Is this guy better than that guy? An age-old debate

Yes, we’re all over the map today and I presume we will be for a few days as we try to figure out how to fill this space with odd and interesting stuff with a dearth of basketball news to dissect.

All ideas considered.

Until then …

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Did you all see the story from Friday morning where Scottie Pippen said LeBron James could be a better player eventually than Michael Jordan.

(It’s here in an ESPN.com version if you haven’t).

My immediate reaction?

Scottie had a few too many mimosas before going on the air to do the morning radio show.

Now, there is no denying LeBron’s talents and if the last two playoff series haven’t shown that he can be the most dominant player in the game right now, I don’t know what will.

What he did, especially in the Chicago series, was amazing.

He took over offensively, he took over defensively, your eyes were drawn to him every time you looked at the court.

But better than Michael?

Call me in six championships.

Or call me in three championships.

Or two.

Or maybe one.

But quite aside from that, the thing that made Jordan stand out to me – and the thing he’s got all over LeBron and almost everyone else – is he didn’t take games off.

It would have been easy for him to coast a lot of nights, to let others do their thing, to just show up.

But he didn’t.

He played as hard as he could on a Tuesday night in Milwaukee or a Sunday afternoon in Toronto or a game in the NBA Final.

I don’t know if it was his superior will to compete and dominate his opponent and the game or what but it’s what made him stand out, to me.

Now, I’m not saying that LeBron mails it in on a regular basis. But I have seen him, in person, be less than fully engaged in games and I never saw that from Michael.

On pure athletic ability, there’s not much to separate the two; in fact, James is such a freak of nature he may be the best pure athlete to ever play the game.

But that’s not all there is.

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And here I thought after Latka that Rev. Jim would be the next of his crew to shuffle off this mortal coil.

Silly me.

(Esoteric enough?)

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As the whole NBA Travelling Circus And Playoff Road Show heads to south Florida to start the Finals on Tuesday, here’s something for all of you HOTH fans to chew on:

If the series goes seven games and the Heat win because of homecourt advantage, there’s one team to thank:

The Raptors.

Remember way back in mid-April, last game of the regular season, Miami rests Bosh, Wade and James for a game at the Air Canada Centre?

I’m sure you do. Eddie House has about a million points, other no-names go nuts and Heat win?

Well, if the Raptors win that game, Miami doesn’t get home court advantage in a series with the Mavs and if the home crowd carries them in Game 7, we know who to blame, right?

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An age-old question right up there with Betty-Veronica, Ginger-Maryanne.

Ignatowski or Kramer?

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Okay, people. Listen up?

The mail’s almost full but I haven’t started to answer it (that’ll be tonight’s task, I imagine) so there’s room for you. Do it here.

And here’s a sampling:

Q: Hey Doug. John Hollinger wrote the other day that Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose have had similar playoffs (some great moments, but also some poor shooting, too many turnovers, and some late-game struggles), but the stories about them have been completely different. (Even now, Rose doesn't seem to be taking as much heat as one might assume.) Do you think they're being treated fairly? Also, any insight on how these stories pick up steam?

Craig B, Toronto

A: I think I might disagree on the point about Rose not getting as much heat as one might assume. He was getting killed in Chicago.

But I see the point and I imagine this is why:

Westbrook is the “other” guy and he did seem to take the better player, Durant, out of the action for too long in too many games. And that, I believe is where the basis of that criticism came.

Rose, on the other hand, was saddled with an offensively-challenged team and simply had to try to do a lot so the Bulls had a chance.

And the stories pick up steam, mostly, because the media needs something to chatter about on off-days and story lines to develop when games are on and Westbrook was a lightning rod. Doesn’t make it right, necessarily, but that seems to be the way it is; we need something to do and a good give-and-take on the relative merits of a specific player isn’t a bad way to talk about a series.

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Was quite interesting to act as a moderator for one of the panels at Canada Basketball’s first Congress yesterday afternoon.

It was Wayne Parrish (CEO of Canada Basketball), Adam Wedlake (executive director of Manitoba Basketball) and Sam Gibbs (chief athletic therapist for Canada Basketball) discussing the paradigm shift in how organizations use the mainstream media, social media and training programs now as opposed to how they used them a decade ago.

Today they’ll discuss better ways to involve women and new Canadians into the sport and while I know I may be biased, what the organization is doing is outstanding.

As I said yesterday to them, when I first started hanging around the game at the national and international level, there were all kinds of fractures and mistrust that dominated the game from coast-to-coast. Seeing people from all the provinces discussing the same thing, with representatives of the grassroots game, elite programs and officials is a major step.

And a good one.

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I liked the Barcas over the Madrids in the Copa del Rey final so I have to cheer for them in the Champions League thing today against Man United, right?

I’m thinking 3-1.

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I finally got a chance to sit and watch the final three minutes of so of Heat-Bulls closely yesterday.

Craziest finish to an NBA playoff game I ever saw in person.

(And the qualifier is “in person.”) Second would have been Jordan’s finish to his final game as a Bull in ’98 in Utah.

That was incredible. Jordan stripping Malone of the ball in post in the final minute, heading up the court, pushing off on Bryon Russell (sure it was a push-off but big whoop, happens all the time) and then hitting that dramatic game-winner.

But the Jordan play pales in comparison to what the Heat did. Sitting in the room watching it again – it was hard to pay absolute attention when I was sweating a very average story that had to be re-written in about four minutes – it amazes me how Miami simply did everything right and the Bulls did everything wrong.

And that final possession, the one that ended with Rose trying to hoist an awful shot from the perimeter, would be among the most disorganized, big-moment plays of all time.

 

Comments

[doug]

good old Taxi a hellava sitcom...good question and intriguing, Kramer or Jim...their both so unique and interesting characters, I can't decide....would have to call it a draw...as for the Jordan and James thought it's a easy answer for me...ask me in 10 years...my god people affiliated with the Bulls want to knock Jordan off his throne it seems....first there was Rose being compared to Jordan when he had over 40 points in a playoff game his first and Jordan has what 38....I just shook my head and laughed..., Jordan was good dam good, the best...Pippen just likes to speak and be recognized, plus he was always the Westbrook to Jordan being his Durant...wanting plays called for him, pouting, refusing to go into a game...sound familiar, who do you think would love to stir up this pot??

[Matt M]

It is interesting to see an incomplete sound bite from an interview cause such an uproar throughout the interweb. I don't think Pippen said Lebron is more accomplished than Jordan. 'Better than' isn't anything that hasn't been expressed repeatedly since LeBron broke into the league. He is bigger, faster, and stronger than Jordan ever was after all. He is a better (and more willing) passer and he can play more positions than Jordan. If anything holds Lebron out of the G.O.A.T. discussion it will be league and media propaganda (seems to be the same reason Oscar Robertson is held out of the discussion, except in certain circles).

I'm not buying that championships will change the discussion. If we do conclude that championships are in the in the discussion then the discussion should begin and end with Bill Russell since he has seven more than Jordan. Eleven players have at least as many championships as Jordan, including Robert Horry (with seven). Most of these eleven players are not in the G.O.A.T. conversation at all, especially Robert Horry. Differences in the number of championships seems to mean that player had the luxury of playing on teams that were among the elite in the league. Indicating a single player on any team was the sole reason for any championship demeans the remaining players on that team. Hopefully we all recall that Jordan did not win a single championship without Pippen at his side. Hopefully we can recall that same Bulls team came within a couple of wins from reaching the NBA championship, sans Jordan. Jordan doesn't win a single championship if his primetime self jumps on a time machine and plays for the current version of the Raptors.

[Jacques]

Doug, what's going on in Blazerland. Are they going to ask Roy to retire? Should the Raps call and inquire? would you take a chance on him? or ask about Oden?

[Lorie]

Hey Doug!
Scottie drinks mimosas? Who knew? Always thought he'd be more a Single Malt affecionado. And in the Ignatowski versus Kramer debate, well there's no debate for me. I am declaring enthusiastically for Rev. Jim. He was absolutely hilarious in a totally tears-of-laughter-streaming down your face way. And gave us one of the best moments in TV ever: http://youtu.be/ZY0iouvBTwg. And that trade that sent him from one commune to another for two goats and a Donovan album can only be compared in its headscratching lopsidedness to that involving the aforementioned Mr. Pippen and Olden Polynice. So, go Barca today! And Messi is great, but keep your eyes on Xavi. Sublime skills. Cheers, Doug! Now all together: "Tenim un nom el sap tothom: Barca, Barca, Barcaaaaa!

[m]

I agree with Matt M.

[Lee]

I raise a glass to the fictional character of Bobby Wheeler. The episode where Bobby impersonated Lou at his high-school reunion was one of the finest moments on television ever.

[doug]

this is the best article yet on the whole James-Jordan fodder...and Matt M how do you know Jordan doesn't win a championship in any other circumstance??...your in your own time machine I think...that is why to me the whole G.O.A.T. talk is just pure rubbish, people make statements that have no basis in fact and conjecture...to compare James to Jordan at this stage of the game, championships or no championships to me just proves the ignorance of those choosing one over the other...

http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2011/05/27/lebron-vs-mj-is-a-non-debate/?sct=hp_t2_a19&eref=sihp

[Rob.V]

LBJ is a great, great player!... better than Jordan? Hmm, he has all the tools however I'm not sure it's possible.
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MJ's body of work aside, it's the "fairy tale" storybook script that would be virtually impossible to match. Takes over the league, 3 rings, takes over... well... "the world".
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Dad gets murdered- retires to play Baseball... comes out of retirement... wins 3 more in a row... takes over the world.... again!!!
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It's a once in a lifetime happening! Truly legendary!
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Michael single handedly lifted the NBA to greater heights around the globe... in a time without Email-Internet-Twitter-Facebook.. or any other international communication.
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I love Lebron, and he's destined to win championships (no question)... but his game, and every other kids game today... is modelled aftter Michael Jordan's game.
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We like to compare and debate however in this instance it's really a non starter.
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MJ is Neo from The Matrix. He's "The One"!!!.. for many reasons.
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The final will be really interesting because Miami has yet to face a team with Dallas' offensive prowess... and Dallas has yet to face a team with Miami's defensive ability along with 2 great closers.
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My opinion. Miami has become a better team throughout the playoffs however the Mavs seem to be the TOD this season.. I guess we'll see.

[Lorie]

Sorry. This should work.
http://youtu.be/ZY0iouvBTwg
And if it doesn't, it's the Taxi "Driving Test" vignette!

[Abbey]

Lorie, when I watched that episode way back when I was kinda depressed, and that scene gave me one of the greatest laughs I had ever had. And rest in peace, Bobby. Thanks for the memories.

Oh, and the two characters were equally fantastic.

[Wallace]

Hi Doug,

If you're the Raptors GM, and have decided to go PG in the draft, do you go with Knight or Walker? Thanks.

Blogger's note: Today? Probably Knight but I'd want to talk to each of them and watch them work out and I haven't had that chance

[jimmy]

Doug, does Rip Hamilton in a Bulls jersey change the outcome of the Bulls-Heat series at all?

Blogger's note: It would entirely depend on who wasn't in a jersey so that he was

[Kent]

There's no question that Jordan was the best player in his era. There are some nights when I wonder if Lebron is even the best player on his own team. Probably a oversimplified view, but thats how I look at it.

[Kejben]

Barca won 3-1 :) My Congratulations Doug!!

[red]

Rev Jim - through the "misfortune" of his friends, went from top-of-his class to submitting his final paper in finger paint (classic, who today could think of things like that). Would have to break the very, very close tie with Jim. Can Kramer claim to have King Tut as his father???

[Matthieu]

3-1!!!! even better than spurs by 12 ;)

[Michel G]

Good call on the soccer game Doug. Messi is quite something. My goodness he's good.