Since his days of throwing down at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, LeBron James has been compared to Michael Jordan. Now he's being tied to Stephen Curry, who upended King James in the NBA Finals earlier this year, and guided his team to a record start to the regular season. So, the question is:
Who's the better player right now - LeBron James or Stephen Curry?
Joseph Casciaro: This feels blasphemous since LeBron is the greatest player of his generation and the unequivocal best baller post-Jordan, but Curry has been the best player in the game for a full calendar year now, and we're talking Dec. 2015, not all-time legacy.
Gino Bottero: There's this element of Curry being the flashy, new toy in the sandbox. LeBron's been so good for so long that we're not fully appreciating what he's doing with a group of misfits in Cleveland. He's carrying that team on his back to the top of the East.
Casciaro: Again, I don't think it's a matter of being anti-LeBron. What he did during the postseason and what he's still doing for the top-seeded Cavs is incredible, but in Curry we're talking about a player enjoying one of the best seasons in history.
Bottero: LeBron's been to the NBA Finals five years in a row. We've seen him time and again take his team to the promised land, regardless of who's around him. Curry can knock down threes and do some special things with the basketball, but LeBron's just as effective offensively while also being able to shut down multiple positions at the defensive end.
Casciaro: "Can knock down threes and do some special things with the basketball" might be underselling the most potent shooter in league history, who also happens to be an elite ball handler, passer, and above average defender at the point of attack. And every meaningful measure of offensive efficiency tells us LeBron really isn't as effective offensively.
Bottero: But Curry is surrounded by a quality team, which helps him put up those elite numbers. The Cavaliers were a mess last season, but LeBron fought through that adversity to bring a team to the NBA Finals that had no business being there - then we crucify him for losing. The leadership he brings to a team is unmatched.
Casciaro: Anyone who ripped LeBron for the Cavs losing to the Warriors last June should have their basketball watching privileges revoked. Nevertheless, the quality of Curry's team shouldn't be used against him. Think about how historically dominant the Warriors have been, and then consider that the defending champions - +22 points per 100 possessions with the MVP on the court - have the net rating of a bottom-10 team (-3.6) with Curry on the bench.
Bottero: There's a saying that you're never as good as you look when you win. Buying in on Curry now would be discounting the decade of greatness LeBron's displayed. The King is still at the top of his game, and there's no player who can carry a franchise the way he can.
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