MAKASAYSAYAN ang ikapitong sunod na NBA Finals ni LeBron James, gayundin ang pagusad niya sa all-time Playoffs scoring list nang patalsikin ng Cleveland Cavaliers ang Boston Celtics sa Eastern Conference Finals series, 4-1, nitong Huwebes (Martes sa Manila).
Bunsod nito, muling sumiklab ang debate: Nalagpasan na ba ni James si Michael Jordan bilang ‘greatest of all time’?
Para kay NBA Hall-of-Famer Scottie Pippen, teammate ni Jordan sa makasaysayang dalawang ‘three-peat’ ng Chicago Bulls sa dekada 90, hindi dapat paghambingin ang dalawa, gayundin sa nagretiro na ring si Kobe Bryant.
Aniya, iba ang posisyon na nilaro ni Jordan kumpara sa dalawang all-time great guards.
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“I don’t think [LeBron] should be compared to either of those players because they play different positions. Kobe and Michael [Jordan] are both 2-guards. They’re both scorers. They’re mostly like a Kyrie [Irving]. They’re looking to score the basketball when it hits their hand,” pahayag ni Pippen sa panayam ng ESPN.
“They’re not looking to make plays for anyone on the floor. They’re not looking to be a facilitator. That’s the role that LeBron plays because he’s such a dominant and powerful force, and he’s a great passer,” aniya.
Mas katanggap-tangap pa umano, ayon kay Pippen, na ikumpara si James sa kanya at kay Magic Johnson dahil pareho ang gawi nila sa paglalaro.
“I think he plays a lot more like Magic. A lot more like myself, how I played. Obviously he’s more dominant than both me and Magic because of the way that he plays the game -- his physicality, his athleticism surpass Magic, as well as me,” aniya.
Sa tanong na kung nalagpasan rin ni James si Johnson, kaagad itong nilinaw ni Pippen.
“I don’t want to say he’s surpassed Magic. They’re both up there. Magic is truly one of the greatest to ever play the game, and he transcended how a big guard, 6-foot-9, could play all over the floor, and really motivated me that I could play at the top of the floor and run an offense as well,” pahayag ni Pippen.
“That’s what you’re seeing in LeBron. He’s a guy that runs a team. We never saw Kobe and Michael at the point running a team. They’re not comfortable in that position because when they cross halfcourt, they’re thinking to score,” aniya.
