Top 7 reasons MJ > Lebron in case the Cavs win and media overrates Lebron

[3ball]

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Jordan's areas of statistical advantage are more valuable and control the game better

Jordan's scored 5.5 more ppg in the playoffs with better efficiency across the board (TS, FG, ORtg) and clutch - these things control the game better than Lebron's 2.5 def rebound edge (with less offensive rebound) and 1.0 assist edge (with more turnovers).

There's never been a #1 option that scored 5.5 more on better efficiency that wasn't considered the FAR better player.. Can you imagine if Lebron averaged 5.5 more ppg with better efficiency?.. He'd be on a completely different level.

The scoring gap is more significant than people realize

Lebron has many playoff series and even entire postseason runs where he wasn't the team's scoring leader, whereas the Bulls needed Jordan to be scoring leader for every playoff series of his career by an average of 15.4 ppg.

No other all-time great led his team in scoring for every series of their career, led alone by 15 ppg like Jordan.

Lebron can't shoot, and many of today's top wings can't either

This season, Lebron shot 31% on 3-pointers and 37% from midrange, and he's been a sub-par shooter for most of his career - this includes missing over 80% of his jumpshots in 2 different Finals, which is probably a record.. Overall, his midrange efficiency is below 40% for 10 of 13 seasons, while his career 3-point percentage is 31% in the playoffs.

The reality is that Lebron, Westbrook, Wade, Derozan and Butler ALL have sub-par 3-point and midrange efficiency, but they're still top scorers because today's spacing and hands-off defense allows athletic players easier access to the rim than ever before.

MJ's athleticism would benefit the same way, except he was a goat midrange shooter, which gives him a massive advantage over non-shooters Lebron, Westbrick and company.

Jordan's stats occurred in the UNSPACED phase of the modern era:

That's a tougher time period than today's SPACED phase of the modern era.. Specifically, Lebron and Curry's teams take 30 three-pointers per game, compared to 5 per game for the 1991 Bulls.. So it's statistical fact that Lebron and Curry achieve their stats WITH teammates spacing the floor, while Jordan achieved his stats WITHOUT teammates spacing the floor.

Obviously, Jordan's stats would explode in today's spacing.. Just look at Lebron and Westbrook - Jordan has same or better athleticism, but they can't shoot, while he had goat midrange efficiency, much better than Curry's.

Essentially, MJ had Lebron/Westbrook's athleticism and better midrange shooting than Steph Curry.

Lebron employs a [COLOR="DarkRed"]suboptimal style[/COLOR] that makes a ring highly unlikely (requiring collusion)

Specifically, he turns teammates from playmakers into play-finishers by lowering their APG (playmaking), and increasing their assisted rate (play-finishing).. Here's the APG and assisted rate of every key teammate:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...73&postcount=1


Lebron's ball monopolization results in a sophomoric brand of basketball and predictable, play-finishing teammates that can't succeed against the best playoff teams.. A weak brand of basketball and underperforming teammates results in the TEAM underperforming and losing as the favorite (2009 ECF, 2010 ECF, 2011 Finals) and when it's 50/50 (2014).

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[3ball]

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Jordan was a better defender

Just look at the 2015 Finals - even WITH Lebron shooting 39% and allowing Iggy an extra 10 ppg, the Cavs were still competitive and won 2 games - clearly, if he shoots 50% and holds Iggy to his normal 7 ppg, the Cavs win easily.

Jordan never let a role player get 10 ppg above his average, and he never shot 39% against single-coverage, which is why he never lost in the Finals like Lebron did.

The 2015 Finals was no fluke - Lebron let Kawhi score 10 ppg above his average and get FMVP of 2014 Finals.. Overall, Lebron has 4 all-defensive selections, compared to Jordan's 9, plus a DPOY award in the golden age for big men and towering shot-blockers.

Jordan was a better all-round player

Even though Jordan's scoring load was FAR greater than Lebron's, Jordan led his team in passing just like Lebron did - specifically, he led the Bulls in assist percentage for both 3-peats, so he assisted on the highest proportion of teammate field goals.

Jordan's goat scoring, team-leading passing, and best-ever defense at his position is the goat performance and the biggest load ever carried.

[Doranku]

LeBron doesn't even have an opponent in the finals yet and you're already melting down.

Chill.

[3ball]

LeBron doesn't even have an opponent in the finals yet and you're already melting down.

Chill.

I think the Cavs will get destroyed in very conspicuous fashion against OKC.. They have a better chance against the Warriors - at least with the Warriors, you can resort to old school ball like last year's Finals, where physicality and superior rebounding allowed the Cavs to win 2 games even though their team was injured and the star was shooting 39%.

But anyway, the point is that if Lebron somehow won, it would require more help than Jordan got from his teammates - this is the 2nd time Lebron hasn't led his team in scoring (he's tied with Kyrie and Wade led in 2011 plalyoffs), whereas Jordan led his team in scoring for every playoff series of his career, by an average of 15.4 ppg.. No all-time great has led their team in scoring for every playoffs series of their careers, let alone by 15 ppg like Jordan.

[Straight_Ballin]

I think the Cavs will get destroyed in very conspicuous fashion against OKC.. They have a better chance against the Warriors - at least with the Warriors, you can resort to old school ball like last year's Finals, where physicality and superior rebounding allowed the Cavs to win 2 games even though their team was injured and the star was shooting 39%.

But anyway - the point is that if Lebron somehow won, it would require more help than Jordan got from his teammates - this is the 2nd time Lebron hasn't led his team in scoring (he's tied with Kyrie and Wade led in 2011 plalyoffs), whereas Jordan led his team in scoring for every playoff series of his career, by an average of 15.4 ppg.. No all-time great has led their team in scoring for every playoffs series of their careers, let alone by 15 ppg like Jordan.

What was MJ's highest average in a playoff series or finals and what was Lebron's? We don't even need to talk about finals win perfection to see the staggering difference in PPG when it really matters most.

[stalkerforlife]

OP is a Bransvestite and actually doesn't even like Jordan.

They don't belong in the same sentence together and this is the only way the OP thinks it's possible to have them mentioned in the same breathe.

[tmacattack33]

3Ball is coming up with pre-emptive excuses

He's shook.


Lebron is the ultimate playoff player. When ANY of his teammates goes down, which happens a lot in the playoffs as guys are having their game played counts reach 90 for the year, he can fill in that role.

He's done it for Bosh, Love, and Irving. LOL at MJ trying to fill in Bosh and playing defense and grabbing boards on David West, Hibbert, KG, and guys like that.

And LOL at MJ trying to use his above average vision to try to morph into a PG with elite vision if his playmaker (Pippen) had ever gone down.

[Smoke117]

lol you're already doing damage control? Pathetic.

[Mr Feeny]

This thread

I've never seen this type of thing before. Pre-emptive excuses

[Straight_Ballin]

How is 6 finals appearances in a row in current era while playing in the east impressive?

Even James Jones was able to accomplish it.....

[Hey Yo]

3Ball is coming up with pre-emptive excuses

He's shook.


Lebron is the ultimate playoff player. When ANY of his teammates goes down, which happens a lot in the playoffs as guys are having their game played counts reach 90 for the year, he can fill in that role.

He's done it for Bosh, Love, and Irving. LOL at MJ trying to fill in Bosh and playing defense and grabbing boards on David West, Hibbert, KG, and guys like that.

And LOL at MJ trying to use his above average vision to try to morph into a PG with elite vision if his playmaker (Pippen) had ever gone down.

No doubt.

If Pippen went down...... the Bulls don't even get to the Finals and MJ's legacy is "lots of scoring titles" but never got to the Finals.

[FKAri]

Bruh...

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=407364

Is this how you want to live your life?