JAKARTA - The Los Angeles Lakers' defeat to the Miami Heat in the fifth game of the NBA Finals has sparked a lot of criticism against LeBron James. The former Miami Heat player has come under enormous pressure in recent years, especially since moving west.

However, LeBron was not fighting alone. Former NBA phenomenal player Magic Johnson defends the 35-year-old player.

Speaking at ESPN's SportsCentre , Johnson compared LeBron to Michael Jordan while pointing out that the former Chicago Bulls star doesn't have the same level of pressure that James was facing.

"Michael (Jordan) does not have this kind of pressure, I do not have this kind of pressure, Larry Bird did not have this kind of pressure," said Johnson reported from MARCA, Monday, October 12th.

Johnson continues to express his belief that only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has faced stress similar to what LeBron is experiencing today.

LeBron was crowned NBA champion on three occasions, twice with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013 before leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to the crown in 2016. He was named MVP in each of the three finals, as well as being an NBA All Star on 16 occasions. .

Despite the criticism, LeBron's prowess is undeniable and now, after 17 years in the NBA, he is still dominating the game and only one game away from a new title.

The Lakers lead 3-2 after five games and could complete the heat off on Monday morning, with game six starting at 1:30 am local time.


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