With all the success LeBron James has had over the last several years, it’s only natural that he would be compared with the all-time greats, especially given the constant noise of the 24-hour news cycle. If LeBron James will ultimately go down as the greatest player who ever lived, that would mean (naturally) that he was better than Michael Jordan.
After his performance over the last two games, especially in Tuesday’s 36-point defeat to San Antonio in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, it’s really difficult to make a case for LeBron as being even close to Jordan.
So please, do yourself a favor. Stop comparing LeBron James to Michael Jordan. Please.
LeBron James was 7-for-21 shooting with 15 points in Game 3, and 7-for-17 shooting with 17 points in Game 2. Michael Jordan never scored fewer than 22 points in an NBA Finals game. James hasn’t even come close to Jordan’s level of assertiveness in this year’s Finals, nor has he reached 20 points in a game this series.
In the worst Finals game of Jordan’s life, his 22-point effort in Game 4 of the 1997 Finals against Utah, he at least shot 11-for-27 from the field. That’s still a higher shooting percentage than James had on Tuesday against San Antonio.
James is shooting 38.9 percent from the field through the first three games of the Finals. He’s even shooting worse than 30 percent on isolation plays this series, according to ESPN Stats & Info, which is usually regarded as one of James’ biggest strengths offensively.
Would Jordan have had fewer points in a Finals series thus far than Danny Green? Could you imagine Jordan having a three-game stretch in the NBA Finals where he would shoot 7-for-30 from outside the paint, like James has in the first three games against the Spurs? Somehow, I don’t think so.
“Honestly, I just have to play better,” James said after the game. “I can’t have a performance like tonight and expect to win.”
Think about this: In a season where Jordan’s Bulls reached the Finals, the lowest scoring average he had in those six postseasons was 30.7 points per game. These are just numbers that LeBron James cannot approach.
The 50 total points LeBron has scored over the first three games is the lowest three-game total since…the 2011 Finals against Dallas, ESPN points out. While Jordan never lost a Finals in six series, James has already dropped two and is in danger of losing a third if he doesn’t get his act together.
You could argue that Jordan’s Bulls teams teams were better, and that James is still doing a lot of other things besides scoring. He did have 11 rebounds and five assists on Tuesday. But it just seems like Jordan would never be in the kind of shooting slump that James is currently mired in. LeBron James hasn’t shot better than 50 percent in a game since Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana. He’s missed more shots than he’s hit in seven out of his last eight postseason games.
Does the greatest player of all time have a stretch like that? Would the greatest player of all time really go 4-5 in a nine-game postseason stretch in what’s considered the prime of his career? You already know the answer.
“We got what we deserved,” Erik Spoelstra said after Miami’s 113-77 loss. “I didn’t even recognize the team that was out there tonight.”
ESPN Stats & Info found that the -32 LeBron James had on Tuesday was the worst mark of his career. In a crucial NBA Finals game. You just can’t lay an egg like that and even be mentioned in the same sentence as someone like Michael Jordan.
One could argue that NBA Finals games where a series is tied, like Tuesday’s game, are the most important. And if that’s truly the case, Jordan’s numbers in those games over his career dwarf James’ stats:
| Even Series | Games | FG % | 3 FG % | Points | Reb | Assists | FTA | Win % |
| Jordan | 10 | 50.6 | 48.3 | 33.7 | 6 | 6.2 | 8 | 80 |
| James | 8 | 42.3 | 30.6 | 20.5 | 10.1 | 6.25 | 4.1 | 37.5 |
Just look at how much better Jordan’s shooting numbers are! And while James is certainly more of a prolific rebounder and had triple-doubles in two of those eight games, Jordan averaged over 13 more points per game and won eight of his 10 even-series games. James is 3-5, including two defeats to the Spurs this series.
So until James can perform better in the NBA Finals, please stop comparing him to Michael Jordan. Please.
Shlomo Sprung loves advanced statistics and the way they explain what happens on the court. He is also the web editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. A 2011 graduate of Columbia University’s Journalism School, he has previously worked for the New York Knicks, The Sporting News, Business Insider and other publications. His website is SprungOnSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter.
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WHEVER WROTE THIS ARTICLE IS AN IDIOT…FIRST OF ALL LABRON HAD 35 POINTS IN GAME 1. SECOND IF OU TAKE A LOOK AT BOTH JORDAN AND LABRONS STAT’S UP TO THE SAME PINT IN LABRONS CAREER NOW, LABRON BEATS IM I EVERY CATOGORY…FYI THE SERIES IN NOT OVER YET MY FRIEND…KNOW YOUR FACTS BEFORE YOU POST AN ARTICLE PLEASE NEXT TIME
5-19 shooting in game 6 against the sonics for 22 points. He also had 5 turnovers in that game. Too bad skip bayless wasn’t around to chastise MJ
You see, that’s where you LBJ guys get twisted up. MJ certainly had bad shooting nights. But he never failed to show up. That Seattle series was his worst finals series IMO. It was a defensive struggle and he was matched up against one of the 3 or 4 greatest on the ball defenders of all time IMO and he still averaged 27 pts, 5 rbs and 4 asts on 42% shooting. LeBron on the other hand allowed himself to be taken out of games by the renowned defende Boris Diaw. Boris Diaw?? Do you realize that LeBron scored less than 20 pts as many times in the 2013 playoff run as MJ did in his entire 179 game playoff career? And the 5-19 was an outlier. For his playoff career he shot 49% while going for 33 pts 6 rbs and 6 asts. AVERAGED!! So a bad game for him was 22 pts. Still managed to lead the team in scoring that night and clinch championship #4 in a hard fought battle. He showed up. Always did in the playoffs. If LeBron had showed up in 2011 he’d have just won his 3rd ring.
Oh. My. Gosh. Anna these images are so uttrley perfect in every single way that I’m not even sure what to write. I had chills and eyes full of tears reading her story and viewing each moment as it unfolded. How special. They are such a beautiful couple and clearly made for one another. And what a truly perfect day the light, the location, their outfits, the whole story. AMAZING!!! You and Dave should be SO proud of pulling this off and I can only imagine the weight of this gift you’ve given Jeanie Beth with these beautiful images! Ahhh!!!
Tip top stuff. I’ll expect more now.
Hey, that’s a clever way of thinking about it.
That’s a shrewd answer to a tricky question
Your’s is a point of view where real intelligence shines through.
Touchdown! That’s a really cool way of putting it!
I’m not worthy to be in the same forum. ROTFL
That’s really thinking out of the box. Thanks!
That’s an apt answer to an interesting question
Well put, sir, well put. I’ll certainly make note of that.
Shoot, so that’s that one supposes.
We could’ve done with that insight early on.
This “free sharing” of information seems too good to be true. Like communism.
Don’t compare points, since you talk stats talk about how many more shots Jordan took to get those points, lebron is WAYYYYY more efficient scoring, an don’t compare the supporting casts with Miami being the most inconsistent performers, and please mention the fact that Jordan didn’t make the finals 3 years in a row losing in the ECF. Relax!!! He’s more efficient scoring, better rebounder and better passer
Lebron is….
A great player
A generational Talent
Will retire as a consensus top 10 ever
Not Jordan
Mot Magic
Not Wilt
Not Bill
Not Larry
A few numbers for you.
MJ’s fg% in the playoffs 49%
LBJ’s fg% in the playoffs 47%
MJ’s career playoff efficiency rating – 28.6 (slightly higher than his career 27.9 PER)
LBJ’s career playoff efficiency rating – 27.3 (slighty lower than his career 27.6 PER)
(In all honesty we’re talking about the two most efficient players in the history of the modern NBA era).
MJ’s NBA Finals stats – 35 games – 24 wins, 11 losses,
33.6 ppg 6.0 rpg 6.0 apg 48% fg
LBJ’s NBA Finals stats – 22 games – 10 wins, 12 losses,
23.4 ppg 9.0 rpg 7.0 apg 44% fg
And to be honest, this is with LeBron doing a little stat padding. In games 2 and 3 against San Antonio he put up the majority of his points after the games had been decided. Similarly in game 4 he ran off 7 pts late when the game was long over. As far as shot attemps, it wasn’t until James decided that he needed to shoot more that Miami exerted control. In contrast, if you’re old enough to remember Bulls games, Phil would pull MJ and Scottie so that they could ice their knees and rest up when the Bulls were up comfortably. The Bulls lost two NBA finals game by double figures. Once by ten to Phoenix in 1993 and Seattle beat them by 21 in game 4 of the 1996 finals (Bulls were up 3-1 and Seattle played like a desperate team). MJ was 6-19 for 23 pts. That and the 22 pt clincher were as close to a “no show” as MJ ever had in the finals. No disengaged blowouts for the MJ/Scottie led Bulls. Not on the NBA Finals stage.
Bulls were up 3-0 when they got blown out by Seattle. My bad. Typo.
Great article.
All the people who say Lebron is the GOAT alway say prove that Jordan was better, which you did very well.
Then they try and put Horace grant in a ‘big three?’
These people who love Lebron are getting ridiculous In their excuses for him.
Magic, Bill Russel, kobe, Michael and countless other greats were much better than Lebron.
Listen its like this….MJ is the greatest everyone knows that but LeBron is a great in his own way they play two different styles. Compare Kobe to Mike. Ask yourselves this who was the last all around player in the league that was called the best player in the NBA?? Maybe none they were considered just that good all around player. The stats I don’t buy cuz Jordan played wit legit 7 footer. They sucked but you can’t deny size. Kobe did too. LeBron never had a big man in his prime. The other issue is Mike n Kobe played in the triangle yes the triangle. It gets you shots at the spots you comfy at instead of havin to create for one dimensional players like the Heat have. The Bulls has a lot of them but the difference is in the triangle every1 knows where they belong. Last issue yes Lebron needs to improve his shooting which he did his post play a little better but if he got to play with the old rules of illegal defense his numbers would be much better. Imagine taking MJ isolation away? Although he’s a much better shooter than LeBron he would have tough times too despite being tougher mentally and etc……so the comparison please stop it ONLY cuz no matter what LeBron does is never enough. He’s not Jordan but never did we ever see a player like him either so LeBron haters keep hatin I guess while MJ in a class alone.
lol no not “everyone” nows that shit you stupid little bitch.
mj is overrated….as usual.
not the goat, never was, never will be. overrated hype machine you phaggot
To Grant Haters, how much would you love the 11 rpg right now out of Bosh?
Great read. Majority says MJ is the GOAT hand down, they say prove it. You prove it, they say your article sucks. Can’t win.
You can’t compare the Triangle Offense of the Bulls to the 5-Man-Out Offense of the Heat … It took the Bulls 4 years to get to the NBA finals with the Big 3 of Jordan-Pippen-Grant compared to just 1 year with the James-Wade-Bosh combo… Jordan would have eventually went to the Finals but would have lost no doubt without the help of Phil and Tex.. This FInals obviously shows the deficiency in majority isolation basketball when it is paired up against great defense as evident in the Pacers series… Can you imagine LeBron James in the Triangle Offense?
You do realize that Pippen and Grant were drafter in 1987? It’s not like Jordan joined a team with two seasoned pros and NBA superstars, one of whom was a former Finals MVP.
There comes a point after which excuses just look pathetic. I’ll wait until the end of this series, but judging by LeBron’s latest performances that time has come…
Drafted in ’87 yes. Ive made no excuse just a simple comparison. Please read again.
LOL trust me dude. if you think you can have horace grant be a part of any big 3 you’re kidding yourself. he was good. he was no better than say a david west. poor kid. learn the game, please.
David West? smh
Is that ur defense of LeBron…the triangle defense?? R u kidding me?? What does the triangle offense have to do with LBJ bricking shot after shot?? What does the triangle offense have to do with LBJs lack of aggression only getting to the FT line 6 times, 18 pnts in the 1st halves & 40 pnts in 3 gms COMBINED?? Could we imagine LBJ in the triangle is the wrong question! The real question is could we imagine Jordan stinkin up the court the way LBJ is?? The answer is absolutely not! Get off of LBJs balls & hold him accountable! He is nowhere near Jordan on MANY levels! LBJs post game, ISO game, mental toughness is not even in the same vicinity as Jordans! Never was & never will be! LeBron James is just another poser on the Next Jordan list! So…who’s next?? SMFH…
I’ve said nothing about the triangle defense therefore I didn’t even read your response.
How is it possible that The Chosen 1/King James/The Next Jordan/The Akron Hammer/The Dancing Duke of Destruction/L-Train/Tank/Bulldozer/Locomotive/The Dancing Destroyer/The King of Sting/The Count of Monte Dunko/The Master of Disaster/The One & Only, LeBron James only has a measly 6 FTAs, 18 pnts in the 1st halves & 40 pnts in 3 finals gms COMBINED! Minus the garbage stat padding time, Queen James has averaged a WHOPPING 10 ppg on 28% shooting, on the big stage, with millions of people watching from around the world, in the finals!?? Oh wait….it’s all because LBJ doesn’t play in the triangle & have Phil Jackson & Tex Winter!! SMFH…A shameful, lame, pathetic reach of an excuse!
Do you even know what offense Miami runs?
Jordan’s team Never Lost in finals.
Mj was never swept out of the finals. In fact Jordan and the bulls very nearly swept Magic and the lakers in his first finals appearance. Jordan was finals and season MVP and league scoring champion. Lebron sacrifices scoring too much for real Jordan comparison
Are you kidding? You say LeBron doesn’t deserve to be named in the same sencence as MJ and you just did a full comparison between the two. You article just sucks. You can see it in the number of comments. Numbers don’t tell you EVERYTHING. You’re just another frustrated James’ hater.