DOT wrote:If we look at actual basketball, MJ and LeBron are on the same tier. The one difference is the 2011 Finals, which is enough to knock LeBron down a hair. It's not that big of a difference, but when it comes to the level they're at, it's enough.
Is it though, or is this a double standard we apply because we scrutinize LeBron at a granular level we dont apply to Jordan?
LeBron was 26 during that series. Jordan was at the same age in 89. That year he had a 2-1 series advantage against the Pistons. He had already been league MVP and DPOY. He loses the next three games.
In game four, the greatest scorer ever has just 23 points on 33% shooting in a game they lose by six. He only made two baskets in the last three periods of the game. They were down six with 2 minutes to go. His teammates taken more shots than he does in the final two minutes and he misses a free throw that could have made it a four point game with 30 seconds to go.
In game five, the Bulls were just one point behind entering the fourth quarter. He only scores 1 point the rest of the way, 0 in the final 9:30. In total he had just 18 points in the game and was outscored by his teammate Craig Hodges and two Pistons players.
In game six he has 8 turnovers and continues the trend of poor fourth quarter scoring. He gets four quick points in the first minute, then scores just two the rest of the way. The Bulls have the ball with 8:30 left and have a chance to tie or go ahead. Jordan gets stripped turning it over. He misses a three attempt around the five minute mark, then misses two free throws around the 4 minute mark. His final 2 points come at 3:06.
Each of the last three games were winnable in the fourth, and in each, he disappeared as the Pistons took over and won. He averaged 24 ppg in those final three games on 44% shooting.
But he learned from that and got better. Why does Jordan get to fail at age 26, choking away a winnable series with terrible fourth quarter play three consecutive games and still be the GOAT while LeBron doing the same at the same age is permanently eliminated from that conversation?
Both players got better as players after bad losses to great teams that successfully game planned against them and had them flumoxed in critical moments. Both players squandered 2-1 series leads. Both players were deferring to teammates in crucial moments instead of relentlessly attacking the other team's defenses.
LeBron after 2011 materially improved his game by adding to his skill set and the limitations that cost him the 2011 series never again cost him a series. He also changed his mindset and never again lost a series by playing as passively as he did in that 2011 series.
Eliminating a player from GOAT contention because of a bad series that happened while he still improving as a player makes no sense, especially if the same standard isn't applied to the other guy who did the same thing at the same age.
I'm sure people will point out that Jordan in the series averaged 11 ppg more than LeBron in 11 and 9 ppg more in the three consecutive losses. Yep, no argument. It doesn't matter. Three straight games were winnable in the fourth and Jordan choked them away each time.
I don't like evaluating players that way, but the double standards need to stop. Jordan wasn't the perfect flawless player without blemishes on his record he's often made out to be. I would rather focus more on the great things the players did than get ridiculously granular about their losses, but if LeBron is going to get examined that way, it's only fair to give Jordan the same treatment.
Only 7 Players in NBA history have 21,000 points, 5,750 assists and 5,750 rebounds. LeBron has double those numbers.
