Covering University of Colorado sports, mostly basketball, since 2010

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Quick Post: 8 points

How the hell does LeBron James only score 8 points in a Finals game?  Sure, he added 9 rebounds and 7 assists, but seriously, how the hell does he only score 8 points last night?

In the wake of all the recent discussion over whether LBJ is better than Michael Jordan, I would like to submit Lebron's doleful shit of a performance last night as MJ defense exhibit "A."  Michael would never have allowed himself to only score 8 in a playoff performance, let alone a Finals game.  He would've ripped the ball out of teammates hands rather than live through 48 playoff minutes without cracking double-digits.  LeBron is otherworldly talented, yes, but he's no Michael.  Michael was defined not only by his talent, but his crushing will to constantly prove that he was better than his opponent.  Dropping a sad and lonely 8 points in a losing game 4 effort proves that LeBron just doesn't have the fire, the lethal burning hate of losing, to compete at MJ's level, and I'm betting he never will.  You were either born with that shit, or you weren't.

(For the record, Michael scored 15 in a '89 playoff game for his lowest postseason total.  In the '96 finals, he only got 22 in game 4, but was still the Bulls leading scorer that night.)

Sure, LeBron may drop 50 Thursday night, and the Heat may very well  cruise to a 6-game series victory, but last night definitively proved that Michael is still the G.O.A.T.

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