Fans and basketball historians alike have often wondered about the outcome of a fictional matchup between Michael Jordan and Lebron James. However, a hot topic of discussion in NBA circles has put them on opposing sides of a very real disagreement.
The Cavaliers forward is among several prominent NBA players who have come out in favor of shortening the NBA regular season from 82 games to 66 games. Players have also expressed interest in limiting the practice of playing games on back-to-back nights.
The NBA is experimenting with ways to limit the wear and tear on players’ bodies from a season that can stretch from early November to mid-June, including playoffs. One such proposal is to shorten games to 44 minutes from 48, but when asked if he viewed that as a viable option, James said, “No. It’s not the minutes, it’s the games, the minutes doesn’t mean anything…it’s just too many games.”
Addressing James’ comments Thursday, Jordan, who currently holds majority ownership of the Charlotte Hornets franchise, expressed strong disagreement.
“As an owner who played the game, I loved playing. If I wasn’t playing 82 games, I still would’ve been playing somewhere else because that’s the love for the game I had. As a player, I never thought 82 games was an issue,” said Jordan. “If that’s what they want to do, we as owners and players can evaluate it and talk about it……Are they ready to give up money to play fewer games? That’s the question.”
Clearly, Jordan and James do not see eye-to-eye, which could set the stage for contention in the future as players and owners approach the end of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
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