2014 NBA Finals: R.I.P. All Comparisons To Michael Jordan!

Dec 21, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan unveils the new Charlotte Hornets logo at halftime during the game against the Utah Jazz at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Well the 2014 NBA Finals was interesting to say the least. One week ago, the series was tied 1-1 after the Miami Heat got a split on the road going back to South Beach primed to put a stranglehold on the 2014 NBA Finals series and accomplish their goal of a three peat and third championship in the four years of the “Big Three” era.

Then something happened. San Antonio surgically dismantled the Miami Heat manhandling them in Games three and four leaving the Heat outclassed and embarrassed. The 2014 NBA Finals went from the Heat being a part of history to San Antonio going to historical heights.

What history? How about a team that runs a complete clinic on how basketball is played on any level? How about putting on probably the greatest showcase of shooting in any NBA Finals series, not just the 2014 NBA Finals? How about showing the world how you REALLY get revenge on a team in the Finals? How about changing the landscape of how teams are going to build their rosters for the next ten years?

Oh there is one more thing the San Antonio Spurs showed us in the 2014 NBA Finals…

There is no comparison between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. It’s dead. Over. Rest In Peace. Let’s find the “next” Michael Jordan. This dude is not it.

Before the 2014 NBA Finals, there were rumblings that if the Miami Heat could pull off the three peat, it would probably put LeBron James in rare company of being the best ever. You see LeBron James can sit in press conferences and say he just wants to be in the conversation as being the best with Michael Jordan but that in my opinion is not true. He wants to be the ONLY one in the conversation of being the best with Michael Jordan. Based on that, considering that LeBron James is “such a student of the game” he would get greedy and line up as many championships as possible, I picked Miami to win the 2014 NBA Finals in six games.

Oops!

This little note is for Michael Jordan. Go kiss the little ones, grab a Cuban cigar and listen. On behalf of the media who  stupidly compared you to LeBron James in the last couple of years, I would like to apologize to you. It was reckless, ridiculous and just plain dumb. I know you are busy getting ready for the NBA Draft so I’ll let you get back to Hornets business. But if you would accept the apology, it will not happen again. Thank you.

I know this sounds a little harsh but there is a trend in sports media that needs to be stopped. We are a microwave stats filled society. Substance is starting to be put on the back-burner in NBA basketball. Until last week.

LeBron James will have to take a long look at how he wants to be remembered. A real long look because he will not be considered  in the “Mount Rushmore” of NBA players. Top five is out. If you really think about it, the top ten could be a stretch. But the 2014 NBA Finals definitely showed us that the Michael Jordan comparisons can cease. Here’s why?

1) Michael Jordan has never lost a NBA Final. EVER! LeBron James now has three losses.

Yep, LeBron James has now lost three NBA Finals series. Based on how this series went this year it easily should have been four. San Antonio has too much class to basically say they have LeBron James’ number (remember they swept LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007) so I’ll say it. The Spurs have figured out how to beat any team LeBron James brings to the table. They may be conscious of him. But they don’t have the fear of death when he walks on the floor.

Michael Jordan never had that problem. Outside of the Bad Boys in the late 80’s early 90’s EVERYBODY was afraid of Jordan. The Detroit Pistons were from a different breed back then. Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Co. were obsessed with sticking it to the entire NBA, they knew well enough to devise a plan to deal with him but fear? Nah. Every time Jordan stepped on the floor in an NBA Finals series you could write down 30 points in magic marker. Plus he was going to have everyone on that Bulls squad ready to give maximum effort. No one could figure him out because he was a  different player in every series.

1) Against the Los Angeles Lakers, Jordan learned that his teammates were legit.

In Game five of the 1990-91  NBA Finals, Michael Jordan could smell the champagne in the locker room and started to get antsy. He started to break the triangle offense. Phil Jackson called a timeout and screamed “Who’s open!” It happened to be John Paxson. Jordan started finding him and the rest is history.

2) Against the Portland Trail Blazers, Jordan learned he could hit a jumper or two.

This was the series that Jordan started to think the way LeBron James was thinking. Jordan wanted to take the challenge to see who  was the best two guard in the NBA. Was it Clyde Drexler or was it him?

Well scoring 35 points in the first half of Game one kind of put that to bed emphatically. The Bulls won the series. That question was never brought up again.

3) Against the Phoenix Suns, Jordan cracked open a 40 for the series and poured it on Charles Barkley

For the first three peat, this series was when he was at the peak of his powers. When Charles told the world God told him that the Suns would win the world title, I guess God told Mr. Jordan to go handle that real quick. Needless to say uhh, the Phoenix Suns did not win the world title. Didn’t Larry Bird say that God was disguised as Michael Jordan? Just Sayin!

4) Against the Seattle Super Sonics. Michael Jordan changed the game.

After being embarrassed in the previous playoff series loss to Orlando. The NBA  got an idea of how great this dude was. He changed his game and went to a more efficient less physical style of play. He developed an unstoppable fadeaway and the Bulls went out and retooled the roster (the right way) and the Bulls set a record with 72 wins. When the Bulls won their fourth title in six years and the first without Michael’s father James Jordan. To watch him break down in the locker room was the iconic moment in the Bulls dynasty. Everyone remembers the crying while he was clutching the trophy. I remember Father’s Day of 1996.

5) Michael Jordan let’s the world know who the real MVP is.

This was the year that the “Mailman” Karl Malone won the MVP. Jordan let him borrow the honor for the year and basically exposed him in the Finals against Utah.

In Game one of the 96-97 Finals with seconds left, Karl Malone was at the free throw line. Scottie Pippen told him that Mailmen don’t deliver on Sundays. Malone missed them both. Jordan hits the game winner.

In Game five called the “Flu Game” Jordan doubled up Malone scoring 38 points. He will always be remembered being carried to the bench in complete exhaustion. To all the LeBron fans, can your King do this?

6) Michael Jordan strikes the pose leaving Chicago for good.

Hey LeBron, you know Utah wanted revenge too right? Well Utah came back looking for revenge. The only thing was Michael Jordan was playing and not LeBron James. In the series clinching game ON THE ROAD, Michael Jordan steals the ball from Karl Malone and knocks down the 17 foot jumper to win the game. Epic, Pippen Peoples Epic!

Lebron James is now under .500 in the NBA Finals. He has been exposed by the  San Antonio Spurs and he might have hit the ceiling of what he can accomplish.

Why? Because Jordan had this mindset that not only was he going to beat you, you were going to left the knowledge that he was better than you. Think about it, if he would have lost in Phoenix, Utah, Portland, Seattle or Utah he probably would have burned the arenas down. He was obsessed with winning and those titles of his.

To listen to LeBron say that he was cool with two wins out of four tells us everything. LeBron James is not prepared to pay the price like Jordan did.

If you LeBron fans are mad, answer me this…

When has a Jordan team get a 50-20 run put on them at anytime during his career like San Antonio did in the deciding game on Sunday? High school, college pro, pick up, etc. Pick one.

When has a Jordan team allowed a team to hit 19 of 21 shot like the Spurs did in Game three of the 2014 NBA Finals? I got time, I’ll wait.

When did Michael Jordan allow the man he was matched up with win the MVP? Oh that’s right, he won all six of them.

LeBron James, we cool but Michael Jordan is better than you.

WAAAAY better than you.