NBA Finals Thread - Oklahoma City Thunder V Miami Heat

O.P.H

Paully D wrote: »

Well Rodman didn't join the Bulls until 1995, which was 4 years after Jordan had won his first championship and Kerr didn't join the Bulls until 1993, which was 2 years after Jordan won his first championship. Jordan had 3 rings before Rodman joined the Bulls and 2 before Kerr joined the Bulls.

At the time when Jordan first won a ring (which was kind of what this whole debate was about) he had to adapt his game to Jackson's triangle offense which wasn't easy for him, but he did it. Pippen was at the stage when he was getting migraines before huge games and many people were wondering if he had what he took when it came to crunch time (in any case Scottie was recruited through the draft and it wasn't as if he acquired by similar means to Miami's big 3). Jordan took over in the playoffs and the finals after losing the first game and credit to Pippen he came good, especially in the final game, and his career really took off from there but the starting 5 was Paxson, Jordan, Pippen, Grant and Cartwright. There was basically no productivity from the bench at all and the team constantly lost big leads because the bench was so poor. It was hardly the Harlem Globetrotters. I don't think people really understand how difficult it was for them to get over the line that first time. I agree with you on the coaching and Jackson was superb.

Anyway, the main point that is being made in this debate is that MJ didn't quit on the Bulls to go and join up with his mates to win a ring despite thinking he'd never get it done with the Bulls in his first few years. In fact, Jordan was unhappy at the help he was given even during that first championship season but he stuck with it and basically wouldn't let himself quit until he won at least one championship. LeBron played in 5 eastern conference semis, two eastern conference finals and a finals, but ultimately he couldn't take the next step and in the end took the easy way out. Jordan never would have done that. Could you ever imagine Jordan ringing up Bird or Magic and trying to get them all on one team?

It really is an insult to MJ for people to compare LeBron to him.

To be fair now, Wade and Bosh aren't Bird or Magic. If Lebron had stayed with Cleveland he would have ended up like Garnet, wasting his best years with a team for the sake of pride. Garnet says now that the losing makes the winning all the better but I reckon if you let him go back he would have left Minnesota much earlier. The thing I don't like is the talking in individuals, like saying Lebron could have done this or that with his team, my point being is that you are only as good as your team and Cleveland proved they just didnt have it. And Lebron owes nothing to Cleveland, he has to live his life and made the right choice for him. At the end of the day though all this comparing is a complete waste of time because everything is relative to its time. As fun as it is to compare sports stars form different times, its pointless as its all subjective. All I know if Lebron goes on to do what Jordan did, then he's up there with him simple as no asterix needed and I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Lebron, cause he's the most entertaining, dynamic and best player out there and has been for some time now.