King hasn’t passed Jordan yet, but he’s close
Before he landed awkwardly on the Garden floor – on that doomsday night for New York basketball, Feb. 6, 2018 – Kristaps Porzingis was the only reason to watch the Knicks, to feel encouraged about their future, to think there could be something other than misery after the Patrick Ewing trade.
The ensuing two months have only reinforced that belief. The Knicks have trotted out the wannabes, propping up Michael Beasley and Trey Burke and whoever else might be holding the ball the most in another loss. But we know the deal. They’d be backups on a good team. And in the case of Beasley, the type of losing player New York should run away from this summer in free agency. (Same with Kyle O’Quinn, who is likely to become a free agent and never lost fewer than 50 games in a season over a six-year career as a backup).
Selling us O’Quinn and Beasley and the success of the G League is like peddling Domino’s pizza. It’s only appealing when there are no alternatives, when it’s 3 a.m. and everybody else stopped delivering.
Porzingis, on the other hand, is the real deal — not only on the court, but in the way he invigorates a dormant fanbase awaiting his return. He popped up at the Garden on Saturday for Latvian Heritage Night – a celebration arranged by the Knicks only because Porzingis is from Latvia – and the crowd buzzed as soon as it caught a glimpse.
“This made my century,” said a young kid armed with a fresh autograph.
When Scottie Pippen ever be made.” says the comparison Pippen won six NBA Championships between Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls as Robin and LeBron James to Jordan’s Batman. He’s going to “shouldn’t ever be stay loyal to his guy and rightfully made,” just remember that Pippen so. But the gap between Jordan and knows better than anyone where his LeBron has never been closer, even bread was buttered. if James has won half as many titles. “Michael Jordan is the greatest The LeBron James that arrives at player to ever put on shoes and play Madison Square Garden on Monday in our game,” Pippen said isn’t the same LeBron James on ESPN’s “The Jump.” from three or five years ago. He may “I’m always asked actually be better. to compare him to At 33, he still dominates at both LeBron, and I try to ends of the floor and even if the make the best of Cleveland Cavaliers enter the NBA it. But really, Playoffs as the fourth seed, James the comparison is still the favorite to return to the NBA Finals for an eighth straight shouldn’t year. After James rallied the Cavs from a 16-point deficit in the final six minutes to defeat Washington on Thursday, Wizards coach Scott Brooks said of LeBron: “Like I said before the game, I’ll say it after the game and probably five years from now I’ll say the same thing. He’s the best player in the league and he does that every night. You don’t get to see players like him often.”
LeBron’s play this season defies both logic and the laws of physics. In his 15th season, LeBron is 23 minutes shy of eclipsing 3,000 minutes for the first time in six years. He’s appeared in 80 games, his most in nine years and if he plays in the final two against the Knicks he will have appeared in all 82 for the first time in his career.
He isn’t just the King of New York. He’s the King of the entire basketball world. Still.
LeBron’s minutes and productivity are up. He’s currently averaging career highs in both assists (9.2) and rebounds (8.7). His 27.7 points per game average is currently the fifth highest of his legendary career and his highest in eight years.
While players of his age are declining (See: Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade), LeBron is performing at a ridiculously high level. He has even made up ground in the Most Valuable Player race and just might yet beat out the favorite, Houston’s James Harden, for the award.
On Friday, James nearly rallied the Cavs from a 30-point deficit only to lose 132-130 to Philadelphia, which has won 13 straight. The Sixers also moved ahead of the Cavs and into third place in the Eastern Conference standings.
“I mean, we dug ourselves that hole,” James said. “So we’re a prideful team, and the only way we get back into the game was just kind of get scrappy and play a little bit more physical, make some shots. But no, listen, we was down 30, and for us to come all the way back, it just shows what we’re capable of doing.”
But this was a master class from James, who was logging big minutes for the second straight night. He finished with 44 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. It was his career-high 18th triple double of the season.
“He is amazing,” says Sixers head coach Brett Brown. “In my opinion, he is the best player to have ever played our sport. And he just keeps getting better.”
Greatest ever? Jordan still seems to have an edge, but consider that James has already played more games (1,141 to 1,072) and more minutes (44,249 to 41,011) than Jordan. And with LeBron able to stay injury free and keep his body in tiptop condition, there is no reason why he can’t maintain this pace for another two to three years.
Jordan turned 30 the year he decided to walk away from basketball and play minor league baseball. He returned in mid-March the following season and quickly regained his form; in his last three years with the Bulls, Jordan never missed a regular season game and won three championships. It remains an amazing accomplishment.
As a 33 year old, Jordan averaged 29.6 points during the regular season and then 31.1 points in the playoffs. Of course, LeBron is asked to do more since he doesn’t have a sidekick on the level of Pippen. evin Love is an All-Star, but Pippen was an All-Star Swiss Army knife. He could do everything and defend every position. Jordan was the closer.
LeBron isn’t Jordan. At least not yet. He’s more of a hybrid of Jordan and Pippen.
He’s something we have never seen before and may never see again.
K