Lebron = a better version of Magic Johnson?

[iamgine]

I'm not saying Magic is inferior to Lebron in everything cause there are some things that Magic did better but overall, do you find that Lebron is a simply a better version of Magic Johnson?

[navy]

Magic on HGH

[JohnFreeman]

He is a heterosexual Magic

[RoundMoundOfReb]

42/12/8

[JerrySeinfeld]

I don't even consider them similar players to be honest.

As a basketball talent, I think LeBron is better than Magic though, no doubt about it.

[J Shuttlesworth]

Right now, LeBron's kind of at a strange place in his career... He's like a blend of Magic/AI/MJ. Kind of a strange mix, but i'll take it

[Magic 32]

Right now, LeBron's kind of at a strange place in his career... He's like a blend of Magic/AI/MJ. Kind of a strange mix, but i'll take it

What part of MJ?

[the mesiah]

Uuggghhh NO..starting a team out , give me Earvin.He would have made sure game 1 wasn't going to OT.As bad as a shooting night Steph had,Magic would have made it look so effortlessly controlling the game and would be setting up guys inside and out with style and charisma.Intangibles that Magic had were on another level.

[NBASTATMAN]

Uuggghhh NO..starting a team out , give me Earvin.He would have made sure game 1 wasn't going to OT.As bad as a shooting night Steph had,Magic would have made it look so effortlessly controlling the game and would be setting up guys inside and out with style and charisma.Intangibles that Magic had were on another level.


I think people forget that MAGIC was called TRAGIC after one Finals... The guy choked like all the others.. ONLY MJ da GOAT played great in all his Finals..

[Pointguard]

He's more like Barkley than Magic. He isn't a version of Magic at all. Magic was the best at pushing the ball which Lebron rarely ever does. Magic was the best at getting easy baskets for his team. Lebron's game is slow it down and out grit the team. Magic was the games best team player ever. Lebron, at his best, is a one man army.

Bird is more like Lebron than Magic is. Lebron is his own standard.

[Da_Realist]

No.

They play two different games. Magic played a much more complex game...operating an offense with many, many moving parts. He was a quick strike guy that might as well have been nicknamed "Coast-to-Coast" because of how many times he'd grad a rebound and drive all the way down the court for a layup. He was much more instinctive.

We can see the gears churning in Lebron's head. Much more methodical...a thinker...a planner. Waits until the best opportunity to present itself before making a move. It's like he's playing chess but that's not meant as a compliment. Better said, it's like watching someone else play chess.

80% of the time, Lebron plays three different ways:

Dribble, dribble, dribble pass.
Dribble, dribble, dribble shoot.
Dribble, dribble, dribble drive and/or get fouled.

Count how many times he dribbled for >15 seconds last night.

The best way to differentiate the two players: Lebron set his teammates up for jumpshots. Magic set his teammates up for layups.

[Relinquish]

42/12/8

42/12/9*

[Da_Realist]

42/12/9*

The overemphasis of stats has ruined the game.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Not even VERY similar type of players... Some people just like to compare them because they're both 6'8 with the ability to play PG and pass the ball while having plenty of mobility, guard-like at that size.

LeBron can't play point or run/control an offense as well as Magic, he can pass but not as good as Magic, he definitely has improved his post-game but it's not as good as Magic's...
Magic had versatility on D but his defensive impact's not even close to LeBron's.
Johnson was more efficient for the most part and also considerably better at the FT line, while James is a better (volume) scorer and has showed more range on his jumper - even though Magic came up without the 3pt-line.
They can both rebound, and are both great finishers.

They have plenty of similarities to their game but not even all that much, don't play quite "alike" as some people will say.

[alec613]

LeBron has everything Magic has + a better jumper and an elite defender

[sd3035]

LeBron has everything Magic has + a better jumper and an elite defender

You know a guy can't shoot when Lebron has a better jumper :lol

[SHAQisGOAT]

No.

They play two different games. Magic played a much more complex game...operating an offense with many, many moving parts. He was a quick strike guy that might as well have been nicknamed "Coast-to-Coast" because of how many times he'd grad a rebound and drive all the way down the court for a layup. He was much more instinctive.

We can see the gears churning in Lebron's head. Much more methodical...a thinker...a planner. Waits until the best opportunity to present itself before making a move. It's like he's playing chess but that's not meant as a compliment. Better said, it's like watching someone else play chess.

80% of the time, Lebron plays three different ways:

Dribble, dribble, dribble pass.
Dribble, dribble, dribble shoot.
Dribble, dribble, dribble drive and/or get fouled.

Count how many times he dribbled for >15 seconds last night.

The best way to differentiate the two players: Lebron set his teammates up for jumpshots. Magic set his teammates up for layups.

Well said...

Some dudes here exposing their (lack of) knowledge about Magic's game though. You see it plenty, not just here.

[LAZERUSS]

I think people forget that MAGIC was called TRAGIC after one Finals... The guy choked like all the others.. ONLY MJ da GOAT played great in all his Finals..

"Tragic" in the '84 Finals.

Led his team in rpg, at 7.7 rpg.
Averaged 18.0 ppg
Averaged 13.6 apg
Shot .560 from the field (Bird shot .484 and Kareem shot .481 BTW)

Yep. "Tragic" alright. Just your typical 18-8-14 .560 "flop job."

[SHAQisGOAT]

"Tragic" in the '84 Finals.

Led his team in rpg, at 7.7 rpg.
Averaged 18.0 ppg
Averaged 13.6 apg
Shot .560 from the field (Bird shot .484 and Kareem shot .481 BTW)

Yep. "Tragic" alright. Just your typical 18-8-14 .560 "flop job."

:facepalm :rolleyes:

Laz with his usual lack of knowledge while only posting (selected) stats... Then comes around claiming he knows everything about the game and has been watching since forever :oldlol:

Magic choked plenty in those Finals, pretty clear for anyone who knows about basketball and has watched those games.
Doesn't even mean he played like shit throughout the 7 games or something like that, he was actually playing extremely well for the most part but, again, choked more than once in some key moments.

BTW, always love how you post FG% without mentioning points per game (or FT% even) :lol Yea, Magic shot 56.0% from the field to Bird's 48.4% and Kareem's 48.1%, but Bird also scored 27.4 PPG and Kareem 26.6 to Magic's 18.0 (and LB with 84.2% from the FT line to Johnson's 74.4%).

How about Larry shooting those 48.4% while the Celtics' collectively (that's INCLUDING Bird) shot 44.2% from the field?

Now post some more of those selected stats, please :rolleyes: Show us that knowledge :oldlol:

[LAZERUSS]

:facepalm :rolleyes:

Laz with his usual lack of knowledge while only posting (selected) stats... Then comes around claiming he knows everything about the game and has been watching since forever :oldlol:

Magic choked plenty in those Finals, pretty clear for anyone who knows about basketball and has watched those games.
Doesn't even mean he played like shit throughout the 7 games or something like that, he was actually playing extremely well for the most part but, again, choked more than once in some key moments.

BTW, always love how you post FG% without mentioning points per game (or FT% even) :lol Yea, Magic shot 56.0% from the field to Bird's 48.4% and Kareem's 48.1%, but Bird also scored 27.4 PPG and Kareem 26.6 to Magic's 18.0 (and LB with 84.2% from the FT line to Johnson's 74.4%).

How about Larry shooting those 48.4% while the Celtics' collectively (that's INCLUDING Bird) shot 44.2% from the field?

Now post some more of those selected stats, please :rolleyes: Show us that knowledge :oldlol:

You and I BOTH KNOW I could rip Bird's post-season career until the cows come home. Magic's playoff "failures" are dwarfed by Bird's.

But the Magic detractors love bringing up "Tragic's" series, in which, overall, he played brilliantly.

You want a "tragic" series...see Bird's '88 series against the Bad Boys. The same team that Magic would destroy in the Finals.

[SHAQisGOAT]

You and I BOTH KNOW I could rip Bird's post-season career until the cows come home. Magic's playoff "failures" are dwarfed by Bird's.

But the Magic detractors love bringing up "Tragic's" series, in which, overall, he played brilliantly.

You want a "tragic" series...see Bird's '88 series against the Bad Boys. The same team that Magic would destroy in the Finals.

Cool... I won't discuss basketball and its history (yet again) with some biased teen who acts like he's much older and like he knows it all, someone who mistakes having/displaying knowledge with posting selected stats.

I'll let you go "defend" Wilt with some bullshit-ass essays, in some other thread :lol

[Pointguard]

LeBron has everything Magic has + a better jumper and an elite defender
He wasn't close in efficiency.

Magic had way better judgement which is why his percentage was so much better.

Magic could create for others much better.

Magic could run the best offense ever.

Magic could get the best opportunity much better than Lebron.

Magic's game was more versatile - it wasn't dribble, dribble make a decision as Da Realist pointed out above.

Magic could run the break better.

Magic could feature another player much better.

Magic was way less predictable.

Magic could pick apart a team's weakness better.

Magic could keep his teammates active on offense better.

Magic was a better coach on the floor.

Magic could dominate a game without scoring.

Magic made his teammates better star players and better role players.

Magic's creativity was on another level.

Etc.

They were different type of players overall. Magic and Lebron's strong points are better suited for other comparison's.

[sd3035]

Wilt and Magic are two of history's greatest chokers

[LAZERUSS]

Wilt and Magic are two of history's greatest chokers

You better get back to those coloring books kid.

That is the extent of your "research."

[Da_Realist]

He wasn't close in efficiency.

Magic had way better judgement which is why his percentage was so much better.

Magic could create for others much better.

Magic could run the best offense ever.

Magic could get the best opportunity much better than Lebron.

Magic's game was more versatile - it wasn't dribble, dribble make a decision as Da Realist pointed out above.

Magic could run the break better.

Magic could feature another player much better.

Magic was way less predictable.

Magic could pick apart a team's weakness better.

Magic could keep his teammates active on offense better.

Magic was a better coach on the floor.

Magic could dominate a game without scoring.

Magic made his teammates better star players and better role players.

Magic's creativity was on another level.

Etc.

They were different type of players overall. Magic and Lebron's strong points are better suited for other comparison's.

Exactly. Magic was a virtuoso. Lebron is a basketball genius. Magic was more than that...he was a creative genius. He would create layups out of nothing. Everyone is covered, Magic throws the ball somewhere and by the time his teammate gets to it, he's wide open. If you missed a game, you risked missing something you've never seen before.

[PP34Deuce]

Exactly. Magic was a virtuoso. Lebron is a basketball genius. Magic was more than that...he was a creative genius. He would create layups out of nothing. Everyone is covered, Magic throws the ball somewhere and by the time his teammate gets to it, he's wide open. If you missed a game, you risked missing something you've never seen before.

The only thing I agree with you is the risk and creativity Magic had for passing. Other than that, Lebron impacts the game without scoring just as well if not better.

Magic also had players tailored for running the break with big men that had great hands. THe CAVS big guys are in the Detroit and New York knicks style. They grind and are physical, not finesse.

Put Lebron on a team like the Phoenix Suns and you would see him running that break and truly creating baskets.

Lebron is something we have never seen before. He has elements of Magic, Penny Hardaway, Oscar Robertson but he's not anything like them.

[LeBird]

As for efficiency...if Magic had to carry the scoring like Lebron has; his fg% would plummet. He was never a great shooter but because his teams had so many weapons he could pick and choose.

Different players though.

[Champ]

"Tragic" in the '84 Finals.

Led his team in rpg, at 7.7 rpg.
Averaged 18.0 ppg
Averaged 13.6 apg
Shot .560 from the field (Bird shot .484 and Kareem shot .481 BTW)

Yep. "Tragic" alright. Just your typical 18-8-14 .560 "flop job."

The "tragic" moniker was blown up and probably unwarranted for such a great player. That said, it wasn't so much his stats but rather his mistakes during several key moments that tarnished his overall performance.

You and I have gone back-and-forth about Bird's performance in the '81 Finals, and I could frame the opposite argument you just made for Magic, in that Bird had a mediocre series in terms of statistics (though even here, the numbers are similar to Magic's in '84), but countered that by having some outstanding moments in the clutch - especially done the stretch in the clincher.

[andgar923]

He's more like Barkley than Magic. He isn't a version of Magic at all. Magic was the best at pushing the ball which Lebron rarely ever does. Magic was the best at getting easy baskets for his team. Lebron's game is slow it down and out grit the team. Magic was the games best team player ever. Lebron, at his best, is a one man army.

Bird is more like Lebron than Magic is. Lebron is his own standard.

this really.

And what Da Realist said are spot on.

[K Xerxes]

A more athletic and better scoring version of Magic yes, but not nearly as good as running a team or controlling a game. Both great players and not much to choose between them, but I think LeBron gives you more defensively so I'd go for him.

[tmacattack33]

Uuggghhh NO..starting a team out , give me Earvin.He would have made sure game 1 wasn't going to OT.As bad as a shooting night Steph had,Magic would have made it look so effortlessly controlling the game and would be setting up guys inside and out with style and charisma.Intangibles that Magic had were on another level.

I highly doubt that Magic converted on all of his game winnings attempts.

[plowking]

No.

They play two different games. Magic played a much more complex game...operating an offense with many, many moving parts. He was a quick strike guy that might as well have been nicknamed "Coast-to-Coast" because of how many times he'd grad a rebound and drive all the way down the court for a layup. He was much more instinctive.

We can see the gears churning in Lebron's head. Much more methodical...a thinker...a planner. Waits until the best opportunity to present itself before making a move. It's like he's playing chess but that's not meant as a compliment. Better said, it's like watching someone else play chess.

80% of the time, Lebron plays three different ways:

Dribble, dribble, dribble pass.
Dribble, dribble, dribble shoot.
Dribble, dribble, dribble drive and/or get fouled.

Count how many times he dribbled for >15 seconds last night.

The best way to differentiate the two players: Lebron set his teammates up for jumpshots. Magic set his teammates up for layups.

Absolute nonsense.

Bron is playing the way he has to. No one else can handle the ball on this team, hence he is put into a mode where he has to take on the load of doing just about everything.

Go watch the Heat's title runs and make that same comment. You wouldn't be more wrong. Bron is one of the best cog pieces in the machine in terms of ball movement. He is the one that starts it and keeps it going. Rarely ever is a ball stopper. But in this case he needs to be.

[plowking]

I highly doubt that Magic converted on all of his game winnings attempts.

Dude is out here talking about style and charisma while the rest are actually talking about basketball.

Let him keep talking about modelling or whatever the hell else he is on about.

[andgar923]

this game>>>> Finals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omay2pDtc8I&ab_channel=PatrickVilhauer

Btw... if you haven't subbed to this uploader, must do so ASAP!

[the mesiah]

I highly doubt that Magic converted on all of his game winnings attempts.
No where in the post does it say that,.

[Pointguard]

The only thing I agree with you is the risk and creativity Magic had for passing. Other than that, Lebron impacts the game without scoring just as well if not better.
Is this a joke?
Jason Kidd might be the only other player that they could do that in the playoffs.

Magic also had players tailored for running the break with big men that had great hands. THe CAVS big guys are in the Detroit and New York knicks style. They grind and are physical, not finesse.
His previous team had one of best teams for running in the league over a four year span. They didn't run much at all.


Put Lebron on a team like the Phoenix Suns and you would see him running that break and truly creating baskets.
Wade was superior to anybody on that Phoenix team on the break. Bosh used to run in Toronto as good as any PF the last 4 years. Birdman was among the best at center. Lebron is great/phenomenal at times unbelievable (like right now). I've always said he was one of the best all around players ever. But there are things he isn't.

[J Shuttlesworth]

What part of MJ?
The 40 ppg in the finals part.

[CavaliersFTW]

Lebron is more like Maurice Stokes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHT0jk0C-N4

[plowking]

Lebron is more like Maurice Stokes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHT0jk0C-N4

Currently shooting a similar FG% I imagine as well.

[jayfan]

After the display Lebron put on down the stretch last night, he doesn't deserve to have his name mentioned in the same breath as Magic Johnson. Terrible. At one point, I was convinced he had a wager on Golden State.



.

[Nastradamus]

I'm not saying Magic is inferior to Lebron in everything cause there are some things that Magic did better but overall, do you find that Lebron is a simply a better version of Magic Johnson?

That's exactly what he is.Magic with elite scoring and better defense.