Press Box: Michael vs. LeBron debate bubbles up once again

Cavaliers forward LeBron James shoots against the Raptors during the second half of game earlier this month during the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals in Toronto.
Cavaliers forward LeBron James shoots against the Raptors during the second half of game earlier this month during the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals in Toronto.

photo

AP

Chicago Blackhawks' Marcus Kruger (16), left, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the third period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey playoffs Western Conference semifinal against the Detroit Red Wings in Chicago, Wednesday, May 15, 2013. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

It's a debate that has been lingering around for more than a decade, and since we're in the middle of the NBA playoffs, the Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James debate is rearing its ugly head again.

These two great basketball players never faced each other, yet we have to know which player is the better of the two. Such debates are as American as apple pie.

And such debates always puzzle me, because as fans try to determine who is the greatest, keep in mind these players they're keeping out of the debate:

Wilt Chamberlain, who once scored 100 points in a game and averaged 50.4 points per game in the 1961-62 season.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who is the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points and played into his 40s.

Bill Russell, who holds the NBA record by winning 11 championships with the Boston Celtics in just 13 seasons.

And I didn't even list Magic Johnson or Larry Bird, a pairing that is arguably the greatest rivalry in the league's history and made the NBA relevant in the 1980s.

But that's another argument for another time. For now, let's return to Jordan vs. James.

Jordan and James have each played 15 NBA seasons. So who's the best?

What about signature moments? Jordan has "The Ehlo Shot." James has "The Block." Advantage, LeBron.

What about NBA titles? Jordan has six, James has three (with a chance for a fourth this summer). Advantage, Michael.

What about Most Valuable Player awards: Jordan has five, James has four. Advantage, Michael, unless LeBron passes him in the future.

What about scoring titles? Jordan has 10, James has one. Michael wins in a runaway, but I'll help LeBron with this next one.

What about triple-doubles? Jordan has 30, James has 73. Advantage, LeBron.

I could keep going on and on, but I'll stop there because this isn't just about numbers. There are a lot of intangibles in this argument.

For example, I've always favored Jordan in this debate. When someone sides with LeBron, I ask them if they watched Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.

I go to that moment because, when it was clutch time, Jordan delivered on both ends of the court. Here's how the final minute played out:

Jordan makes a pair of free throws with :59.2 left to tie the game at 83. I know, this isn't a big deal, NBA players go 2-for-2 at the line all the time.

After a 3-pointer by John Stockton of the Utah Jazz, the Bulls - looking to score quickly to get the last possession - give the ball to Jordan, who scores immediately to make it a one-point deficit.

As the Jazz try to work the ball inside on their next possession, Jordan leaves his defender and strips the ball from Karl Malone with about 21 seconds to play.

And then, Jordan hits the 20-footer and holds the follow-through with :05.2 left in the game, a shot that gave the Bulls an 87-86 win, their sixth NBA title in eight years. Some say Jordan "pushed off" on Byron Russell before that last shot. I say Russell "slipped."

In that one minute, which could have been the final minute of his career, Jordan showed he was the best offensive player and the best defensive player of his time. In addition to his five MVP awards, Jordan was named to the All-Defensive team nine times.

For a while, my argument favoring Jordan was pretty solid. But James' counter-argument is getting better and better.

James came up big in the closing minutes of Game 7 in the 2016 NBA Finals. With the game tied at 89 and less than two minutes to play, Andre Iguodala had his layup attempt pinned to the backboard by James, a play known as the aforementioned "The Block."

Jordan may have had his winning shot against Ehlo, but James already has two winning shots at the buzzer this postseason. His running bank shot over OG Anunoby in the Eastern Conference semifinals was a much tougher shot than most people give James credit.

Barring injury, James will likely become the all-time leading scorer four years from now. And this summer, he's four wins from making his eighth straight NBA Finals appearance, something only five other players have done.

This used to be a no-brainer argument for me. Now it's becoming neck-and-neck. Can't we just call it a tie?