Jordan's 97-98 Bulls tonight

[auggie22]

So essentially, MJ has the edge both by the numbers AND the eye test.

 

[Scrappy3]

Left out Lebron being a 100x better passer and team player and rebounder.

If Lebron played in that Era and Jordan played in this era Lebron would we the Goat and MJ would just be the next Bradley Beal/Devin Booker

lol Yeah and Clint Capela would be the next Hakeem

 

[Scrappy3]

Can you imagine how often Jordan would get into and finish in the lane with virtually no hand checking? His fg% would be silly. He would be literally unguardable today.

People don’t realize just how good MJs body control was. He had HUGE hands and controlled the basketball like a yo yo. If he had today’s space — he’d score 45-50 every game

 

[Lamble]

Imagine if KD or Lebron played in that era they would have 12 rings.

MJ couldnt even shoot 3s and dominated imagine KD, 7 feet shooting 3s and driving in the lane. Nobody would hear about MJ.

Watch the next couple of episodes - when you see the type of defense that was allowed and the punishment Jordan endured. If you are objective, after watching, you will agree, what Jordan faced day in and day out was incredible. Pretty sure today's stars would not survive. Coming from as big a Celtics fan as there is, Jordan was the best.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

People seem to believe athletic evolution stopped when MJ retired. The rules on Defense were certainly less restricted, but the overall level of athleticism was much lower. Lebron isn't being guarded by Craig Ehlo six times per season. And that is no disrespect to Ehlo, but he wouldn't even make an NBA roster in today's League.He was one of the best defenders at the 2-guard position when he played.

 

[Hoophound]

I’m guessing you would think Ehlo could play now if he was black. Bad example, very good player.

 

[superjohn]

People seem to believe athletic evolution stopped when MJ retired. The rules on Defense were certainly less restricted, but the overall level of athleticism was much lower. Lebron isn't being guarded by Craig Ehlo six times per season. And that is no disrespect to Ehlo, but he wouldn't even make an NBA roster in today's League.He was one of the best defenders at the 2-guard position when he played.

Dude, that's a bad example. Ehlo was a solid/good defender, Dellavedova guarded Curry for a whole NBA finals.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Lol. Imagine thinking Lebron is faster and jumps higher than Jordan? Jordan ran a 4.3 40.

Lebron ran a 4.4 40 at 6' 9" and 250 pounds. He's a decent athlete.

I love watching Jordan play. One thing that jumped out at me in the first two episodes of the doc was how shaky everyone's handle looked compared to today. I don't know if that's because guys are now basically allowed to carry the ball like crazy or what, but it was noticeable to me.

Also, I could never wrap my head around post-playing Jordan having a gut. I would have expected the guy to stay in playing shape for the rest of his life.

 

[T-Squared]

Left out Lebron being a 100x better passer and team player and rebounder.

If Lebron played in that Era and Jordan played in this era Lebron would we the Goat and MJ would just be the next Bradley Beal/Devin Booker

Another victim of the corona right here.

 

[JohnFSilver]

The silly thing here is that people act like Jordan was ancient history. I get that many of y’all weren’t born yet, but Lebron and Jordan played against the same players.

The nba isn’t that much more insane athletically now than it was back then. There are super athletes such as Westbrook, Lebron, Giannis, but there are also guys like Nikola Jokic who is fat ans insanely skilled.

jordan played a ton of minutes. With the pace and space of today’s nba I think he would average in the high 30s for points.

Jordan is a much better scorer than Lebron. Lebron better passer, rebounder and dribbler. But as an offensive weapon and scoring, Jordan is superior to Lebron.

Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Paul Pier, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki all played against Jordan.

Also, Shaq was around. Or maybe some youngins think Shaq would not be as good because he couldn’t shoot 3s and a stretch 5 would take him away from the basket.

It was not as long ago as people think. There was basketball before Lebron.

 

[Mr. French]

Just wanted to jump in: I'm 36 and a millenial. Always have been a millenial.

Also, when Jordan "can't shoot" but is compared to Beal and Booker, I think we should maybe question the poster.

3s weren't nearly part of the game then that they are now, but if you watch Jordan and Lebron and come to the conclusion that Jordan couldn't shoot well, I don't know what to say to you.

 

[Chin Diesel]

You can almost visualize Jordan just shrugging his shoulders and smirking at people who think he couldn't shoot the 3.

 

[Lefty2one]

I don't know if that's because guys are now basically allowed to carry the ball like crazy or what, but it was noticeable to me.

This is exactly it. I've seen younger fans laugh at how Magic and Bird dribbled the ball--it's because you weren't allowed to carry the ball back then.

The rules are so insanely relaxed in favor of offensive players right now. Players carry the ball and travel at will, and for traveling it's not just extra steps; NBA officials constantly turn a blind eye to players shuffling or dragging their pivot foot.

You see it every four years in the Olympics. Team USA players gets called for a bunch of violations in their first few games--typically with an incredulous look on their face after the whistle is blown--because FIBA refs don't let them get away with everything.

 

[Scoe]

You can almost visualize Jordan just shrugging his shoulders and smirking at people who think he couldn't shoot the 3.

I remember he was looking right at Magic,our very own Cliff Robinson was in that video, one of the many victims to MJ.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Here is 40-year old Jordan vs. Paul Pierce. 40 year old with 50% of his athleticism playing for the wizards.



I will remind Lebron Millenials that this is the same Paul Pierce that scored 40 plus on Lebron in a game 7 of the ECF and was probably Lebron’s biggest rival early in Lebron’s career.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Here is 40-year old Jordan vs. Paul Pierce. 40 year old with 50% of his athleticism playing for the wizards.



I will remind Lebron Millenials that this is the same Paul Pierce that scored 40 plus on Lebron in a game 7 of the ECF and was probably Lebron’s biggest rival early in Lebron’s career.

Setting aside the athleticism question and the quality of opponents in different eras, the thing I'd be most curious about with Jordan in today's game is how he would adjust to the elimination, essentially, of the mid-range game.

Among other things, Jordan is the best mid-range player of all time. His signature move was the 16-foot pull-up off the dribble, or spinning turn-around jumper, shots that are rightfully considered to be bad shots today. This evolution in strategic thinking effectively killed the careers of guys like Carmelo Anthony.

The question is: does Jordan adapt to a 3's-and-layups style, or is he so ridiculously efficient even on shots that are bad shots for most players, that he maintains his dominance without having to evolve his game?

 

[BleedHuskyBlu]

Just wanted to jump in: I'm 36 and a millenial. Always have been a millenial.

Also, when Jordan "can't shoot" but is compared to Beal and Booker, I think we should maybe question the poster.

3s weren't nearly part of the game then that they are now, but if you watch Jordan and Lebron and come to the conclusion that Jordan couldn't shoot well, I don't know what to say to you.

You're right my mistake that was a bad comparison.

Jordan would be Demar Derozen in this Era, not a bad player.

 

[Mr. French]

You're right my mistake that was a bad comparison.

Jordan would be Demar Derozen in this Era, not a bad player.

That's so unoriginal on top of being embarrassingly wrong.

There's no era where Michael Jordan is a borderline all-star. Stop trying to be cute.

 

[Taco]

I really like LeBron (both as a player & aa a person), but seeing this documentary has reminded me about how earth shattering Jordan was. There was no one like him and he was probably the most popular person on the planet. He was the Muhammed Ali of his time - more than a sports figure.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Dude, that's a bad example. Ehlo was a solid/good defender, Dellavedova guarded Curry for a whole NBA finals.

Delli is a better athlete than Ehlo, and he is on th shallow end of the current talent pool. And Ehlo was rather good, but he wouldn't make a roster in this League. If he did, he wouldn't start.

 

[Scoe]

I dont understand this logic that MJ wouldnt dominate today, when he became a better shooter as he got older, and was surrounded by spot up shooters like Hodges, Paxson, Armstrong, the Bulls wouldve used the 3 point shot even more in todays game.

Look at Jason Kidd later in his career he came a better 3 point shooter won a title in 2011 and at 40 was the glue to the 2012-13 Knicks who won 55 games that year. Kidd started his career in the 1994-95 season and and did outplay guys in their athletic prime with his BB IQ, that just defeats the logic that guys in the 90s couldn't dominate in todays game.

 

[huskyfan224]

Last I checked MJ doesn’t have a flop compilation video and didn’t get outplayed in a finals series by Jason Terry, a sixth man.

 

[Scoe]

Last I checked MJ doesn’t have a flop compilation video and didn’t get outplayed in a finals series by Jason Terry, a sixth man.

Right, that series definitely doesn't do Lebron any favors in the MJ comparison, and Lebron had moments he was outplayed by JJ Barea.

 

[huskyfan224]

Lol.

This is laughable.

I have seen both in their prime. Jordan more dominant. Lebron better all-around player.

I am a Lebron fan, but Jordan was so ridiculously impossible to guard in an era that you could literally take him out. Lebron is too 5, but he doesn’t have Jordan’s extra gear. No one did.

All around? I don't ever remember Queen James winning Defensive Player of the Year or guarding the opponent's best player every game.

 

[Deepster]

All around? I don't ever remember Queen James winning Defensive Player of the Year or guarding the opponent's best player every game.

I read somewhere that Lebron leans more to the Magic and Bird "free safety" role. Covers someone who is not an offensive threat and floats to jump lanes or leak out quick on a break. Jordan was Ronnie Lott.