Scottie Pippen isn’t quite impressed with what LeBron has been doing in the league this season
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While Pippen has been appreciative of LeBron’s statistics, he has often said that LeBron’s physical attributes help him to accumulate the numbers that he does.
In the MJ vs LeBron debate, Pippen has mostly picked his teammate Michael Jordan, citing his overall game as a major factor in picking him over LeBron. In an interview sometime back though, Pippen had conceded that LeBron had maybe overtaken Michael Jordan, especially with the kind of stats he was accumulating. (Pippen needs to come to a conclusion)
Now, in a recent interview on ESPN’s ‘First Take’, Pippen has said that LeBron isn’t even as good as Kobe, let alone Michael Jordan.
“When I look at LeBron James, he’s not what Michael [Jordan] was as a player. He’s not even what Kobe Bryant was as a player,” Pippen said.
Pippen this time emphasised on how LeBron doesn’t really have that ‘clutch gene’, something that differentiates the good from the best.
“When you talk about trying to compare Michael’s instinct, his ability to take over games, his ability to want to have that last shot. LeBron doesn’t have that gene.” Pippen said.
The case in point for Pippen this time was how LeBron James approached the dying moments of the game against the Hawks, one that the Lakers lost 113-117.
“I can sit here and say today, I watched LeBron the other night,” Pippen explained.
“The game was on the line. And he made little or no effort to go after the ball.” he added.
He then once again emphasised on the absence of the ‘clutch gene’ in LeBron’s system.
“It’s that clutch gene. I’m not taking it away that he don’t know how to win, and he’s not willing to have the ball in his hands. But the players that have that clutch gene, they’re gonna go get that ball.” Pippen concluded.
In the perennial GOAT debate, the one thing that has worked in Michael Jordan’s favour is the fact that he has been exceptional with the ball during clutch situations.
6 wins in 6 NBA finals is a testament to Michael Jordan’s big game temperament and performances. While LeBron is climbing the statistics charts, he hasn’t really been able to guide his teams to NBA titles. 3 titles in 9 NBA finals doesn’t really reflect good on LeBron’s ‘big game temperament’ factor.
Who do you think leads the GOAT debate?
