LeBron James versus Giannis Antetokounmpo. The King versus The Greek Freak.
The Los Angeles Lakers just beat the Milwaukee Bucks 113-106 this past Thursday night, and the King vs. Greek Freak debate continues on.
While Giannis is the reigning MVP winner and Defensive Player of the Year, James is still regarded by many as the best player in the NBA. This is especially true after LeBron won the 2020 NBA title and Giannis fell short in the playoffs yet again.
Looking ahead to this year's playoffs, is LeBron or Giannis the guy you want with the 2021 Larry O'Brien Trophy at stake?
Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Milwaukee Bucks cornerstone piece is once again putting up mammoth numbers in the regular season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 27.0 points with 10.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game to start the season after winning MVP over LeBron James a few months back.
Of course, we all know Antetokounmpo can dominate in the regular season. But what about the playoffs?
Questions about Giannis were at an all-time high in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat. He put up 21.8 points and 11.0 boards per game against the Heat and was forced to sit out Game 5 with a sprained ankle as the Bucks fell in five games. While these are good numbers for most, he averaged 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists during the regular season and was clearly flustered throughout the series, just like he was against the Toronto Raptors the year before.
The Greek Freak's shooting struggles played a role again. He shot under 50.8% from the field and 21.4% on 3-pointers. He also shot just 53.7% on free throws, and his shooting from the charity stripe continues to be a big issue this season.
The Heat built a wall and did an incredible job manning up against Antetokounmpo:
Suns fans, watch this compilation of Jae Crowder guarding Giannis in the playoffs and be happy. pic.twitter.com/ATfhFAQEUp
— Sam Cooper (@scooperhoops) November 21, 2020
Giannis failed to make the NBA Finals in his first seven seasons, and he is hoping the eighth time will be the charm. There will be a lot of competition, though, and he must step up on the biggest stage in order to truly be the NBA's best player. As of right now, he still has to prove he can do it.
LeBron James
The King is still — somehow — playing at an incredible level, even at the age of 36. James just never seems to slow down, and Father Time has yet to catch up to him.
LeBron is fresh off an NBA title with the Lakers — the franchise's first since 2010 — and they are the early favorite to repeat and potentially three-peat after he and Anthony Davis both signed extensions in the offseason.
James is an early favorite for MVP this season, posting averages of 23.9 points with 7.9 boards and 7.5 assists in the early stages as the Lakers dominate
Of course, even though some haters still try to diminish his accomplishments and ability to be clutch, James always seems to hit an extra gear in the playoffs. He had incredible averages of 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists in the NBA Finals victory over the Miami Heat for yet another Finals MVP.
LeBron is averaging an incredible 28.4 points per game throughout his career in the NBA Finals, and who knows when he will finally slow down. While his raw numbers are slightly down this season, the Lakers star is still almost as effective as ever.
The Answer: LeBron James
Giannis Antetokounmpo will be a great player for a long time. However, he has failed to reach the Finals, even despite being the favorite in the Eastern Conference the last two years. Until he gets it done with the Bucks, LeBron James is the guy any team would want when everything is on the line.
LeBron has four NBA titles and could be on his way to his fifth title if the Lakers keep playing at this rate.
The one outlier for James was the 2011 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, but that is a decade ago at this point. He responded to that failure in amazing fashion and has been to the NBA Finals every year since except 2019.
When all is said and done, LeBron James is the guy you want leading your team come Finals time — at least until he finally loses a step.
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