Scorers are better now too. Rules are also different.

Yeah youre damn right defenders are better now, of *course* they are, they have decades more data and analytics that have been studied to teach them how to defend.

Watch a game from the 80s compared to now and legit tell me the defensive schemes aren't miles more advanced.

Did you really bring up the all star game?

The top 3 players in the league (Jokic, Luka & Giannis) say it's easier to score in the NBA format than the international format - Luka averaged 16 ppg in euroleague

The 80's format is an even tougher version of the international format, so even less spacing and more physicality allowed

accordingly, 87' Jordan would average 45+ today and most people in the know agree with this

I tried watching an NBA finals game from the late 80's recently. Felt like I was watching WNBA.

You've obviously never been within 10 feet of a ball

Accept that Lebron-ball will have another beat down loss of historic variety.. You don't think this will get better, do you?.. it's about to be blowout city lmao.. get ready..

Lol the only thing 80s basketball has going for it is that we only watch the highlights now. The game has come a long way.

And nothing that LeBron does on the court now can hurt him. He's played 500+ games past Jordan's small abbreviated career of early retirements.

But seriously, Jordan was really awesome. Your pathetic LeBron hating is actually bringing Jordan down.

LeBron would make more plays in the 80's, but he'd have fewer FTA per game when you could mug guys. Jordan would shoot 15 a game today.

Look fallguy is just being silly.

LeBron is doing really well. Being the second best player on a 7th seed that will likely get swept in the first round is very impressive for a 39 year old.

Luka is probably the most skilled guy in the NBA right now. He does tons of stuff MJ couldn't dream of doing. Those stepbacks that Harden started doing nobody was doing anything remotely like that back when MJ played. MJ would be some mix of Kawhi and Ant in the current league. Top ten player but not the undisputed pound for pound champion.

Unironically, yes - winning 47 games and being an all-NBA player at age 39 while averaging 26/8/7 on 54% FG is very impressive. Denver was -350/-400ish to win the series for a reason though.

Curious to see your case as to why AD was better than Lebron overall this year. I have my own take but I’ll allow you to present yours first.

In last year's WCF, Lebron didn't score in the last 3 min of any game

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k2PzSJ79Qyc&t=04m03s

Neither did Jordan

neither did you or I.

similarly, you or I could've replaced Lebron in the 14' Finals and the result would be the same - record loss - so despite the considerable chasm in athletic talent, his brand of ball is no better than yours or mine - it yields worst-ever losses just like you or I would - his brand prevents elite chemistry or teammate development, aka organic, and therefore needs "more help" (talent-based winner beginning in the 2010-2011 season).

again, anyone could've matched Lebron's worst-ever clutch scoring in the 23' WCF (0 points)... He's also 0-7 on the last possession of Finals games that are within 1 possession.. Wouldn't it be cool to replace Bron in those spots and go 0-7 with a damn Finals game on the line??.. Literally zero pressure because Lebron went 0-7 too....

Meanwhile, MJ was 4-8.. Notice how MJ's clutch efficiency is the same as his regular efficiency (zero choke factor), while Lebron's clutch efficiency is far less than his regular efficiency (massive choke factor).. Lebron is 37% overall on game-winners in the playoffs and 0% in the Finals, while MJ was 48-50% on everything (clutch efficiency, game-winner efficiency, RS/PO/Finals).. Of course the superior clutch efficiency is coupled with superior clutch burden.

imagine if young lou alcindor grew up with victor wembanyama
two twiggy mantids freed from one hard wooden though about winning with lane counting defense
best threes are found prancing with pace beyond the outer space boundary not fouls called for paint lingering

lol….
It’s like saying Kobe wouldn’t be top 10….
Unbelievable.

FWIW I trust this guy opinion …


Ps: Lot people like to use TS% stats and stuff like that , love what KD think about it at 10m45

Agree

U can find any narrative u like but claiming the wizard were a better team then the lakers is nonsense , period !

I never said it’s more impressive .
I’m saying losing is losing .
U lose vs the champs in the first round or the final what’s the difference really ?
I guess that leads to point #3


There is absolutely nothing special in 07 because LeBron didn’t beat anything worthwhile .
That road to the final was a real joke , who did they beat really ?
I mean seriously I keep hearing mj had it easy because of the weak competition in the final yet everyone praises LeBron for beating almost a nonexistent eastern conference .
Double standard at its best ….

I’m glad he reach the final good for him but getting swept just show u didn’t belong much there .
Just look what the spurs had in their division …

What fascinating is w.e narrative (excuses) people try to push for LeBron , Duncan is always there to prove he did even better imo .

It’s not a narrative. It’s a literal fact. The Wizards without MJ on the court were a much better team than the Lakers were with LeBron off.

The facts don’t fit your narrative so you are trying to frame it as a hot take/opinion when it’s not debatable.


Right so your opinion is, the seasons results are binary. A success if you win a title, any other result is the same because you lost. Whether that be in the Finals in a close 7 game series, swept in the first round, or I guess even win 20 games, you lost - so it’s all the same.

I guess that’s telling in why people think MJ is so great, although they’d have to contend with Russell being far better than MJ since by that criteria Russell is far superior. But overall it’s not really worth debating someone who thinks a Finals loss at 22 is equal to getting swept in the first round in terms of accomplishment. A truly bizarre position but to each their own and I suppose one of the only ways left to twist your brain into a pretzel and justify MJ>Lebron.

Average roster, LeBron chips with Cleveland once or twice before going to Miami.

MJ made stepbacks look easy 30 years ago

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dFjrWL...3D%3D&t=06m21s


His shot on Russell in 98' was a step -back... If he was doing step-backs easily 30 years ago, I'm sure he could add the extra travel that today's players use and that every player today has

Btw, Bird had a sick step-back

It just occurred to me that for the first time ever choosing an all-time starting 5 is relatively easy.

Can anyone disagree with:

PG: Steph
SG: MJ
SF: Bird
PF: Lechoke
Center: Jokic

I guess maybe you can argue Lechoke at SF and Duncan at PF or maybe Wemby at center. I don't see how anyone could choose Magic Johnson at PG over Steph anymore though.

Or maybe doesn’t leave at all. Which is an interesting hypothetical in terms of whether the stars would have taken more control over their contracts and playing locations anyway, irrespective of the Decision.

We are bound by what happened though. Cleveland fumbled the ball one too many years and LeBron took matters into his own hands.

A hypothetical was offered earlier itt of who you'd rather have on an average roster. I was responding to that.

Magic > Steph in ranking
Magic < Steph in an all time team.

I'm also picking some other centres over the Joker. May change in a few years the way Joker is projecting.

Ah fair, makes sense