Jordan vs Kobe vs LeBron (Magic too) NBA Finals stats

[Implied Volatility]

Seen this posted on another forum.

[mav1234]

lebron has plenty of career left, but none of that will change how ineffective he was this series.

[Hawk]

can you break it down into crunch time?

[King Taharqa]

Post Jordan and Kobe's Finals stats at age 26.

Jordan wasnt playing in NBA Finals at age 26, and Kobe stats were "sidekick-like". LeBron has plenty of time to establish his legacy.

[HeatCheck]

Guys, stop comparing LBJ to Kobe and MJ. James is a really great player but he has proven he just doesn't have what he needs to reach either of them.

[Panthers128]

At 26 Jordan was already a champion since he decided to go to college and I really doubt Kobe's stats were sidekick-like, or were they?

Kobe already had a few rings at around 26. Not sure if he was 25 or 26 when the Lakers lost to the Pistons in the NBA Finals. The next year they missed the playoffs, so to be relevant I'll post the stats from the year he played in the NBA Finals which were:

22.6 ppg 38% 4.4 apg 2.84rpg

Shaq on the other hand averages 27 ppg on 63% shooting. But, hey, who cares about championships? At least Kobe got his.

Not sure where this discussion is going but as far as I see it Kobe and MJ have had their time and LeBron is still waiting for his. MJ didn't have much help early and lost to historic teams like the bad boy pistons and Bird's celtics.

LeBron lost to the Mavericks who usually lose in the first round and are historically a team not good enough to get it done.

[TheRealDeal]

I'm not sure if I'm imagining this and I'm not trying to hate because he's gotten it enough lately but I remember an interview with LeBron where he hinted that he didn't want to be what everyone else wanted him to be (MJ/Kobe) and it wasn't his job to live up to those guys. I think it was when he had just signed with the Heat.

He'll never be the best if he doesn't want to be the best. Maybe he's perfectly content with his play but because of outside pressures feels that he needs to pretend he wants to be the best and so on.

[mav1234]

I'm not sure if I'm imagining this and I'm not trying to hate because he's gotten it enough lately but I remember an interview with LeBron where he hinted that he didn't want to be what everyone else wanted him to be (MJ/Kobe) and it wasn't his job to live up to those guys. I think it was when he had just signed with the Heat.

He'll never be the best if he doesn't want to be the best. Maybe he's perfectly content with his play but because of outside pressures feels that he needs to pretend he wants to be the best and so on.

yeah, and I think that was the interview where he said he was glad that he was going to the Heat, where he didn't need to be "the guy" anymore, didn't need to be the one counted on to make shots in the 4th quarter etc and if he had a bad game it wasn't a big deal.

however, I disagree with your second statement as far as outside pressure forcing him to call himself the king and act the way he does. he's living that poo up all year until he blows it in the playoffs. I think he has heard he's the best for so long he believes it.

[Zaximus]

Man MJ was a monster.

[bleys]

6 NBA Titles, 6 MVPs

[klumme]

Post Jordan and Kobe's Finals stats at age 26.

Jordan wasnt playing in NBA Finals at age 26, and Kobe stats were "sidekick-like". LeBron has plenty of time to establish his legacy.

He has time sure... But age do not make a player better... Experience do. And after 8 seasons in the NBA Jordan was a two time NBA champion and finals MVP with an avg of 34 pts pr game.

LeBron after 8 seasons was a two time loser with an avg of 20 pts pr game and nowhere close to a finals MVP.

Jordan had by the 8th year in NBA more points pr game, points pr game in finals, more MVPs, more finals MVPs, more scoring titles, more All star games, more D player of the year, more 1st D team of the year, more NBA 1st team. AND MORE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

At this point in their NBA lives LeBron is NOT in the same league as Jordan. Not even in the league below. And yes he has time but its not like Jordan fell of a cliff after his 8 first years so Lebron is running out of time. In fact there is NO chance LeBron will ever reach the same level Jordan had.

[Delhommey]

Clearly America is just not ready to accept a successful black small forward.

[mav1234]

as I said in another thread, there was (past tense) a chance LeBron could have ended up in the greatest of all time conversation, but that time has passed. He can still end up as one of the greats, but that's a different story.

Fewer and fewer people are bothering to compare him to MJ, and that's good.

[Panthers128]

Wade is one of the greatest clutch performers in the game today. LeBron will never win an NBA Finals MVP as long as Wade is on the team. You can't be the GOAT if your not the GPOYOT (greatest player on your on team).