LeBron James' GOAT Battle With NBA Legend Michael Jordan Gets Heated

Brush Stroke By: Debadrita Ghosh Image credit: NBA and Twitter

[{"selector":"#anim-306bcc44-5fa9-4313-b2e3-a44d24337e0e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-19.120903689515643%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f8a9cc2f-559d-42ee-b735-5449a955e09d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8852fabc-96b6-434c-9396-92064b60df80","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-145.45454%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08b2a48d-d9e3-4258-8bae-8b0e3035760b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d119b335-cb3f-4322-8d4b-4ebc14d06646","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-121.81208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The GOAT debate between LeBron James' and Michael Jordan will intensify as "King James" approaches Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record.

[{"selector":"#anim-d6b7eebd-9110-44ce-8423-9773dd2712e4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-14.429687207058658%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3db37c88-feaf-4475-8d6f-e1616df4ecb0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] James'extraordinary combination of strength and elite play provides ammunition fir those who believe the Los Angeles Lakers star is the best ever.

[{"selector":"#anim-b5387c01-c97e-4507-9e69-31902adf8c4a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.12988249709963%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5015aa92-5521-4cab-a5df-1c61df7ce903","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b2c30e8-1e9e-4e77-b863-6bb7b235fa1e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.53399%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Since James turned 38 on December 30, 2022, he has been on a tear. His most recent string performances provide sports analyst Nick Wright with more evidence that James is the greatest basketball player of all time.

[{"selector":"#anim-977be151-c579-4237-a2c5-0a4da69b552b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-15.318451251259688%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a5bdcac-dfa8-4ffd-8111-5df5e36312cf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] After LeBron James dropped 37 points to lead the Lakers against Sacramento King, Nick Wright tweeted praising James: "In 4 games turning 38 years old, LeBron James is averaging 38 points per game and is undefeated. Your GOAT could never. " Nick further wrote: "Literally. He tried."

[{"selector":"#anim-65f47509-a430-49c6-8f32-ce144a42bb38 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(18.109374742993108%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b485df1-a17a-40a3-9765-6cccb5de64f4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3eec1917-dd3b-4b7a-a2b5-fb48a100ef90","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-153.63637%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-282ae9fb-7407-4805-a5be-616e48e694f3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":900,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b910ac1-9960-42ea-921a-82242bc75ba1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34498baf-e738-4252-a3a0-a5a4aa65041e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.70492%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] According to some records, Michael Jordan played 48 games as a 38-year-old guard for the Washington Wizards. He made 24.9 points, 5.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.

[{"selector":"#anim-3a7a9e72-f521-4133-af52-c96c50cb431d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.290038705176103%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d7c5b07f-2458-42d9-b5f0-6d2af86086a6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] During that time, the 38-year-old legend averaged 36.9 minutes per game, the lowest of his career in the season of 1985-86. Due to his broken foot, Jordan played 7 games that season and averaged 25.1 MPG.

[{"selector":"#anim-531c3e93-490c-400e-8914-a30fa50a9434 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-15.209809753023805%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e791c46-8922-41e1-b7ab-a5b07ac4de34","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] It's difficult for LeBron James to maintain this level of performance. His best scoring season was 31.4 PPG in 2005-06 when he was 21.

[{"selector":"#anim-9b7b1c2f-0227-4b96-a8e9-2206dac6292d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(23.935546674889316%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a2c5259-9c36-411f-b8f7-b5b937c7d2c0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The soon-to-be 19x All-Star is still scoring 28.9 points, 6.7 assists, and 8.2 rebounds per game this season. Even if he maintained his current performance, he would average more points, rebounds, assists, and field-goal percentage than Michael Jordan at the age of 38.

[{"selector":"#anim-09eddc4a-ff06-4b42-b319-4d4ac3594691 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(11.669921555107827%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a80de93-f701-4420-9969-265f06bc2f74","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] However, debates will always remain among fans regarding the real GOAT whether it's LeBron James or Michael Jordan.

LeBron James' GOAT Battle With NBA Legend Michael Jordan Gets Heated

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