The LeBron James vs Michael Jordan debate will never end. These two players are considered the best of all time, which is why many basketball fans like to debate who is better.
Almost everyone knows that Jordan had a perfect 6-0 record in the NBA Finals. However, to get there he had to face many problems. LeBron, on the other hand, has only won four games, but has gone to the finals 10 times.
With reports of LeBron James retiring, let’s take a look at how these two legends fared in the playoffs.
•
The LeBron James vs Michael Jordan debate often ignores Jordan’s struggles
The LeBron James vs Michael Jordan debate often overlooks Jordan’s struggles in the playoffs. When a Chicago Bulls Guard was 6-0 at the end, having been taken down several times in the first round.
During his illustrious career, Jordan was 119-60 in playoff games, winning 30 of 37 (81.1%) series. His winning percentage was 66.4%, meaning he won two out of three games on average.
Jordan was swept twice in his career, both times by the Boston Celtics. The first time this happened in the 1986 NBA playoffs, and the second time just one year later.
You may also like to read: The 10 most inappropriate NBA All-Star picks of all time featuring Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan & more.
Jordan’s Chicago Bulls swept nine teams during his career. However, it is important to note that the NBA used a best-of-five model in the first round when Jordan was in the league. Because of this, the sweep needed only three wins.
The Bulls legend won nine out of 30 series with a sweep, meaning he swept his opponent in 30% of the series, which is amazing.
LeBron James was swept three times. The first time, James had Cleveland Cavaliers, who lost the 2007 NBA Finals in four games. The second time was in the 2018 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, while the third time was against the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
LeBron’s all-time record is 182-100, good for a 64.5% winning percentage. He won 41 of 53 (77.3%) playoff series, but many fans use his 4-6 NBA Finals record against him, especially in the LeBron James vs Michael Jordan debate.
You may also like to read: What did Michael Jordan say about LeBron James breaking the all-time record?
When it comes to the best sweeps, the four-time NBA champion has done it 11 times. LeBron’s sweep percentage is 26.8%, which is slightly lower than Jordan’s, but still amazing.