Since LeBron James won his 3rd championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in spectacular fashion in 2016, the GOAT debate between him and Michael Jordan has become a much more intense conversation. Some believe LeBron is the GOAT, although his NBA Finals record is always held against him.
Michael Jordan made it to the NBA Finals 6 times, winning all 6, including two three-peats. LeBron James has 10 Finals appearances to his name, although he has lost 6 of them. And in 2017, when he had 8 appearances, Julius Erving had given his take on the GOAT debate between the two.
“What you guys are missing is the game is a team sport,” Erving said during an appearance on Undisputed. “So individuals don’t win championships, teams win championships. And you’re only as good as the team can take you… So 3-5 doesn’t mean anything, I’m more impressed with 8 Finals than I am with the record in the Finals. If he was 0-8 in the Finals, it would still be an amazing achievement. That’s like going to 8 Super Bowls.”
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Julius Erving knows a thing or two about winning championships, he won with the Sixers in the NBA, as well as notching two ABA championships in the 70s. He is one of the greatest icons the sport of basketball has seen, and his saying this holds a lot of weight. While winning is the most important thing, getting to the NBA Finals as many times as LeBron has is truly incredible.
LeBron James’ Resume Has Only Grown Since That Time
LeBron James has since made two more NBA Finals appearances and added another championship and Finals MVP to his tally. He is now 4-6 in the Finals, with another opportunity to make it there this season. He passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, which made him the greatest, according to some.
But there is still more that James needs to achieve before a majority of NBA fans start putting him over Michael Jordan in these conversations. Being the GOAT in a team sport requires a lot of different factors, but seeing as he’s not even close to slowing down yet, LeBron James could well make it happen for himself before his career ends.
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