Hereās a very interesting NBA Finals comparison between LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
Image credit: Fadeaway World
Michael Jordan and LeBron James will forever be linked as two of the greatest players of all time. Even though they never played a game, James and Jordan have been the subject of intense debate for quite some time. No matter which side of the argument youāre on, thereās no doubting how well these players have performed throughout their illustrious careers. The comparisons never stop, and luckily, thereās a new one here today.
Over the years, youāve seen us compare LeBron James and Michael Jordan in a number of ways, but weāve never delved into their Finals performances. These two superstars have performed extremely well at the highest level of competition in the NBA, winning many times. James has entered the NBA Finals 10 times in his career, with a record of 4 wins and 6 losses. Jordan has entered the NBA Finals 6 times in his career and has a perfect career record of 6 wins and 0 losses. In his 15-year career, Jordan never even played in Game 7 of a Finals series. Itās time for us to showcase their respective performances in the finals and draw conclusions from them.
Hereās how LeBron James and Michael Jordan fared in the NBA Finals.
integral
LeBron James: 28.4 points per game (1,562 total)
Michael Jordan: 33.6 points per game (1,176 total)
There is no doubt that LeBron James and Michael Jordan are two of the best Finals scorers of all time. James has played 20 more games than Jordan in the NBA Finals but has 2 fewer series wins, so context is essential when looking at the totals here. James has averaged more than 30.0 points in three of his 10 Finals appearances, but those three were in series he lost. His best series came against the Warriors in the 2015 Finals, when he averaged 35.8 points over six games. In that series, he averaged more than 32 attempts per game and shot just 39.8 percent from the field.
Michael Jordan is the greatest total scorer of all time. Jordan thrived in stressful situations, including his 35-game run in the NBA Finals. Jordan has averaged 30.0 points or more in five of his six NBA Finals series games, shooting better than 50.0 percent from the field in three of those games. His best series came in 1993, when the Bulls took on the Phoenix Suns in the Finals. Jordan averaged 41.0 points in the series and beat the Suns in six games. Heās shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc in the series.
Advantage: Michael Jordan
rebound
LeBron James: 10.2 rebounds (561 total)
Michael Jordan: 6.0 rebounds (211 total)
The fact that LeBron James is averaging close to a career triple-double in the NBA playoffs is a legendary feat. Playing small forward for most of his career, and even in the frontcourt, has allowed James to dominate his teamās rebounds. The fact that the ball has to be in his hands for his teams to be successful has contributed enormously to his overall stats over the years. This is by no means a criticism of James, but a vivid observation of his impact. He averaged more than 10.0 rebounds in six of his 10 Finals appearances, including a career-high 13.3 in a 2015 Finals loss to the Warriors.
Rebounding wasnāt a huge part of his game for Jordan, who still averaged 6.0 in his Finals career. Even when players with better rebounders like Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen played with him, Jordan still got his rebounds more than once. In three of his six NBA Finals appearances, Jordan averaged over 6.0 rebounds per game, his career high came in 1992 against the Portland Trail Blazers when he averaged 6.5 rebounds per game . Thereās no question that LeBron is a better rebounder than Jordan, but letās not forget that Jordan was pretty good considering his 6-foot-6 frame.
Advantage: LeBron James
assist
LeBron James: 7.8 APG (430 total assists)
Michael Jordan: 6.0 APG (209 total assists)
In the next category that we break down, I want to clarify one thing. In terms of passing, do you see the numbers? None of these people should be viewed as selfish basketball players. Now that itās all over, LeBron James has been one of the best playmakers in NBA history for most of his career, and itās no different for him in the NBA Finals. James averaged 10.0 assists per game in back-to-back Finals losses in 2017 and 2018. Heās averaged 6.5 assists or more in nine of his 10 Finals appearances, and has been on the court nearly every time.
Michael Jordan was not a selfish basketball player either. You might think he was because of the story told in the documentary and his obsession with winning, but on the court, a different story was told. Jordan averaged 6.0 points per game or more in four of his six Finals victories, with his best performance coming in his first-ever Finals. In the 1991 series against the Lakers, Jordan averaged 11.4 assists and led the Bulls to their first NBA championship. He had 10 or more assists in Games 1, 2, 4 and 5, and nine assists in Game 3.
Advantage: LeBron James
steal
LeBron James: 1.7 SPG (93 total steals)
Michael Jordan: 1.8 SPG (62 total steals)
Another important aspect of these players is their defense. LeBron has been selected to the All-Defensive Team many times, and his most iconic highlight in the NBA Finals is his defensive performance. James has averaged an SPG above 2.0 in three of his 10 Finals games, and his teams have gone 2-1 in those series. Heās also a versatile defender who can switch bigs and keep up with smaller, faster guards. In terms of steals, his best defensive series came in the 2016 Cavaliers comeback win. He averaged 2.6 SPG in the most historic comeback in NBA history.
As for Jordan, his defensive prowess is well documented. Jordan is a former Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time All-Defensive Team selection. Jordan averaged more than 2.0 SPG just once in the 1991 NBA Finals against the Lakers and guarded Magic Johnson for most of the five games. Jordan never averaged less than 1.0 SPG in the Finals series and averaged more than 1.5 SPG five times.
Advantage: Michael Jordan
Building Blocks
LeBron James: 0.8 BPG (46 total blocks)
Michael Jordan: 0.7 BPG (23 total blocks)
From a steal standpoint, the defensive efforts of these two superstars are not limited to destruction. James and Jordan are also two of the best at blocking shots and changing shots at their respective positions. LeBronās most iconic performance in the NBA Finals was the 2016 chase block on Andre Iguodala. He averaged 2.3 blocks per game throughout the seven-game series, arguably a career high in the Finals.
Before Dwyane Wade came along and broke his mark, Michael Jordan was the most blocked shots by a shooting guard in NBA history. Heās been tough, strong, and relentless defensively throughout his career, and the Finals were no exception. His career-high blocks in a Finals series also came in the 1991 series against the Lakers. Jordan averaged 1.4 blocks per game in those 5 games, including 2 blocks in Games 3, 4 and 5.
Advantage: LeBron James
hit rate
LeBron James: 48.4 percent from the field, 35.2 percent from three, 73.1 percent from the free throw line
Michael Jordan: 48.1% FGG, 36.8% 3P, 80.6% FT
Scoring efficiency has been a strength for both players throughout their NBA careers and even improved in the NBA Finals. Jamesā career finals hit rate was 48.4%, only 0.3% higher than Jordan. He has struggled from beyond the arc, shooting under 36.0 percent from the field and taking 5.2 attempts per game from beyond the arc. Where James has really struggled is at the free throw line, where he shot just 73.1 percent for his career in the Finals. His most efficient series shot came against the Spurs in 2014, when he shot 57.1 percent in the series loss.
As for Jordan, his overall efficiency was legendary compared to his peers at the time. Jordan shot 48.1 percent overall, but was more efficient than LeBron at the 3-point line and from the free-throw line. Jordan may have attempted just 3.3 3-pointers on average during his Finals career, but he knocked them down on 36.8 percent of them. Pretty good for a guy whose fans say he canāt shoot 3s. Jordanās game was at the rim and in the mid-range, where he mastered his craft and used those skills to reach the highest level a player could achieve.
Advantage: Michael Jordan
Finals record
LeBron James: 4-6
Michael Jordan: 6-0
Going to the NBA Finals, LeBron James did something few players have ever done. James has reached 10 NBA Finals in his career and is 4-6 overall in those series. In his first NBA Finals in 2007, James was defeated by the San Antonio Spurs dynasty in 4 games. As a member of the Miami Heat, he reached 4 straight Finals, in those series he went 2-2 over the Thunder and Spurs and lost to the Mavericks and Spurs. With the Cavaliers from 2015 to 2018, James advanced to the Finals four more times and went 1-3 in those series. His 1 win is one of the greatest Finals victories in NBA history.
It took Michael Jordan eight seasons to reach his first NBA Finals with the Chicago Bulls. Once he did, winning was all he knew. Under the guidance of Phil Jackson, Jordan, along with some top talent, reached 3 consecutive NBA Finals, where he won all 3 Finals MVP awards, and the Bulls became the first since the Celtics in the 60ās A three-peat winning team. Then, 3 years later, Jordan and the Bulls made another three-peat, with Jordan winning all 3 Finals MVPs, 6 in total, and taking him to a perfect 6-0 record in the NBA Finals.
Advantage: Michael Jordan
final result
LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan 3-4
Who Was Better In The Finals: Michael Jordan Or LeBron James?
Before I start answering the question, I want to point out that I believe both players are elite Finals players. However, when a player wins more and goes undefeated than has a sub-.500 record in the Finals, I believe the question will answer itself. Now, you can point to the ābetter competitionā excuse for James if you want, but thatās just an excuse in my book. If a team is good enough to get to the NBA Finals, theyāre good enough to win the NBA Finals.
Michael Jordan never played in an NBA Finals series. LeBron Jamesā biggest flaw came when he disappeared when it mattered most against the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. Many pointed out that if that never happened, James would be the undisputed GOAT. However, it does happen and we cannot base our opinions on hypothetical situations. Who do you think is the greatest, that is my opinion that cannot be changed. Mainly because, at this point, youāve probably already made up your mind. Both players deserve consideration, as evidenced by their career histories, especially in the NBA Finals.
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