OPINION: 3 Reasons Why Lebron James Surpassed Michael Jordan For G.O.A.T.

A debate that has been discussed for the better part of a decade has finally been settled: Lebron James, not Michael Jordan, is the greatest basketball player of all time.

There are plenty of people out there that would disagree.

Some would say the argument for Lebron is clouded by his recent heroics. It’s a fair point considering just how monumental his performance in the 2016 NBA Finals was, not only for the city of Cleveland, but for basketball, nationally and internationally.

James averaged 29.7 points 11.3 Rebounds and 8.9 assists in the most recent edition of the NBA’s finest three weeks. The 6-foot-8, Akron, Ohio native, saved his finest performance for last, notching a triple-double in the series deciding game, posting 27 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists. King James carried his team from down 3-1, to victory in a Game 7.

2016 NBA FINALS HIGHLIGHTS

That alone is cause for elevation within the pantheon of the basketball’s most prolific players. But with a closer look, his star rises further.

1. COMPETITION

The Cleveland Cavaliers became the first team in the history of the NBA to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win the title. Cleveland exacted revenge against a Golden State Warrior squad that had set a league record, finishing 73-9 in the regular season, after falling to the Dubs in the 2015 Finals.

Did MJ ever play a 73-win team? Ok, we knew that answer. How about a 70-win team? Nope.

65?  Not once, not never.

Twice Jordan faced a 64-win team in the Finals, beating the Seattle Supersonics (1996) and Utah Jazz in six games (1997), but those were the best regular season records he had to contend with, a far cry from a 73-win, defending champion Warriors team.

2. ALL-AROUND PLAYER

If we were debating who is the best scorer of all time, hands down Jordan takes it. As he would handle the competition for the most exciting player of all time, or the best dunker.

MICHAEL JORDAN’S TOP 10 DUNKS

His Airness can never be diminished. But he just wasn’t the same quality of all-around player that James has become.

In the 1996-97 playoffs, Jordan averaged 31.1 points per game and added 7.9 rebounds per contest.

That was Jordan’s most productive playoff run in terms of rebounding, about eight boards a game. His next highest playoff average was 7.2 in the 1990 NBA Playoffs.

James averages 8.8 rebounds for his career in the playoffs, to go with 6.8 assists per game. MJ averaged 5.7 assists for his playoff career.

3. DEFENSE

Jordan was an all-world defender, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1988 and stands as a 9-time All-Defensive First Team.

James is a 5-time All-Defensive First Team selection, though he has never won Defensive POY.

No matter, because unlike MJ, Lebron can match up with any player on the court, at any time.

King James can guard any player in the league for that matter and that is not an overstatement. Watch him lockdown Kevin Garnett in the 2007 NBA Finals.

LEBRON BLOCKS KEVIN GARNETT

Could Michael guard Hakeem Olajuwon? Or Kareem Adbul-Jabbar? No.

MJ would be hard-pressed to ‘D’ up Magic Johnson. It’s not a knock, it’s just a reflection of his size.

Keep in mind that Bron-Bron averaged 2.6 steals and 2.6 blocks in the 2016 finals, numbers Jordan never even approached in a championship series.

“THE BLOCK”

Look, it is not an easy realization to come to grips with, especially if you grew up with Michael Jordan, especially if you wore a No. 23 Bulls jersey even though you were a Knicks fan, and especially if you watched “Air Time” on repeat with your friends.

If you have one shot to take, Michael is taking the shot.

But if you have one play to make, you want the ball in Lebron’s hands.

MJ, is still His Airness, one of a kind, basketball royalty.

But when it comes down to the Greatest, Lebron is King.