That's right, I said it.
The guy who thinks that it's too hard to compare eras and that Michael is not the greatest player ever is here to say that when LeBron's career is over, he will own just about every single record imaginable. He will score the most points in every possible scenario. He will do things better than anyone could have ever imagined. Isn't it crazy that he is following MJ's career arc, only doing it a whole lot better. Think about it for a second.
Jordan comes into league and just starts blasting away on the scoring books, but not making it deep into the playoffs until he gets help, ala Pippen and Phil Jackson, in his 5th year. Not winning until his 7th year.
LeBron comes into the league and in 5 years he's in the NBA Finals, with the youngest coach in the league, and a supporting cast that could be ousted by any of the top 25 college teams. Oh and he assaults the record books.
The only thing he did not have was that mean streak that the greats have. We all saw it. When Kobe turned his ankle, James was in his locker room, hoping that Kobe was alright. Kobe wouldn't have cared if James or anyone for that matter had turned their ankle or had been hurt. Neither would have Bird or MJ. But Bron's a nice guy, and that goes far in this version of the league, especially when you average 30-9-8 a game.
Well you can throw all that out the window now, cause LeBron is looking to take over and soon.
You may recall the Knicks game a few nights ago. In the fourth quarter with game relatively close, LeBron shouted to Spike Lee “50”. He had 36 or 37 at that point. Well he ended up with 50 and the Cavs won. Two years ago, this doesn't happen. Now, it seems to happen on a nightly basis. Just like Jordan and Bird did, and just like Kobe does.
I'm a diehard Laker fan and the only team in the entire league that scares me is Cleveland. Not San Antonio, not Phoenix, not Dallas, not Boston or Detroit. Just Cleveland. Because…..
LeBron gets it.
For too long now he played with a sense of passiveness in his game. He wanted to win but he wanted to be nice about it. He wanted to rip your heart out but be able to take you out for a nice seafood dinner. Now….
He wants to rip out your heart and stomp on it over and over again, then make YOU buy dinner.
It's because he understands that the only thing that measures greatness is winning, and to win in this league, you have to have a mean streak. You have to piss people off to win games. You can be friends afterwards, but on the court it's war. I don't know what set this off but thank God it happened, because I watched tapes of MJ and Magic and Bird, already knowing what happened and already appreciating it before I even witnessed it. Now, I get to sit back and just witness it.
I AM A WITNESS.
