**I read this and decided to share (status jacked)** Michael Jordan is overrated!?! During his prime years there were 6 count em SIX expansion teams introduced to the NBA(diluted period of basketball) during that time and in history the dunk from the free- throw line(Slam dunk contest) was gassed up to be waayyyyyy more than it actuallly was. Jordan had done the dunk before and to be technical his foot was on the line...Nique was robbed and then Air Jordan was born and the marketing by Nike and the NBA took off big time! Jordan and the Bulls were 1-11 in playoff games that Scottie Pippen missed( yes 1-11) Jordan played on some of the most souped up teams in my time...Pippen, Rodman, Phil Jackson, Ho Grant, Phil Jackson, Toni Kuckoc, Ron Harper, and great shooters surrounded him throughout his heyday. after about 1995 or so he no longer was the legendary great defender that we all gave him credit for....For the most part Ron Harper and Scottie Pippen did all the hard work on the defensive end. While the plan was to keep Jordan fresh for the offensive side, however he still was given 1st team all defensive placements. Premature retirements and injuries handicapped the 2 best players in the league once Jordans true reign began(Magic got sick and Birds back gave out on him based on a off the court injury) the year following Jordans retirement. The Bulls won 55 games ......in the playoffs they swept the Cavs and lost in 7 games to the Knicks....so clearly this was a dominant championship caliber team even without Jordan at that time.(Pippen averaged 22/9 and 6 w/o Jordan). Contrary to popular belief Jordan did not make Pippen.....Pippen made Pippen!! Pippen had a better career record and a better post-season record than Jordan. Pippens only losing season was his final year in the NBA, when he missed much of the season due to injury and was in a veteran leadership role for the young re-building Bulls. That was the only time in Pippens career he had a losing record and the only time he missed the playoffs. Jordan played 5 seasons without Pippen. Out of those 5 seasons, he posted 5 losing records, missed the playoffs twice, and was 1-9 in the playoffs. Think about it: Jordan never had a winning record apart from Pippen. Pippen played on many playoff teams in Portland and Houston without Jordan. the following year Jordan came back to the league towards the end of the regular - season, and they were beaten in the playoffs by a young Shaq and his Magic. Many rationalized this lost as MJ was just rusty. some of that is true but the main reason they lost was b/c they lost Ho Grant in free agency to guess who -- yes those same Magic. Chicago was exposed b/c they had no answer for the big Man in the middle the next year they sign the best pound for pound rebounders in history and one of the best defenders in the NBA at that time in Dennis Rodman.(problem solved). and Dennis was more responsible for that historic 70 game season than Mike was. If you are old enough to remember Dennis would grab all the rebounds(rest Mike and Scottie. I got this). Play man defense in the post on the other teams best post player(ask Shaq and Karl Malone) Totally take players out of their games mentally(ask Malone once again). and he as the de facto sole GOON on that team, and did that job just as well as any GOON on the court during those times.. Mike is still the GOAT of the past 25 years or so, but the whole notion that he is head and shoulders better than Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlin, Oscar Robertson, Kareem etc is a lie and a myth built around money, great marketing, and modern technology.~~~ ...let the great debate commence
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 19:54:03 +0000
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