OT GOAT James Wins Another

[Silent Banjo]

To me Magic Johnson was the greatest basketball player ever. I had Bird and Jordan tied for second. All of my friends know that I was a Jordan hater but I always argued it took him a little bit to realize, you have to make everyone better around you. That is something that Magic and Bird did every time they touched the court.
I have always said that Lebron is the athletic version of Magic. Lebron's rookie year was great because he could have put up 30 shots a game and no one would have said a word about it, but he was so unselfish To me I started calling Lebron the greatest ever after the 2015 series against GS. What he did in that series was ridiculous. And then the 2017 and 2018 series sealed it.

That's just my opinion.

You could make a case for Magic, and the idea of Lebron being a more athletic Magic is valid. Where that superior athleticism is most evident is on defense. Lebron has always been a much better defensive player than Magic ever was, and that's why he can be considered the superior player.

 

[Zorich 88]

The man is simply not human 17 years another 3 full seasons in the playoffs & he doesnt look like he is slowing down. If LBJ & AD stay healthy they could win 3 in a row. Best to ever do it.

James win’s the majority of his playoff runs against teams that have major players with injuries.

This championship has the Covid-19 *. There were zero road games. Portland at home are killers.

Denver on the road.

The bubble was a joke. This is not a legitimate championship.

 

[TOMMY_23]

Lebron is 4-6 in the NBA Finals. MJ was 6-0.

Brian Kelly has a 1-7 record at Stanford and Michigan combined.

I’m beginning to think Golson5 just likes to spin bs on here or in fact likes losers way too much.

 

[Zorich 88]

You are right. Hes the Greatest Of All Time now. Amazing player. Amazing career. Its a shame so many people put hate on the guy. Just phenomenal. Can do it all. Just special. Unreal career

The greatest of all time now? So wait, last week he was not? Now that he won the Covid-19 tournament he is the greatest?

Jordan
Kobe
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic
Wilt

But LJ anywhere you want after that.

 

[NIN Irish]

The greatest of all time now? So wait, last week he was not? Now that he won the Covid-19 tournament he is the greatest?

Jordan
Kobe
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic
Wilt

But LJ anywhere you want after that.

Kobe #2. 😂

 

[Zorich 88]

Kobe #2. 😂

No doubt!

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

Among wistful Bulls fans and bots of David Falk's marketing efforts, no doubt. I'm a Chicago area resident who knows better.

While you may be a Chicago area resident who holds a different opinion, I would hardly characterize your position as being better or more informed. I should think about 99.9% of your fellow Chicagoans hold a different opinion than yours.

 

[Golson5]

James win’s the majority of his playoff runs against teams that have major players with injuries.

This championship has the Covid-19 *. There were zero road games. Portland at home are killers.

Denver on the road.

The bubble was a joke. This is not a legitimate championship.

You're high

 

[Golson5]

The greatest of all time now? So wait, last week he was not? Now that he won the Covid-19 tournament he is the greatest?

Jordan
Kobe
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic
Wilt

But LJ anywhere you want after that.

Kobe over Lebron made me laugh lol

 

[Golson5]

Lebron is 4-6 in the NBA Finals. MJ was 6-0.

Brian Kelly has a 1-7 record at Stanford and Michigan combined.

I’m beginning to think Golson5 just likes to spin bs on here or in fact likes losers way too much.

Jordan lost 7 times before he made the Finals. Not good enough 7 times to even make the Finals. You like guys losing before they even get to tge Finals. Be better

 

[Golson5]

To me Magic Johnson was the greatest basketball player ever. I had Bird and Jordan tied for second. All of my friends know that I was a Jordan hater but I always argued it took him a little bit to realize, you have to make everyone better around you. That is something that Magic and Bird did every time they touched the court.
I have always said that Lebron is the athletic version of Magic. Lebron's rookie year was great because he could have put up 30 shots a game and no one would have said a word about it, but he was so unselfish To me I started calling Lebron the greatest ever after the 2015 series against GS. What he did in that series was ridiculous. And then the 2017 and 2018 series sealed it.

That's just my opinion.

Magic is extremely underrated from who I see people making their lists.

I have

LeBron
MJ
Magic

As the 3 best players Ive seen. Kareem and Russell get put over them for career accomplishments and I dont have a problem with that. But I'd start my team with Magic 3rd

 

[Golson5]

The greatest of all time now? So wait, last week he was not? Now that he won the Covid-19 tournament he is the greatest?

Jordan
Kobe
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic
Wilt

But LJ anywhere you want after that.

Ive gone back and forth with Lebron and MJ 1 and 2 since 2015. I keep changing my mind. But Lebron hasnt slowed down. He keeps improving his game. And hes not slowing down. His career is amazing

 

[Silent Banjo]

While you may be a Chicago area resident who holds a different opinion, I would hardly characterize your position as being better or more informed. I should think about 99.9% of your fellow Chicagoans hold a different opinion than yours.

Ironically, because you're not informed at all about me, you're hardly in a position to proffer any valid comment about the merits of my opinion as measured against other Chicagoans. I don't think it rash to assume that decidedly fewer than 99.9% of my fellow Chicagoans are less than knowledgeable basketball fans. One can also posit that even many of my fellow Chicagoans who are knowledgeable basketball fans have their opinion of Jordan slanted and colored by favorable bias. I strongly suspect you fall into that groupthink.

 

[Silent Banjo]

James win’s the majority of his playoff runs against teams that have major players with injuries.

This championship has the Covid-19 *. There were zero road games. Portland at home are killers.

Denver on the road.

The bubble was a joke. This is not a legitimate championship.

One could easily say that the pandemic imposed greater challenges on winning the NBA title.

The team had to regroup after the shutdown and maintain discipline to a much more extended time.

They lost Avery Bradley, their best defensive guard.

As you noted, every game was on a neutral court, meaning the Lakers sacrificed home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

 

[NotreDame du Lac]

I could care less about his political opinions. Means absolutely zero to me. He can think what he wants. I dont agree with him at all but who cares.

Same. Totally disagree with him, doesn’t make him a worse player. I’d love to see him and Covington mix it up. Would be fun to watch a super star fighter giving up a foot in height and 100 lbs fight a monster athlete like that.

 

[Toby Smart]

"He can think what he wants", unless he comes here with a strong differing opinion on Ian Book or BK. Then, it's on.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

Ironically, because you're not informed at all about me, you're hardly in a position to proffer any valid comment about the merits of my opinion as measured against other Chicagoans. I don't think it rash to assume that decidedly fewer than 99.9% of my fellow Chicagoans are less than knowledgeable basketball fans. One can also posit that even many of my fellow Chicagoans who are knowledgeable basketball fans have their opinion of Jordan slanted and colored by favorable bias. I strongly suspect you fall into that groupthink.

And you, likewise, know nothing at all about me. While I confess to being a long-time Bulls fan, I am neither "wistful" nor a "bot" of David Falk's marketing efforts on behalf of MJ, as you condescendingly concluded in a previous post on this thread. Your opinion that LBJ is "most assuredly" No. 1 on the GOAT list and that MJ is "probably" No. 3--which suggests you might place him lower on the list--is an opinion that I dare say 99.99999% of fans who know anything at all about NBA basketball don't share. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Silent Banjo]

And you, likewise, know nothing at all about me. While I confess to being a long-time Bulls fan, I am neither "wistful" nor a "bot" of David Falk's marketing efforts on behalf of MJ, as you condescendingly concluded in a previous post on this thread. Your opinion that LBJ is "most assuredly" No. 1 on the GOAT list and that MJ is "probably" No. 3--which suggests you might place him lower on the list--is an opinion that I dare say 99.99999% of fans who know anything at all about NBA basketball don't share. But that's just my opinion.

You gave an absolute opinion about me, and I couched mine about you with "I suspect." Nothing overtly condescending about my reference to Jordan and the attendant fanfare. Chicago has generally been cited as an absurdly provincial city. I love the place and have lived around the area virtually all my life, so I'm speaking from experience. There's no insult in being rated as the third, fourth, or fifth best basketball player of all time (it's actually lofty praise), and any true distinctions in quality among all these elite performers is razor thin and likely illusory. You're ending percentage is absurd, and we both know that it isn't your sincere opinion.

 

[Golson5]

You gave an absolute opinion about me, and I couched mine about you with "I suspect." Nothing overtly condescending about my reference to Jordan and the attendant fanfare. Chicago has generally been cited as an absurdly provincial city. I love the place and have lived around the area virtually all my life, so I'm speaking from experience. There's no insult in being rated as the third, fourth, or fifth best basketball player of all time (it's actually lofty praise), and any true distinctions in quality among all these elite performers is razor thin and likely illusory. You're ending percentage is absurd, and we both know that it isn't your sincere opinion.

Calling MJ number 3, 4 or 5 would be an insult to him

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

You gave an absolute opinion about me, and I couched mine about you with "I suspect." Nothing overtly condescending about my reference to Jordan and the attendant fanfare. Chicago has generally been cited as an absurdly provincial city. I love the place and have lived around the area virtually all my life, so I'm speaking from experience. There's no insult in being rated as the third, fourth, or fifth best basketball player of all time (it's actually lofty praise), and any true distinctions in quality among all these elite performers is razor thin and likely illusory. You're ending percentage is absurd, and we both know that it isn't your sincere opinion.

I was born and raised in Chicago and lived there for more than 2 decades, and I didn't find it any more provincial than other big cities with professional sports teams. Do you really think Chicago is any more provincial than New York, Boston, Detroit or Philadelphia? Yes, Chicagoans are passionate about their professional sports teams--who can forget "Da Bears" or the Super Bowl Shuffle?--but the same can be said about sports fans in many big cities.

I don't agree with the argument made by you and others on this board that Lebron is now GOAT, but I will concede a colorable argument can be made in his favor. Where I strongly disagree with you is your argument that LBJ is "most assuredly" the GOAT, and that MJ is #3 or lower on that list. While there was admittedly some hyperbole attached to the 99.99999% figure I gave in my earlier post, I feel pretty confident in saying that a decided majority of fans, analysts and pundits who follow the NBA closely still give the GOAT crown to MJ, and that a very small percentage (less than 1%) wouldn't have MJ as either #1 or #2. As you note, that isn't necessarily an insult to MJ, but I dare say it is an opinion held by very few.

 

[Silent Banjo]

Calling MJ number 3, 4 or 5 would be an insult to him

You mean he'd take it as an insult? Certainly, there should be no insult placing him behind Lebron and Kareem. Having him ranked a little lower than his plaudits is more a byproduct of the tidal wave of hype more than anything else. In fact, Jeff Gundy practically had him as no more than No. 3 during the telecasts, so I guess he's in that minuscule percentage of experts that fits into Drink The Green Koolaid's figure.

 

[Silent Banjo]

I was born and raised in Chicago and lived there for more than 2 decades, and I didn't find it any more provincial than other big cities with professional sports teams. Do you really think Chicago is any more provincial than New York, Boston, Detroit or Philadelphia? Yes, Chicagoans are passionate about their professional sports teams--who can forget "Da Bears" or the Super Bowl Shuffle?--but the same can be said about sports fans in many big cities.

I don't agree with the argument made by you and others on this board that Lebron is now GOAT, but I will concede a colorable argument can be made in his favor. Where I strongly disagree with you is your argument that LBJ is "most assuredly" the GOAT, and that MJ is #3 or lower on that list. While there was admittedly some hyperbole attached to the 99.99999% figure I gave in my earlier post, I feel pretty confident in saying that a decided majority of fans, analysts and pundits who follow the NBA closely still give the GOAT crown to MJ, and that a very small percentage (less than 1%) wouldn't have MJ as either #1 or #2. As you note, that isn't necessarily an insult to MJ, but I dare say it is an opinion held by very few.

I was making a general observation about Chicago, and while provincial certainly applies to its sports teams, I wasn't singling that out. Boston, Philadelphia, and NYC are all part of the eastern seaboard and have long felt superior, while LA and San Francisco have the gold coast to feel privilege over. Chicago has long been the largest city in the middle of the country and are deemed isolated from things. The term "second city" originated as a complex, and the SNL skit, "Da Bears" played off of that.

Look, I'm not trying to bash Jordan at all, he had a swagger, verve, and acrobatic style that was a unique combination of grace and power. I saw him play a lot, including a game were he score 12 straight points against an extremely good New York Knicks team. You're right that I was speaking more for myself than anyone else when I gave that "most assuredly" No. 1 comment, obviously I was speaking for me. As I said, the entire pecking order is debatable. Since I'm into quoting Van Gundys, let me cite Jeff's bother Stan, who considers Lebron the greatest. He acknowledged "I know my opinion goes against the flow, but that's genuinely how I feel." Works for me as well. Just one other point, MJ is in the clubhouse, and Lebron is making great shots on the course and enhancing his legacy. So many of his records are placing him ahead of other competitors. Pretty soon critical mass will be reached with his momentum of play and he'll crack the barrier of absolute resistance by Jordan fans....at least some of them. Not Charles Barkley, though, LOL.

 

[Zorich 88]

Kobe over Lebron made me laugh lol

Are you saying Kobe would not have won a championship this season with this Lakers team minus LJ?

Lebron just won a professional AAU tournament.
Kobe would destroy any and all Lebron lead teams.

 

[Zorich 88]

One could easily say that the pandemic imposed greater challenges on winning the NBA title.

The team had to regroup after the shutdown and maintain discipline to a much more extended time.

They lost Avery Bradley, their best defensive guard.

As you noted, every game was on a neutral court, meaning the Lakers sacrificed home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The bubble was a joke. It was a glorified AAU tournament.

 

[Zorich 88]

Magic is extremely underrated from who I see people making their lists.

I have

LeBron
MJ
Magic

As the 3 best players Ive seen. Kareem and Russell get put over them for career accomplishments and I dont have a problem with that. But I'd start my team with Magic 3rd

Lebron over MJ and Kobe is simply insane. I am not a MJ fan. However, MJ is the greatest by far.
There is one reason super stars like Ewing, Barkley, Malone, Stockton do not have rings. Jordan has their rings and he would have Hakeems ring if MJ didn’t retire. That is a dominance that Lebrun does not have.
Lebron jumps from team to team until a gets a ring.

 

[Silent Banjo]

The bubble was a joke. It was a glorified AAU tournament.

I don't agree, I found it intense, competitive, and filled with great athleticism.

 

[Zorich 88]

View embedded media

I don't agree, I found it intense, competitive, and filled with great athleticism.

You can say all the same things about a high school AAU tournament.

 

[Silent Banjo]

You can say all the same things about a high school AAU tournament.

Sounds like you're dedicated not to liking it, I should have added to the end of my sentence..."every bit on a par with the best the NBA could hope to offer."

 

[Golson5]

You mean he'd take it as an insult? Certainly, there should be no insult placing him behind Lebron and Kareem. Having him ranked a little lower than his plaudits is more a byproduct of the tidal wave of hype more than anything else. In fact, Jeff Gundy practically had him as no more than No. 3 during the telecasts, so I guess he's in that minuscule percentage of experts that fits into Drink The Green Koolaid's figure.

He'd take it as an insult and he should. Van Gundy said Lebron and Kareem had the better overall career, longevity. He never said they were better players. Van Gundy has said MJ is the greatest player. I still think MJ is 2, but he cant be lower than 2. Its 1 or 2 for him in my opinion. Anything lower is insulting

 

[Golson5]

Are you saying Kobe would not have won a championship this season with this Lakers team minus LJ?

Lebron just won a professional AAU tournament.
Kobe would destroy any and all Lebron lead teams.

Yes I am saying that. Lebron is a better player and he makes everyone better than they are. Kobe didnt do that.

Lebron has a much better overallhead to head record against Kobe and that was with a lot of bad Cavs teams.

Lebron didnt have the advantage of homecourt he would have had this year. Neutral court. And he still won

Get outta here with the Kobe better than Lebron talk. Nonsense

 

[Golson5]

Lebron over MJ and Kobe is simply insane. I am not a MJ fan. However, MJ is the greatest by far.
There is one reason super stars like Ewing, Barkley, Malone, Stockton do not have rings. Jordan has their rings and he would have Hakeems ring if MJ didn’t retire. That is a dominance that Lebrun does not have.
Lebron jumps from team to team until a gets a ring.

Lebron is easily over Kobe. Lebron v MJ is a great debate.

I can name players that dont have rings fron this era too. Who cares

 

[Golson5]

You can say all the same things about a high school AAU tournament.

You can say whatever you want. Anyone who actually watched the games saw basketball played at an extremely high level. Some all time great games and performances. You seem to be just a guy who likes to hate on the NBA or Lebron. Oh well. Dont watch

 

[Silent Banjo]

He'd take it as an insult and he should. Van Gundy said Lebron and Kareem had the better overall career, longevity. He never said they were better players. Van Gundy has said MJ is the greatest player. I still think MJ is 2, but he cant be lower than 2. Its 1 or 2 for him in my opinion. Anything lower is insulting

I'm talking about GOAT in terms of careers. I also think one can place Kareem and Lebron as 1 and 2 under any context. Van Gundy has said MJ is the GOAT, and given how MJ destroyed his Knicks I can see why he said it. We don't know what he'd say now, although his recent comments suggest Kareem and Lebron. Let's not forget that Pippen once said Lebron was No. 1 and then retracted his statement after all of Chicago brow beat him. I'm sure MJ, with his alpha ego, would be insulted. Just because you're insulted doesn't mean the cause of the insult isn't true. Do you think Kareem should say thank you to someone saying "You're number 3?"

 

[Pennick4]

Trump fans will bring up LJ's thoughts on China yet ignore the fact Trump has applauded Kim Jong-Un.

'Why shouldn't I like him?' Trump piled praise on Kim Jong Un in his first interview since their summit collapsed

The president in an interview with Sean Hannity Thursday night described the North Korean leader as a "real leader."

www.businessinsider.com

MAGA.

 

[Toby Smart]

Trump fans will bring up LJ's thoughts on China yet ignore the fact Trump has applauded Kim Jong-Un.

'Why shouldn't I like him?' Trump piled praise on Kim Jong Un in his first interview since their summit collapsed

The president in an interview with Sean Hannity Thursday night described the North Korean leader as a "real leader."

www.businessinsider.com

Trump haters will bring up North Korea or Russia (take your pick) but yet ignore the fact Lebron has applauded China.

 

[Golson5]

I'm talking about GOAT in terms of careers. I also think one can place Kareem and Lebron as 1 and 2 under any context. Van Gundy has said MJ is the GOAT, and given how MJ destroyed his Knicks I can see why he said it. We don't know what he'd say now, although his recent comments suggest Kareem and Lebron. Let's not forget that Pippen once said Lebron was No. 1 and then retracted his statement after all of Chicago brow beat him. I'm sure MJ, with his alpha ego, would be insulted. Just because you're insulted doesn't mean the cause of the insult isn't true. Do you think Kareem should say thank you to someone saying "You're number 3?"

From listening to Kareem,hes the kind of guy that would probably say thank you. Mike is the type of guy who would ve been insulted and he'd probavly say f*** you lol. Hes the most competitive elite athlete I've ever seen. Thats why it took me so long to put Lebron over him. Mike is a killer and competitive as hell. Hes an assassin

 

[Golson5]

Trump haters will bring up North Korea or Russia (take your pick) but yet ignore the fact Lebron has applauded China.

Im a Trump supporter and I could care less about what Lebrons politics are. Hes a basketball player. Who cares

 

[Toby Smart]

Im a Trump supporter and I could care less about what Lebrons politics are. Hes a basketball player. Who cares

I'm not preaching to you or anyone about what or who you are watching so stop feeling so defensive. If you want to watch, then watch. My comments are on him, not you. A lot of people care, maybe not you, but many do. To each their own.

 

[Zorich 88]

Yes I am saying that. Lebron is a better player and he makes everyone better than they are. Kobe didnt do that.

Lebron has a much better overallhead to head record against Kobe and that was with a lot of bad Cavs teams.

Lebron didnt have the advantage of homecourt he would have had this year. Neutral court. And he still won

Get outta here with the Kobe better than Lebron talk. Nonsense

Lebron jumped ship from every team he ever played on once the going got tough.

He had to join Wade and Bosh in Miami to win his first championship.

Then, once the Heat players around him started to slow down with age and injury, he jumps ship back to the Cavs. Why the Cavs? It had nothing to do with “hometown”. If that was the case he never would have left the Cavs. He rejoined the Cavs because they had Kyrie and added Love.
Then he jumps to LA because he knew his agent who is also ADs agent, would help build another super team.

Look, the guy is good, really good. However, it’s his mental weakness that puts him outside the top 5 All time.

Kobe and MJ would own this guy in a championship series.

Again, I will ask you, put MJ or Kobe on this Laker team minus LJ, do the Lakers still win the bubble championship? Of course they do.

 

[Zorich 88]

You can say whatever you want. Anyone who actually watched the games saw basketball played at an extremely high level. Some all time great games and performances. You seem to be just a guy who likes to hate on the NBA or Lebron. Oh well. Dont watch

Teams shooting 30-60 shots from behind the 3 point line is not great basketball.

Zero defense is not great basketball.

Refs calling 20 fouls on Portland in the first half and 5 on the Lakers, is not great basketball.

I can go on and on with these type of points.

I love the NBA. My family and I make it a point to watch the finals together.
However, the bubble sucked. The only people that enjoyed this style of basketball was LJ fans and Laker fans.