We are already approaching the halfway point of the NBA season, with the All-Star Game just over a month away. So far, the Cleveland Cavaliers (33-5) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (32-6) are dominating their respective conferences. They met in Cleveland last week, with the Cavs coming out on top in what could have been the game of the season so far. However, the rematch is set for this Thursday, January 16, at the Thunder’s arena. Both teams are on pace to win 70 games this season, a feat only two teams in history have accomplished: the 1996 Bulls (72-10) and the 2016 Warriors (73-9). Can either team become the third to reach the milestone?
LeBron James Clearly Surpasses Michael Jordan
As the season progresses, one team that will always be on the radar is the Lakers, who currently sit in sixth place in the West. The team hasn’t played since January 7, as two home games were postponed last week due to the wildfires in California, which destroyed the home of coach J.J. Redick, among many other houses and things. This unexpected break will likely benefit LeBron James, who at 40 years old is undoubtedly the most outstanding player in history in terms of longevity. It’s clear that there has never been, and perhaps never will be, a player who can average the numbers that LeBron puts up at age 40. Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas summed it up well: “The best 40-year-old to play was LeBron, the second best was Michael Jordan. They didn’t expect anything from MJ; they were just so happy to see a 40-year-old go out there and average 20.
By comparison, this season, at age 40, LeBron is averaging 23.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.8 assists while shooting 50.7% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range. In contrast, Jordan averaged 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 44.5% from the field and 29.1% from three in his final season with Washington. The difference? Jordan had two retirements, spent four seasons out of the league, and took extended breaks, while LeBron has played 22 consecutive years without stopping. He’s likely to play at least one more season, as he’s under contract for next year. And let’s be honest he’s not leaving the NBA without a farewell tour, much like Jordan and Kobe Bryant did.
LeBron is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the history of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a top three player for the Miami Heat, and if he wins another title with the Lakers, he would crack the top seven in franchise history. In my opinion, he’d be behind Kobe, Magic, Kareem, West, Shaq and Chamberlain. Let’s enjoy these final years of LeBron, because we may never see anything like him again – a player who has dominated for so many years and maintained a level of excellence for over 20 seasons.
Lakers Rested and Ready to Close the Month
After their two-game break, the Lakers return to the court today rested and ready to remain one of the top teams in the competitive Western Conference. Their next seven games will all be played in the state of California, including five home games (Spurs, Heat, Nets, Wizards, Celtics) and two road games. One of those road games is against the Warriors and you know that Curry vs Lebron is a must-watch. While the other is at the Clippers’ new Intuit Dome. This will be the first time these two franchises have met outside of the Crypto.com Arena, which they shared from 1999 until this season.
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