Who's Better? Part 1: Michael Jordan vs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

[Odinn]

Anyone who says "easily" or "it's not even close" is clear-cut unconscious.

I rank both of them as #1 in my goat list.

[Legends66NBA7]

For me, you can't go wrong with either player, though I would slightly edge this to Jordan.

Jordan, Kareem, and Russell IMO, are the only ones who can be considered #1 GOAT with their resumes. They are in the Top tier level.

[Round Mound]

Wilt > Kareem

[rodman91]

"By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time"

First sentence from Nba.com

[Soundwave]

Jordan > Kareem for the main reason that Jordan was the no.1 option and driving force for six NBA titles.

Kareem was the best player on maybe 2 of the titles the Lakers won, and even that might be stretching it.

No offence to Kareem either ... but this group ...

C- McAdoo/Average 7 Footer
PF- Rambis
SF- Worthy
SG- Jordan
PG- Magic

How many titles do you think they could win together? 6? 7? 8? Even 9 doesn't seem impossible (take *that* Boston). Ship out Cooper for another big and it's virtually an unbeatable team.

[D-Wade316]

Russell was not a better individual player than Kareem and Jordan. Kareem and Jordan dominated on both ends of the floor.

Kareem's Defense
Was Kareem a defensive anchor?

[Psileas]

Kareem's Defense
Was Kareem a defensive anchor?

If DWS is the argument, the Bulls did not get increbible numbers when Pippen did not hit his peak/Rodman wasn't there, either:

1985: 16.4
1987: 22.2
1988: 26.7
1989: 20.6
1990: 18.5

Also: 1970-77 Milwaukee's rankings in opponent PPG:

1970: 3rd
1971: 2nd
1972: 2nd
1973: 2nd
1974: 2nd
1975: 8th (Kareem missed 20 games)
1976: 12th (Kareem gone)
1977: 21st among 22 teams

1970-75 Milwaukee's rankings in opponent FG%:

1970: N/A, but definitely pretty high
1971: 1st
1972: 1st
1973: 1st
1974: 1st
1975: 2nd
1976: 3rd (this one remained high - Elmore Smith was a very good defender, as well, but look what follows)
1977: 21st among 22 teams (Elmore Smith regressed and traded to Cleveland)

[D-Wade316]

If DWS is the argument, the Bulls did not get increbible numbers when Pippen did not hit his peak/Rodman wasn't there, either:

1985: 16.4
1987: 22.2
1988: 26.7
1989: 20.6
1990: 18.5

Also: 1970-77 Milwaukee's rankings in opponent PPG:

1970: 3rd
1971: 2nd
1972: 2nd
1973: 2nd
1974: 2nd
1975: 8th (Kareem missed 20 games)
1976: 12th (Kareem gone)
1977: 21st among 22 teams

1970-75 Milwaukee's rankings in opponent FG%:

1970: N/A, but definitely pretty high
1971: 1st
1972: 1st
1973: 1st
1974: 1st
1975: 2nd
1976: 3rd (this one remained high - Elmore Smith was a very good defender, as well, but look what follows)
1977: 21st among 22 teams (Elmore Smith regressed and traded to Cleveland)

I'm in the process of rereading and analyzing the 2 links. Perhaps I can make my case for or against your opinion later.