Things Michael Jordan Was Better Than LeBron James At (And What LeBron Is Best At)

Michael Jordan versus LeBron James, who is the real GOAT? NBA fans have debated this for years, and it seems like this debate will go on forever. Jordan made an unparalleled impact in the 1990s, but James has worked hard, and through his consistency has caught up to Jordan.

RELATED: 10 Best Three Point Shooters In NBA History, Ranked

You can like one player more than the other, you can hate one more than the other, but the fact remains that both are once-in-a-lifetime players. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. Michael Jordan was better than LeBron James in several aspects of the game, but the latter has outperformed MJ in some things as well.

9 Michael Jordan: In The Paint

Michael Jordan was simply incredible in the paint, despite not having an outstanding physique, he was unstoppable. Every time Jordan took flight, two points were practically assured, because blocking him was an impossible mission. He hid the ball in an impressive way, and it seemed that he could walk on air. Also, in those days the defense was very tough, but Jordan still tore it up. Air Jordan was unique in the paint. LeBron is also very good in the paint, as he is powerful, but he can't compare to Jordan in this aspect.

8 LeBron James: Better Overall Player

LeBron James is simply the complete package. He can score, he can assist, he can grab rebounds, he can block, and he has done it all for 19 seasons, showing that his durability is mind-blowing. King James is superior to Jordan in assists per game (7.4), rebounds per game (7.5), field goal percentage (50.5) and three-point field goal percentage (34.6). That said, it's no wonder James has 105 career triple doubles, while Jordan could only record 28.

7 Michael Jordan: Leadership

Many fans say that Michael Jordan had better teammates than LeBron James, but that's actually a misstatement. Jordan only had one teammate who went to the All-Star game (Scottie Pippen), while Kyrie Irving, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Kevin Love, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mo Williams and Anthony Davis went to the All-Star game being LeBron's teammates. Jordan may not have been a friend or a good teammate, but he was a leader. He only cared about winning. His competitive spirit and hunger for victory was unique. In addition to his massive contributions on the court, Jordan had a huge impact on the morale of his teammates, who knew that when His Airness was inspired, there was no way to lose the game. Michael Jordan carried the Chicago Bulls and established one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.

6 LeBron James: Champion With Three Different Teams

LeBron James won the championship in back-to-back seasons with the Miami Heat, but he was not satisfied with that and decided to return to Cleveland, and also gave them a championship, the first in franchise history.

RELATED: The Last 10 NBA Champions, Ranked Worst To Best

But LeBron didn't stay in his comfort zone, and decided to look for other challenges, so he went to the Los Angeles Lakers and also won a championship, cutting a nine-year drought and bringing competitiveness back to the team. LeBron James has had success with different teams, different coaches and different teammates.

5 Michael Jordan: Scoring

Michael Jordan is the all-time leader in points per game in both the regular season (30.1) and playoffs (33.4). Jordan was a 10-time scoring champion, including a streak of seven consecutive seasons. MJ had 60 games of 45+ points, while he had only 55 games under 15 points, which reflects just how good this guy was. Michael Jordan was a scoring machine, simply the best of all time in this category.

4 LeBron James: Consistency

Despite not being as good as Michael Jordan, LeBron James will finish his career as the all-time top scorer, and that's thanks to his consistency. Likewise, he is among the all-time leaders in almost every category thanks to his longevity. The average NBA career length is around four and a half years, but LeBron has already played 19 seasons, all at a superlative level.

RELATED: The 10 Best Seasons Of LeBron James' Career, Ranked

Most surprising of all, there are no signs of LeBron's skills degrading, as last season, the 37-year-old recorded 30.3 points per game, 8.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.

3 Michael Jordan: Defense

Many fans forget how good Michael Jordan was defensively, as he was the Defensive Player of the Year in the 1987-88 season, was a nine-time All-Defensive player, and was a three-time steals champion. Also, Michael Jordan ranks third all-time in steals, with 2,514, and had 0.8 blocks per game, which is extraordinary for a player of his size. MJ was a world-class defender.

2 LeBron James: Win Or Go Home

Another misstatement often made by fans is that LeBron James doesn't deliver in big moments, but it turns out that he is the best of all time when his team is facing elimination. King James has a 14-11 record when facing elimination, averaging 33.5 points per game when facing elimination, which is the highest average among players with at least five such games, while Jordan recorded 31.3 points per game, with a 6-7 record. In addition, James averages 10.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.04 blocks per game.

1 Michael Jordan: Finals

LeBron James has played in 10 NBA Finals, winning four and losing six. While Michael Jordan never lost a final, he won six out of six, and perhaps would have won more if it weren't for him pursuing his dream of playing baseball. Michael Jordan was always the Finals MVP, averaging 33.6 points per game, and in the 1993 finals, he averaged 41.0 points per game, which is just ridiculous. LeBron James has also been phenomenal in the finals, but he hasn't been able to make as much of an impact as Jordan. MJ conquered the NBA like no one else has.