LeBron James has just won his second straight NBA championship and his second straight Finals MVP award, and as always, the comparisons to Michael Jordan are at an all-time high, so let’s take a look at how these two player’s careers stack up against each other 10 years in, respectively.First of all, why did I choose to compare the two 10 years in? Why not both at age 28 (the age that LeBron is now)? The answer is that it would be unfair.
LeBron entered the league at age 18 and therefore by age 28, he would have played 10 seasons in the NBA. Jordan, on the other hand, entered the league at age 21, and therefore at age 28, he would have only played seven years in the league. In fact, at age 28, Jordan had played almost 200 games less than LeBron (589 compared to 765 for James).
Here's how their careers stack up for their first decade in the NBA.
Accolades
MVPs:MJ: 3 – finished 2nd twice and 3rd twice
LBJ: 4 – finished 2nd once and 3rd once
Championships:
MJ: 3 in 3 tries
LBJ: 2 in 4 tries
Finals MVPs:
MJ: 3 – MJ became the first person in NBA history to win finals MVP three for three consecutive years, a feat later repeated by himself and achieved by Shaquille O’Neal
LBJ: 2
Scoring Titles:
MJ: 7
LBJ: 1
Steals Titles:
MJ: 3
LBJ: 0
Rookie of the Year:
MJ: 1
LBJ: 1
Defensive player of the year:
MJ: 1 – The year MJ won DPOY, he also led the NBA in steals & points per game & won MVP
LBJ: 0
Scoring Title and MVP in the same season:
MJ: 3
LBJ: 0
MVP and Finals MVP in the same season:
MJ: 2
LBJ: 2
Scoring Title and Steals Title in the same season:
MJ: 3
LBJ: 0
Scoring Title and DPOY in the same season:
MJ: 1
LBJ: 0
Scoring Title and Finals MVP in the same season:
MJ: 3
LBJ: 0
Games Played
MJ: 684 - MJ missed the majority of his second season with a broken foot and retired in 1993. He came back for the last 17 games of the 1994-1995 season
LBJ: 765
Minutes Played:
MJ: 26,510
LBJ: 30,374
Regular Season Averages
Points per game:MJ: 32.2
LBJ: 27.6
Assists per game:
MJ: 5.9
LBJ: 6.9
Rebounds per game:
MJ: 6.3
LBJ: 7.3
Steals per game:
MJ: 2.7
LBJ: 1.7
Blocks per game:
MJ: 1.0
LBJ: 0.8
FG%
MJ: 51.4%
LBJ: 49.0%
3PT%
MJ: 30.7%
LBJ: 33.7%
FT%
MJ: 84.5%
LBJ: 74.7%
NBA Finals Breakdown, Comparison to Regular Season
A player’s numbers in an NBA Final should increase/be inflated due to the fact that only a maximum of seven games can be played compared to a maximum of 82 games in the regular season and due to the fact that a player should raise their level of play when they get to the NBA Finals (due to the stakes being higher).LeBron In 2007 NBA Finals
NBA Finals: 22 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 6.8 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, 35.6% FG, 20.0% 3PT, 69.0% FTRegular Season: 27.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 6.0a pg, 1.6 spg, 0.7 bpg, 47.6% FG, 31.9% 3PT, 69.8% FT
Conclusion: LeBron’s play dropped when it pertained to: scoring (FG%, 3PT% and FT%), steals and blocks. However, it increased when it came to rebounding and passing.
LeBron In 2011 NBA Finals
NBA Finals: 17.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 6.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.5 bpg, 47.8% FG, 32.1% 3PT, 60.0% FTRegular Season: 26.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7.0 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.6 spg, 51.0% FG, 33.0% 3PT, 75.9% FT
Conclusion: LeBron’s play dropped when it pertained to: scoring (dramatically), FG%, FT% and 3PT%. Additionally, despite his passive nature in this series, his assists declined as well as his rebounds, and blocks. His steals increased. Defensively, LeBron was poor this series as those who have watched the series will know that Jason Terry (who actually out-scored LBJ: 18.0ppg on 49.4%FG and 39.3% 3PT) was often able to score and get to the basket easily.
LeBron In 2012 NBA Finals
NBA Finals: 28.6 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 7.4 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.4 bpg, 47.2% FG, 18.8% 3PT, 82.6% FTRegular Season: 27.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 6.2 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.8 bpg, 53.1% FG, 36.2% 3PT, 77.1% FT
Conclusion: LeBron’s points per game increased, however his FG% fell by approximately 6-percent. His 3PT% also decreased by almost 20-percent, however his FT-shooting increased. His rebounding and passing increased, but his steals per game and blocks per game decreased. Defensively, LeBron was sound in this series, although some might bring up that Kevin Durant (the opposing SF) shot 55-percent and averaged 30 ppg for the Finals.
LeBron In 2013 Finals
NBA Finals: 25.3 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 7.0 apg, 2.3 spg, 0.9 bpg, 44.7% FG, 35.3% 3PT, 79.5% FTRegular Season: 26.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.9 bpg, 56.5% FG, 40.6% 3PT, 75.3% FT
Conclusion: LeBron’s scoring dropped in points per game, FG% and 3PT%. His steals and rebounding increased as well as FT-shooting. However, his passing decreased slightly. In my opinion, this was by far his best finals series defensively, as he showed great versatility in being able to guard Tony Parker in critical moments of various games, most noticeably in towards the end of Games 6 and 7. Those that have watched the series will know that scoring wise, LeBron under-performed significantly for the first three games (failing to score over 20 points in either of them), however, he redeemed himself in the remaining four games.
LeBron's NBA Finals Averages
(4 NBA Finals – 22 games): 23.2 ppg, 43.8 FG%, 9.0 rpg, 7.0 apg, 1.72 spg, 0.59 bpg, 26.5 3PT %, 72.7% FTOverall Conclusion: When it comes to the NBA Finals, LeBron’s scoring and overall efficiency has decreased. He has raised his level of play when it pertains to rebounding and has continued to be an effective passer. Overall defensively, he has shown some inconsistency but has excelled in the later NBA Finals series.
Jordan In 1991 NBA Finals
NBA Finals: 31.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 11.4 apg (second-highest all-time for a Finals series), 2.8 spg, 1.4 bpg, 55% FG, 50% 3PT, 84.8% FTRegular Season: 31.5 ppg (led the league), 6.0 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.7 spg, 1.0 bpg, 53.9% FG, 31.2% 3PT, 85.1% FT
Conclusion: In the Finals, Jordan raised his level of play when it pertained to: scoring, shooting (FG%, FT and 3PT; his points per game decreased slightly), rebounding, passing (which doubled!), stealing, blocking and also defensively. Scottie Pippen did guard Magic Johnson for extended periods due to Jordan getting into foul trouble (Games 1 and 2 of the series). However, overall, Jordan’s energy and effort on defense increased.
Jordan In 1992 NBA Finals
NBA Finals: 35.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.3 bpg, 52.6% FG, 42.9 3PT%, 89.1% FTRegular Season: 30.1 ppg (led the league), 6.4 rpg, 6.1 apg, 2.3 spg, 0.9 bpg, 51.9% FG, .270 3PT%, 83.2% FT
Conclusion: In the Finals, Jordan raised his level of play when it pertained to: scoring, shooting (FG%, FT and 3PT%; he set an NBA record of six made three-pointers in one half in Game 1 of this series), passing and blocking. His steals and rebounding declined, however, those that have watched this series will know that this is probably Jordan’s best series defensively. He took Clyde Drexler (who finished second in MVP voting) out of his game offensively, so much so that Drexler’s shooting percentages fell from 47% FG and 33.7% 3PT in the regular season to 40.7% FG and 15.0% 3PT in the Finals.
Jordan In 1993 NBA Finals
NBA Finals: 41.0 ppg (NBA Finals record which still stands today), 8.5 rpg, 6.3 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.7 bpg, 50.8% FG, 40.0% 3PT, 69.4% FTRegular Season: 32.6 ppg (led the league), 6.7 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.8 spg (led the league), 0.7 bpg, 49.5% FG, 35.2% 3PT, 83.7% FT
Conclusion: In the Finals, Jordan raised his level of play when it pertained to: scoring (dramatically), FG%, 3PT% rebounding and passing. His level of play dropped when it came to steals and FT% and stayed the same when it came to blocks.
Jordan's NBA Finals Averages
(3 NBA Finals – 17 games): 36.0 ppg, 53.06 FG%, 7.2 rpg, 8.06 apg, 2.06 spg, 0.8 bpg, 44.3 3PT %, 81.1 FT%Overall Conclusion: When it came to the NBA Finals, Jordan raised his overall level of play both offensively and defensively. While MJ was a prolific scorer, he showed the ability to adapt or adjust his game to different situations and increase his passing and/or rebounding numbers while still scoring at an increased rate.
Conclusion
Michael Jordan – (3 NBA Finals – 17 games): 36.0 ppg, 53.06 FG%, 7.2 rpg, 8.06 apg, 2.06 spg, 0.8 bpg, 44.3 3PT %, 81.1 FT%LeBron James – (4 NBA Finals – 22 games): 23.2 ppg, 43.8 FG%, 9.0 rpg, 7.0 apg, 1.72 spg, 0.59 bpg, 26.5 3PT %, 72.7% FT
In the NBA Finals after their first 10 years, Jordan has higher: scoring, FG%, 3PT%, FT% and assist averages, as well as having played better, more consistent defense. LeBron has the advantage when it pertains to rebounding.
Jordan faced the: fifth, third and ninth best defenses in the NBA Finals. On average, that’s abut the sixth best defense in the league. LeBron faced the: second, eighth, 11th and third best defenses in the NBA Finals. On average, that’s the sixth best defense in the league.
Perimeter defenders and teams in Jordan’s era were allowed to defend much more physically due to being able to hand-check, the absence of the three-second rule and more.
Additionally, MJ matched up against Magic and Drexler in 1991 and 1992, respectively, both of whom finished second in MVP voting that year (due to MJ winning MVP). In 1993, MJ faced (but didn’t match up against) Charles Barkley, who won MVP that year (MJ finished third behind Hakeem Olajuwon).
In 2007, Tim Duncan finished fourth in MVP voting and Tony Parker finished 15th. In 2011, Dirk Nowitzki finished sixth in MVP voting. In 2012, Kevin Durant finished seconnd (LeBron won MVP and matched up against Durant). In 2013, Tony Parker finished sixth in MVP voting.
Overall, after 10 years in the NBA, Jordan had dominated the league at a higher level than LeBron from both an offensive and defensive stand point and had raised his level of play in all areas on a more consistent basis in the NBA Finals better than LeBron had.
