All-Time LeBron James Team vs. All-Time Magic Johnson Team: Who Would Win In A 7-Game Series?

LeBron James and Magic Johnson have always been connected through different comparisons and their unmistakable style of play on the court. Both players are among the NBA’s greatest playmakers, making their teammates better with every passing possession. James has passed Johnson on the all-time assists list for a career, but it took 7 more seasons considering Magic’s career was cut short due to health issues. Magic has always been known as the King of the Fast Break and a player who was believed to have 360-degree vision making some of the most incredible passes you will ever see on a basketball court.

Today, these 2 larger than life players will be pitted against one another in a 7-game series using the best players of their era. Each team’s makeup is of the most outstanding player at each position during both LeBron’s and Magic’s peak seasons. The only exception will be Dwyane Wade at shooting guard for Team LeBron for the obvious reason that Wade and James played together for 4 seasons and are considered to be one of the greatest duos in NBA history. The lineups are set, and the breakdown is about to commence, so without any further explanation, let’s get into it.

All-Time LeBron James Team: Stephen Curry, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis

All-Time Magic Johnson Team: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

This is sure to be one of the most exciting 7-game series in NBA history so let us break down the matchup between LeBron James’ all-time team and Magic Johnson’s all-time team.

Stephen Curry vs. Magic Johnson

The matchup between Stephen Curry and Magic Johnson is one we have broken down many times before. The biggest disadvantage for Curry in any 1-on-1 situation with Magic will be their size discrepancy, with Magic likely to get his fair share of tipped shots and deflected passes. For Curry, the key to getting good looks will be his movement without the ball and working off screens. If Curry can cause switches to, let’s say, Charles Barkley, it could be a long night for Team Magic. The key for Curry is constant motion and hoping that Team Magic falls for the switch as he slices through the defense.

Magic Johnson is also at a huge advantage over Curry. Magic will be the team’s primary ball handler and playmaker for most of the series. In set offenses, Curry doesn’t stand a chance against the 6’9’’ Johnson, who will be looking to find his entry passes to Kareem regularly and, of course, get the ball to Jordan as well. Where Magic is most dangerous is in the open court, so look for him to push the pace as often as possible and speed up the game. The only hope for Curry to stop Magic is to force him into shots 10 feet from the basket and out. However, we all know Curry’s defense isn’t exactly Gary Payton-like, so it could be a lost cause for him on that side of the ball.

Dwyane Wade vs. Michael Jordan

The matchup between Michael Jordan and Dwyane Wade is going to be one of the more exciting matchups we see in this series. Wade was a gifted offensive player with great handles and an athletically gifted game in his prime. Wade is also one of the better defending shooting guards ever, recording the most blocks by anyone at the position in his career. Where Wade will look to get the upper hand is in the two-man game he will likely run with teammate LeBron James as we saw for 4 years with the Miami Heat as one of the best NBA duos ever. Their chemistry will be a leg up in any situation on the court.

The only problem for Wade is that he is also going up against a physically dominant and athletically gifted opponent. Michael Jordan may just be the best defender from the shooting guard position ever, and he will push his strength onto Wade in order to throw him off. Jordan is going to get his shots and get to the rim no matter who is across from him on the other end, so Wade may not stand a chance in this matchup when it’s all said and done. Jordan will impose his physicality on Wade in a big way. The only question is if Wade will fold under the pressure.

LeBron James vs. Larry Bird

LeBron James and Larry Bird will battle it out at the small forward position for the 3rd matchup of this series. What LeBron will look to do is use his physical attributes to his advantage. James’ size, speed, and strength will play a huge factor in this matchup. James can look to be a passer if he needs to be, considering he will be the best playmaker on the team, or he can look to attack downhill like he has had much success doing in his career. Attacking the rim could put Bird into foul trouble, and James will want to initiate that as much as he can in order to gain an upper hand over him.

As for Bird, his game will likely be predicated on what guys like Magic, Jordan, and Kareem do. Bird will thrive from the perimeter, especially if James and Wade collapse on the opponent’s drives to the basket. Bird can shoot it from anywhere, so that will most likely be his best bet to score at will. Bird will also need help on defense to cover James. As great of a defender as he is, James is just bigger and stronger, which is tough for any player to contain on that side of the ball. Larry Bird is a superstar, so his offensive game will be just fine, but as a defender, he will struggle against LeBron.

Kevin Durant vs. Charles Barkley

Kevin Durant and Charles Barkley are 2 forwards who played the game in entirely different ways throughout their careers. Durant will want to control the game on the offensive side of the ball against Barkley and get to the spots where he shoots most efficiently. Durant will have no issues rising above his opponent for mid-range shots and even from beyond the arc. Durant can score from anywhere at any time, so Barkley will have his work cut out for him on defense.

What Barkley will try to do is follow the blueprint laid out by the Celtics in the 2022 playoffs. Much like the majority of his career, Barkley will look to get physical with Durant and throw him off to cause turnovers and ill-advised shots against a tough defense. On offense, Barkley will want to punish Durant physically as well. Barkley will look to get to the paint and use his body against the much smaller frame of Durant with his back to the basket in the post. If Durant wants to slow that down, the only thing to do is bulk up before they hit the court.

Anthony Davis vs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The final matchup in this series puts 2 of the most skilled big men in NBA history against one another at the center spot. Anthony Davis, at his peak was one of the best two-way players in basketball and the best from the center position. His instincts on weak side blocks were undeniably great, as well as his ability to run the floor and create short jumpers that he could knock down fairly easily. The one concern for Davis has to be how long his body will hold up against a very physical and strong Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

That is going to be the weakness for Kareem to attack in any matchup with Davis. Kareem was a very physically imposing figure in the post for most of his career, and as we know, Magic will be feeding him the ball regularly in this matchup. Kareem should have no issues getting off his patented skyhook, the most unstoppable signature move in NBA history. Karem will also play a big part defensively against Davis, most likely forcing him into bad shots, as Kareem’s strength may not allow Davis to get to the basket as easily as he does today. I do not see any way that Anthony Davis takes any advantage over Kareem in this one.

Team LeBron Advantages

Each team in this matchup holds advantages over the others that could lead them to victory in a big way. The first advantage for Team LeBron will be their scoring. First, they have a point guard in Curry, who is the greatest shooter ever and has unlimited range when shooting the ball. With Wade and LeBron, their chemistry led to one of the most unstoppable offensive schemes ever. Then, with Kevin Durant, you have one of the most offensively gifted athletes in NBA history against a guy in Barkley who will struggle to slow Durant down.

The other strength of Team LeBron that is an advantage over Team Magic is their overall offensive scheme. Everywhere you look, there is an assassin for Team LeBron who can take over a game at any moment. The 3-man game between James, Curry, and Wade will be a lot for Team Magic to handle and could wear them down as the series goes on. Durant and Davis are an interesting duo in the frontcourt and will have to work off each other for decent open looks. That can and will be done more than once over the course of 7 games.

Team Magic Advantages

As gifted as Team LeBron is offensively, they are opposed by Team Magic in a big way. Team Magic’s first advantage is on the defensive side of the ball, where every player can be effective for them on the court. Magic is as versatile as they come, able to guard any position he needs to in order to help his team win. Jordan and Bird are gifted defenders as well, with no fear of anyone across from them on the court. Kareem and Barkley are 2 underrated defensive minds as well, and this lineup is one that is built to battle any offense that gets thrown their way.

The final advantage for Team Magic is the sheer physicality that they will play with. Each and every position for Team Magic is filled by a player who will not let anything be easy for an opponent looking to score. Kareem and Barkley will impose their strength in the paint, while Magic, Bird, and Jordan will not let anything easy come for Team LeBron. They will use their size and power on almost every play, tiring Team LeBron out and slowing down the game, which is exactly where Team Magic will want to be as it pertains to the defensive side of the ball.

Who Would Win This Matchup In A 7-Game Series?

This matchup kicks off in Game 1 with Team LeBron getting put to a quick start. James and Curry’s movement was key for Team LeBron in the first half as Curry knocked down 5 shots from three, and James dished out 7 assists as they built a sizable lead heading into halftime. Magic, Kareem, and Jordan took over in the 3rd quarter but slowing down Curry took its toll on Team Magic. Team LeBron takes Game 1 behind 35 points from Curry and is up 1-0 in the series.

In Game 2, Team Magic got out to a fast start thanks to Barkley’s defense on Durant and Jordan’s switch onto Curry from Game 1. Team LeBron struggled to get anything going offensively outside of James taking the ball to the rim at will, going for 43 points in the game. The star of the night for Team Magic was Michael Jordan, as he was impossible to stop from getting to his spots and attacking the basket. He ended the game with 54 points as Team Magic wins in a rout and ties the series up a 1 game apiece.

Game 3 would be a dogfight as each team fought to gain the upper hand in the series. Kevin Durant finally got things going on the offensive side of the ball and registered 36 points on the night. The problem is, nobody could stop Kareem in this contest as he had his way with Anthony Davis every time he touched the ball. With his skyhook and defensive plays starting big runs for Team Magic, Kareem was easily the player of the game from an outside standpoint. He finished with 39 points and 14 rebounds as Team Magic takes the game and leads the series 2 games to 1.

In Game 4, LeBron James channeled his inner strength to get his team back into the series. After a dominant performance in Game 3, Kareem was stifled by the double team of James and Davis, forcing others to get involved. Bird did his thing, adding 34 points for Team Magic, but this night was all about Dwyane Wade. With Jordan still assigned to Curry, Wade used his speed and crafty maneuvering to take advantage of his matchup with Magic Johnson. Wade led Team Lebron with 40 points and 8 rebounds as Team LeBron evened things up 2-2 in Game 4.

In a pivotal Game 5, Michael Jordan came out to play from the opening tip. Jordan lit up the scoreboard in the first quarter going for 20 points on 9-10 shooting from the field. James did his best to keep his team in things and ended the game with a triple-double once again with 38 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. James’ incredible performance was no match for Jordan, however, as MJ went for 60 points and 12 assists in the game to give Team Magic the lead 3 games to 2.

Game 6 would be a blowout in favor of Team LeBron as pure exhaustion set in for Team Magic. Stephen Curry was able to free up space for 33 points on 8-111 shooting from deep and a perfect 9/9 from the foul line. Larry Bird added 45 points for Team Magic, but others struggled to find their shots. Kevin Durant and Curry combined for 67 points on the night as Team LeBron cruised to a Game 6 win and an even series heading into Game 7.

Game 7 would be an all-out war between these 2 superteams, with the battle to come down between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. LeBron took control in the first half, scoring or assisting on nearly every bucket for Team LeBron and building a sizable lead at halftime. In the second half, it would be all about Jordan, who is one of the greatest closers in NBA history. Jordan wreaked havoc on every defense that Team LeBron threw at him. Jordan would explode for 59 points in Game 7, and a Team Magic win in the series 4-3.

Final Result: LeBron James’ All-Time Team vs. Magic Johnson’s All-Time Team 3-4

Series MVP: Michael Jordan

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