a lot to say. if you weren't a basketball nerd as well you wouldn't be on this f___ing site in the first place so stop being so self-conscious and piss off if you don't wanna read my thoughts.

and for the record (i'll go more in depth about it later), kobe/mj I would give mj the edge about 60/40. mj is more competitive, but kobe is more stubborn. they're so similar it's eerie. obviously mj was a lot better in the real 5 on 5 game, but in 1 on 1 it would be so close

Any particular reason you don't take the time to capitalize your words?

[navy]

Jordan quotes about Lebron one on one.
“So if I have to guard him… I'm gonna push him left so nine times out of 10, he's gonna shoot a jump shot. If he goes right, he's going to the hole and I can't stop him. So I ain't letting him go right."
-- Michael Jordan on LeBron James in ESPN The Magazine

The truth?

Lebron is better at scoring going left than right.
Jordan needs to fire his scouts.
In one on one he isnt stopping Lebron.

Ill give it to Jordan 6/10 times. But to say he would 100 out of 100 is ridiculous.

[Shade8780]

Did any of you guys read all that shit? :lol I aint wasting my time.

[Prometheus]

Any particular reason you don't take the time to capitalize your words?

I never went to school so I didn't know I was supposed to

[swagga]

****s wrong wit people in this thread?

jordan > lebron for 5v5 but at 1v1 it don't matter you got goat skills if you're 2-3 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter then a good ballhandling nba player. You can score 3-4 times in a row on jumpers but you can score 9-10 times in a row on primitive post ups, basic mathematics. You don't even need 5v5 post up skill, you just push until you reach middle.

WTF? Do people who post here actually hoop?

I'm done wit this thread nigka them nigs here is mad as fcuk and can't reason for shits. I thought det only in the army were da jordan stans the worst but it seems they are everywere. 4 reals. fcuk outta here wit det bullshiet.

[Dragonyeuw]

Did any of you guys read all that shit? :lol I aint wasting my time.

Just the time it took you to tell us you ain't wasting your time.

[Leftimage]

Lebron has the size advantage but his post-game doesn't take a huge advantage out of it like others do, more on drives.

Actually, Lebron would score at will on Jordan in the post.

It's not even a fair one-on-one scenario tbh. But it would definitely be a close match-up. Jordan probably wouldn't miss much either.... but he couldn't systematically exploit any facet of the match-up the same way Lebron could (size advantage)

I think people often underestimate the importance of size in 1-n-1 scenarios.

[Prometheus]

****s wrong wit people in this thread?

jordan > lebron for 5v5 but at 1v1 it don't matter you got goat skills if you're 2-3 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter. You can score 3-4 times in a row on jumpers but you can score 9-10 times in a row on drives, basic mathematics.

WTF? Do people who post here actually hoop?

I'm done wit this thread nigka them nigs here is mad as fcuk and can't reason for shits. I thought det only in the army were da jordan stans the worst but it seems they are everywere. 4 reals. fcuk outta here wit det bullshiet.

drives like the one at 0:45 here? just look at how LeBron is able to bully his way to the hoop and score on the drive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X-VaAqPqmY

:hammerhead:

[HoopsFanNumero1]

drives like the one at 0:45 here? just look at how LeBron is able to bully his way to the hoop and score on the drive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X-VaAqPqmY

:hammerhead:

Kobe was holding his arm down. Not really a good example to use.

[swagga]

drives like the one at 0:45 here? just look at how LeBron is able to bully his way to the hoop and score on the drive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X-VaAqPqmY

:hammerhead:

now now hold it there chuckbe stan. let's disregard the rim defender and help defender for a second and pretend chuckbe was solely responsible for det D possession even if it's obvious he was not (sorry if you are mentally impaired and can't understand:D )

what do you think is more probable:
lebron bullying the paint 2100 times as he does on a regular basis
kobe doing that 2100 times for 21 pts for 100 games without snapping dat achilles again?

kobestan reasoning, inb4 kobe uses his dick to replace his achilles,more ellastic now. :lol :lol :lol

[J Shuttlesworth]

That is way too long to read. How do you type an essay that long and not even use decent grammar... hell, at least capitalize :biggums: Didn't you learn anything from school?

Jordan is a better ISO player than LeBron. He's also the better man to man defender. He takes this one

[ssginc]

and LMAO at killer instinct.

1v1 is a different game and even the softest of softies will quickly understand that if:
- he has 50 pounds and 3 inches on you
- and you have comparable skill levels (i.e nba players, not even superstar-to-superstar comparisons)

He will just bully the fcuk out you.


Killer instinct is good for soloing in a team concept, 1v1 not so much.

Just proves to you nigs on this board ain't playin much.


Lebron is going to bully Jordan??

Not a chance in hell that would happen, my friend.

[ssginc]

everybody should love kobe's 81 or 63, if not he ain't a fan of hoops.

@strength : look at the the 1991 finals and how MJ was guarding magic. He wasn't. Because he couldn't, Phil tried it but he got burned time after time. You don't stop a much stronger good ballhandler fron posting you up. That's why they put scottie on magic.

even this sell-out saw it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ARHtF4Letw


Jordan guarded Magic the entire series, with the exception of the second half of Game 2 and the first half of Game 4 (when Pippen checked him).

[oarabbus]

Do people here play basketball? in 1v1 size is king. Lebron EASILY. It would need to be 3v3 before Jordan is the better pick. And 3s or 5s (or 4s...) I take Jordan.

[ssginc]

Actually, Lebron would score at will on Jordan in the post.

It's not even a fair one-on-one scenario tbh. But it would definitely be a close match-up. Jordan probably wouldn't miss much either.... but he couldn't systematically exploit any facet of the match-up the same way Lebron could (size advantage)

I think people often underestimate the importance of size in 1-n-1 scenarios.

Lebron doesn't even score at will (in the post) against the league as a whole today, yet he's going to score at will on (arguably) the greatest perimeter defender ever?

[ssginc]

Do people here play basketball? in 1v1 size is king. Lebron EASILY. It would need to be 3v3 before Jordan is the better pick. And 3s or 5s (or 4s...) I take Jordan.


lol you act like Lebron is the size of Shaq.

[freshperry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUc8677iffE

this is always beautiful to watch but cmon.... shooting gaurds are not scoring this 1v1 on a consistent basis. In 1v1 size is the biggest factor. Remember there is no 24 shot clock in 1v1. You literally dont need skill to pounce and pounce or worry about getting turnovers.The usual rule of thumb you learn from coaches is you post up for more then 6-8 seconds, its a turnover (not sure on the exact seconds) 1v1 is literally a different game... and size is critical. On the same token, who do you think is going to get more tired faster? Guarding the post against kobe/jordan or guarding LBJ in the post who is built like a football player? I understand why people would say Jordan would win 1v1 and if it was 1 game I would probably bet on jordan just because its the safe pick. However, to say LBJ has no chance or would lose 100/100.... is just ridiculous.

[Prometheus]

That is way too long to read. How do you type an essay that long and not even use decent grammar... hell, at least capitalize :biggums: Didn't you learn anything from school?

Jordan is a better ISO player than LeBron. He's also the better man to man defender. He takes this one

I've never been to school

[Leftimage]

Lebron doesn't even score at will (in the post) against the league as a whole today, yet he's going to score at will on (arguably) the greatest perimeter defender ever?

1 on 1 is not 5 on 5 -

no weakside help in this muthafukka :no:

[bagelred]

okay so ESPN started bringing this up a lot back when LeBron was doin that 6 straight games with 30+ on 60%+, and everyone kept yappin about who would win in a 1 on 1 contest. and I'm a fan of bron but this question was offensive to me. my friends are all hockey fans and hardly anyone I know personally gives two shits about basketball, so I've been itchin to put in my two cents on this issue, so here goes

LeBron would get his ass handed to him so bad, I can't see him having any desire to keep playing after 4 or 5 games against Jordan. put them both in their primes, and this is not even close. at all.

first of all, 1 on 1 has almost nothing to do with who is a better basketball player at the professional level. I think Carmelo Anthony would beat magic Johnson, but not even a stan on crack would say he's a better player. so let that be understood right from the get go, that I'm not saying the disparity between them as overall players is as astronomical (though I still think it's clear that mj was better by a decent margin), just that in a one-on-one contest, it would be so lopsided that I honestly think LeBron might be moved to tears. and here's why:

though they are very different players, with different advantages over one another, EVERY single one of Jordan's advantages would not only apply to a game of 1on1, but would be magnified in it, whereas every advantage of bron bron's (except for his size/strength) would be either diminished or irrelevant.

first, there's the difference between speed and quickness. end to end, LeBron is one of the fastest players I've ever seen. obviously that's why he's so dangerous in transition, because once he gets a head of steam he has that wide-receiver type speed. I think it's safe to say in the open court he could run faster than mj. but LeBron is NOT quick. I'm talking about his first step, change of direction, ability to pivot quickly. Jordan on the other hand? his first step was absolutely superb, one of the quickest we've ever seen. that fastbreak speed would have no relevance whatsoever in a game of 1on1, whereas quickness off the dribble is everything

then of course you have the one decisive advantage that LeBron has - he's a superior passer/playmaker. and no I'm not stupid saying Jordan was a ballhog or anything, and he was a tremendous playmaker when he wanted to be (he was especially adept at knowing when to distribute and when to take over), had 8 apg the one year, and totally trolled magic in the finals with 11 per game, but we all know lbj is an elite playmaker. scouting reports dating back to his high school days praised his ability to pass, and it has been his most important talent since day one. but would this matter in a game of 1on1? obviously not.

now has anyone failed to realize by now that LeBron's handles are kind of sloppy? his offense in the pick and roll or in the post is great, but I've never seen him as a tremendous iso player. he typically only takes guys off the dribble when he gets a favorable switch, and often is forced to turn away or give up the ball when a defender guards him too close on the perimeter. mj? no one's gonna question his ability to take defenders off the dribble. GOAT iso player next to maybe Iverson and kobe (and Durant is well on his way).

then there's a more subtle detail that not a lot of people seem to pick up on: their leaping styles. Jordan liked to hop off of both feet, LeBron almost always takes off in stride from his left leg. go watch all of their signature dunks, mj liked to plant both feet and spring, whereas LeBron almost never does that. why does this matter? it makes mj less predictable. if he's close enough to the basket as he goes for his gather, by planting both feet he could either go for the dunk, layup, or pull up for the shot. bron on the other hand is very easy to read when he drives. if his momentum is carrying him toward the hoop, he jumps off of one leg and you know he's trying to finish at the rim, and it's much easier to time.

also, as is evidenced by bron's shot charts on the season (and which results in his ridiculous fg%), he likes to either score inside or take the catch-and-shoot three. if mj can guard him close enough to stop the three, and also not allow him to get to the hoop, he's gonna have to rely on his midrange game... does he have one though? it's certainly nothing special. I see a few midrange jumpers from time to time, but his % from that area is not so good, and he's certainly not known for it. do I even need to describe mj's midrange game? maybe... the greatest of all time? for all of the defensive greatness, for all of the posterizing, all of the acrobatic layups... what made mj the best ever was his midrange game. his elite quickness, ability to stop on a dime and pull up with tremendous elevation, and his pin-point accuracy on such shots are what really made him the most unguardable offensive force of the modern era (perhaps ever... I never actually watched chamberlain). as 1on1 is pure isolation ball, this would be absolutely crucial.

now LeBron is known as a great defender (although this reputation is suspect, and is certainly no consensus on this board), but that's because of his versatility, ability to guard multiple positions on the floor, and his off the ball defense. he's great at providing help defense, and you can plug him in almost anywhere. but once again, in a game of 1on1 against another wing player, this is totally irrelevant. mj on the other hand? as a defender he ate his man alive. he was great at playing the passing lanes, but no one questions that he's also one of the GOAT man to man defenders. once again... advantage mj

finally we come to the most obvious advantage of all: the mental game. now haters take it way too far, and the narrative really is blown way out of proportion. lbj's stigma as a "choker, beta, quitter" etc. is tired and ridiculous. the guy has more than proven himself in pressure situations since that 2011 catastrophe. see boston 2012, indy 2012/13, the headband game, game 7 last year, yada yada. we all know he can get it done... sometimes. but would even the most hardcore of bron stans deny that he certainly loses his focus sometimes? I mentioned this in another thread recently, and was applauded for it by multiple people, but most of you probably didn't see it: LeBron is sooo non-confrontational. every time someone gets in his face and makes shit personal, he tightens up. he's a nice guy, it's simply not in his nature to really go to war against another man and be ruthless about it. kobe at the all star game is a perfect example. swaggy p xmas mvp is another, but it happens ALL THE TIME. it really is crazy how often the game's best player is prone to getting punked by anyone who wants to bring it that night. again, I'm not saying he's a total b*tch, and we've certainly seen him rise to the occasion many times, but non-confrontational is very obvious. Jordan on the other hand??? :oldlol: the single most ruthless, cold-blooded, competitive lion in sports history. it's to the point that no one even questions it. anyone watch that special on the dream team last year? that gym was full of hall of famers, and every single one of them told the story that "well magic was coming at him, and it didn't take much before Michael got that look... once we saw that, we knew it was give him the ball and get the hell out of the way" and then on open court you had magic Johnson talkin about how "well we never really passed the torch to Jordan... he just kind of took it". the dude was an absolute monster at heart. the contrast between the two of them is laughable in this regard. once mj got a few buckets on him, the trash talk would escalate to the point that I don't think it's unreasonable at all to imagine bron crying, or at least having that totally zoned-out look he had against dallas.

the only thing that might save LeBron is his size. so lbj would most likely try to resort to posting up. but if a defender can get his center of gravity low enough, he can deny deep position even against a defender much bigger. don't believe me? go look up the defense rodman used to play on shaq. bron would have to try and back him down all the way from the 3pt line. there's no way it would be a reliable strategy.

all things considered, I think I've made a pretty convincing argument. if they played 5 games, mj would win all 5. if they played 100 games, mj would win all 100. first game mj wins 11-5, lbj posts up successfully a few times, spins and gets a lefty layup, maybe hits a few fades, but that's it. gets stripped tryin to hit the turnaround several times, gets the ball stolen outright on the dribble, and mj blows by him over and over again. game 2 the anxiety starts to set it, LeBron loses his focus like we've often seen, mj the shark smells the blood in the water, only picks up the intensity, 11-2. game 3 the humiliation starts to set in, 11-0. LeBron gives up and has his chauffer drive him home, then goes on national tv and talks about how it's okay that he lost because all the people watching in the gym have to go back home to their normal lives anyway. mj goes on to bang LeBron's mom. the end

Exactly!



did not read

[Leftimage]

delete

[ihoopallday]

:lol Damn bro I need to hire you to write my college essays. It's an online course so we'd be good.

[Prometheus]

:lol Damn bro I need to hire you to write my college essays. It's an online course so we'd be good.

I know you're jokin but on some real shit if the price was right I would do it. I'm a 4.0 student and have literally scored an A on every paper I've ever written. math/physics genius as well, I'm just blessed

[Prometheus]

delete

shutup clown

[HoopsFanNumero1]

I know you're jokin but on some real shit if the price was right I would do it. I'm a 4.0 student and have literally scored an A on every paper I've ever written. math/physics genius as well, I'm just blessed

I don't know you but I'd be willing to bet you're not a genius. That word gets thrown around way too often.

[AintNoSunshine]

http://cdn.niketalk.com/0/08/900x900px-LL-08d56470_Capture.PNG


Why is he licking Kobe's sweaty armpit?:biggums:

[Angel Face]

Why is he licking Kobe's sweaty armpit?:biggums:

His way to pass on his powers.

[navy]

I know you're jokin but on some real shit if the price was right I would do it. I'm a 4.0 student and have literally scored an A on every paper I've ever written. math/physics genius as well, I'm just blessed

Alright if your a math genius. Prove that .99999.... = 1. No google.

[T.O.RapsJays]

Why is he licking Kobe's sweaty armpit?:biggums:

:roll: :roll: :roll: Post of the year!

[HoopsFanNumero1]

Alright if your a math genius. Prove that .99999.... = 1. No google.

1/3=.33333...
3*1/3=.99999...=1

Right?

[ssginc]

1 on 1 is not 5 on 5 -

no weakside help in this muthafukka :no:

Lebron couldn't even post JJ freakin' Barea but he's gonna score at will against Jordan?

Come on

[Prometheus]

Alright if your a math genius. Prove that .99999.... = 1. No google.

well I'm sure that you already accept that .3333... repeating is one third. multiply it by 3 and what do you get? .9999... or one third x 3 which equals 1. more discretely, I would say the limit as n goes to inifinity of the series where i begins and 1 and terminates at n of 9/(10)^n is 1. or I could use the more rigorous style of proof seen in most standard calculus texts, and demonstrate that .999999 repeating must equal 1 because for any arbitrarily small number x, the difference between 1 and .99999.... is less than x if you take .99999.... to a sufficient place value.

[navy]

1/3=.33333...
3*1/3=.99999...=1

Right?
:pimp:

That's one of the ways.

:applause:








:coleman:

[Megabox!]

Why is he licking Kobe's sweaty armpit?:biggums:
:roll: :roll:

[215Philly]

well I'm sure that you already accept that .3333... repeating is one third. multiply it by 3 and what do you get? .9999... or one third x 3 which equals 1. more discretely, I would say the limit as n goes to inifinity of the series where i begins and 1 and terminates at n of 9/(10)^n is 1. or I could use the more rigorous style of proof seen in most standard calculus texts, and demonstrate that .999999 repeating must equal 1 because for any arbitrarily small number x, the difference between 1 and .99999.... is less than x if you take .99999.... to a sufficient place value.
:eek: You could be Lebron's stat keeper :bowdown:

[Trollsmasher]

:facepalm at people acting like LeBron' strenght is not superior to MJ's

Overall I would say it would be pretty even. MJ is more skilled, LeBron has a size advantage, could go both ways.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

well I'm sure that you already accept that .3333... repeating is one third. multiply it by 3 and what do you get? .9999... or one third x 3 which equals 1. more discretely, I would say the limit as n goes to inifinity of the series where i begins and 1 and terminates at n of 9/(10)^n is 1. or I could use the more rigorous style of proof seen in most standard calculus texts, and demonstrate that .999999 repeating must equal 1 because for any arbitrarily small number x, the difference between 1 and .99999.... is less than x if you take .99999.... to a sufficient place value.

What are you studying?

[Solefade]

you make good points in your post but i think you're vastly underrating lebron's size and strength.

[Prometheus]

What are you studying?

double major physics/math

[HoopsFanNumero1]

double major physics/math

What are the job prospects for that? Or are you planning on doing further education?

[Prometheus]

What are the job prospects for that? Or are you planning on doing further education?

going to grad school for aerospace engineering. average starting salary for that field is 80k. that's STARTING

[HoopsFanNumero1]

going to grad school for aerospace engineering. average starting salary for that field is 80k. that's STARTING

Don't Universities have an undergrad option for aerospace?

[Prometheus]

Don't Universities have an undergrad option for aerospace?

yeah, it's kind of a long story. I don't see the need to continue this conversation on a Jordan/LeBron thread, if you're really that curious than pm me

[HoopsFanNumero1]

yeah, it's kind of a long story. I don't see the need to continue this conversation on a Jordan/LeBron thread, if you're really that curious than pm me

Nah, it's cool :oldlol: . Just making small talk.

[oarabbus]

going to grad school for aerospace engineering. average starting salary for that field is 80k. that's STARTING

:cheers: aerospace is sick, I'm doing Biomedical Engineering (in grad school for it currently). Also an important distinction, 80k is the starting salary for people with the job title "Aerospace Engineer" (or related). However your 1st job out of grad school is highly likely to be an entry level position (I DGAF about what the media says, the job market is **** right now for non-compsci/programmers) and you shouldn't be surprised if you start at 60-70k. Average mid-career salary for aero can go 90+ easy though, and if you DO WORK in grad school and land a job at something like NASA or better yet, a private R&D firm you can be making 6 figs for sure. Good luck bro!


On topic: to the people that just don't get it, Lebron has 2" and 35-45lbs on Jordan. Have you people played 1v1? Have you played against someone who had 2" and 30 lbs on you? or vice versa? Lebron can body up Jordan (obviously Jordan will still score some) and on the offensive end Lebron can post up or just shoot over Jordan. It's not that Jordan has NO CHANCE, that's just stupid, it's like that guy said earlier - playing 1v1 winners to 11 or 21, Lebron wins at least 75% of the time. And Demarcus Cousins could probably take Lebron 75% of the time.

[Prometheus]

:cheers: aerospace is sick, I'm doing Biomedical Engineering (in grad school for it currently). Also an important distinction, 80k is the starting salary for people with the job title "Aerospace Engineer" (or related). However your 1st job out of grad school is highly likely to be an entry level position (I DGAF about what the media says, the job market is **** right now for non-compsci/programmers) and you shouldn't be surprised if you start at 60-70k. Average mid-career salary for aero can go 90+ easy though, and if you DO WORK in grad school and land a job at something like NASA or better yet, a private R&D firm you can be making 6 figs for sure. Good luck bro!


On topic: to the people that just don't get it, Lebron has 2" and 35-45lbs on Jordan. Have you people played 1v1? Have you played against someone who had 2" and 30 lbs on you? or vice versa? Lebron can body up Jordan (obviously Jordan will still score some) and on the offensive end Lebron can post up or just shoot over Jordan. It's not that Jordan has NO CHANCE, that's just stupid, it's like that guy said earlier - playing 1v1 winners to 11 or 21, Lebron wins at least 75% of the time. And Demarcus Cousins could probably take Lebron 75% of the time.

1 - I'm a straight A student, and I'm staying in school until I get my Ph.D. i'mma be f'kin rich bruh.

2 - I can stop someone 30 lbs heavier from backing me down, so can mj.

[navy]

2 - I can stop someone 30 lbs heavier from backing me down, so can mj.

With no shot clock? No way.