Jordan: I could have taken LeBron

[OttoinGrotto]

Jordan has a psychological edge that is a trump card to everything in my book. Like the Hydra, where you cut off one head and another two grow, I believe that Jordan is so manic in his competitiveness that if Lebron exhibited even the slightest edge competitively, Jordan would immediately figure out how to counter it and then gain the competitive edge back.

I do not believe the man can be beaten.

 

[Guinness]

Faster and stronger are things that we cannot gauge as we don't have 40 times or weight room reps. Assuming someone is stronger because they weigh more is kind of silly. Dennis Rodman is the prime example of that. Dude was 6'7" and only weighed 220 but had crazy strength. The dude used to guard Shaq.

 

[Knicks411]

What Jordan is this? Jordan had a great mid-range game at the end of his career, but he obviously didn't have the athleticism that he did when he was 27 or 26. If you're combining the late game midrange MJ with the 1990 MJ, well he's the greatest player ever. he is anyway, but you know what I mean)

It would be a great game. I'd probably take MJ, part of what makes Lebron so great is his passing, which of course doesn't have much to do with who wins a 1-1 game. If you're taking like a 1990 Jordan vs a 2012 or 2013 Lebron, Jordan would probably be unguardable. Not that Lebron would be an easy check either.

I think when all is said and done those 2 will be the 2 best players of all time

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I'd like to see if anyone could beat Kareem 1-on-1. No one is stopping him from scoring. I think he'd kill Shaq with skyhooks and his quickness / agility (in his prime of course). Shaq's not getting dunks all game; I could see Kareem blocking enough of everything else Shaq puts up to win via incessant hooks and other moves. If he played any of Jordan, Kobe, etc. and they had an off day and missed several jumpers in a row against him (and assuming Kareem gets the boards) I don't see how anyone beats him.

I suspect this won't be a popular opinion but in 1-on-1... who can beat the agile 7'1 3/8" guy with the most unstoppable move ever and who's also one of the best shotblockers of all time?

This becomes really interesting if you allow three pointers (assuming you play 1s and 2s). Any decent 3 point shooter moves Kareem away from the lane and he becomes easily beatable on the drive. If he doesn't contest, then he's going to watch 3 pointers rain over him.

On the other hand, I can't think of anyone who would push Kareen away from the hoop enough to stop him. Then again, Kareem would have to dribble his way down there and that could get dangerous from him.

1 on 1 I think Kareem is beatable. If he were to team up with a passable guard in a 2 on 2 game, I think Kareem and his partner win 8 out of 10 times.

 

[Knicks411]

1 on 1 I think Kareem is beatable. If he were to team up with a passable guard in a 2 on 2 game, I think Kareem and his partner win 8 out of 10 times.

Pretty much, just get him the ball on the block and let him throw the sky hook.

Kareem is definitely underrated all time. Considering his longevity and everything, hes probably in my top 3 or so of all time

 

[Guinness]

Then again, Kareem would have to dribble his way down there and that could get dangerous from him.

Fair point. In 1 on 1 you start each point at the top of the key. Kareem getting to the paint to get set up would be problematic.

 

[Eric15]

Kareem is definitely underrated all time. Considering his longevity and everything, hes probably in my top 3 or so of all time

Is he underrated? I've never seen a list of greatest players ever or spoken to anyone that didn't have him in their Top 5.

 

[Knicks411]

Is he underrated? I've never seen a list of greatest players ever or spoken to anyone that didn't have him in their Top 5.

Yeah maybe I'm wrong, I had it in my mind that he's closer to 5 or 6 than 2 or 3 in consensus, but maybe I am totally off on that. So forget I said it...

 

[MCC]

This becomes really interesting if you allow three pointers (assuming you play 1s and 2s). Any decent 3 point shooter moves Kareem away from the lane and he becomes easily beatable on the drive. If he doesn't contest, then he's going to watch 3 pointers rain over him.

On the other hand, I can't think of anyone who would push Kareen away from the hoop enough to stop him. Then again, Kareem would have to dribble his way down there and that could get dangerous from him.

1 on 1 I think Kareem is beatable. If he were to team up with a passable guard in a 2 on 2 game, I think Kareem and his partner win 8 out of 10 times.

I think you're on point: the dribble down to the block is the only weak point. That said, Kareem had a decent handle and if you watch tape of him in his prime he had several spin moves - he just rarely had to use them. I suspect that with his long arms, backing down with his butt, etc. it would be hard to strip him. If a guard overplayed to one side in anticipation of the strip KAJ could probably spin the other way and he'd be in dunking range with 1 dribble.

The 3 (or 2 pointer in 1-on-1) makes it interesting: how close does Kareem have to stay to the shooter to affect the shot / nearly block / block a 3 and does that give him a bit of time to recover to stuff a driving layup?

In any event I don't think anyone is stopping him from scoring. The question is can you figure out how to outscore him early enough in the game so that you're not playing catch up - because if he gets up by 3+ scores I think it's probably over.

 

[MCC]

LOL, yes I didn't even think of the 2-on-2 dynamics. I don't think any 2 players beat Kareem and Jordan.

 

[TBCuse11]

I think LeBron beats MJ pretty easily... But hold your horses... MJ is the greatest of all time and always will be IMO... Most skilled player to ever play and what he did in the finals and regular season combined cannot be matched. 1 on 1 proves nothing people. ABSOLUTELY nothing...

agreed 100% with this post. I dont think it would be close. Lebron would win 8 out of 10, and the games wouldnt be close.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

James beats Jordan 9 out of 10 times in a one-on-one game.

Also, some of the responses in this thread make me think of this video.

 

[Guinness]

Lebron would get to nine points and proceed to lose because he would not have anyone to pass the ball to to take the final shot for him.


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[Knicks411]

Lebron would get to nine points and proceed to lose because he would not have anyone to pass the ball to to take the final shot for him.


-

2011 would like its jokes back

 

[Guinness]

2011 would like its jokes back

It wasn't a joke.


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[4evaOrange]

What Jordan is this? Jordan had a great mid-range game at the end of his career, but he obviously didn't have the athleticism that he did when he was 27 or 26. If you're combining the late game midrange MJ with the 1990 MJ, well he's the greatest player ever. he is anyway, but you know what I mean)

It would be a great game. I'd probably take MJ, part of what makes Lebron so great is his passing, which of course doesn't have much to do with who wins a 1-1 game. If you're taking like a 1990 Jordan vs a 2012 or 2013 Lebron, Jordan would probably be unguardable. Not that Lebron would be an easy check either.

I think when all is said and done those 2 will be the 2 best players of all time

good post.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I could see it go either way. Jordan would have a TOUGH time stopping James from bullying him to the basket. LeBron has guard quickness as well. Jordan was deadly off the bounce shooting as others have mentioned. I don't think he could deal with James guarding him in the post. I'll take MJ in a last sec shot scenario.

 

[Knicks411]

I could see it go either way. Jordan would have a TOUGH time stopping James from bullying him to the basket. LeBron has guard quickness as well. Jordan was deadly off the bounce shooting as others have mentioned. I don't think he could deal with James guarding him in the post. I'll take MJ in a last sec shot scenario.

MJ's go to shot for the last title run, at least how I remember it, was the fall-away, which Lebron still wouldn't have been able to influence that much.

 

[realorange]

Too many times MJs go to shot was the push off fade away. If he tried that on LeBron, he'd think he hit a stone wall.

 

[pfister1]

Anyone arguing the two players comparative skill sets is missing the point. Jordan beats Lebron every time they play. Then Jordan beats him in a foot race, in golf, in baseball, in xbox, in checkers, he takes Lebron's girl and maybe even Bron's mom.

Jordan wins because every fiber of his mind and body is dedicated to winning at whatever it is he is competing at, he might be one of sports all time greatest competitors.

 

[Eric15]

Anyone arguing the two players comparative skill sets is missing the point. Jordan beats Lebron every time they play. Then Jordan beats him in a foot race, in golf, in baseball, in xbox, in checkers, he takes Lebron's girl and maybe even Bron's mom.

Jordan wins because every fiber of his mind and body is dedicated to winning at whatever it is he is competing at, he might be one of sports all time greatest competitors.

So you're saying MJ is on par with Delonte West? That is quite the compliment.

 

[jordoo]

I do think that MJ just wins by looking @ Bron and knowing he will win while Bron sizes him up and thinks "I wich I could let D-Wade take this shot, cause damn if lose it will be all over the papers" IMO Lebron's boggest weakness is fear of failure which admitadly he has improved on lately. MJ was never afraid of failing, maybe losing but not failing.

I see it kind of like you are argueing about what the most painful way to kill a dude is and Lebron is like "killing dudes is bad" while MJ is like "you have no idea how to kill dudes let me do it." The difference is the killer instinct in prehistoric times Lebron is eaten as a child while MJ wear's a neclace of teeth and a crown of tusks.

 

[Eric15]

I do not believe the man can be beaten.

But then how do you explain the nine NBA seasons where he did NOT win a title?

 

[jordoo]

But then how do you explain the nine NBA seasons where he did NOT win a title?

Totally the coaches fault in the beginning and then lets see we will blame Scottie and perhaps the whol Wizards organization in the end. LOL

All kidding aside I believe that MJ's competetiveness and drive set him apart after all pretty much 75% of NBA players are in the 95TH percentile of size and athletic ability to begin with.

 

[Knicks411]

But then how do you explain the nine NBA seasons where he did NOT win a title?

Yeah I'm glad someone else asked this question. I was thinking the same thing (or the 2 years at Carolina where they didn't win)

This was a little before my time, but wasn't one of the storylines in the late 80's that MJ was too much of a ballhog and didn't play winning basketball like the Lakers and Celtics did?