The debate surrounding who the greatest NBA player of all time is between Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan is at an all-time high.
However, retired center and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins made an astute point on Twitter in defending James against Jordan.
The expectations of Bron is like nothing we’ve ever seen in NBA history.
If Bron scores 63 and 49 in a series and gets swept, every sports network is talking about his inability to get it done, while MJ is getting praised and awarded player of the game in losses.
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) April 20, 2020
The comparisons between both legends erupted on Sunday following the premiere of “The Last Dance,” which chronicles Jordan’s final stint with the Bulls during 1997-98 season.
One of the episodes highlighted Jordan’s insane playoff series versus the Boston Celtics in 1986, which Perkins alluded to.
The shooting guard put up 49 points in Game 1 of the Bulls’ 1986 first-round playoff series against the Celtics. He topped that in Game 2 with a ridiculous 63 points on 22-of-41 shooting from the field.
However, the Bulls lost both contests despite Jordan’s spectacular performances.
Perkins, who played with James for two seasons, claims the four-time MVP would have been berated if he was in the same exact situation as Jordan.
The debates between James’ and Jordan’s fan bases will only persist as the 10-part documentary moves forward.