OT: Non Husky Topic. If you think Michael Jordan was the GOAT.....

[UofCT]

The GOAT debate is from 6 straight rings minus the baseball experiment. Never being in a game 7 during that run.

I thought he was a better player before he started winning rings, or at least more fun to watch.

Let’s count all the times he won and pretend the years he didn’t win never happened - MJ fans

 

[Gurleyman]

I was a Bad Boy Pistons fan. Then I wanted Cliff’s Blazers to win in 1992. God, I hated Jordan.

He’s the GOAT. His steal total or DPOY was never even was a consideration in that. He was a great defender, but that ranked way down on the list of things that made me fear him. Stockton’s assists were inflated heavily in that era, but he was still a great passer.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

The GOAT debate is from 6 straight rings minus the baseball experiment. Never being in a game 7 during that run.

I thought he was a better player before he started winning rings, or at least more fun to watch.

He lost to the Magic btw. It wasn’t six straight rings.

Can’t wait for in 10 years when Lebron fans get to say he went to 9 straight finals. What first year with the Lakers?

 

[UC0NN]

Jordan was in baseball shape when he lost to Orlando. In his winning prime, he never really lost.

And yes, Jordan didn't win his first 7 years or so in the NBA. Tho you can make the argument he was a better player in his early years than his winning prime. But people only count rings these days, despite it being a team effort to get rings.

Did Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum suddenly get better? I'm sure they did. But you add all star Jrue, all star Porzingis, and you get rings.

And I am a Knicks fan so I always root for MJ to lose.

 

[Deepster]

The fact this debate is so big only tells me there’s nothing else to discuss in the NBA right now. You don’t have any dynasty building. The league is not nearly as marketable or flashy as it once was. It’s stale. And the reality is this argument is so one sided but it’s propped up and continued anyway.

 

[UC0NN]

Boston looks like a dynasty building because they have great defensive talent. Along with their tremendous shooting.

 

[UofCT]

Jordan was in baseball shape when he lost to Orlando. In his winning prime, he never really lost.

And yes, Jordan didn't win his first 7 years or so in the NBA. Tho you can make the argument he was a better player in his early years than his winning prime. But people only count rings these days, despite it being a team effort to get rings.

Did Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum suddenly get better? I'm sure they did. But you add all star Jrue, all star Porzingis, and you get rings.

And I am a Knicks fan so I always root for MJ to lose.

He got MVP votes the year he lost to Orlando. The "not in shape" excuse is lazy.

 

[Inyatkin]

Jordan is at worst the second best player in the history of the game and yet you see fans making weird excuses for him all the time. The Wizards years existed, too.
If you think he's the best, let him stand on his actual record, not excuse everything else

 

[B1GEast]

Magic and Bird were amazing. Hakeem and Dr J were spectacular, but a notch below those guys. Jordan was clearly a notch or two above all of them.

Absurd. Jordan didn't win anything until the league made rule changes that helped Jordan.

He was Stern's baby and you couldn't guard him without getting into foul trouble.

I can't deny that the man was great, but some of that greatness was largely due to the NBA catering to their new poster boy.

ESPN started coming to it's own during his prime and he was everywhere.

Jordan wasn't a notch or two better than Bird, Magic or Akeem. They were all on the same level.

Jordan was spoiled by the NBA. LeBron is a bigger baby.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Jordan was in baseball shape when he lost to Orlando. In his winning prime, he never really lost.

And yes, Jordan didn't win his first 7 years or so in the NBA. Tho you can make the argument he was a better player in his early years than his winning prime. But people only count rings these days, despite it being a team effort to get rings.

Did Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum suddenly get better? I'm sure they did. But you add all star Jrue, all star Porzingis, and you get rings.

And I am a Knicks fan so I always root for MJ to lose.

Hey Lebron got hurt the year they missed the finals too. He never really missed it that year either!

 

[UC0NN]

After playing baseball for 1.5 years, yes Jordan was in tip top prime shape when he returned to the court.

 

[superjohn]

He got MVP votes the year he lost to Orlando. The "not in shape" excuse is lazy.

Jordan quit baseball in March of 1995 and was back in the NBA a week or two later. He played 17 games and finished 11th in MVP voting. The question always remains had Jordan's dad not been murdered and without him leaving to become a baseball player to honor his father would he have won 8 NBA titles in a row? Had the Bulls not broken up after the second three peat would they have won two more making it a 5 peat or even a possible 10 peat? Jordan wasn't chasing a ghost like Kobe and Lebron did throughout their careers, the numbers and accumulating rings didn't matter.

 

[temery]

Top ten, maybe five. How many championships did he win when Bird and Johnson played?

 

[UC0NN]

Jordan quit baseball in March of 1995 and was back in the NBA a week or two later. He played 17 games and finished 11th in MVP voting. The question always remains had Jordan's dad not been murdered and without him leaving to become a baseball player to honor his father would he have won 8 NBA titles in a row? Had the Bulls not broken up after the second three peat would they have won two more making it a 5 peat or even a possible 10 peat? Jordan wasn't chasing a ghost like Kobe and Lebron did throughout their careers, the numbers and accumulating rings didn't matter.

It is all possible, and we will never know. It won't change the argument a whole lot either to some, to some It may.

If MJ had the modern regimens that Tom Brady and LeBron had, maybe he could play in his 40s. Or maybe he could not. Jordan had a 20 inch vertical at aged 40. Could barely dunk.

Speaking of Brady, if Mahomes wins 5 is he the GOAT? or does he need 6,7,8?

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Longevity at the top of the game is a negative, remember that

 

[Woodson]

Top ten, maybe five. How many championships did he win when Bird and Johnson played?

Just curious.. who do Bird and Magic say is the goat?

 

[nomar]

Top ten, maybe five. How many championships did he win when Bird and Johnson played?

You mean when "Bird, McHale, Parish, DJ, and Ainge" and "Magic, Worthy, Kareem, Cooper and Scott" played? MJ was surrounded by stiffs early in his career.

I never rooted for MJ to win a game in my life. But he's the GOAT. Kobe's not even close. LeBron's closer but MJ won 6 rings with Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant or Rodman. And I believe he would have won more but for his detour. Plus his numbers are insane.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Let’s count all the times he won and pretend the years he didn’t win never happened - MJ fans

Bron fans do the same but his numbers are worse against weaker competition

 

[superjohn]

Top ten, maybe five. How many championships did he win when Bird and Johnson played?

90-91 and 91-92 for Bird. 90-91 and 95-96 for Magic. Jordan was the scoring champion, 1st team all-defense, won MVP, finals MVP and the NBA championship every one of those years.

 

[UC0NN]

LeBron is always going to be known for losing in his mega prime, the peak of his career, as one of the differentiating factors. Tho he is so damn good there really is no prime. The guy even today is beyond ridiculously great.

He lost twice with the Heat having two top 10 NBA teammates to inferior teams in Dallas anthar. He should have won. These are 7 game series, not 1 and done.

However he also beat a GS 73 win team.

Nothing wrong when he lost to KD GS team, as that was the best team we have seen in 20+ years. No shame in that.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Curry has been the best player in the LeBron era

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Curry has been the best player in the LeBron era

How’s that? Please do expand.

 

[UC0NN]

LeBron has the best NBA physical body that has ever been built, not even sure anything is close. Can effectively play all 5 positions on both offense and defense. Can shoot 3s. Can bully you in the post, and can guard Centers in the post.

Only thing he can't do is guard Shaq in the posy, something nobody could do period.

 

[Beowulf]

Michael Jordan never allowed anyone to ever score on him. And he never missed a shot in his career. The bulls never lost a game

 

[UC0NN]

MJ never had the pressure of social media, deduct points.