Can any of the Jordan-led Bulls team beat this Warriors?

[SJ76]

Physical like "kick them in the nuts" type physical?

Nah. Just a bump here to bump there. Maybe a shove or two after the whistle to set the tone

 

[Logicallylethal]

A healthy 2013 Miami Heat team would have matched up very well with this Golden State Team

- Lebron James was in his absolute peak prime
- Dwyane Wade, when healthy, was still a elite wing defender and superstar closer
- Chris Bosh was a versatile scorer who was excellent defensively because of his ability to switch and play the pick and roll
- Shane Battier was the equivalent of what Igoudala brings off the bench for the Warriors as a wing defender
- Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole were relentless defensive player at the guard position
- Ray Allen and Mike Miller were shooters that actually came through in the Finals
- Birdman was a solid shot blocker

There's so many different lineups this Heat team could play against the Warriors "Death Lineup"

PG - Chalmers
SG - D-Wade
SF - Battier
PF - Lebron
C - Bosh

With this lineup Battier can guard KD and you can put prime Lebron on Steph. You can rotate D-Wade and Chalmers on Steph and put Bron on KD with Battier taking Klay.

The 2nd unit (if you stagger the minutes correctly) you could have

PG - Cole
SG - Allen
SF - Miller
PF - Lebron
C - Birdman

Cole wouldn't get destroyed like Deron Williams is. Ray follows Klay off the screens. Bron would still take KD and they could afford to have Miller on Iggy.

When Bron sits they could play a combination of

PG - Chalmers
SG - Wade
SF - Miller
PF - Battier
C - Bosh

 

[SU Nittany Tide]

The only real weakness would be Longley. On that 1996 team, the other four starters are all substantially better on the defensive end than Cleveland's guys, and all had the athleticism to play outside.

Jordan would completely limit Steph
Ron Harper is a favorable defensive matchup with Klay
Pippen was pretty much born to shut down guys like Durant
Rodman was debatably the best defender in the NBA at the time, and could crush Draymond.

I really think the Warriors are a great matchup for the Bulls. I think Golden State would be more thrown off by the Bulls defense than the Bulls would be by their offense.

I hope you aren't one of the same people who would claim that Lebron has way more help than Jordan ever had.

 

[jontaejones]

A healthy 2013 Miami Heat team would have matched up very well with this Golden State Team

- Lebron James was in his absolute peak prime
- Dwyane Wade, when healthy, was still a elite wing defender and superstar closer
- Chris Bosh was a versatile scorer who was excellent defensively because of his ability to switch and play the pick and roll
- Shane Battier was the equivalent of what Igoudala brings off the bench for the Warriors as a wing defender
- Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole were relentless defensive player at the guard position
- Ray Allen and Mike Miller were shooters that actually came through in the Finals
- Birdman was a solid shot blocker

There's so many different lineups this Heat team could play against the Warriors "Death Lineup"

PG - Chalmers
SG - D-Wade
SF - Battier
PF - Lebron
C - Bosh

With this lineup Battier can guard KD and you can put prime Lebron on Steph. You can rotate D-Wade and Chalmers on Steph and put Bron on KD with Battier taking Klay.

The 2nd unit (if you stagger the minutes correctly) you could have

PG - Cole
SG - Allen
SF - Miller
PF - Lebron
C - Birdman

Cole wouldn't get destroyed like Deron Williams is. Ray follows Klay off the screens. Bron would still take KD and they could afford to have Miller on Iggy.

When Bron sits they could play a combination of

PG - Chalmers
SG - Wade
SF - Miller
PF - Battier
C - Bosh

I actually think that Spurs team that went on to beat them the next year has a better chance. That team was just a machine, clicking on all cylinders.

 

[SJ76]

Rodman would have definitely got Draymond thrown out. He would have flipped out

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Jordan had a much better supporting cast in my opinion.

lol, I don't know man... Miami was STACKED, so is Cleveland right now...

 

[GNG]

lol, I don't know man... Miami was STACKED, so is Cleveland right now...

I'm not impressed by the Cavs personnel with the possible exception of Kyrie Irving. Miami had a better roster.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

I'm not impressed by the Cavs personnel with the possible exception of Kyrie Irving. Miami had a better roster.

Agreed, when Miami had Bosh, Wade, Allen, Lebron is was like an all-star team...

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Rodman would have definitely got Draymond thrown out. He would have flipped out

Rodman has a 7'2'' wingspan, he'd be best placed guarding Durant. Pippen would match up great against Green, which would allow him to play more team defense. Put Jordan on Curry and rotate on Thompson.

 

[flyerhawk]

Have LeBron's Finals opponents been better than MJ's?

Interesting article.

It's probably not much of a surprise then to declare that James' best opponents have been better than Jordan's, whose hardest matchup by this measure was the 1998 Utah Jazz. The Jazz finished one spot ahead of Jordan's 1998 Bulls team in the ELO ratings.

 

[black francis]

i bet one Jordan wouldnt have let Durant walk down and drill a game winning three right in his face.

LeBron was trying to calculate his FG% instead of playing defense.

 

[flyerhawk]

i bet one Jordan wouldnt have let Durant walk down and drill a game winning three right in his face.

LeBron was trying to calculate his FG% instead of playing defense.

Because Jordan would have shut down Durant, who 5 inches taller than him from the mid-court to the paint. Because 2017 memories of MJ have turned him into a demi-god. He would have simply blocked KD's off the dribble 25 footer.

 

[black francis]

Because Jordan would have shut down Durant, who 5 inches taller than him from the mid-court to the paint. Because 2017 memories of MJ have turned him into a demi-god. He would have simply blocked KD's off the dribble 25 footer.

Jordan would have made an attempt at some defense

 

[CitySushi]

I was watching Scottie Pippen talk about this very scenario with Paul Pierce and Vince Carter.

Pippen said him and KD would likely be a wash because he was a great defender but also realizes that KD is near 7'0. He said Jordan would hold over Klay, naturally. He said Harper would have a tough time with Curry though. He seemed to think it would not be an epic beat down, but sounded optimistic about their chances and said either way it would have been a great series.

VC chimes in and says it really matters what the rules are. He thinks the if played by the old rules, The Bulls easily win (I don't disagree) but if played by modern rules, with the 3 ball being so important, that the Warriors would probably win.

So I think it just really depends. I'd say if played by old school rules, Bulls in 5. If played by modern rules, I think the series goes 7 with the winner dependent on who could play the better defense over the course of the series.

 

[SJ76]

Because Jordan would have shut down Durant, who 5 inches taller than him from the mid-court to the paint. Because 2017 memories of MJ have turned him into a demi-god. He would have simply blocked KD's off the dribble 25 footer.

You're obsession with proving that Lebron is better than Jordan everyday is getting pretty funny and stale at the same time. You must be getting tired. This isn't even a thread that's Lebron related. But yeah... Jordan doesn't give up the ball in the last possession to Korver. He also doesn't coast back down on D and watch KD hit a game winner in his face. Those are the facts jack.

Lebron shouldn't be allowed to wear the #23 again. He played a great game but where was he at crunchtime?

 

[flyerhawk]

I was watching Scottie Pippen talk about this very scenario with Paul Pierce and Vince Carter.

Pippen said him and KD would likely be a wash because he was a great defender but also realizes that KD is near 7'0. He said Jordan would hold over Klay, naturally. He said Harper would have a tough time with Curry though. He seemed to think it would not be an epic beat down, but sounded optimistic about their chances and said either way it would have been a great series.

VC chimes in and says it really matters what the rules are. He thinks the if played by the old rules, The Bulls easily win (I don't disagree) but if played by modern rules, with the 3 ball being so important, that the Warriors would probably win.

So I think it just really depends. I'd say if played by old school rules, Bulls in 5. If played by modern rules, I think the series goes 7 with the winner dependent on who could play the better defense over the course of the series.

Good post.

I'm curious as to what objective measurements there are to suggest that that Bulls would be able to compete with the Warriors given the current rules. They would be facing a system they would be wholly unfamiliar with. A system that no one ever played before.

I think a more reasonable assumption would be either that the rules make a huge difference and neither would be competitive with the other using their rules or the rules don't make much difference and Team A or B is simply better.

 

[CitySushi]

Good post.

I'm curious as to what objective measurements there are to suggest that that Bulls would be able to compete with the Warriors given the current rules. They would be facing a system they would be wholly unfamiliar with. A system that no one ever played before.

I think a more reasonable assumption would be either that the rules make a huge difference and neither would be competitive with the other using their rules or the rules don't make much difference and Team A or B is simply better.

I think another huge factor in the rules is now the allowance of a zone defense. I've been over this a ton and been skewered over this, but the zone principle matters. The Warriors are so good defensively because they can hedge towards a side and because they have amazing athletes can rotate effectively enough to be a great perimeter defensive team.

People think this means that I think a double can stop Jordan. I don't believe that, but what I do believe is the ability to hedge more affects the role players like Kerr or Kukoc to get cleaner looks at the basket versus previously when you had to hard double if you were going to commit otherwise it was illegal defense. If you bring a secondary defender over half way, and make MJ give up the ball to say Kerr on the wing, it allows easier defensive rotations.

 

[flyerhawk]

You're obsession with proving that Lebron is better than Jordan everyday is getting pretty funny and stale at the same time. You must be getting tired. This isn't even a thread that's Lebron related. But yeah... Jordan doesn't give up the ball in the last possession to Korver. He also doesn't coast back down on D and watch KD hit a game winner in his face. Those are the facts jack.

Lebron shouldn't be allowed to wear the #23 again. He played a great game but where was he at crunchtime?

You could spend a HOURS combing through this forum searching for a post in which I have EVER said that Lebron is better than MJ. IMO, they are the two greatest players I have ever seen play.

What's funny is that I WASN'T the one who mentioned Lebron. Someone else did and said that Superman MJ would shut everyone down at all times whereas Lebron couldn't. I pointed out that there is almost no way that Jordan could have shut down a shot like that and somehow you turn that into a debate about Lebron. Hilarious.

You want to argue that MJ wouldn't have let Korver block his shot? Ok. Sure. Kinda unprovable but sure.

You want to argue that 6'6" Michael Jordan was going to prevent 7'0" Kevin Durant from hitting a 25' pull up 3? You are living in a fantasyland. This is about the worst case of MJ fan boyism I've seen yet.


I love how Lebron "coasted" back down on D despite being in the lane waiting for KD.

 

[flyerhawk]

I think another huge factor in the rules is now the allowance of a zone defense. I've been over this a ton and been skewered over this, but the zone principle matters. The Warriors are so good defensively because they can hedge towards a side and because they have amazing athletes can rotate effectively enough to be a great perimeter defensive team.

Completely agree. The current rules emphasize speed and de-emphasizing power in the paint. As great as a defensive player as Green is today, he would get pushed around a lot back in the 90s as he would have been expected to bang around in the paint a lot.

People think this means that I think a double can stop Jordan. I don't believe that, but what I do believe is the ability to hedge more affects the role players like Kerr or Kukoc to get cleaner looks at the basket versus previously when you had to hard double if you were going to commit otherwise it was illegal defense. If you bring a secondary defender over half way, and make MJ give up the ball to say Kerr on the wing, it allows easier defensive rotations.

Absolutely. People have a tendency to argue that the elimination of the hand check would have made guys like Jordan unstoppable. That certainly would have helped him, especially later in his career when he was more of a post up player. But he would face a double on almost every play in today's game.

 

[gpm1976]

You're obsession with proving that Lebron is better than Jordan everyday is getting pretty funny and stale at the same time. You must be getting tired. This isn't even a thread that's Lebron related. But yeah... Jordan doesn't give up the ball in the last possession to Korver. He also doesn't coast back down on D and watch KD hit a game winner in his face. Those are the facts jack.

Lebron shouldn't be allowed to wear the #23 again. He played a great game but where was he at crunchtime?

It's fun to have discussions about the GOAT, but I still think there will never be another MJ. The blazers were supposed to finally be the team to stop the bulls until Jordan drops 35 on them in one half. The guy was unbelievable, he just didn't miss.. and the tougher the competition, the better he played.