What would a sweep do for the NBA’s ‘greatest’ debate?
The debate started before the series did, and it has become pretty much an obsession.
LeBron James or Michael Jordan: Greatest of all time.
That such debates are unwinnable hasn’t slowed social media from occasional explosions, enhanced by assorted national media reps who may show a certain bias or inconsistency, depending on what happens.
For every achievement cited for one, another faction erupts with counterarguments, both sides ignoring any context.
James passed Jordan as the top all-time scorer in the NBA playoffs, breaking a mark that stood for 19 years.
It was irrelevant, of course, because it took James 212 games to reach that total to only 179 for Jordan.
But James also did it on 170 fewer made baskets because of his 3-point shooting ability (170 fewer makes in 33 games is a difference of 5.2 fewer makes a game).
On the other hand, James has appeared in more NBA finals than Jordan.
On the other hand, James’ teams have won three times in seven times and Jordan’s team won six in six tries.
Jordan has nine more regular-season scoring titles, which means, naturally, that James is better because he’s more unselfish and complete.
James catches grief because of The Decision, and is defended because he’s been to seven straight finals, and doing so with three times, with Miami and in two different stints with Cleveland.
Lost in the argument, often, is the supporting cast and the organizations.
Chicago put together superb teams with outstanding scouting and drafting. The Bulls championship team in 1991-92 had players from San Francisco, Clemson, Long Beach State and Central Arkansas, not exactly powers.
The Bulls and head coach Phil Jackson were masterful at mixing and matching players of different abilities, some of whom did little before or after the Bulls.
They got starting quality out of role players like Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Bill Cartwright, Stacey King, Scott Williams, Craig Hodges, to name but a few.
Their 72-10 team in 1995-96 had Luc Longley and past-his-prime Ron Harper in the starting lineup.
They survived Dennis Rodman when Rodman was becoming so very Rodmanesque, but still was effective on the court.
James hasn’t had quite the talent surrounding him, nor the same level of management.
The Bulls did make the playoffs and win a round during Jordan’s “retirement”, but the Cavs followed James’ departure by going 19-63, 21-45, 24-58 and 33-49. And Miami has gone 37-45, 48-34 and 41-41 since James left.
James hasn’t had a Scottie Pippen. Dwyane Wade was in his eighth season with a so-so team and played in only 49 regular-season games that second season together, a title season. It was Chris Bosh’s first year with the Heat.
Only three years separate Jordan and Pippen agewise, while James is seven years older than Irving, and they’ve played together only three seasons.
James, of course, will bear the brunt of the criticism if the Cavs get swept, which became very likely after James passed the ball late – according to one faction – in Wednesday’s loss rather than take the shots.
Then, days ago, announcer Jeff Van Gundy changed the debate narrative a bit by saying that Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant of Golden State were the best duo ever, inspiring more argument spasms.
This is their first season together, and the Warriors were pretty much built for the Finals before Durant showed up.
There was Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, who were together for six NBA titles.
There was Larry Bird and Kevin McHale (or Robert Parish or Dennis Johnson). Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Magic and Kareem. Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan.
Until the Curry and Durant actually win this first title together, the Warriors pair is still, albeit temporarily, among a quality group that is titleless, like, well, Durant and Russell Westbrook, and Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway with Orlando, John Stockton and Karl Malone with Utah, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in Boston.
NBA.com touched on the subject, and more than once.
And then again.
In 2013, website Uproxx ranked the top 25.
Conventional wisdom is that Curry and Durant need more than one season — and more than one title — to legitimately enter the “best duo” conversation.
Even then, they’d still trail only match James and Dwyane Wade in Miami and James and Kyrie Irving in Cleveland.
Upon the Finals’ conclusion, James will again be amid speculation, because the Cavs begin a transition period.
Of the 10 players averaging at least 11 minutes a game in the playoffs, the average age is 30.6. Kyle Korver and Richard Jefferson are 36, Channing Frye is 34, and James and Deron Williams are 32. J.R. Smith is 31.
Korver, James Jones (a James favorite, and 36) and Deron Williams aren’t under contract for next season, but the Cavs’ salary will rise nearly $3 million anyway.
Speculation already has Love departing, and Carmelo Anthony’s name is floating around as a possible addition. What is Smith’s future, especially considering he’s under contract through 2019-20 (at $15.7 mil that year)?
There have been constant lineup tweaks, an indication that Cleveland isn’t likely to be quite as built for a Finals run, or losing only one playoff game until the Finals, as in 2017-18, and James inability to again lift the Cavaliers to the championship round next year will count against him as the debate continues.
Because, of course, the unwinnable argument must continue. Being “among the greatest of all time” isn’t enough.
This story was originally published June 9, 2017 at 6:27 PM with the headline "What would a sweep do for the NBA’s ‘greatest’ debate?."