“The phony GOAT’s hands and the phony GOAT is failing miserably down the stretch” - Skip Bayless on LeBron James’ struggles in the clutch, says he’s starting to look like Michael Jordan at 39
LA Lakers superstar LeBron James has been called a "phony GOAT" by Skip Bayless when compared to Michael Jordan.
Bayless, the sports media personality and ardent Jordan fan, spoke about James' inability to close games in clutch moments unlike MJ. Speaking on his podcast, "The Skip Bayless Show," Bayless said:
"LeBron has always struggled to close, and now he is a disaster on the order of Westbrook when he LeBron tries to close. I think Carmelo (Anthony) at age 37 in his Year 19 could be a better closer than LeBron, but obviously mostly the ball is going to be in the King's hands.
"The phony GOAT's hands and the phony GOAT is failing miserably down the stretch of game after game after game."
While this is not an uncommon sentiment from Bayless, James has a history of making big plays in the biggest of moments just like Jordan.
.@RealSkipBayless: Carmelo Anthony is a better closer than LeBron James https://t.co/T7oYRKxt3Z
Correlation between Michael Jordan and LeBron James
Michael Jordan and LeBron James – the two greatest players of all time – have been in constant comparison ever since James debuted in 2003. Anything and everything James accomplishes is an opportunity for the media and the fans to bring the age-old debate back to life.
The media has played a huge part in creating a narrative of LeBron essentially chasing MJ to be the greatest of all time. However, we should keep in mind that these two players have played in different eras, with a slight difference in rules. The league has also taken on a different identity since Jordan's time as the face of the league.
This was a cool moment between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. #NBA75
https://t.co/tXtcDlex7Q
The two also played in different positions and were required to do different things to contribute to the team's success. Jordan was asked to carry the scoring burden throughout his career. But King James has regularly been asked to run the offense and get other players involved.
The game was also played in a completely different way, as today's NBA is more 3-point oriented. The former Chicago Bulls superstar played at a time when most of the damage was done inside the arc rather than from the perimeter.
While we will never truly and definitively know who the better player is, it is an interesting conversation to have. It is one that piques the interest of NBA fans all around the globe as everybody seems to be able to make a case for why their favorite player is the greatest of all time.