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

[Wamu]

meh, he was juicing...

View attachment 214034

And his carrots aren't grown organically.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

I'd say no. The best perimeter players aside from Lebron are very good to great 3 point shooters. Jordan never excelled at 3 point shooting and doesn't have the play making abilities of a Lebron, so I think he would generally fall short of the best but in the conversation occasionally.

Did you just say Jordan doesn’t have the play making ability of LeBron?!?

LeBron struggles to beat guys off the dribble, unless he has a full head of steam on the break and they don’t want to get in front of him.

If Jordan played in today’s NBA — he’d probably average 20+ FT’s a game. He got to the basket at will during a time where ‘no blood, no foul’ was the NBA’s mantra. It is the only reason the Detroit Pistons won titles because we’d beat teams up.

In today’s NBA, they can’t even look at the offensive player the wrong way or you get whistled for a foul.

I’m still laughing at the comment that Jordan doesn’t have the playmaking ability of Lebron. The real statement should say — IF Lebron had Jordan’s play making ability, he would be unstoppable.

Jordan’s play making and most importantly his killer instinct is the reason why MJ is still the clear #1. Jordan would step on his own mother’s throat to win. You are born with it and Lebron wasn’t.

 

[dtgold88]

Fuck yes. Today's NBA is Charmin soft. 90s NBA had a larger quantity of quality big men, more competitive teams, better defense around the league, and none of the "minutes management" nights off bullshit for star players.

I wonder if with hindsight Bird wishes he took nights off to maybe play an extra few seasons.

 

[Wamu]

I wonder if with hindsight Bird wishes he took nights off to maybe play an extra few seasons.

That wasn't his style though. My guess is he has no regrets leaving it all on the court night in & night out. He didn't know how to play any other way.

 

[thunderc]

People talk about guys from a different era as if you would just put them in a time capsule. If anyone has any doubt that if MJ grew up in this era that he would still not be the best player on the planet you either are to young to know or you were smoking too much weed back then and weren’t paying attention. He would dominate today just like he did back then, no doubt about that because no matter what everyone was doing he would do it better and make them like it.

 

[dtgold88]

The expansion of the 90's diluted the competition, it became a watered down league. Jordan's teams were stacked while others teams weren't. His own team won only a few less after he left the play baseball. I don't think defense was necessarily better. Teams slowed the game down to stay competitive against better teams making the defensive stats look better than they were. Defensive was just different so it was a bit difficult to saw which was tougher. I think Jordan worse defensively in this fast paced league, though.

another good point about the D. Why they probably went to points per 100 possessions as opposed to points/game to measure team D.

 

[dtgold88]

@Bart getting schooled.

He did? Because he left and his team "only" won 50+ and went to the conference semis?

I don't disagree some of what Bart said was off base, but that comment was silly.

 

[dtgold88]

Jordan did not have an elite 3 because it was not a huge part of the game at the time. I have no doubt that prine Jordan in today's NBA would have put in the time be a threat from the outside. Jordan was also one of the best defenders while being the best scorer. You rarely see that.

Also, Jordan put up those numbers when it was legal to mug someone in the paint. I cant imagine what he does when he takes so much less contact.

No disrespect to MJ, but a case could be made we saw the bolded in last year's playoffs.

 

[Bart]

How it goes with 100%ers. Never an in between on topic or posters.

I did think the Derozan talk was out there and do think MJ could still be the GOAT now, but also think you had some good points when it came to the defenders who might cover him today as opposed to the 80s and 90s.

You aren’t kidding about the 100%ers, they only see black and white. They hate to be challenged or open their mind as if their little world they created in their heads will come crashing down if they agree to any of your points.


DeRozan was a bit of a bad comparison, I must admit. I was focusing on his scoring repertoire consisting of more midrange than 3 point range, both would prefer to shoot inside the arc. Someone mentioned Westbrook, who matches Jordan’s athleticism and self centered game better so that could be a better comparison.

 

[PatsFan2003]

Is it worth reminding people that Jordan was routinely on the NBA All-Pro defensive team?

 

[Mebert]

No disrespect to MJ, but a case could be made we saw the bolded in last year's playoffs.

I agree completely, Jordan is not the first or last to do it, it is just rare.

Kahwi made a very solid case that he might be the best player in the NBA right now. For the argument that this thread is about, I think Kahwi is a good case on why Jordan would still be the best in todays game.

 

[dtgold88]

That wasn't his style though. My guess is he has no regrets leaving it all on the court night in & night out. He didn't know how to play any other way.

Wasn't anyone's style back then. Only now has analytics/medicals shown the tremendous wear and tear B2Bs have on their bodies.

You really think if he was told if he missed the occasional game in Sacto he could prolong his career a few years (and others were doing it) he'd have said no?

 

[Wamu]

Wasn't anyone's style back then. Only now has analytics/medicals shown the tremendous wear and tear B2Bs have on their bodies.

You really think if he was told if he missed the occasional game in Sacto he could prolong his career a few years (and others were doing it) he'd have said no?

You're


Did I say if he missed the occasional game his career would have been prolonged? Looking to start your little daily games. Nice try. There you go making shit up again. You know I said nothing like that.

 

[dtgold88]

Absolutely no defense, they just let him walk to the basket. Where were are those hand checks and holding and physical inside presence? LMAO

In fairness there was some....but it was MJ pushing off.

 

[dtgold88]

You're


Did I say if he missed the occasional game his career would have been prolonged? Looking to start your little daily games. Nice try. There you go making shit up again. You know I said nothing like that.

Nice deflection and attempt by you to start an argument but you did, in fact, say Bird would not take days off as not how he was wired.

So I'll ask again, if he knew what we know now and was told it would prolong his career a few years perhaps (with many others taking games off) do you think he'd have done it?

Simple yes or no would be fine. Not exactly argumentative there my friend.

 

[dtgold88]

Do you know how many teams averaged over 100 points in the 90s? Give or take 4 or 5 a year.

You know how many do now with the defense played today? Almost all


Hear that? It’s you on page 9 of your own thread looking like an idiot. Again


And again getting owned



Lebron says... “can’t stop won’t stop”

To be fair, there's a reason people now use points per possession to gauge defense over PPG.

 

[dtgold88]

It was strategy to give lesser team a chance to win.

No doubt....The Fratello era Cavs were one of the lesser teams.

 

[Wamu]

Nice deflection and attempt by you to start an argument but you did, in fact, say Bird would not take days off as not how he was wired.

So I'll ask again, if he knew what we know now and was told it would prolong his career a few years perhaps (with many others taking games off) do you think he'd have done it?

Simple yes or no would be fine. Not exactly argumentative there my friend.

Breaking out that deflection word again. Not playing your games today. Start it up w/ someone else.

But to answer your question I'll repeat what I already said. That wasn't his style (comment # 223). I don't think he would have taken games off. And of course it would have prolonged his career. Dumb question to being with.

 

[dtgold88]

You aren’t kidding about the 100%ers, they only see black and white. They hate to be challenged or open their mind as if their little world they created in their heads will come crashing down if they agree to any of your points.


DeRozan was a bit of a bad comparison, I must admit. I was focusing on his scoring repertoire consisting of more midrange than 3 point range, both would prefer to shoot inside the arc. Someone mentioned Westbrook, who matches Jordan’s athleticism and self centered game better so that could be a better comparison.

Not just the opening of their minds. I will get backlash but don't care. ........As have mentioned many times it depends on the poster who makes the points. With you it seems no matter what you say here there are some who will dismiss the comment out of hand. Then certain others will follow the pack.

Not everyone. Saw some good comments from sushi, lance, trojan and others.

 

[dtgold88]

Breaking out that deflection word again. Not playing your games today. Start it up w/ someone else.

But to answer your question & hopefully shut you up I'll repeat what I already said. That wasn't his style (comment # 223). I don't think he would have taken games off. Already said that though. Why wasn't that answer good enough for you the first time? I know why. Because you're trying to play your little games again.

Talk about trying to start an argument (and accuse me of doing it). wow...that never happens.

In fact, I offered a respectful reply to you but also a counterpoint.

I'll do it again.....I get that was how Bird (and other players) were wired. My question, which is a fair one, is if he knew better might he have changed his thinking.

a simple yes or no would be OK. Or if that was offensive to you keep scrolling.