Have We Finally Found The Next Michael Jordan?

By David Shepard, OTSL Special Contributor

There has been much speculation concerning LeBron James when it comes to being King. Coming into this postseason it was the NBA Finals in which LeBron James had his lowest PPG in any series. In the 2012 NBA Finals James has answered his critics and then some. For the only comparable performance from a non-Big Man in the NBA finals, you have to go back to you know who (Michael Jordan). 

I will demonstrate that LeBron James is not just playing better than anyone else in the NBA right now, but he is also putting himself in Michael Jordan's neighborhood. One can finally make an argument that James is the guy we can say is truly the next Michael Jordan.

Food For Thought: LeBron had a triple-double in the close-out game. Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson have played 14 NBA Finals Series between the three of them. They have a combined zero triple-doubles in any Finals game, let alone a close-out game. 

Spin 1: LeBron is clearly the closest thing we have seen to Jordan

Since 1990 there have been four non-Big Men who have won the MVP award and played in the NBA Finals in the same season. They are Jordan, Iverson, Kobe and James. Here is how they compare the first time each player accomplished this. In all fairness Jordan did it four times, but LeBron has time to make up for that.

Despite the strong assist performance from MJ, he never had a game in the 1991 NBA Finals in which he had 10 rebounds. James did it three times in 2012. Jordan also never got to the line 10 times in a single game in the 1991 NBA Finals. In Game 2 on the road James went 12-12 from the charity stripe. Keep in mind LeBron has been harshly criticized for not attacking the hoop in years past. 

In the 2008 NBA Finals, in Games 4 and 6, Kobe scored less than 25 points; the Lakers lost both those games, including one at home. Kobe never had a game in which he had more than 7 rebounds. LeBron has not had a game in the 2012 NBA Finals in which he had less than 7 rebounds. Iverson's best game in terms of field goal percentage in the 2001 NBA finals did not match James's worst game from the field in the 2012 NBA Finals. 

Non Big Men NBA MVP's In NBA Finals (1st Appearance, Since 1990)

              James*     Bryant       Iverson     Jordan*  

Year        2012         2008           2001        1991 

PPG        28.6          25.7             35.6          31.2

RPG        10.2           4.7                5.6             6.6

APG           7.4           5.0                3.8           11.4

*NBA Finals MVP

Spin 2: James Has Done a 180 in these NBA Finals compared to his first two Finals performances

James has absolutely stepped up his game in the 2012 NBA Finals. he has scored at least 25 points in all five games. Just to put that into perspective, he had zero games in the 2011 NBA Finals where he scored 25 points. He also had six games to accomplish this. 

James has also made up for his struggles at the free throw line. James has shot over 82% from the charity stripe in 2012.  By comparison, in last year's NBA Finals he shot just 60% from the free throw line. He has increased his scoring in these NBA Finals compared to last year's by 62%.

2012 Is Year Of The King (James NBA Finals Career)

YEAR   2012         2011         2007

PPG      28.6         17.8          22.0

RPG     10.2            7.2            7.0

APG        7.4            6.8            6.8

Spin 3: Compared to last year, he has less support in 2012. He simply put the Heat on his back.

Dwyane Wade shot nearly 55% from the field last year in the NBA Finals.  In this year's Finals, he shot just 43% from the field. His scoring average is down by nearly four PPG. Wade had three games in the NBA Finals last season where he scored more than 25 points; he had none during these NBA Finals. Chris Bosh's decrease in PPG has gone down by nearly 22%. Bosh was a lot more efficient in the NBA Finals last year as well. He had three games in which he shot over 50% from the field; in these NBA finals, he had one.

James Is Clearly Batman (But in 2011 he had better Robins)

                     Wade                       Bosh

             2011      2012        2011      2012 

PPG       26.5      22.6         18.5       14.6

APG         5.2        5.8            1.0         0.2

FG%      54.6      43.5         41.3       45.2

LeBron James has been playing at a completely different level in this post-season starting with Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.  He has become like Kobe and MJ - an Assassin-like Closer with a Refuse-To-Lose mentality.  It's something all the transcendent ones have and it's why The King is FINALLY an NBA Champion.