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Thursday, April 25, 2024
Sports Bulls

The LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan debate rages on

By  Dan Cahill
   
SHARE The LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan debate rages on
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Is LeBron James better than Michael Jordan? | Getty Images

With each playoff victory and thunderous dunk, LeBron James inches closer to Michael Jordan’s greatness.

So, social media tells us.

Before ESPN deemed him the greatest, Jordan had competition in his own field from Wilt, Oscar, Russell, The Logo, Dr. J and Kareem. Now, it’s almost a given that MJ and GOAT are synonymous.

Jordan has been perched atop the pedestal, pretty much unscathed, for the past two decades. Kobe tried to topple him but came up short. Shaq, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett—all are great but far short of greatest.

[nicelink url=http://chicago.suntimes.com/basketball/7/71/627809/lebron-james]

Then, along came LeBron. Not as graceful, competitive or marketable as His Airness but formidable, nonetheless. And, LeBron is still trying to erase one bad decision (and just might in a couple of weeks).

In these NBA Playoffs, more than any, the King has laid claim to Michael’s throne, and longtime hoop junkies don’t like it. The “who’s better” dialogue that once was restricted to barroom banter, now plays out in social media for millions to ponder.

Rest assured, as the NBA Finals unfold, the debate will only intensify.

As you can see, it’s only beginning …

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