POLL If prime Jordan played in today's NBA - would he be the best?

dtgold88 · Aug 19, 2019

CitySushi said:
I think its ignorant to think that all of these players today are just magically better at 3 point shooting and not because it was a point of emphasis in their development. If you're putting Jordan in today's game you have to at least consider points of emphasis. Jordan may have worked on his post game and his 3 point shot, but the degree to which he worked on either is up for debate.

And do you honestly believe Jordan is the type of player who said "Hey Reggie is a great 3 point shooter, so I'm gonna do the same" or was he more of a "I could give a fuck how he scores, I'm going to shut him down and we're going to win the game". He wasn't a guy who was going to mimic other people, so using one player as a reference for him wanting to be a better 3 point shooter is a ridiculous argument.

I watched Jordan play, so it's not a built up myth to me. I do agree there is an extent his legend is exaggerated, but Jordan would have been the GOAT in any era. He had a killer instinct and determination to win that I've yet to see be rivaled (probably closest is Kobe). Jordan was the ultimate competitor and to think that he wouldn't have FOUND a way to be the greatest I think is the biggest flaw in your argument. You're absolutely right in that a transfer of his skillset offensively to today's game is not conducive, but it's also not right to think that given his ability to improve or alter his game a bit is also naive.

I don't disagree with most of what you have said here, but I think it's because he was the ultimate competitor that, yes, I do think he would have been a better 3 point shooter if he felt he was capable.

Didn't he enter a 3 point contest once...and it didn't go so well?

Mebert · Aug 19, 2019

Just curious, on the logic of this thread are we to assume that Larry Bird would only be an average 3 point shooter if he played in the modern game? 37% career is good not great by todays standards.

CitySushi · Aug 19, 2019

dtgold88 said:
I don't disagree with most of what you have said here, but I think it's because he was the ultimate competitor that, yes, I do think he would have been a better 3 point shooter if he felt he was capable.

Didn't he enter a 3 point contest once...and it didn't go so well?

Yeah, I think you're right. He obviously wasn't a great 3 point shooter during his era and would need to improve. But I don't think there's any question he could get that up to a respectable 37-38%. All he needs is to be respectable.

dtgold88 · Aug 19, 2019

CitySushi said:
Yeah, I think you're right. He obviously wasn't a great 3 point shooter during his era and would need to improve. But I don't think there's any question he could get that up to a respectable 37-38%. All he needs is to be respectable.

Tough to bet against the guy but I would on that (though not impossible). Probably a number of guys who shoot in the 33% range (or lower) who could shoot all day and they might not get much better. If it were that easy, more guys today would raise their % I think.

CitySushi · Aug 19, 2019

dtgold88 said:
Tough to bet against the guy but I would on that (though not impossible). Probably a number of guys who shoot in the 33% range (or lower) who could shoot all day and they might not get much better. If it were that easy, more guys today would raise their % I think.

Yeah I wouldn't expect him to become an elite shooter, but even shooting 33% for his career is not entirely bad. I mean Jamal Crawford is only a 34.8% for his career with a ton more volume. Lou Williams is 34.9%

So I don't think it's fair to pigeonhole Jordan for one aspect of his game that was not up to today's standards, but more than respectable in his era when it wasn't an emphasis. The rest of his game translates incredibly well and even better in some aspects.

Bart · Aug 19, 2019

Shaqdaddy11 said:
Because he didn't need to. He was 6-0 in the finals - clearly whatever he did worked. The 3 point shot also wasn't as prevalent back then as it is now.

Might as well ask why he didn't try to because league leader in blocks?

Of course, he needed to do it. It was for his massive ego. There was talk during that time that he wasn't a great 3 point shooter, you don't think he wanted to prove people wrong? It's a guarantee he was working on his 3 point shot, just apply a little logic and reasoning to the situation. I know that's hard for chicks to do but give it a try anyhow.

CitySushi · Aug 19, 2019

Bart said:
Of course, he needed to do it. It was for his massive ego. There was talk during that time that he wasn't a great 3 point shooter, you don't think he wanted to prove people wrong? It's a guarantee he was working on his 3 point shot, just apply a little logic and reasoning to the situation. I know that's hard for chicks to do but give it a try anyhow.

Montalban · Aug 19, 2019

Yes. And he wouldn't need all those rest days that today's wimps need.

Shaqdaddy11 · Aug 19, 2019

Bart said:
Of course, he needed to do it. It was for his massive ego. There was talk during that time that he wasn't a great 3 point shooter, you don't think he wanted to prove people wrong? It's a guarantee he was working on his 3 point shot, just apply a little logic and reasoning to the situation. I know that's hard for chicks to do but give it a try anyhow.

If he was working on it so much how come he never attempted more than an average of 1.7 three point shots during his career? In fact his career high was 3.6 during one season.

Logic says if you're trying to improve an aspect of your game youd shoot more than two attempts per game.

Well, maybe not logically for a little boy

Bart · Aug 19, 2019

Shaqdaddy11 said:
If he was working on it so much how come he never attempted more than an average of 1.7 three point shots during his career? In fact his career high was 3.6 during one season.

Logic says if you're trying to improve an aspect of your game youd shoot more than two attempts per game.

Well, maybe not logically for a little boy

Because he knew he wasn't good at it. Shot probably wasn't progressing enough in practice to feel comfortable in games. Pretty simple logic but alas I'm talking to a chick so all this logic will go to waste.

Shaqdaddy11 · Aug 19, 2019

Bart said:
Because he knew he wasn't good at it. Shot probably wasn't progressing enough in practice to feel comfortable in games. Pretty simple logic but alas I'm talking to a chick so all this logic will go to

So according to you, MJ was a bad 3 point shooter so he tried to improve his game yet he never took more shots?

Are you drunk or just plain stupid?

What am I saying... this is the same guy who said Jordan is only slightly better than Derozan.

Perhaps you'd like to check the score on your poll?

Bart · Aug 19, 2019

Shaqdaddy11 said:
So according to you, MJ was a bad 3 point shooter so he tried to improve his game yet he never took more shots?

Are you drunk or just plain stupid?

What am I saying... this is the same guy who said Jordan is only slightly better than Derozan.

Perhaps you'd like to check the score on your poll?

I think he never had the confidence to be a volume 3 point shooter because he saw while practicing that shooting more than a few per game didn't produce the results he was looking for.

I already backed off the DeRozan comparison earlier. I made the comparison because their midrange game is similar but Jordan is more athletic. I think a Derozan 2.0 might be a better comparison.

Half that poll is just brainwashed by Nike.

CitySushi · Aug 19, 2019

Bart said:
I think he never had the confidence to be a volume 3 point shooter because he saw while practicing that shooting more than a few per game didn't produce the results he was looking for.

I already backed off the DeRozan comparison earlier. I made the comparison because their midrange game is similar but Jordan is more athletic. I think a Derozan 2.0 might be a better comparison.

Half that poll is just brainwashed by Nike.

He shot 42.7% one year. That's pretty good by any standard. He played in 82 games. He took a whopping 3.2 attempts per game. I think it's safe to say it just wasn't a priority.

Clayton · Aug 19, 2019

If Jordan played today, Durant and Lebron would be on the Bulls, too.

Bart · Aug 19, 2019

CitySushi said:
He shot 42.7% one year. That's pretty good by any standard. He played in 82 games. He took a whopping 3.2 attempts per game. I think it's safe to say it just wasn't a priority.

I think that year was when they moved the line closer.

CitySushi · Aug 19, 2019

Bart said:
I think that year was when they moved the line closer.

Yeah it was. But what does that have to do with his volume?

CitySushi · Aug 19, 2019

Jordan averaged 37 a game in an era without shooting the 3 ball, more physical play and no handcheck rule.

But all of a sudden because he can't hit a three (when that wasn't even a part of his game) he's not going to be able to do that. In an NBA where if you breathe on the offensive player it's a foul?

I don't see the logic.

Shaqdaddy11 · Aug 19, 2019

Bart said:
I think he never had the confidence to be a volume 3 point shooter because he saw while practicing that shooting more than a few per game didn't produce the results he was looking for.

I already backed off the DeRozan comparison earlier. I made the comparison because their midrange game is similar but Jordan is more athletic. I think a Derozan 2.0 might be a better comparison.

Half that poll is just brainwashed by Nike.

Cool. Now you're saying everyone else is wrong but you're right?

Of course you are, cupcake

Bart · Aug 19, 2019

CitySushi said:
Yeah it was. But what does that have to do with his volume?

Has to do with his percentage being better. With the line being closer he would have been chased off the 3 point line more when attempting a three then with the line moved back.

tlance · Aug 19, 2019

Bart said:
What was Jordan fg% against Dumars? I'm sure it was below his average. Dumars is only 6-3 and isn't particularly athletic and this is the best defender the NBA had to offer at the time. As time went on it only got worse, with guys like Starks touted as great defenders that Jordan faced. Today, it would only be worse for him with having to face players with quick feet, long arms and over 6-3. We all know he had to push off Byron Russell to get his shot off, what would he have to do if Paul George was on him.

And every star has to face a team of defenders when being guarded, why do you think Jordan special in that regard?

For the record,

I do not like the style of play from the 90s compared to today’s style.

But like I said, Jordan was not going up against Dumars. He was going up up against Dumars and a team full of hooligans ready to crush him on every drive.

No, modern players do not have to deal with anything close to that for 2 reasons:

1) the NBA correctly legislated out the hard non-basketball play fouls
2) there are far more shooters on the court today spreading the floor and making defenses pay for overhelping on rim attacks.

So no. A player like Harden for example does not face anywhere near the level of resistance at the rim that Jordan did in his prime.

POLL If prime Jordan played in today's NBA - would he be the best?

If prime Jordan played in today's NBA - would he be the best?

Yes

No

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