MJ or Lebron: G.O.A.T?

Perhaps the most burning question in basketball is, who is the G.O.A.T? Is it Michael Jordan or Lebron James.

Today, we will be breaking down these 2 great players with different category’s and we will see how they fare.

Points

After the 2018-19 season finished, Lebron James had passed Michael Jordan on the all time scoring list. So, people think that Lebron is the better scorer. Not Exactly. Jordan played for 15 seasons and played in 1,072 games. He scored 32,292 points in his career, a scoring average of 30.1 for an entire career. Lebron James just finished his 16th season, playing in 1,198 games. He has scored 32,543 points, a career scoring average of 27.1. Still pretty good, but not as good as Jordan. This means that it took Lebron a good 100+ games to pass Michael on the scoring list. Also, Michael played in the more physical era, where there were more hard fouls, hand checking and no freedom of movement. So he scored more points in less time than Lebron in a more physical era. Now people are going so say, Lebron doesn’t score all the time, he passes more than Jordan did. Jordan scored most of his 32,000 points in an 11 year span, all with the Bulls, with no injuries or retirement. He scored 28,412 points in 11 seasons, almost as many as Lebron in 15 seasons. Jordan won 10 scoring titles to Lebron’s 1. In his best season, Jordan averaged 37 points, Lebron with 31. Jordan is by far the better scorer of the 2, even when he was playing in the physical era, hand-checking, bumping, shoving, not that many fouls. And for the people that say that Lebron passes more, which is true, Lebron never averaged 8 assists until 2009-10. So, Jordan wins this one.

Michael Jordan 1- Lebron James 0

Defense

Lebron James is 6 foot 8 250 lbs, while Jordan is 6 foot 6, 213 lbs. So, Lebron is bigger and stronger than Jordan. Lebron is more versatile, meaning that he has a reasonable chance guarding all positions. He is fast to stay with guards, and has the weight and the height to contend with the big guys. But, even though we say Lebron can do this, we never see him do it on a consistent basis. Lebron is usually guarding a SF, sometimes a smaller PF, but you rarely see him, in a designed defense, guarding a big. But, did Lebron guard Dwight Howard in 2009? Did he guard Kevin Garnett in the playoffs? It’s just the fact that he can do these things is impressive. But he doesn’t really do it. Versatility does not always mean better. Michael has huge hands and was very strong for his build. In his career, Jordan had an average of 2.3 steals in his career, and a total of 2,514 steals. The reason for all of these steals were because of his huge hands. Lebron has 1,937 steals, an average of 1.6. Michael led the league in steals 3x, Lebron has never done that. Jordan won a Defensive Player of the Year Award, Lebron has never done that either. Jordan is a 9x All Defensive 1st Team Player, Lebron has made it 6 times. Michael Jordan never let his team be the worst on defense, whereas Lebron’s 2018 Cavs were the worst for a period of time. James has shown signs of not wanting to play defense, when Jordan was still racking up rings and All-Defensive selections at the age of 34. In 15 seasons, Jordan blocked 893 shots, 0.8 blocks per game. In 16 seasons, Lebron has blocked 921 shots, an average of 0.8. So Lebron has played in more games, and still has the same average of blocks as Jordan. So, Lebron may be the more versatile defender, but Jordan is the better defender.

MJ 2-LBJ 0

Passing and Rebounding

There are no hidden stats, Lebron is just a better passer and rebounder. Rebounding obviously because he’s huge, and much bigger than Jordan. Passing because Lebron is bigger, taller, meaning that he can see the court better and make those signature cross court passes and the bullet passes. Easy win for LBJ.

MJ 2- LBJ 1

3-Point Shooting

Well, this one is a tie-or a draw. Sure, Lebron has more attempts and makes compared to Jordan, well duh. Jordan played in an era where team didn’t shoot 40 3’s per game. He played in the mid-range era, the big guy era. He played in an era where the 3-pointer was a tool, not as it is used today. Lebron came into the league when the 3-pointer started to become more popular, and is now in the league when everybody shoots 3’s. So this would not be a fair comparison, and that is why this will be a tie.

MJ 2- LBJ 1

Accolades

MJ has 5 MVP’s, Lebron has 4 and counting. MJ has a DPOTY, Lebron has none. Jordan has more steals and points, Lebron has more block, assists, and rebounds. Both have won a Rookie of the Year, Lebron has 15 All-Stars, MJ has 14, although now it is more fan-driven. So, Jordan has the more accomplished career, even without mentioning rings.

MJ 3- LBJ 1

Clutch Gene/Killer Instinct

Michael was one of the meanest, toughest players in the NBA. With his trash-talking and fade-away jumpers, Jordan was one of the clutchest players of all time. Lebron does not have as many moments as Jordan, but still has some memorable ones. Lebron has that killer instinct, but is more pass first. Michael was great in the playoffs, but Lebron has lost some years when they should have made the NBA Finals. He lost in 2011 after a complete meltdown, something that Jordan never had. Although Lebron had the 2013 Finals and the comeback in 2016, the stain of 2011 will still remain in the G.O.A.T conversation. In the 1993 NBA Finals, Jordan averaged 41 points on 50% shooting, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals against the Phoenix Suns, the Game 5 Flu Game in 1997 against the Jazz, the jumper also against the Jazz in 1998. Jordan has the much more impressive resume in the Finals. Now, while you guys say that the Finals is a team game, Jordan played top-level basketball in his 6 Finals appearances. He did all of these things against tough defenses who knew what he was going to do, on the biggest stage, all the pressure, and he did all of that. Jordan had no problem guarding whoever in the Finals, while James was outplayed by Jason Terry, a role player in 2011. James averaged 17.8 points on 47.8% from the field, and Terry averaged 18.0 points, on 49.4% from the field. I know it’s just 0.2 points, but it’s Lebron James, in the conversation for the GOAT, against a role player. It all adds up. So, Jordan has a better clutch gene, and he never slipped up.

MJ 4-LBJ 1

To Sum It All Up

Well, MJ has won with some of the biggest category’s to define a player’s individual greatness, and I hardly ever mentioned Lebron’s Finals record, or to hold that against him. So, Jordan is the G.O.A.T confirmed. Unless Lebron passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most points all time, and gets a ring or 2 more, MJ will continue to hold his title as the greatest player of all time. Michael Jordan never scored 8 points in a Finals game, he was never an underdog, never had a super team that would win 8 rings, a role player that Jordan couldn’t guard. There was never a 7 game series in Jordan’s finals career, why? Well because he was too good to let that happen. There was never any time where he was the underdog, and do you know why? Because MJ is the G.O.A.T.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, please leave a comment on how you think the goat is, and get ready for the NBA season.