LeBron, Jordan: Perfect together
Who would win in a oneon-one duel between LeBron James and Michael Jordan?
That’s not even a question: It’s Jordan, handsdown.
But would Jordan and James make for the best two-man tandem in the history of the league? That’s not even a question, either: You couldn’t find two better players to pair.
James didn’t quite say they’d be the best duo of all-time, but in a video on the Uninterrupted’s
YouTube channel, the
Lakers’ star described why he and Jordan would be a perfect fit.
“Me personally, the way I play the game — team first — I feel like my best assets work perfectly with Mike,” James said. “Mike is an assassin. When it comes to playing the game of basketball, scoring the way he scored the ball, (then) my ability to pass, my ability to read the game plays and plays and plays in advance.”
That’s something you can take to the bank. James has had his most success playing alongside a dominant scorer and play-maker in the back court.
He won his first two championships with Dwyane Wade, one of the two best shooting guards of his era alongside Kobe Bryant. James won his third championship thanks to a huge shot from Kyrie Irving, who is of the Bryant and Jordan ilk of super scorers with a killer instinct.
Something else: Scottie Pippen was LeBron James before LeBron was LeBron. Pippen was an athletic, twoway, play-making forward who could score at-will in spurts, but in his best season, he averaged 22 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals per game.
James averaged almost 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds this season — at age 35.
“I saw the things (Pippen) was able to do with Mike. I just think it would’ve been a whole ’nother level,” James said. “Pip was one of my favorite players … It would’ve been a whole ’nother level with me being a point forward, with me being that point forward alongside of him during those Chicago runs.”
Too bad it is one of those things in sports we’ll never have a chance to see … like a Giants-Jets Super Bowl.
Here’s a hiccup: We’ve seen star players like Chris Bosh and Kevin Love take drastic hits to their numbers when playing next to James. That role would now be reversed — this is MJ’s show. How would LeBron deal?
Another thing to consider: How does LeBron fit into the Triangle Offense? Michael Jordan made it clear that he wasn’t playing for a coach other than Phil Jackson.
At the end of the day, the greats find ways to win, and Jordan and James are arguably the two best basketball players of alltime.
There’s no way they don’t run off championship after championship. At least not until Jerry Krause blows the team up.