Michael Jordan’s All-Time Starting Five vs. LeBron James’ All-Time Lakers Starting Five: Who Would Win A 7-Game Series? | CPT PPP Coverage
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Michael Jordan’s All-Time Starting Five vs. LeBron James’ All-Time Lakers Starting Five: Who Would Win A 7-Game Series? appeared on fadeawayworld.net by Nick Mac.
The conversation about the greatest NBA player of all time between Michael Jordan and LeBron James is sure to be a conversation and debate that never ends. This matchup today will have nothing to do with that conversation and much more to do with the all-time starting lineup that Michael Jordan chose back in 2013 versus the recently named Lakers starting lineup selected by LeBron James. Both lineups include each G.O.A.T. candidate, and we will determine who built the better team around them.
Each team represented today is as complete as an NBA starting lineup can get. Prolific scorers like Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, and Michael Jordan take center stage in this matchup, while great defenders like Scottie Pippen and James Worthy make their presence felt as well. The greatest point guard to ever live, Magic Johnson, will face off against himself, but each will play the same role for their respective squads. Then, there is the battle of the big man as Shaquille O’Neal will try to get his revenge on Hakeem Olajuwon from the 1995 NBA Finals. This matchup is sure to produce some fireworks, so let’s get into it.
This is Michael Jordan’s all-time starting lineup vs. LeBron James’ all-time Lakers lineup.
Magic Johnson vs. Magic Johnson
The matchup of Magic Johnson vs. Magic Johnson is one that may have many scratching their heads. How does this work? Doesn’t it just cancel each other out? Both are valid questions that I hope to explain here. The reason this matchup becomes interesting is because of the way that each version of Magic will defend the other. The version of Magic that is on Jordan’s team should have no problem distributing to the likes of Hakeem and Jordan. We already know what he can do with an outstanding big man, so Hakeem is a huge advantage for Jordan’s Magic.
The version of Magic Johnson that is with LeBron’s Lakers is going to prove to be much more dangerous. LeBron’s team has a group of guys that love to run and push the pace in transition. With guys around him like Kobe, West, and LeBron, Magic might record a few 20-assist games. Ok, maybe not 20, but he will be assisting those guys often on fast breaks. How they defend each other will be the key to who takes advantage in this matchup. LeBron’s Magic will be forced to take on his alter-ego in more isolation situations, given the versatility of Jordan’s lineup. Jordan’s Magic will have to play more of a team defense, considering that every player must be accounted for on LeBron’s team. Even though the situation is as unrealistic as possible, who wouldn’t want to see Magic go up against Magic?
Michael Jordan vs. Jerry West
I do not think it is any secret that Michael Jordan absolutely dominates this matchup between him and Jerry West. That isn’t a knock towards West, but this is the greatest player of all time that we are talking about. Based on how this lineup is built, Jordan will have the opportunity to play the game exactly how he wants to. He can dominate scoring the ball from the mid-range and, with the paint being spaced out more than usual, he can get to the rim with ease. Jordan won’t need to be a three-point shooter at any point, although he could knock them down, which is contrary to the popular opinion amongst people who didn’t watch him play. He will also be able to hold down West on defense and force him to pass it off when West would like to be a scorer.
West will be a nice addition to the backcourt next to Magic. West was a pure scorer and pure shooter who, if left open in this matchup, will surely knock down his fair share of shots. He can also take some pressure off of Magic, handling the ball and running point in certain situations if need be. West was a decent defender in his day also but mostly as someone anticipating passes off of the ball. He is going to have his hands full trying to slow down Michael Jordan, but it is possible if LeBron’s team can be more team-oriented on that side of the ball.
Scottie Pippen vs. Kobe Bryant
This matchup may seem lopsided, but when we dive deeper into it, it’s closer than it appears. Offensively, Pippen will be most dangerous on the open floor as a finisher and playmaker next to Jordan and Magic. Pippen should also be considered one of the better perimeter defenders to ever grace the basketball court. He could shut down an opposing team’s best offensive player if tasked with it. Pippen used his agility, lateral movement, and length to force opponents into tough shots and costly turnovers. The problem with that in this matchup is that he’s going against one of the better tough shot-makers ever.
There are a few advantages that Kobe holds over Pippen in this matchup. Bryant is a bit faster than Pippen and could definitely get past him on offense using that speed. Bryant will also use his elite athleticism to rise up over Pippen on jump shots and also finish at the rim. Kobe’s clutch shot-making will be key to Team’s LeBron as Kobe will see more than ample opportunity to score with playmakers like Magic and LeBron running the show.
James Worthy vs. LeBron James
This is the first matchup that heavily favors Team LeBron. That isn’t to say that James Worthy is a slouch by any means but facing up against one of the greatest players to play the game is going to be a tough task. I do believe that Worthy will be able to contain him on the perimeter, but he will certainly have to seek help from Pippen and Shaq. Worthy is a capable scorer as well and is one heck of a weapon in transition. He will definitely have his work cut out for him up against a much bigger and craftier LeBron James.
LeBron’s matchup with James Worthy plays perfectly into his strengths. James will want to play downhill and penetrate the paint at will. LeBron will also be able to heavily harness his playmaking abilities this way, finding West and Kobe on opposite side cuts and Shaq down low if Olajuwon cheats and comes to help. LeBron’s size, athleticism, and strength give him a heavy advantage in this matchup and will have major implications on the series.
Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Shaquille O’Neal
Aside from the obvious headline of two G.O.A.T’s facing off against each other, the sub-headline of this series will be Shaq vs. Hakeem Olajuwon. These 2 giants met once when Shaq was still in Orlando with the Magic in the 1995 NBA Finals. Hakeem got the best of Shaq that series with his unstoppable offensive versatility in the post and his unrelenting interior defense on the other end. Hakeem will use that same finesse and defensive domination to hopefully get the best of Shaq once again. However, Los Angeles Shaq is a bit different.
When he was with the Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal was arguably the most dominant big man in NBA history. With his gargantuan frame and unrelenting power, Shaq bullied any big man that dared to oppose him on the floor. One thing that goes underappreciated about his time with the Lakers is that while he was doing all of this, he could also run the floor and keep up with the offense on fast breaks. When Shaq was in the open court, your best bet was to move out of the way and live to see another day.
Team Jordan Advantages
As is always the case when 2 all-time great teams are built, each team holds distinct advantages over the other. For Team Jordan, there are 2 that stand out. First, I would have to say the presence of Hakeem Olajuwon in the paint is a standout advantage over Team LeBron. Hakeem’s interior defense severely alters how offenses attack the paint. Yes, Team LeBron has plenty of weapons that can penetrate the lane; Hakeem will keep them honest and force guys like Kobe and LeBron to hone their playmaking skills when he steps up.
The other advantage is the perimeter defense of Team Jordan. Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, and James Worthy are all great perimeter defenders who can potentially prevent penetration or at least slow it down. With Kobe and LeBron leading the charge, having perimeter defenders who at least get physical with them and make them think twice about attacking the basket is imperative. Overall, the defense of Team Jordan, along with their offensive capabilities, will prove to be a difficult task to overcome.
Team LeBron Advantages
To combat the defensive advantages of Team Jordan, Team LeBron holds a few offensive advantages that even out the matchup. The first is how well this team can space the floor. Jerry West, Kobe, and James are all more than capable shooters from medium to long-range and can move the ball well to find open shots. This also proves to be advantageous on fast breaks ad makes defenders have to account for them in those situations. Floor spacing will also open up off-ball cuts and opposite-side slashers to turn possessions into easy buckets.
The other advantage on offense will be the way this team can run the floor on fast breaks and in transition. Off of rebounds, Kobe, West, Magic, and LeBron are all skillful and deliberate transition point guards. The ball movement will be tough to keep up with for Team Jordan, but once again, can combat it with elite perimeter defense. Team LeBron will work fiercely to push the pace as much as possible off of turnovers and defensive rebounds. Shaq will be key in this facet of the game to prevent Hakeem from gaining second-chance opportunities on the glass. Team LeBron will give Team the fight of their lives on offense, setting things up for a heavyweight battle between these 2 squads.
Who Will Win This Matchup In A 7-Game Series?
This matchup of two powerhouse teams begins with Team LeBron Opening up a huge lead behind big first halves from Shaq and Kobe Bryant. LeBron did everything he wanted on the offensive end, bullying James Worthy and setting up Kobe and Shaq for easy opportunities. Team Jordan would start to come back in the second half behind MJ scoring 22 3rd quarter points. Jordan’s efforts would not be enough as Kobe would score 36 points, and Shaq followed suit with 30 points as Team LeBron takes Game 1.
Game 2 is where Team Jordan would make some adjustments to slow down the Big 3 of Kobe, Shaq, and LeBron. Scottie Pippen would switch onto James and did a much better job of containing him to the perimeters. Jordan and Hakeem would be the ones to go to work on offense, with Hakeem forcing Shaq outside of his comfort zone and Jordan dominating the mid-range. Jerry West had himself a good night with 31 points, but no one could slow down Jordan as he took over and led Team Jordan to victory with 45 points and 5 steals.
Game 3 was more of the same for Team Jordan as they would cruise to another victory over Team LeBron. This time, it would be a combination of Jordan, Pippen, and Magic who would make the difference in Game 3. Magic set the tone early for Team Jordan as he dished out 13 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds by the end of the 3rd quarter. Jordan and Pippen benefited the most from Magic’s artistry, recording 36 and 29 points, respectively. Hakeem and Shaq also battled in the post, with Shaq holding a slight upper hand in the matchup and forcing Hakeem into several bad shots. Game 3 would go to Team Jordan as they take a 2-1 series lead.
LeBron James was clearly tired of losing in Game 4 as he took command of the game from the get-go. James was all over the place in Game 4, attacking the basket at will on offense and smothering the opposition on defense. He would go on to record a massive triple-double with 38 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists. Team Jordan did its best to stay with Team LeBron for most of the contest until James and Shaq took over the 4th quarter. The series would be even at 2 games apiece headed into Game 5.
Game 5 would be the night that Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan traded baskets for much of the contest. Kobe started off hot and cooled down a bit, headed into halftime, while it was the opposite for MJ. Each player would have 22 points heading into intermission. Team LeBron came out strong in the 2nd half before Olajuwon finally broke out of his slump and had himself a massive 4th quarter. He would finish with 39 points and 17 rebounds, while Jordan finished with 34 points and 8 assists. Team Jordan takes a 3-2 lead.
In Game 6, Team LeBron came out swinging and never let up until the final whistle. LeBron and Kobe had everything working in this one, as the two hooked up on more than one occasion after forcing turnovers. James anchored the defense, simultaneously taking Worthy and Pippen completely out of the game. Kobe handled the offensive load, and West added 27 points to an unbelievable 30-point blowout to force Game 7.
As expected, Game 7 turned out to be an absolute dogfight. LeBron James and Michael Jordan took center stage as the two met chest-to-chest multiple times in a heated battle to crown a champion. Neither one backed down and traded basket for basket, turnover for turnover, the entirety of the game. It would come down to the final minute. As James and Jordan were jawing each other, Hakeem quietly stopped up to make a big play in the waning seconds. On a feed to the post from LeBron, Olajuwon anticipated it and snatched the ball. Team Jordan decided to not call timeout and try their hand at one final shot. Magic led the break and got the ball up to Worthy, who hits Pippen on the drive, who finds Hakeem on the post. Hakeem hits MJ with a pass on a backdoor cut for a game-winning and series-winning finish at the buzzer to break the hearts of Team LeBron.
Final Result: Michael Jordan’s All-Time Starting Five vs. LeBron James’ All-Time Lakers Starting Five 4-3
MVP: Michael Jordan
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