In match 6, the 2020 NBA Finals series, LeBron James left the final mark when the clock counted down from 2 minutes and 6 seconds. James failed on the 3-point shot, then rebounded (caught the rebound) and rushed straight into the circle of 4 Miami Heat players to score 2 points.

It was a phase that reflected the Heat’s helplessness against the 35-year-old star. James is so fast and strong for his age that most basketball players cannot survive in the NBA. “King James” set a Triple-double (3 indexes out of 10 points) to lead the Lakers to win the 2019/20 NBA championship.

James has won the championship 4 times on 3 different teams. In history, James is the only athlete to win Finals MVP 3 times on 3 teams. From James’ new achievements, basketball fans are once again divided into two extremes for the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate. Between James and Michael Jordan, who is the greatest athlete in basketball history?

Ke eight ounces, the pound

Michael Jordan is associated with the title “King of Basketball” after the huge legacy he left behind in the NBA. Meanwhile, LeBron James is called “King James” because of the qualities of a “once in a hundred” athlete in the number one basketball tournament on the planet.

Jordan spent 15 glorious seasons on the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards teams. In particular, Jordan devoted his brilliant years at the Bulls and turned this team into an unstoppable empire. As for James, he has spent 17 seasons at the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers teams.

Michael Jordan is surpassing his juniors in some key indicators. Graphics: Minh Phuc .

ESPN called Jordan a symbol of loyalty. Meanwhile, James broke this very standard, willing to carry the prejudice of a “traitor” to create his own empire. Jordan and the Bulls won the NBA championship 6 times. James has 2 fewer titles than Jordan, but the difference is that LeBron won 4 NBA championships in 3 different jerseys.

“Jordan is truly great in a Bulls shirt. With James, wherever he goes, he leaves behind greatness,” CNN commented on the battle between James and Jordan. NBC Sports said: “Do you prefer a player who has had a successful career at one team, or a player who leaves his mark everywhere he goes?”.

Counting titles is not a way to determine who is better between Jordan and James. Instead, experts debated from the numbers and specific performances of the two stars on the ring.

James has played 260 games in the NBA playoffs, a record in the league. “King James” appeared in 9 of the last 10 NBA finals. Jordan has reached the NBA finals 6 times and has a winning record. The special thing is that the “basketball king” has set a record with 6 NBA Finals MVP titles.

In the NBA playoffs, James averaged 28.8 points, 9 rebounds and 7.2 assists. Jordan’s performance is 33.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists (in 179 appearances). In the NBA finals alone, James achieved a Triple-double 11 times. And in the play-offs, James scored a triple-double 28 times, only less than the legendary Magic Johnson (30 times).

In May 1989, Jordan left a classic moment when he threw a buzzer-beater throw, described as a “dagger” in front of Craig Ehlo’s marking. Eight years later, Jordan performed a picturesque buzzer-beater jump shot, helping the Bulls defeat the Utah Jazz in the first game of the 1997 NBA Finals.

James also created a series of life-changing moments. In Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals, “King James” successfully threw at the crucial moment, helping Heat create a 4-point gap with only 27.9 seconds left on the clock. In Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, James created a classic moment with a block from Andre Igoudala.

From ESPN ‘s perspective, Jordan faced frequent one-on-one battles during his career. During James’s era, teams tended to defend more in the area. In theory, James is easier than Jordan in terms of defensive pressure, but the tactics are heavier.

“If Jordan plays football now, can he maintain a low turnover rate?”, ESPN asked. Jordan is better in steals (ball cuts) in the playoffs (2.1 shots/game compared to James’ 1.7 shots/game). Meanwhile, James is superior in the number of blocks (1 block/game compared to Jordan’s 0.8 blocks/game).

“Jordan has the more formidable attack ability, but James is superior in most other skills. That is concluded through the numbers of the two athletes at different stages. The disadvantage in this argument is that Jordan and James can never compete. Therefore, the assessments never come to an answer that satisfies everyone”, commented ESPN .

For NBA fans, the regret is that Jordan and James will never be able to face each other. Photo: Getty.

Miracles and regrets

Jordan is praised for the story of suddenly giving up basketball to find baseball. This anecdote appeared when Jordan’s father suddenly passed away in 1993. The “King of Basketball” suffered a huge shock, leading to the decision to leave basketball. At that time, Jordan was 31 years old and had won 3 NBA championships.

After more than a year, Jordan caused a stir with the brief content in the fax, “I’m back.” Jordan returned to the Bulls when the team was facing the brink of collapse and the rest is history. Jordan regained his position as the “king of basketball”, helping the Bulls win 3 more NBA championships.

James has maintained amazing stability since his NBA debut in 2003. After 17 seasons, “King James played nearly 1,500 games. James shook the NBA when he abandoned the Cavaliers to join the Heat. After that, James returned to the Cavaliers, helping his hometown team reach the top of the NBA for the first time.

At the age of “minus”, James’s conquest continued when he joined the Lakers in the summer of 2018. James’s appearance brought the Lakers back to the position of NBA champion after 10 years of waiting. NBC Sports praised: “Over time, James has increasingly perfected his football skills. After Jordan, only James has had such a great influence when he was over 35.”

For followers of the orange ball, the careers of Jordan and James leave many regrets. If Jordan hadn’t suddenly retired from basketball the first time, would he have won the NBA championship eight times in a row? For James, the loss to the Dallas Mavericks in NBA 2011 left pain for the supporters of the star from Ohio.

During his peak period, James was unlucky when he encountered the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors from 2017 to 2019 were a group of many absurdities, because there was a time when this team took the field with 5 NBA All-Star level players. James’s excellence is not enough for the Cavaliers to do anything against the stars of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green or Kevin Durant.

The debate about the GOAT in the NBA is heating up, but this is not the end. Jordan has retired, while James still maintains his current position in the NBA. In the 2019/20 season, James played more than 2,000 minutes, while maintaining superstar statistics in the top 5 NBA (average 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists).

“If James wins the NBA championship next season, the debate about GOAT will be relieved of many problems. In case James wins the NBA championship two more times, and equals the achievement with Jordan, many fans will have the real answer. The race between Jordan and James is not over yet and let’s enjoy it”, ESPN wrote.

Jordan constantly dodged when asked who is the GOAT in the NBA. After Game 6 of the 2020 NBA Finals, James received this question and answered: “I don’t know. Can you answer that for me?”.