Lebron on the 1990 Bulls or Jordan on the 2007 Cavaliers?

[Chrism86354]

Was having a conversation with some guys at work about the (what i believe) unwarranted hate on Lebron James and it came up would Jordan have done as well as he did had he had the teams Lebron had in Cleveland?

So switching just Lebron with Michael, Mike Brown still coaches the Cavs and Phil Jackson still coaches the Bulls, which team do you take?





1990-1991 Bulls
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1991.html

2006-2007 Cavaliers
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2007.html

 

[zeeblofowl_1969]

Michael has more game but Lebron is more of a freak.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Jordan did have some all stars surrounding him, but he was Jordan.

 

[Icewater Jones]

Mike has a kill switch.

He flips that son a bitch right before tip-off.

LeBron is an extremely talented athlete. His prowess does not go beyond his physical gifts. Sadly, playing for Miami means he has to see the retired jersey of the living master of basketball domination himself. LBJ isn't even playing near the level of competition MJ played. Jordan played head-to-head nearly half of the NBA's greatest players. While Mike was dropping 63 on a Celtics team with 4 of their starting 5 in the HOF, LBJ is beating up on the likes of Landry Fields, Paul George, and Mickael Pietrus.

Jordan was a natural born savage. Bring who you have, and his personal mission was to beat you, your team, and your city... and then burn down the arena.

LBJ has lost in the Finals. Twice.

Jordan hasn't in 6 trips.

Easy call: MJ on the 07' Cavs.

 

[squallumz]

as time goes on, everyones going to forget how great MJ was.

i feel bad for his legacy.

lebum has nothing on jordan.

 

[STDiva]

as time goes on, everyones going to forget how great MJ was.

i feel bad for his legacy.

lebum has nothing on jordan.

MJ's legacy is forever. That is for sure.

I take MJ over anybody. I don't care what team he is on.

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

Jordan. Easily. Lebron argurably is the most gifted athlete in NBA history, but MJ was without question the greatest basketball player.

 

[Chrism86354]

My argument is that it is unfair to say Lebron "needed to go elsewhere" to win a championship when the best players the team got him were Drew Gooden and Mo Williams. Jordan is THE greatest player of all time, no argument here, BUT basketball is a team sport and I can pretty much guarantee Jordan wouldn't have even dreamed of being in 6 finals on the Cleveland teams Lebron had. Lebron never had THE greatest basketball coach of all time either. Not trying to deminish anything Jordan did but don't hate on Lebron because he knew he needed to be on a better TEAM to win a TEAM championship.

 

[STDiva]

Lebron would have won in Cleveland eventually. Probably a couple times. They were hitting 60+ wins the last couple years and LeBron is way better now than he was in Cleveland.

Lots of players know they have to be on a better team to win. Only pussies who think they're entitled to a championship immediately actually bounce to play with a bunch of Olympians.

LeBron would have lost on those Bulls teams because they wouldn't have Jordan bury the other team. Also, its the 90's so every time LeBron tried to muscle his way into the lane, he'd get clotheslined, powerbombed and he'd be too chicken shit to try again, because he's a bitch.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

I personally think part of the reason James went to South Beach was because he wanted to party and shit and have that year'round hot weather. At least I think that had to be a part of it.

 

[PJpenny]

Micheal Jordan is one of the all time greats, but i would argue he would not have been the six time champlon without Scottie Pippen. Jordan and LeBron both make others around them better, but they needed the right kind of team around them to become champions. LeBron was never going to win a title in Cleveland, he never had the team or the management supporting him to make that team a champion on his own. Similarly Jordans career took flight when Scottie Pippen arrived and Phil Jackson built his rep as a coach who can take a great team and turn them into champions, Mike Brown is a fine coach, but he doesnt even hold a candle to Phil.

Putting LeBron on the 90s Bulls squad would stiil have the bulls a dominant force, like MJ, LeBron is a team player who makes otheres around him better, hes a better passer than Jordan was, and seeing him play with Scottie Pippen wouldve been interesting
Jordan on the great Cavalier teams including the 07 finals team would not have changed anything. Mo Williams dissapearing act would be too much for any great player to overcome and Delonte West is a bit of a headcase, no way MJ could work with thar and keep his sanity (Delonte West makes Dennis Rodman look like a saint)

If you change the order around it really makes no difference.

 

[delta9]

It's kind of a funny comparison. Shouldn't we look at changing them for a year that the Bulls didn't win the championship? A better question is what if Lebron was on the 89'-90' Bulls, would they have made it to the finals? As it stands now, I wouldn't put Jordan on the 2007 Cavs team and expect them to do any better than they did. Also, if Lebron was on the 90-91 Bulls team, I can't say that they would have done any worse. But since you're asking, I would take Jordan over Lebron no matter what team I was putting together. (Even though they play different positions)

 

[Icewater Jones]

It's just as much about the level of comp between the two eras as it is about MJ and and LeBron. As a native Chicagoan and longtime Bulls fan, I know that the 1990 Bulls team was not hard enough to compete for a ring. The level of comp was way too high. Let's face it, comparing the two eras in difficulty is really comparing a Aston Martin to a Kia Rio. No way in hell LBJ has enough heart to go through the Bad Boys and then the HOF loaded Lake Show. It's much more plausible to believe MJ could lead the 07 Cavs past much weaker comp... even with a less talented squad.

 

[Chrism86354]

I didn't really have an era in mind, just in general. Lebron against Magic, Bird, and the Bad Boys? I don't think anyone would argue that Lebron would have struggled against those players. I'm a believer that you cannot really compare players from different eras...who are we to say that Jordan would have dominated this current era? You just don't know. My argument was look at the supporting cast that Lebron had in his first finals appearance and the supporting cast Jordan had in his first finals appearance. There is no comparison, no matter the era, Lebron had shit for a supporting cast.

 

[C.K. Lawrence]

I wonder who would have become a superstar, much like Pippen or Rodman, with the likes of his majesty as their counter-part had the Caveliers been so lucky to have him in his prime. No comparison, Jordan was like no other... he easily rasied the level of his teammates, he was gold when called upon in his prime.

 

[Chrism86354]

Lebron doesn't raise the level of his teammates?

 

[C.K. Lawrence]

Maybe, but I'd argue it's more out of a tag along mentality than pure inspiration. Sure, I suppose a few players just wanted to be on Jordan's team to win, but for the most part I've heard nothing but marvel upon his practice habits, travel habits (he sounded like a cool dude to chill with), and all that other stuff. Remember how he put the Bulls on his back when he was sick,... he was that kinda legend. It inspired his teammates like Kukoc to hit killers... sure Tony could hit those on his own and this may be pure speculation but I believe Jordan and Pippen's play even inspired them above their level of clutchness. Lebron, he's got a ring... was it magical? Sure to some in Miami.. but was it on Jordan's level? You know what, I guess we'll have to keep watching but not so far in my opinion man, not even close.

 

[squallumz]

man, that bulls team was so awesome.

 

[hau5party]

probably Jordan on the Cavs

 

[Johan]

Cavaliers + Jordan