Scottie Pippen on LeBron/Jordan

[OldSchoolBBall]

Pippen smoking that stuff lol. You know that part of him must be loving that he gets to say something like this now that MJ isn't playing, because neither he nor anyone else would have dared to question MJ's dominance in his Bulls days. I especially like the part where he says "that's how I felt playing with Michael." Read between the lines and you'll see that Pippen is likely relishing the chance to say that someone is or could be better than Jordan. But I'll tell you one thing: if 26-30 year old Jordan was playing today, Pippen and everyone else would keep their mouths shut about a comparison.

[NBASTATMAN]

Lebron can't guard anyone in the NBA... That is crazy...


He may wind up being the best and that is great and all but there is no way he can guard true pf's or centers

[Dragonyeuw]

Lebron can guard positions 1-5 either depending on the individual, or the situation. Can he guard someone like Westbrook or Rose during the last 2 minutes of the game? Sure, we've seen it in the 2011 playoffs. Over the course of 48 minutes? Not very likely. Could he guard Dwight or Bynum for a possession or two? Sure. Over the course of 48 minutes? No. A less talented center with minimal offensive ability? Sure. Someone like a Raymond Felton? Absolutely.

This myth that Lebron can guard anyone in the NBA, needs to really be put in context. Hell, youtube Pippen defending Barkley, Malone or Ewing in the post and having success on a play or two. Would you use Pippen to guard them over the course of the game? Of course not.

[kNicKz]

"Lebron will be better than jordan"



"Who said that?"

[kNicKz]

U forgetting 2011 finals that weighs in here. All time greatest choke.
Loser couldn't post up barea or kidd

I agree with 14 after last years run, and 10/11 if he can repeat it..

Kobe did lose in the finals twice though

Wow, kidd locking down Lebron, I just remembered that. That was an embarrassment, LOL. Getting locked down by a 38 year old like 6 inches shorter than you (Kidd aint 6'4", I've seen him in real life)

[guy]

No hes telling the truth.

Lebron is a better player than micheal. But does not have that "ill kill everyone to get ot the top" mentallity.

MJ was an arrogant asshole and lebron is a like a humble good dude. Thats the "will to win" everyone talks about. MJ was sniffing his own asshole the entire time. (not saying he shouldnt just stating the facts.)

When the games come on the line lebron has delivered just as many times as jordan, if not more.

He plays WAY more defense than jordan. Lebron is in a defensive category all alone. There is not a single player in the league who exists in this category. He can D 1-5 just like scottie said. MJ could not do that.


Fact is all the argument is down to now is rings. But thats a dumb argument because lebron still has plenty of time to get more rings. And im sure he will this year and next year at least.

And im still with Jeff Van Gundy. They can definately break the single season win record of hte bulls if they really want to try for that. But idk if they would. But if lebron said to himself and the team "hey lets break their record." I think they might.

But of course these days everyone is so hollywood so idk if they could maintain that sorta focus. Thats the difference, Jordan would force everyone to have that focus. But that just isnt lebrons personality. Does it mean hes not as good a basketball player? no


IDK this ****ing argument is so old and dumb. Lebron is the best basketball player walking on planet earth right now. And thats all there is to it.

Wow there is so much wrong with this post, especially the bolded

[guy]

Lebron can guard positions 1-5 either depending on the individual, or the situation. Can he guard someone like Westbrook or Rose during the last 2 minutes of the game? Sure, we've seen it in the 2011 playoffs. Over the course of 48 minutes? Not very likely. Could he guard Dwight or Bynum for a possession or two? Sure. Over the course of 48 minutes? No. A less talented center with minimal offensive ability? Sure. Someone like a Raymond Felton? Absolutely.

This myth that Lebron can guard anyone in the NBA, needs to really be put in context. Hell, youtube Pippen defending Barkley, Malone or Ewing in the post and having success on a play or two. Would you use Pippen to guard them over the course of the game? Of course not.

So true. I'm not even sure Lebron has ever guarded someone as big as Vlade Divac which Jordan did do for a stretch in the 91 Finals.

And anyway, Lebron isn't the first player I've heard people say can guard 5 positions. I remember they were saying this same thing about Shawn Marion back when he was with the Suns, saying things like he can guard everyone from Tony Parker to Shaquille O'Neal. And I'm pretty sure they were saying the same thing about players like Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen back in the day.

[Kingwillball]

Lebron is an amazing player probably the most physically gifted I ever seen since I have been watching bball since the 80,s but Jordan was so darn competitive besides being ultra talented as well. Lebron losing 11 finals hurts his goat chances but he can still be in conversation with a few more chips and Mvps. Lebrons biggest drawback and flaw has always been mental. If he had Jordan's mentality no doubt he would be Goat. Reason he doesn't he has always been loved and looked up to as a basketball prodigy since he was in HS and is afraid of failure or disappointing people. I love when he plays with a nasty streak/edge like in Playoff gm against Boston last season when he was just locked in from the start. That Lebron is just fun to watch not the mentally weak passive 2011 finals version.

[plowking]

Lebron is an amazing player probably the most physically gifted I ever seen since I have been watching bball since the 80,s but Jordan was so darn competitive besides being ultra talented as well. Lebron losing 11 finals hurts his goat chances but he can still be in conversation with a few more chips and Mvps. Lebrons biggest drawback and flaw has always been mental. If he had Jordan's mentality no doubt he would be Goat. Reason he doesn't he has always been loved and looked up to as a basketball prodigy since he was in HS and is afraid of failure or disappointing people. I love when he plays with a nasty streak/edge like in Playoff gm against Boston last season when he was just locked in from the start. That Lebron is just fun to watch not the mentally weak passive 2011 finals version.

There is no way in hell you were watching ball in the 80's. You might have watched a few tapes recently or something, but I just don't believe you're that old.

[Dragonyeuw]

And I'm pretty sure they were saying the same thing about players like Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen back in the day.

Exactly. I don't recall Rodman ever guarding a point guard, but he's guarded the likes of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Karl Malone, Shaq across the span of his career. And there are very few players of that caliber playing today, especially the center spot. Lebron has the physical size to match up with some of today's centers and PFs because there aren't many true low-post scoring threats now. Put Lebron in the 90's, is he guarding Hakeem, Admiral, Shaq, Ewing successfully? There are NO centers of that pedigree anymore, including a healthy Howard and Bynum who at least would be second-tier star centers after the ones I mentioned above.

[Jasper]

Pip has been there , done it , and played with MJ

These threads are

Just enjoy watching Lebron - whether you like him or hate him it's bball.

You might never see another player like him(.)

[Roundball_Rock]

Scottie said "numbers don't lie." He is right.

Lebron vs. Jordan through age 27

Championships: Lebron 1, Jordan 1
MVP's: Lebron 3, Jordan 2
NBA finals: Lebron 3, Jordan 1
Best record in the NBA: Lebron 2, Jordan 0
All-NBA first team: Lebron 6, Jordan 5
Lost in the first round: Jordan 3, Lebron 0

Team win totals


Jordan: 27 (pre-MJ), 38, 30 (9-9 with MJ), 40, 50, 47, 55, 61
Lebron: 17 (pre-Lebron), 35, 40, 50, 50, 47, 66, 61, 58, 57 (over 82 games)

The only thing Jordan at 27-28 has over Lebron at this stage is sneaker sales and marketing dollars. Jordan fans will note that Lebron entered the league out of high school. That helps him in all-time totals but it hurts his career averages. Moreover, is it really fair to compare 18 and 19 year old Lebron to what MJ did coming out of UNC with Dean Smith's training? The fact that Lebron can even be compared to early Jordan illustrates how transcendent a player Lebron is. He--fresh out of high school--took a 17 win team to 35 wins, which is more than Jordan did.

However, Lebron is on his way to a 4th MVP (in 5 years) thanks to achieving a level of efficiency that Jordan never came close to and Lebron likely will have 2 rings and 4 finals appearances after this year. Considering that Lebron just entered his peak, he definitely is on pace to eclipse Jordan's accomplishments.

No one will care about the 2011 NBA finals in a few years when Lebron has 6-7 MVP's and 4-6 rings, just as no one cares about MJ taking 4 years to even get out the first round--and even that took going to the final game--or 6 years to win more than 50 games.

The big difference between Lebron and Jordan indeed is mentality: one is a great teammate and the other was/is known to be a world-class jerk. Lebron doesn't take over a third of his team's shots, elevates his teammates, etc. That is why he had the success he did with scrubs in Cleveland. It is funny to see mind-set used against Lebron today; in 5-7 years it will be exhibit A in the case for Lebron over Jordan.

Lebron is posting 27/8/7/2/1 on 57%, including 41% from three point range and Lebron is doing all this with only 18 FGA and 7 FTA a game. When did Jordan ever approach that? Jordan had a few seasons at 54% (on much higher volume: 22-24 FGA and 8-11 FTA--but they didn't call fouls back then ), but he did so because he lacked the ability to shoot 3's (13%, 28%, and 31% those seasons at 0.6-1.2 attempt a game). Lebron's effective FG % is 61% this year; Jordan's best was 55%.

Here is where Lebron likely will pull away from Jordan:

Jordan at ages 29-31: 1 championship, 0 MVP's, 1 all-NBA first team

Lebron will be at his peak during those years and not lose interest in basketball and retire. Jordan's two retirements will hurt him all-time, although to be fair if Jordan did play, due to a lack of motivation, he wouldn't have been "Jordan" anyway. There is something to be said, though, for having the dedication to being the best year in and year out. Lebron has that.

[guy]

Exactly. I don't recall Rodman ever guarding a point guard, but he's guarded the likes of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Karl Malone, Shaq across the span of his career. And there are very few players of that caliber playing today, especially the center spot. Lebron has the physical size to match up with some of today's centers and PFs because there aren't many true low-post scoring threats now. Put Lebron in the 90's, is he guarding Hakeem, Admiral, Shaq, Ewing successfully? There are NO centers of that pedigree anymore, including a healthy Howard and Bynum who at least would be second-tier star centers after the ones I mentioned above.

He guarded Magic. Obviously you might not count that, but I'm pretty sure he's guarded players like Dennis Johnson, Terry Porter, Kevin Johnson in stretches. Either way, his ability to guard all 5 positions, as well as Pippen's and Marion's, were exaggerated just like Lebron's is now.

[guy]

Scottie said "numbers don't lie." He is right.

Lebron vs. Jordan through age 27

Championships: Lebron 1, Jordan 1
MVP's: Lebron 3, Jordan 2
NBA finals: Lebron 3, Jordan 1
Best record in the NBA: Lebron 2, Jordan 0
All-NBA first team: Lebron 6, Jordan 5
Lost in the first round: Jordan 3, Lebron 0

Team win totals


Jordan: 27 (pre-MJ), 38, 30 (9-9 with MJ), 40, 50, 47, 55, 61
Lebron: 17 (pre-Lebron), 35, 40, 50, 50, 47, 66, 61, 58, 57 (over 82 games)

The only thing Jordan at 27-28 has over Lebron at this stage is sneaker sales and marketing dollars. Jordan fans will note that Lebron entered the league out of high school. That helps him in all-time totals but it hurts his career averages. Moreover, is it really fair to compare 18 and 19 year old Lebron to what MJ did coming out of UNC with Dean Smith's training? The fact that Lebron can even be compared to early Jordan illustrates how transcendent a player Lebron is. He--fresh out of high school--took a 17 win team to 35 wins, which is more than Jordan did.

However, Lebron is on his way to a 4th MVP (in 5 years) thanks to achieving a level of efficiency that Jordan never came close to and Lebron likely will have 2 rings and 4 finals appearances after this year. Considering that Lebron just entered his peak, he definitely is on pace to eclipse Jordan's accomplishments.

No one will care about the 2011 NBA finals in a few years when Lebron has 6-7 MVP's and 4-6 rings, just as no one cares about MJ taking 4 years to even get out the first round--and even that took going to the final game--or 6 years to win more than 50 games.

The big difference between Lebron and Jordan indeed is mentality: one is a great teammate and the other was/is known to be a world-class jerk. Lebron doesn't take over a third of his team's shots, elevates his teammates, etc. That is why he had the success he did with scrubs in Cleveland. It is funny to see mind-set used against Lebron today; in 5-7 years it will be exhibit A in the case for Lebron over Jordan.

Lebron is posting 27/8/7/2/1 on 57%, including 41% from three point range and Lebron is doing all this with only 18 FGA and 7 FTA a game. When did Jordan ever approach that? Jordan had a few seasons at 54% (on much higher volume: 22-24 FGA and 8-11 FTA--but they didn't call fouls back then ), but he did so because he lacked the ability to shoot 3's (13%, 28%, and 31% those seasons at 0.6-1.2 attempt a game). Lebron's effective FG % is 61% this year; Jordan's best was 55%.

Here is where Lebron likely will pull away from Jordan:

Jordan at ages 29-31: 1 championship, 0 MVP's, 1 all-NBA first team

Lebron will be at his peak during those years and not lose interest in basketball and retire. Jordan's two retirements will hurt him all-time, although to be fair if Jordan did play, due to a lack of motivation, he wouldn't have been "Jordan" anyway. There is something to be said, though, for having the dedication to being the best year in and year out. Lebron has that.

Jordan was a jerk!

Sorry! Jordan was a WORLD CLASS jerk!

[Rysio]

basketball is still 99% about how good a scorer you are and lebrick aint even in the top 30. no chance of goat.