All's I knows is, combine talent and longevity and do a fair timeline adjustment and the numbers say that Bron is easily the GOAT. He's far and away the leader in career regular season and playoff VORP. (MJ's playoff BPM however is still tops.) 4 Finals MVPs in the most competitive era yet is hard to beat. He was the best player in 3 Finals series he lost. (Okay so arguably Durant was tied with him as best in 2 of them.)
Numbers-wise I don't think there's a question. (Like with Ted Williams the analysts are left "filling in the gaps" of missed seasons for MJ.) It's other, less numbers-related issues that don't have a consensus sold on him as GOAT over MJ. I for one find it exceedingly difficult to reconcile the amount of his appearance on Shaqtin' a Fool with the status of Greatest of All Time. I might otherwise accept that his 2011 Finals choke was a learning-curve thing redeemed by monster Finals showings later. I might even consider his flopping reels to be contextualized somehow to the cynicism introduced by bad officiating. But the Shaqtin' showings are inexcusable, same with the Beard.
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