RealGM

Will LeBron ever have better playoff numbers than Michael when his career is over?

I said no. Putting up better playoff numbers than MJ is a very difficult feat and while it's in the realm of possibility and while I think Lebron will have some very nice playoff averages, I highly doubt he's ever up to the level of MJ.

Depends on how long Lebron plays, and what percentage of his playoff games come after his prime (age 31+). Jordan's career playoff averages over the course of 111 postseason games upon retirement in 1993 were 34.8 pts/6.7 reb/6.7 ast/2.4 stl/1.1 blk/51% FG. His '95-'98 postseasons at age 32-35 were enough to lower those marks to 33.4 pts/6.4 reb/5.7 ast/2.1 stl/.9 blk/49% FG.

Lebron is the only active perimeter player to even have a chance of bettering MJ's career playoff numbers.

I agree that only LBJ has a chance, and while it's not out of the realm of possibility, it's very very unlikely. MJ was the best perimeter player of all time during the regular season and just stepped it up in the playoffs.

I agree that only LBJ has a chance, and while it's not out of the realm of possibility, it's very very unlikely. MJ was the best perimeter player of all time during the regular season and just stepped it up in the playoffs.

no

Not overall numbers he won't. He will get more rebounds and perhaps assists, but he won't get the ppg, steals, nor the fg%. Also just look at his finals performance as well.

Edit: http://www.nba.com/statistics/encyc/Player.jsp

MJ is #1 right now in ppg and Iverson is #2 and they are the only ones to average 30 ppg for a career. However I see Iverson's numbers going below that.

Also Lebron has MJ in rebounds and assists but every other category is lower.

JordansBulls wrote:Not overall numbers he won't. He will get more rebounds and perhaps assists, but he won't get the ppg, steals, nor the fg%. Also just look at his finals performance as well.

Edit: http://www.nba.com/statistics/encyc/Player.jsp

MJ is #1 right now in ppg and Iverson is #2 and they are the only ones to average 30 ppg for a career. However I see Iverson's numbers going below that.

Also Lebron has MJ in rebounds and assists but every other category is lower.

I really don't see how we are going to compare fg% in the current era compared to the 80's and 90's when defense is so much better now and the three point shot is so much more a part of the game. Lebron goes to the basket as much as you can realistically expect and he can't even get to 50%.

If we say that we have to account for differences in eras as far as nutrition and access to progressive fitness techniques then you have to account for differences in how the game is played.......

G35 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-




I really don't see how we are going to compare fg% in the current era compared to the 80's and 90's when defense is so much better now and the three point shot is so much more a part of the game. Lebron goes to the basket as much as you can realistically expect and he can't even get to 50%.

If we say that we have to account for differences in eras as far as nutrition and access to progressive fitness techniques then you have to account for differences in how the game is played.......

I don't think anyone (except you, since you love strawmen) expects Lebron to achieve the same FG% numbers as Jordan, just the same deviation from the league average.

Also, you talk about how Lebron can't crack 50% despite going to the basket a ton, yet ask yourself if he'd be shooting 50% if he had a great midrange J inside 20 feet. That's what Jordan had (even in '88 and'89) that separated him from a guy like Lebron. If Lebron had a great midrange shot, he'd definitely be above 50%. It's incorrect to act like Lebron is as potent an offensive player as Jordan. In terms of getting to the basket, he may be right there with MJ, but the rest of his scoring game has holes, and those holes affect his overall efficiency since it's either a layup/dunk (say, a 75% FG attempt) or a jumper (say, a 35-40% attempt). What if he averaged 45-48% on his jumpers? What would his FG% be?

For instance, using 82games.com data for the percentage of his shots which are jumpers, inside etc., let's say his average breaks down like so:

62% jumpers at 35% FG = .2170
38% inside at 71% FG = .2698

This adds up to .487, which is basically Lebron's season FG% (48.4%). So he's shooting jumpers at around a 35% rate. Let's say he could shoot them at even a 43% rate and here's how his FG% would look assuming no stylistic change in his game:

62% jumpers at 43% FG = .2666
38% inside at 71% FG = .2698

This adds up to 53.6% FG. So you don't even have to assume that Lebron would shoot 43% on jumpers in order to crack 50% -- he could shoot just 39-40% on them and easily break the 50% FG mark. So don't act like no player today could do so just because Lebron currently can't.

If we're talking about the Lebron Ames who plays for the Cavs then easily no.