NBA Finals

[Slice of Life]

Comparing LeBron to Jordan isnt the correct comparison at all. You'd do better comapring him to Oscar Robertson, because like LeBron he did it all. The "Big O" averaged a Triple Double for an entire season. I'd much rather Lebron do that as opposed to taking 50 shots per game and dishing out only 2 assists like MJ and Kobe. People like to bang on Lebron and if you're from Ohio you have the right. But anyone else is just a hater in my humble opinion. The Kid made a stupid TV show appearance to announce he was leaving the Cavs...........thats it. If some of the things I did in my 20's were on TV for the world to see I may be in jail right now. If you hate the way the Heat came together then I guess you also hated the Celtics for doing the same thing? Shoot for one season the Lakers had Shaq, Kobe, Gary Payton and Karl Malone in the starting line-up. The NBA has mobbed up refs anyway so who cares, BRING ON NFL TRAINING CAMP!

I'm sure you're intentionally exaggerating...but you do know that Jordan averaged over 5 assists per game in his career, right? Also averaged over 6 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, LeBron averages less than 7. So for their career, they're a whopping 1.6 assists per game apart.

Everyone for some reason throws that out and thinks Jordan played selfishly. He dished plenty.

[Slice of Life]

You are a hypocrite now with that statement. How is Barry Sanders in any way better than Emmitt by your criteria? Emmitt has more yards, touchdowns, and rings.  Oh let me guess now talent and the team around you counts when it is convenient but Lebron is a bum because he is ultra talented but isn't always on the best team though he's the best individual player. Barry Sanders never even played in a Super Bowl so how can he even be in the conversation for GOAT. Please explain this for me as I am now completely confused.

Well, playing on a team with 30 starters is a lot different than playing on a team with 5. Football is much more a "team" sport than basketball. A basketball team can be great with 2 All-Stars surrounded by mediocrity...a football team cannot.

[Jakester23]

Im not a hypocrite. Basketball and football are completely different. In football you only play one side of the ball. The best football player doesn't mean that your team is going to win. See last year's super bowl. I never once said anything bad about LBJ. I think hes great but can we wait a little bit before we start saying he's better than MJ. I don't think hes even close to Kobe or Magic yet.

[RonTheSavage]

I'm sure you're intentionally exaggerating...but you do know that Jordan averaged over 5 assists per game in his career, right? Also averaged over 6 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, LeBron averages less than 7. So for their career, they're a whopping 1.6 assists per game apart.  Everyone for some reason throws that out and thinks Jordan played selfishly. He dished plenty.

Yeah Im exaggerating a bit........just a bit. And Jordan didnt really start dishing out assists until the middle and later part of his career. There was definitely a time where Jordan was a hot dog and shot the ball too much. Then again with those early Bulls rosters I guess he had no choice.

[Spyder]

Yeah Im exaggerating a bit........just a bit. And Jordan didnt really start dishing out assists until the middle and later part of his career. There was definitely a time where Jordan was a hot dog and shot the ball too much. Then again with those early Bulls rosters I guess he had no choice.

Hell, if I had Rodman in the paint I'd be shooting everything too. Like you said, can't blame him lol.

[Slice of Life]

Yeah Im exaggerating a bit........just a bit. And Jordan didnt really start dishing out assists until the middle and later part of his career. There was definitely a time where Jordan was a hot dog and shot the ball too much. Then again with those early Bulls rosters I guess he had no choice.

Jordan's rookie year, he averaged 5.9 APG. His second season he only played 18 games, so we'll discount that one.

Here are his APG averages in order (minus year 2, first 8 years of his career):

5.9

4.6

5.9

8.0

6.3

5.5

6.1

[Jakester23]

What a ball hog.

[Slice of Life]

What a ball hog.

Haha, I know, right?

I'm not trying to pick on Ron, because he didn't make up that train of thought on Jordan. Just pointing out the facts.

[RonTheSavage]

Jordan's rookie year, he averaged 5.9 APG. His second season he only played 18 games, so we'll discount that one. Here are his APG averages in order (minus year 2, first 8 years of his career): 5.9 4.6 5.9 8.0 6.3 5.5 6.1

:-( I stand corrected here, and thank you for setting me straight. I assumed Bron's assist numbers were way better than Jordans but thats not the case. They are better but barely. I mean Jordan did lead the league in Field Goal attempts nine times. Im not sure if Kobe or AI has broken that record but back then that was a record.

[Slice of Life]

I stand corrected here, and thank you for setting me straight. I assumed Bron's assist numbers were way better than Jordans but thats not the case. They are better but barely. I mean Jordan did lead the league in Field Goal attempts nine times. Im not sure if Kobe or AI has broken that record but back then that was a record.

No worries, it isn't your fault...the NBA and media now tries to make LeBron seem like a much more complete player so they can keep throwing around the idea of him being the GOAT....but in all reality, it just isn't true.

[shfboyroddy]

Since when has there been a 5 game playoff? I was under the assumption that almost all Finals go 7 games now days. They gotta make their money lol

[RonTheSavage]

No worries, it isn't your fault...the NBA and media now tries to make LeBron seem like a much more complete player so they can keep throwing around the idea of him being the GOAT....but in all reality, it just isn't true.

NBA Propaganda machine huh? I can totally see that.

[Jakester23]

NBA Propaganda machine huh? I can totally see that.

Its very similar to how they started comparing Rory to Tiger after he won his 2nd major.

[Slice of Life]

Its very similar to how they started comparing Rory to Tiger after he won his 2nd major.

Yep. They want it so bad....it's great for rating and $$$$.

[phan52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonTheSavage

Comparing LeBron to Jordan isnt the correct comparison at all. You'd do better comapring him to Oscar Robertson, because like LeBron he did it all. The "Big O" averaged a Triple Double for an entire season. I'd much rather Lebron do that as opposed to taking 50 shots per game and dishing out only 2 assists like MJ and Kobe. People like to bang on Lebron and if you're from Ohio you have the right. But anyone else is just a hater in my humble opinion. The Kid made a stupid TV show appearance to announce he was leaving the Cavs...........thats it. If some of the things I did in my 20's were on TV for the world to see I may be in jail right now. If you hate the way the Heat came together then I guess you also hated the Celtics for doing the same thing? Shoot for one season the Lakers had Shaq, Kobe, Gary Payton and Karl Malone in the starting line-up. The NBA has mobbed up refs anyway so who cares, BRING ON NFL TRAINING CAMP!

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

I'm sure you're intentionally exaggerating...but you do know that Jordan averaged over 5 assists per game in his career, right? Also averaged over 6 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, LeBron averages less than 7. So for their career, they're a whopping 1.6 assists per game apart.

Everyone for some reason throws that out and thinks Jordan played selfishly. He dished plenty.

Plus, Jordan was a shutdown defensive player as well. He was a complete player.

[Righty to Lefty]

Plus, Jordan was a shutdown defensive player as well. He was a complete player.

Lebron can guard EVERY player on the court and did in the finals when he guarded everyone from Tim Duncan to Tony Parker.....Lebron is arguably more versatile defensively than Jordan. Explain why the Bulls never made it to the finals for the first 7 years of his career?  Maybe it's because the Bulls were getting dump trucked by the Pistons, Celtics, and Lakers because they weren't a very good TEAM. TEAM wins titles.

[Jakester23]

They didn't play in the same conference as the lakers so that's an invalid argument. The year they won their first title the beat Barkley's 76ers 3-0 in the first round. Ewing's Knicks 4-1 in the 2nd round. The piston's 4-0 in the conference finals. Then the Lakers 4-1 in the finals

[Righty to Lefty]

They didn't play in the same conference as the lakers so that's an invalid argument. The year they won their first title the beat Barkley's 76ers 3-0 in the first round. Ewing's Knicks 4-1 in the 2nd round. The piston's 4-0 in the conference finals. Then the Lakers 4-1 in the finals

Really.....you just conveniently left out how the true answer to the question and tried to make it fit your argument by posting what they did in their first title year.  Why didn't the Bulls do anything in the 6 years prior to Phil showing up? Because they were getting beaten by better teams:

Chicago Bulls Playoff History

1990 -- defeated Milwaukee, 3-1, first round
defeated Philadelphia, 4-1, conference semifinals
lost to Detroit, 4-3, conference finals

1989 -- defeated Cleveland, 3-2, first round
defeated New York, 4-2, conference semifinals
lost to Detroit , 4-2, conference finals

1988 -- defeated Cleveland, 3-2, first round
lost to Detroit , 4-1, conference semifinals

1987 -- lost to Boston , 3-0, first round

1986 -- lost to Boston , 3-0, first round

1985 -- lost to Milwaukee , 3-1, first round

The Lakers won titles in 85,87, and 88 so they existed in the NBA at the time, were hardly invalid, and I'm sure that the Bulls and Lakers played ( the Lakers were 10-6 against the Bulls during this time in the regular season, but never in the playoffs because the Bulls didn't make it to the finals in MJ's first 6 years.) Then Magic retired in 1991, Bird retired a year later, and the pistons won titles in 89 and 90 so please show me where Michael Jordan imposed his will against better teams during the first 6 years of his career.........I'll wait.