Lebron will never equal Bird,Magic,MJ

[Chelm]

Bird was 24 in 1981 and had the benefit of a few key teammates -- McHale, Parrish, Tiny, Maxwell. Magic played with Kareem -- a top 10 player of all-time.   

Lebron has made it to 4 NBA Finals (only 2 fewer than MJ in his entire career) -- not bad by age 28.  One Finals appearance was attained virtually on his own. He's won, what, 5 MVP awards?

Whether LBJ wins this one championship or loses, he is well on his way to all-time great status.   Whether he is considered in the stratosphere of greatness (Bird, Magic, MJ) or ends up being thought of as just below the gods of hoop will be dependent upon what happens over the next 8 years -- and will likely not be determined by the 4 games.

This.  It always irks me that people diminish players because of NBA Finals losses.  Do you REALLY think it's more impressive to be 1-0 in NBA Finals than it is 1-3?  Unless a player has only played one season, being 1-0 means you were defeated EARLIER every year the player that reached 4 NBA finals appearances and lost 3 of them.

[Moranis]

 He's 28 now and averaging about 17 in the finals. We know he's a great great player. But with what Larry and Magic did right out of the gate, and what MJ was by the same age. I don't think it's much of an argument right now that he's a step below the all time greats.

To be fair, Larry Bird was far from great in his first finals appearance.  In fact for his career, he had a very large amount of his career games below 40% from the field in the finals and well over half he was under 50% from the field.

Jordan is really the exception, not the rule.  He was great pretty much in every game in all 6 finals he played. 

[CelticConcourse]

 He's 28 now and averaging about 17 in the finals. We know he's a great great player. But with what Larry and Magic did right out of the gate, and what MJ was by the same age. I don't think it's much of an argument right now that he's a step below the all time greats.

To be fair, Larry Bird was far from great in his first finals appearance.  In fact for his career, he had a very large amount of his career games below 40% from the field in the finals and well over half he was under 50% from the field.

Isn't this LeBron's fourth?

[Moranis]

 He's 28 now and averaging about 17 in the finals. We know he's a great great player. But with what Larry and Magic did right out of the gate, and what MJ was by the same age. I don't think it's much of an argument right now that he's a step below the all time greats.

To be fair, Larry Bird was far from great in his first finals appearance.  In fact for his career, he had a very large amount of his career games below 40% from the field in the finals and well over half he was under 50% from the field.

Isn't this LeBron's fourth?

Did you not read the rest of my post or the post I was responding to?

[BballTim]

 He's 28 now and averaging about 17 in the finals. We know he's a great great player. But with what Larry and Magic did right out of the gate, and what MJ was by the same age. I don't think it's much of an argument right now that he's a step below the all time greats.

To be fair, Larry Bird was far from great in his first finals appearance.  In fact for his career, he had a very large amount of his career games below 40% from the field in the finals and well over half he was under 50% from the field.

Jordan is really the exception, not the rule.  He was great pretty much in every game in all 6 finals he played.

  Ignoring each of their first finals (in part because I didn't see full stats for Bird) LeBron's been to the last 3 finals, averaging 22/9/7, down from 27/8/7 that he averaged over the last 3 regular seasons. Bird averaged 25/10/6 in the 84-87 finals, averaging 27/10/7 during those regular seasons. So while their regular season averages were almost identical for those years LeBron's game dropped off more than Bird's during the finals.

[Moranis]

 He's 28 now and averaging about 17 in the finals. We know he's a great great player. But with what Larry and Magic did right out of the gate, and what MJ was by the same age. I don't think it's much of an argument right now that he's a step below the all time greats.

To be fair, Larry Bird was far from great in his first finals appearance.  In fact for his career, he had a very large amount of his career games below 40% from the field in the finals and well over half he was under 50% from the field.

Jordan is really the exception, not the rule.  He was great pretty much in every game in all 6 finals he played.

  Ignoring each of their first finals (in part because I didn't see full stats for Bird) LeBron's been to the last 3 finals, averaging 22/9/7, down from 27/8/7 that he averaged over the last 3 regular seasons. Bird averaged 25/10/6 in the 84-87 finals, averaging 27/10/7 during those regular seasons. So while their regular season averages were almost identical for those years LeBron's game dropped off more than Bird's during the finals.

Lebron upped his rebounds and kept his assists the same dropping about 5 points a game.  Bird dropped 2 points and 1 assist a game so right about 4 points different.  And the Heat's scoring as a team dropped a great deal, while Boston's stayed right about the same as a result of the pace played by their opponents (against OKC, Miami had a similar output, but it has dropped a lot against San An and did against Dallas as well while the Lakers and Rockets kept Boston's scoring right about the same as they were more fun'n'gun style of teams).

[BballTim]

 He's 28 now and averaging about 17 in the finals. We know he's a great great player. But with what Larry and Magic did right out of the gate, and what MJ was by the same age. I don't think it's much of an argument right now that he's a step below the all time greats.

To be fair, Larry Bird was far from great in his first finals appearance.  In fact for his career, he had a very large amount of his career games below 40% from the field in the finals and well over half he was under 50% from the field.

Jordan is really the exception, not the rule.  He was great pretty much in every game in all 6 finals he played.

  Ignoring each of their first finals (in part because I didn't see full stats for Bird) LeBron's been to the last 3 finals, averaging 22/9/7, down from 27/8/7 that he averaged over the last 3 regular seasons. Bird averaged 25/10/6 in the 84-87 finals, averaging 27/10/7 during those regular seasons. So while their regular season averages were almost identical for those years LeBron's game dropped off more than Bird's during the finals.

Lebron upped his rebounds and kept his assists the same dropping about 5 points a game.  Bird dropped 2 points and 1 assist a game so right about 4 points different.  And the Heat's scoring as a team dropped a great deal, while Boston's stayed right about the same as a result of the pace played by their opponents (against OKC, Miami had a similar output, but it has dropped a lot against San An and did against Dallas as well while the Lakers and Rockets kept Boston's scoring right about the same as they were more fun'n'gun style of teams).

  LeBron probably scored at above his regular season average in the playoffs aside from the finals over those 3 years despite playing teams like the Celts and the Bulls and the Pacers. It's in the finals that his numbers drop like that.

[Celtics4ever]

None of these guys was 1 and 3 in the finals.   That being said they had more talented teams for the most part save MJ.

[Moranis]

None of these guys was 1 and 3 in the finals.   That being said they had more talented teams for the most part save MJ.

Bird and Magic were both 2-2 after 4 Finals.  If the Heat win, Lebron will be 2-2 after 4 finals as well.  Dr. J lost his first 3 NBA finals before finally winning won.

[CelticSooner]

LeBron when it's all said and done will go down as an all-time great player. I'll personally never look at him in the same light as those listed in the OP though. The only player the last 20 years I could put up there with those is Kobe. I'm a sucker for winning mentality and that's something LeBron hasn't had consistently. He's so much bigger and stronger than everyone else he knows he can show up when he wants.

[jv2764]

 In case you didn't here Magic last night ripped into Lebron saying I don't want to hear anymore excuses. And with all the talk about how he's going to be better than Jordan, I wanted to put it out there that he's not in the same league as any of those guys and not even in the same league as    Isaiah,Kobe,Duncan not yet anyway. Anyone disagree

Lebron not in Isiah's league? C'mon now.  Stop with that. You lose creditability.  Lebron has played with one Hall of Famer in his career who is actually on the downside of his career. Bird and magic played with multiple hall of famers during their entire careers.

[BballTim]

LeBron when it's all said and done will go down as an all-time great player. I'll personally never look at him in the same light as those listed in the OP though. The only player the last 20 years I could put up there with those is Kobe. I'm a sucker for winning mentality and that's something LeBron hasn't had consistently. He's so much bigger and stronger than everyone else he knows he can show up when he wants.

  While he's had a long, healthy and productive career I'd put Kobe below Shaq and Duncan for players in the last 20 years.

[hpantazo]

 In case you didn't here Magic last night ripped into Lebron saying I don't want to hear anymore excuses. And with all the talk about how he's going to be better than Jordan, I wanted to put it out there that he's not in the same league as any of those guys and not even in the same league as    Isaiah,Kobe,Duncan not yet anyway. Anyone disagree

Lebron not in Isiah's league? C'mon now.  Stop with that. You lose creditability.  Lebron has played with one Hall of Famer in his career who is actually on the downside of his career. Bird and magic played with multiple hall of famers during their entire careers.

Do you mean Dwade or Shaq? Because both fit into that description.

[CelticConcourse]

 In case you didn't here Magic last night ripped into Lebron saying I don't want to hear anymore excuses. And with all the talk about how he's going to be better than Jordan, I wanted to put it out there that he's not in the same league as any of those guys and not even in the same league as    Isaiah,Kobe,Duncan not yet anyway. Anyone disagree

Lebron not in Isiah's league? C'mon now.  Stop with that. You lose creditability.  Lebron has played with one Hall of Famer in his career who is actually on the downside of his career. Bird and magic played with multiple hall of famers during their entire careers.

Do you mean Dwade or Shaq? Because both fit into that description.

He definitely means Wade.