If you are familiar with our content, then you are familiar with our various takes on the debates between eras throughout NBA history. You are aware that we have presented hundreds of different matchups and comparisons using stats, accolades, career resumes, and of course, our imagination. True to form, we present another cross-era matchup to you today that is sure to be the topic of heated debates.
What would a cross-era matchup be without the two stars of the show, LeBron James and Michael Jordan? Each team will be centered around rivals of those two superstars during their respective playing careers, joining forces with the greatest players of all time to create the two most unstoppable superteams known to man. These superteams are truly one of a kind and, most likely, the greatest five-man rotations in NBA history.
Before we get to the seven-game series, we will break down this matchup position-by-position as well as the advantages that each team will have heading into this epic Clash of the Titans. Every fan will come for the Jordan vs. LeBron headline but stay for the other four matchups that we have created using the best of each era of basketball. Buckle up for the wildest ride we have covered to date.
All-Time LeBron James Superteam: Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo
All-Time Michael Jordan Superteam: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal
This is the all-time LeBron James superteam vs. the all-time Michael Jordan superteam in a 7-game series.
Stephen Curry vs. Magic Johnson
The first two matchups you will see today are matchups we are all too familiar with during our various seven-game series over the years. In the first matchup, we have the greatest shooter in NBA history up against the greatest playmaker in NBA history. It goes without saying that Stephen Curry and Magic Johnson will be crucial to their teams’ success but for completely different reasons.
Where Curry will be dangerous is of course with his ability to spread the defense with his unlimited range and efficient shooting from everywhere on the court. He will be especially dangerous when it comes to the attention he draws from the defense, opening things up for the other four talented scorers on the team to go to work in isolation, which could spell trouble for Team Jordan.
Where Magic Johnson will present issues for Curry will come from specific reasons on both sides of the ball. On defense, Magic should be able to slow Curry down a touch, given the significant size advantage he has over him. This will also be some Johnson uses on offense to get Curry into the post. Being the natural playmaker he is, Magic will also push the pace and get Team Jordan out and running which could be something that spells trouble for Team LeBron.
Kobe Bryant vs. Michael Jordan
The second matchup we have covered more than enough times is the one between the two greatest shooting guards in NBA history. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant both became global icons during their era, with Jordan going down as the consensus great player, but Bryant did everything he could to emulate him.
Kobe Bryant does also give Jordan some issues on the court. Bryant challenges Jordan’s defensive abilities with his quick first step and more range than most of the players Jordan had to defend in his day. With it being Michael Jordan, there is no way that I can confidently say Jordan won’t adapt quickly and be able to handle the assignment.
Those are the same issues that Bryant will face as well, but with a stronger, faster, and even more ruthless version of himself. This battle could end up being the highlight of the entire matchup considering there will undoubtedly be bloodshed and bruises delivered. The winner of this matchup will likely represent the team that takes home the entire series.
LeBron James vs. Larry Bird
Two completely different games but both equally effective and successful, represent the next match we see today. LeBron James and Larry Bird have seven NBA championships and six Finals MVPs between them, so each knows exactly what it takes to lead a team into a big series and come out on top.
For LeBron James, his downhill style allows him to be a relentless attacker on the basket as well as a precise creator and playmaker for those he shares the floor with. This type of play could wear down Bird over time and make him vulnerable to defensive mistakes. James will look to take advantage of the weapons he has around him which not many in NBA history have his ability to do on that level.
For Bird, he will rely on a more methodical style of play that allows him to work from the perimeter as a shooter and playmaker. Due to the race that Team Jordan would like to play with, Bird can thrive in the open court as well. Bird has shown time and time again his ability to find teammates as they work their way to the basket as well as stop dead in his tracks and hit any shot he wishes. In this matchup, I give a slight edge to James based on his physical conditioning.
Kevin Durant vs. Hakeem Olajuwon
Now, we can get into the even more unique matchups rarely discussed in our dialogues. In a non-traditional matchup, we have Kevin Durant representing Team LeBron and Hakeem Olajuwon representing Team Jordan. This matchup presents a ton of issues for both sides. Durant is as talented of a scorer as we have ever seen and his ability to maneuver into his mid-range spots and knock them down will be an issue for Olajuwon to keep up with. Adversely, Olajuwon is the greatest defender in NBA history for a reason and will certainly adapt to it.
Offensively, Durant will need some help if Hakeem gets him into the post. Team LeBron will most likely have to throw double-teams Olajuwon’s way to slow him down, but they will have to come from the perimeter. Giannis leaving Shaq to help Durant would leave a wide-open Shaq opposite Olajuwon, putting Team LeBron in a world of trouble. This matchup presents matchup issues for both teams that could lead to victory if their opponent takes advantage of it.
Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Shaquille O’Neal
Once again we find ourselves locked in on a unique matchups that could sway the series one way or the other. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shaquille O’Neal are both respectively the most dominant big men of their era who have put their teams on their backs to win NBA championships. Neither player will back down from the other and embrace the physical toll it will take on them in order to win this series.
Giannis is up first with his incredible athleticism, speed, and defensive ability. For him, his advantages will be in the open court and on fast breaks as he will be able to outrun and outlast Shaq in that regard. His shortcomings in set situations will be easily highlighted by O’Neal on defense which will be Team LeBron’s issue.
While it won’t be easy for O’Neal to just manhandle Giannis on every possession, he will surely have his moments. Where O’Neal will make his mark is one defense. All he needs to do is fall back a bit and let Giannis get the ball on the perimeter like he loves to on many possessions. Giannis’ inability to consistently shoot will force him to have to try and drive the land, but a wall of Hakeem Olajuwon and O’Neal will be waiting. Giannis will not be able to move Shaq the way he does the big men of today, making this a big part of the chess match that lies ahead.
Team LeBron Advantages
As we break down each team’s advantages, it is important to remember that we are basing these off the percentages and numbers before us, not solely our opinion. For team LeBron, their first advantage will come from their ability to score from the perimeter. Stephen Curry highlights this ability with his obvious weapons as a shooter, but Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant are also two players who will rely on their mid-range shots to get themselves going. It should be something that Team LeBron finds themselves taking advantage of quite often.
The other advantage I see falling in the favor of Team LeBron will be their speed and athleticism. The more that they get out and run the better as the series wears on as it will free Giannis up for big runs to the basket as well as give Curry more opportunities for shots from the outside as a trailer and LeBron more opportunities as a playmaker, passer, and downhill scorer.
Team Jordan Advantages
Make no mistake about it, Team Jordan has their fair share of advantages as well. The first and most obvious one is the challenge they present with their starting frontcourt. Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal are two of the very best centers to ever play the game. The combo of them staring back at you as you try to get to the rim is about as scary of a thought as you can have when facing a frontcourt. If you double one, the other will hurt you. If you double both, the other three players on the outside will hurt you. It’s a double-edged sword regardless.
The other advantage that Team Jordan has, and it might sound like quite a cliche, is the presence of Michael Jordan. When it comes to the biggest games and biggest series, Michael Jordan knows how to do whatever it takes to get the job done and win. Whether that means taking over as a scorer, defender, or playmaker, Jordan can and will get the victory no matter what the circumstance or what it takes to make it happen. With these advantages, Team Jordan may be walking away with a victory in the end.
Who Would Win This Matchup In A 7-Game Series?
Game 1 of this electric 7-game series would get started with both of our headliners making an immediate statement. LeBron James would be his usual aggressive self with many drives to the basket that resulted in buckets or assists out to Curry on the outside. Michael Jordan began to dominate from the mid-range while Magic ran the fast break to perfection. In the end, it would be the frontcourt advantage for Team Jordan to deliver a 104-98 win and a 1-0 series lead.
Team LeBron would not be denied in Game 2. James and Curry would combine for an all-time performance that would even the series up in thrilling fashion. Curry would put on a clinic from three-point range with 11 made threes on 15 attempts mostly working without the ball and getting himself open. Durant would also make an impact with his mid-range game as Team LeBron would adapt to the inside attack of Team Jordan and even the series, 1-1.
Game 3 would be a back-and forth-battle with unlikely stars stepping up and taking the spotlight from the usual suspects. For Team LeBron, it would be Giannis Antetokounmpo finding ways to penetrate the dominant frontcourt of Team Jordan for 31 points and 11 rebounds. For Team Jordan, Larry Bird would find his rhythm and record 28 points of his own. In the end, it would be key defensive stops by Team Lebron that sealed the victory and a 2-1 series lead.
Now down 2-1 in the series, Michael Jordan would have his signature game to even things back up. Team LeBron would end up throwing both Bryant and James at him in attempts to slow him down, but he either scored anyway or picked them apart with the right passes. While Curry kept on his torrid shooting pace, Jordan would be simply too much for Team LeBron and finish with 53 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists to carry Team Jordan to the win and a 2-2 series tie.
A pivotal Game 5 would kick off just as expected as things got chippy between Giannis and Hakeem almost immediately. With elbows flying and words being spewed, referees had to call a stop to action and warn both teams. When the game returned to action, Team Jordan came out fired up, especially Shaq. O’Neal would make quick work of both Giannis and the double team with Durant as neither could do anything to stop Shaq’s patented Black Tornado. O’Neal would finish with 40 points and lead Team Jordan to a 3-2 series lead, 108-99.
Game 6 would be forever known as the Kobe Bryant Game as the struggling shooting guard made his mark on the series in a big way. Kobe was not only a force on the offensive end but his ability to frustrate Michael Jordan on the night would save Team LeBron from elimination. Bryant would record 43 points on 51.0% shooting while James dished out 15 assists and thus, we had a Game 7 showdown in store.
In the final and decisive Game 7, there was only one man who deserved recognition on the night for his performance. This player stepped up on both sides of the ball and rose above all else just as he had done so many other times before in his career. Of course, this player was Michael Jordan and this series was his to walk away with. Jordan erupted for a series-clinching triple-double with 49 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists as Team Jordan would seal the series with a 111-106 win. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James were able to keep it close, but in the end, Team Jordan stood alone as winners.
All-Time LeBron James Superteam vs. All-Time Michael Jordan Superteam 3-4
Series MVP: Michael Jordan
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