SUMMARY
- LeBron James recently played against the Warriors despite facing an illness.
- He scored 36 points in 33 minutes but failed to secure the victory.
There is a major debate on whether LeBron James or Michael Jordan is the greatest performer ever. Both cases have strong numbers to prove either of them right. However, James may have recently given fans another topic to debate over. During the recent LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors game, the 4x NBA Champion played through an unspecified illness that could’ve sidelined him.
LeBron James tonight against the Superteam Warriors:
33 PTS (12 in 4th)
11 AST
7 REB
2 STL
14-22 FG
68.2 TS%Feels like 2018 again 💔. pic.twitter.com/x3EVkjBqKm
— BronMuse (@BronMuse) April 10, 2024
James did not participate in the Lakers’ previous matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he had no choice but to perform for his team this time. Anthony Davis was ruled out from the Lakers vs Warriors game also due to an illness. The Lakers could not sideline both their superstars, especially during this part of the season while they make a push to maintain a Play-In Tournament berth.
Michael Jordan played more minutes than LeBron James
Unfortunately, the Lakers walked away with a loss against the Warriors who dominated the floor from beyond the arc. LeBron James appeared on the floor for 33 minutes and finished with 33 points. He also managed to record 7 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 steals as well. This was labeled a “Flu Game” for LeBron, something that Michael Jordan also had during the 1997 NBA Finals.
LeBron James tonight, despite having flu-like symptoms:
33 points
11 assists
7 rebounds
14/22 FG pic.twitter.com/Ji92vK0kvm— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 10, 2024
The Chicago Bulls were matchup up against the Utah Jazz and the series was already tied at 2-2. Jordan suffered through food poisoning or possibly a severe case of some sort of virus. Despite the illness, Mike still performed. He had a couple of dull moments during the first and third quarter but erupted during the other. Jordan finished with 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists to give the Bulls a Game 5 victory. He played for 44 minutes as well.
Michael Jordan played two games while battling an illness
Both players were in tough situations, LeBron James is currently fighting to keep his team’s playoff dreams alive while Jordan fought to give the Bulls a 3-2 lead in the finals for a possible fifth title. After the game, Jordan admitted, “Probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. I almost played myself into passing out just to win a basketball game.” However, one thing struck out the most about Jordan.
Jordan was already on the verge of falling sick while it was Game 4 and his illness got worse over time. While James took a game off to deal with his illness. The situations are comparatively different since Jordan was on the verge of winning his fifth title. But this will be something that fans would use to defend Jordan claiming he had a better Flu Game.