You think MJ’s getting nervous? King James almost took his (player poll) GOAT crown this time around, and he’ll do just that next year if this voting trend continues. In this endless debate, His Airness has experienced serious slippage for the third consecutive poll. Jordan had a huge edge in 2019 (73 percent to LeBron’s 11.9 percent) and was still nearly doubling him in 2023 (58.3 percent to 33 percent). Now the gap is only 3.8 percent. It makes some sense, though, as James is doing things at this late stage of his career that players this age have never done. And these many feats, it’s quite clear, are changing the way some players see this debate. Consider the highlights of his past 14 months…
Source: The Athletic
Source: The Athletic
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Josh Martin @Bulls_Wire
LeBron James catching up to Michael Jordan in The Athletic’s GOAT poll bullswire.usatoday.com/2024/04/22/chi… pic.twitter.com/ABO7R3lMew – 2:05 PM
LeBron James catching up to Michael Jordan in The Athletic’s GOAT poll bullswire.usatoday.com/2024/04/22/chi… pic.twitter.com/ABO7R3lMew – 2:05 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Total playoff points:
8,050 — LeBron James
6,612 — Every active Nugget combined pic.twitter.com/qlsCFmi7Dj – 1:58 PM
Total playoff points:
8,050 — LeBron James
6,612 — Every active Nugget combined pic.twitter.com/qlsCFmi7Dj – 1:58 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
LeBron in 44 playoff games for the Lakers:
25.9 PPG
9.8 RPG
7.8 APG
1.2 SPG
52.7 FG%
The only Laker to average 25/5/5 in the playoffs since the merger. statmuse.com/nba/player/leb… – 1:32 PM
LeBron in 44 playoff games for the Lakers:
25.9 PPG
9.8 RPG
7.8 APG
1.2 SPG
52.7 FG%
The only Laker to average 25/5/5 in the playoffs since the merger. statmuse.com/nba/player/leb… – 1:32 PM
The Ringer @ringernba
The Magic offense will break my TV.
LeBron is trapped in a time loop.
Herb Jones vs. SGA is the best matchup of the first round.
@zachkram examines one overreaction from Game 1 of each series: theringer.com/nba/2024/4/22/… – 12:53 PM
The Magic offense will break my TV.
LeBron is trapped in a time loop.
Herb Jones vs. SGA is the best matchup of the first round.
@zachkram examines one overreaction from Game 1 of each series: theringer.com/nba/2024/4/22/… – 12:53 PM
Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
New edition of THE LIST on game 1.
Quick doubles on Jokic and how he attacked them
Trapping Murray during bench minutes
5-4 PnR success
LeBron on Jokic in the post
youtu.be/AVNssPqyCGs?si… pic.twitter.com/l27ZfCniIV – 12:04 PM
New edition of THE LIST on game 1.
Quick doubles on Jokic and how he attacked them
Trapping Murray during bench minutes
5-4 PnR success
LeBron on Jokic in the post
youtu.be/AVNssPqyCGs?si… pic.twitter.com/l27ZfCniIV – 12:04 PM
Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynski
Anonymous NBA player poll 2024: LeBron or Jordan as the GOAT? Most overrated? Finals favorite? theathletic.com/5433545/2024/0… – 9:27 AM
Anonymous NBA player poll 2024: LeBron or Jordan as the GOAT? Most overrated? Finals favorite? theathletic.com/5433545/2024/0… – 9:27 AM
Vinny Benedetto @VBenedetto
No change to the injury reports ahead of Monday’s Game 2 in Denver. Vlatko Cancar is the only Nugget listed.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis are probable for Lakers. Reddish, Wood, Vanderbilt and Hood-Schifino remain out. – 6:07 PM
No change to the injury reports ahead of Monday’s Game 2 in Denver. Vlatko Cancar is the only Nugget listed.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis are probable for Lakers. Reddish, Wood, Vanderbilt and Hood-Schifino remain out. – 6:07 PM
Katy Winge @katywinge
I asked Peyton Watson about a few interactions I saw between him and LeBron James in Game 1. “He’s been playing as long as I’ve been alive” is a wild perspective shift 😭 pic.twitter.com/cBlI5kX6Fo – 2:44 PM
I asked Peyton Watson about a few interactions I saw between him and LeBron James in Game 1. “He’s been playing as long as I’ve been alive” is a wild perspective shift 😭 pic.twitter.com/cBlI5kX6Fo – 2:44 PM
Josh Martin @Bulls_Wire
Kenyon Martin on why Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan was so hard to guard bullswire.usatoday.com/2024/01/18/nba… pic.twitter.com/98ndJCeAxi – 4:16 PM
Kenyon Martin on why Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan was so hard to guard bullswire.usatoday.com/2024/01/18/nba… pic.twitter.com/98ndJCeAxi – 4:16 PM
Katy Winge @katywinge
Playoff Jamal Murray:
Last year vs Lakers: 32.5ppg, 6rpg, 5apg (53%FG, 41%3P)
Career post season: 53 games, 25ppg, 6apg, 5rpg (47%FG, 40%3P)
Guards in NBA history with 50+ playoff games avg 25+pts, 5+reb, 5+ asts?
Jerry West, Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, and Jamal Murray. – 12:31 PM
Playoff Jamal Murray:
Last year vs Lakers: 32.5ppg, 6rpg, 5apg (53%FG, 41%3P)
Career post season: 53 games, 25ppg, 6apg, 5rpg (47%FG, 40%3P)
Guards in NBA history with 50+ playoff games avg 25+pts, 5+reb, 5+ asts?
Jerry West, Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, and Jamal Murray. – 12:31 PM
More on this storyline
George Karl: I’ve been around hoops for 50 years and I’ve seen a lot of incredible players, including Connie, Julius, Michael, Tim, Shaq, KAJ, Kobe and LBJ. But, at this point, I’m thinking Jokic may be the best player I’ve ever seen play basketball. -via Twitter @CoachKarl22 / April 21, 2024
Dave McMenamin: Peyton Watson on a Game 1 matchup with the Lakers’ star: “I’m still 21 years old. He’s been playing as long as I’m alive. So I got a chance to talk to LeBron James and I did it.” -via Twitter @mcten / April 21, 2024
Duane Rankin: “That brother is special.” @stephenasmith on what Michael Jordan told him about Anthony Edwards GM1 vs. #Suns. SAS: “You see somebody coming, how do you stop their momentum? You stop their momentum by saying, ‘Yeah you coming, but dammit I’m here.’ We didn’t see that Saturday.” pic.twitter.com/l4O6Dm7dQk -via Twitter @DuaneRankin / April 22, 2024
Tom Thibodeau would not stop repeating the same three words: Corey f—ing Kispert. Kispert, the Washington Wizards sharpshooter, had just walked all over Thibodeau’s New York Knicks in the first half of a late-season game in 2023. A player averaging 11 points entering the night had already dropped 20 through two quarters. With the Knicks down eight at the half, their head coach barged into the locker room. “Corey f—ing Kispert!” Thibodeau bellowed. “Corey f—ing Kispert! Corey f—ing Kispert.” He kept going, revving himself up. “He said it like five times. … Every one just progressively got louder,” Josh Hart recalled. Then Thibodeau reached his breaking point. “How does Corey Kispert,” he crescendoed, “turn into Michael Jordan?!” -via The Athletic / April 22, 2024