LeBron James vs Michael Jordan has remained the hottest debate in the world of the NBA. The two legends of the game have broken barriers to influence millions of fans around the globe and have only increased the attraction of the league over the years.
While the dispute rages on about who should hold the crown of the greatest ever, opinions from players of the past and present have not stopped coming in. To add to that list, Michael Beasley has now provided his two cents on the matter.
Michael Beasley picks LeBron James over Michael Jordan
During his appearance on “The OGs podcast,” Michael Beasley revealed his verdict on the never-ending GOAT debate between the two greats.
The 35-year-old without having a second thought, chose his former teammate, the 39-year-old Lakers legend LeBron James, over the 6-time championship winner like many others. Justifying his choice, Beasley claimed “I can give you very compelling argument. If we had right here, all players from history, stats, no names. We stack the best. Point guard, shooting guard, small forward, etc. Whatever. You can put that man’s stats up. and he can be the best 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.”
The former NBA player continued to say, without disrespecting anyone, that the Jordan fans are “holding on to old feelings.” According to Beasley, the record-breaking numbers of LeBron James make him the best player in all the five positions. However, there is no way one can overlook the impactful statistics of the NBA legend Michael Jordan.
LeBron James and Michael Jordan’s stat comparison in NBA finals
Despite playing in a different era, LeBron James is always compared with Michael Jordan, who has set the bar for his future generations. While it is hard to compare the overall achievements of both the players, their statistics in the NBA championship finals are worthwhile for discussion.
Jordan played in 35 finals games compared to LBJ’s 55 appearances and averaged 33.6 points, 6 rebounds, and assists each. LeBron might not have added the same number of championship titles as Jordan despite playing in four additional series, but he has added huge numbers to his name. The 20-time All-Star averaged 28.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.8 assists.
MJ chipped in 1,176 points, grabbed 211 rebounds, and dished out 209 assists in the Finals whereas Bron bagged 1562 points, 561 rebounds, and 430 assists. Having said that, Jordan’s 41-point average per Finals game remains untouched to this day.
Both the players had remarkable shooting skills. While Jordan shot at 48.1% from the floor, LBJ shot 48.4% and when it comes to shooting from the free-throw line Jordan shot at 80.6% however, LeBron was not far behind with 73.1%.
The former Bulls swingman’s phenomenal performances in the championship finals led the Chicago-based to their three-peat win twice and earned him the 6 finals MVP awards. Winning 2 championship titles with the Miami Heat, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the other with the LA Lakers, LeBron received four finals MVP titles for showcasing his skills in the finals.
Despite accumulating several opinions on the GOAT debate, the topic will remain a matter of dispute as long as the game exists.
