34% of fans think MJ would beat Lebron 1-on-1 right now

[Brooky03]

In their primes, MJ wins 8/10. Lebron would struggle to stay in front of Jordan without fouling and it would be tough for Lebron to handle the ball that far away from the basket against a quicker defender. Lebron's only advantage is size, which only helps him in the post. It's tough to get good post position, though, by dribbling into it instead of getting an entry pass.

Jordan has the stronger midrange game and wins the ballhandling and quickness battles. No brainer, IMO.

Kobe in his prime vs. Jordan in his prime is a much more intriguing 1-on-1 matchup.

 

[Brooky03]

Its pretty simple. Jordan was one of the best defensive players ever. Lebron has played in a league where they aren't allowed to play real defense anymore. You can travel at will, you get open dunks and layups because players know they will get a foul anytime they play D. The NBA is a joke of a league now. Hasn't been worth watching since the 90's.

This has to be one of my favorite posts ever. Nailed it.

The NBA is a great league to watch during the playoffs because you have the best of the best going at it and they allow you to play like 30% defense at least. Regular season NBA games are complete trash. I'd rather watch drag queens makeout in string bikini's than watch James Harden shoot 94 free throws in a quarter.

 

[Eric15]

This has to be one of my favorite posts ever. Nailed it.

The NBA is a great league to watch during the playoffs because you have the best of the best going at it and they allow you to play like 30% defense at least. Regular season NBA games are complete trash. I'd rather watch drag queens makeout in string bikini's than watch James Harden shoot 94 free throws in a quarter.

Macky said the "NBA hasn't been worth watching since the 90s", and you said that the "NBA is a great league to watch during the playoffs because you have the best of the best going at it." Thus, you two are in complete disagreement. How can that be one of your favorite posts ever?

(I agree with you about the regular season being boring).

 

[Brooky03]

Macky said the "NBA hasn't been worth watching since the 90s", and you said that the "NBA is a great league to watch during the playoffs because you have the best of the best going at it." Thus, you two are in complete disagreement. How can that be one of your favorite posts ever?

(I agree with you about the regular season being boring).

You cut out the part about defense. His main point was that you can't play D in the NBA anymore which makes it terrible. Considering 90% of the NBA season is the regular season, I agree with him overwhelmingly. Then I added the point that the NBA allows a little defense in the postseason, thus making it more watchable.

'Great' was probably an exaggeration.

 

[Alsacs]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01.html
Look at Michael Jordan's 1988-89 season in an ERA with less teams deeper teams and actual physical defense.
81 GP, 32.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 8.0 APG, 53.8FG%, 40.8 MPG, 1st team all nba-defense lost to the eventual NBA champion Detroit Pistons in the ECF in 6 games.

Lebron's best year isn't as good.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jamesle01.html

Lebron 2007-2008
75 GP, 30.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 7.2 APG 48.4 FG%, 40.4 MPG not on all-defensive and lost to the eventual champion Boston Celitcs in the Eastern conference semifinals in 7 games.


Jordan is the better player in their primes.

 

[Guinness]

Forget size, speed and any other physical attribute. One guy is known for being having incredible mental toughness and being the fiercest competitor the NBA has ever seen. The other guy is Lebron James.

This war would be won by MJ before they even took the court.

 

[Alsacs]

Lebron James is an all-time great, but isn't in Michael Jordan's league. Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade had similar games to MJ. When Lebron went to Miami he gave up any chanc IMO of ever being in MJ's league.

Kobe without Colorado incident would be on his heels. 5 titles in a major market and the similar style of play.

 

[HOFCeluck]

When Lebron went to Miami he gave up any chanc IMO of ever being in MJ's league.
.

So you fault Lebron for getting drated by a bad organization. Seems reasonable.

 

[HOFCeluck]

BTW the marginalization of Lebron by some in this thread is hilarious.

 

[Macky44]

This has to be one of my favorite posts ever. Nailed it.

The NBA is a great league to watch during the playoffs because you have the best of the best going at it and they allow you to play like 30% defense at least. Regular season NBA games are complete trash. I'd rather watch drag queens makeout in string bikini's than watch James Harden shoot 94 free throws in a quarter.

Absolutely. I can only watch the playoffs.

 

[Eric15]

BTW the marginalization of Lebron by some in this thread is hilarious.

I feel like a PhD student could write a dissertation on the intense hyper-nostalgia that people who grew up in the 80s/90s feel for Michael Jordan.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

BTW the marginalization of Lebron by some in this thread is hilarious.

Jordan's getting marginalized, not Lebron. The best reason anyone has given for why Lebron would win is... he's bigger.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I feel like a PhD student could write a dissertation on the intense hyper-nostalgia that people who grew up in the 80s/90s feel for Michael Jordan.

And it would be a masterpiece.

 

[Eric15]

Absolutely. I can only watch the playoffs.

I'm confused, you watch something that you just said "wasn't worth watching since the 90s?"

 

[Guinness]

I feel like a PhD student could write a dissertation on the intense hyper-nostalgia that people who grew up in the 80s/90s feel for Michael Jordan.

That is the way all sports fans are. We more closely identify with those that we grew up watching and idolizing. Every generation of fan thinks that their guy is the best.

You need look no further than the way so many of us here (raises hand) feel about the Pearl.

 

[Alsacs]

So you fault Lebron for getting drated by a bad organization. Seems reasonable.

Or maybe he did something MJ would have never done and instead of joining up with a rival(D-Wade) he would have improved his team and won titles. Chicago was a laughing stock before Jordan was drafted in 1984. Jordan did team up Patrick Ewing and Charles Barkley to create a super team.
Lebron didn't think he could win on his own even though the 2009 and 2010 Cavs were the 1 seed and favorites(mainly because of him I agree) Lebron isn't the killer MJ was.

Lebron is a great player prolly end up top 5 alltime just not MJ number 1.

 

[Alsacs]

The media in the 1980/90's used to build up great players nowadays with the 24/7 First take/PTI/ATH mentality the media look to destroy greatness for ratings. Thank god MJ wasn't in this generation.

He is still by far the better player overall than Lebron IMO.

 

[Eric15]

That is the way all sports fans are. We more closely identify with those that we grew up watching and idolizing. Every generation of fan thinks that their guy is the best.

You need look no further than the way so many of us here (raises hand) feel about the Pearl.

But you're a reasonable guy, and you have to be comfortable admitting that there were flaws to Pearl's game, which is why he didn't make it in the NBA.

My favorite athlete of all-time is McNabb, just absolutely love the guy, and I have no problem saying that he isn't a Hall of Fame QB.

There's just something about Michael Jordan that brings out the weirdness in sports fans of my generation.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Or maybe he did something MJ would have never done and instead of joining up with a rival(D-Wade) he would have improved his team and won titles. Chicago was a laughing stock before Jordan was drafted in 1984. Jordan did team up Patrick Ewing and Charles Barkley to create a super team.
Lebron didn't think he could win on his own even though the 2009 and 2010 Cavs were the 1 seed and favorites(mainly because of him I agree) Lebron isn't the killer MJ was.

Lebron is a great player prolly end up top 5 alltime just not MJ number 1.

MJ won on his own? So you mean he didn't have another HOF player with him for all six titles, and another one for the last three?

 

[Brooky03]

The media in the 1980/90's used to build up great players nowadays with the 24/7 First take/PTI/ATH mentality the media look to destroy greatness for ratings. Thank god MJ wasn't in this generation.

He is still by far the better player overall than Lebron IMO.

Nobody in the media, with any significant voice, is trying to destroy Lebron though (unless you count Skip Bayless I guess). You'll find criticisms of his game sprinkled in here and there, but ESPN spends the majority of its Lebron coverage gushing over how amazing he his. Lebron was crowned 'King' by the media from day one. MJ had to earn it.

 

[Guinness]

There's just something about Michael Jordan that brings out the weirdness in sports fans of my generation.

That is because he had something that we had never seen before. Quite frankly the only guy in any sport who has had it since is Tiger Woods.

A lot of guys have physical tools but there are not many that have it mentally the way MJ and Tiger did. They are simply better than everyone else because of it.

 

[Brooky03]

But you're a reasonable guy, and you have to be comfortable admitting that there were flaws to Pearl's game, which is why he didn't make it in the NBA.

My favorite athlete of all-time is McNabb, just absolutely love the guy, and I have no problem saying that he isn't a Hall of Fame QB.

There's just something about Michael Jordan that brings out the weirdness in sports fans of my generation.

McNabb and Pearl were amazing players for Syracuse but neither reached the pinnacle of success. So their flaws are much easier to spot. MJ did everything on the basketball court and translated it to nearly impeccable post season success. Trying to spot his flaws would be nitpicking. He wasn't a great 3pt shooter. Beyond that, I'm struggling to think of something he didn't do well.

 

[Guinness]

Lebron was crowned 'King' by the media from day one. MJ had to earn it.

Basketball has certainly changed on all levels. Now guys seem to be anointed instead of earning it. For many it starts at 12 and 13 years old. The damage that things like AAU have done to the game is probably a great topic for another thread.

 

[Alsacs]

MJ won on his own? So you mean he didn't have another HOF player with him for all six titles, and another one for the last three?

We agree to disagree if your just wanting a debate I am not interested. I would take Michael Jordan in his prime over Lebron James in his prime 10 out of 10 times.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Jordan's getting marginalized, not Lebron. The best reason anyone has given for why Lebron would win is... he's bigger.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I would put in a rule in place that they had to play facing the basket - I think Jordan would win. Otherwise, Lebron would post him up all day and win.