In the wake of this coronavirus pandemic, sports fans all around the world are stuck having to find new ways to entertain themselves. For the past few weeks, “The Last Dance” documentary has been helping us do that.
It has reignited the GOAT conversation alongside an appreciation for Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, and the rest of that Bulls team. But it has also added fuel to the LeBron critics, who are using the public’s renewed interest in MJ to tear down James’ claim to the throne.
Skip Bayless is one of LeBron’s staunchest critics and is not wasting this opportunity to take another shot at “the King.”
On ESPN, I just watched my Spurs get revenge for Ray Allen by blowing out LeBron and Co. in five in 2014 BY A RECORD FINALS MARGIN. Nothing like this ever happened to Michael Jordan. This was “The Last Dance” for LeBron, Wade and Bosh.
On ESPN, I just watched my Spurs get revenge for Ray Allen by blowing out LeBron and Co. in five in 2014 BY A RECORD FINALS MARGIN. Nothing like this ever happened to Michael Jordan. This was "The Last Dance" for LeBron, Wade and Bosh.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 30, 2020
What’s he’s referring to is the infamous 2014 NBA Finals. In their fourth season together, LeBron, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh got embarrassed by Spurs in a 5-game, record margin of defeat. It marked the end of that Heat dynasty — and the end LeBron’s time in Miami.
He went on to Cleveland where he would win one more, but nobody ever really forgot just how bad he and that Heat team got beat that year. In a resume that is otherwise squeaky clean, that Finals series is one of his biggest blemishes.
When you compare that to Jordan, who never lost a Finals series (and never even lost more than two games in a series), the disparity is clear.
In that respect, Skip is right. Michal never got embarrassed like that in the Finals. Then again, he’s only been there 6 times.