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

[Rambunctious]

It's basically a wash man for man (again, you gotta take into account how old some of those dream teamers were)

It's a pretty even matchup.

It would be a hell of a game.

 

[Bart]

Well I mean, under the assumption that Jordan would not have improved his game under today's technology and just purely putting him into today's game, I'd say Magic would have a slightly less impact than he had in his era. He'd still be great, but there's an evolution of today's game that makes it more difficult for him versus say Jordan.

Magic wasn't an elite athlete. He was highly skilled, his size and vision made him the greatest PG of all time. But in today's game of positionless basketball, he's not as likely to continue to get as many size matchup issues. On top of that he was never a great shooter or scorer.

All the knocks that Ben Simmons has today, were/are the knocks on Magic, except that in Magic's era those weren't considered weaknesses.

Also with the elimination of illegal defense, it alters Magic's effectiveness in the post to a degree against smaller guards because the defense can hedge towards him without having to fully commit.

Don't get me wrong I think Magic is still an all time great player, but if you're just plugging and playing Magic like a lot of the assumptions here about Jordan, than he would be less effective than Jordan.

That's just my 2 cents.

I’m not going to lie, I’m biased here. Magic and Bird are a couple of my all-time favorite players because of their cerebral play, all around play and passing skills, similar to why I’m a Lebron fan. I think those types of skills transfer better to any type of basketball game. Both Magic and Bird both were successful in the NCAA with teams that didn’t have much talent especially Bird’s in comparison to Jordan who played with Worthy and Sam Perkins. In the Olympics, when he wasn’t hurt, Magic excelled playing internationally where Jordan seem to struggle from the games I saw. Magic just seems to find a way to win no matter what the rules of basketball are. His rookie year he played center in the finals and dominated that game to win the series. As for today’s game, if you surround Magic with shooters, there is a good chance his teams will always be contenders, the same way Lebron’s teams have always been. Magic is a less athletic but better playmaker than Lebron so the comparison isn’t too far off. Magic’s 3 point shooting was respectable during his last couple of years so I don’t think he would be a liability there but it could hold him back if wasn’t able to improve a little there. Even then, I think his playmaking, intelligence, and unselfishness would make up for some of his deficiencies.

 

[msgkings322]

It would be a hell of a game.

Going down the list, I have 8 new guys better, 3 old guys better, and one pair equal. It's hard to make perfect head to head comparisons because the old team is bigger and the new team is more about shooting (hence the rules question). If you move some of these one to one comparisons around you can make it more even but here's my wild ass guess:

Jordan >> Harden
1992 Magic < LeBron
Malone < Durant
Stockton < Curry
Ewing < Davis
Mullin < Thompson
Pippen = Kawhi
Robinson > Lillard
Drexler < Westbrook
Barkley > Butler
1992 Bird <<< Paul George
Laettner < Zion

 

[CitySushi]

I’m not going to lie, I’m biased here. Magic and Bird are a couple of my all-time favorite players because of their cerebral play, all around play and passing skills, similar to why I’m a Lebron fan. I think those types of skills transfer better to any type of basketball game. Both Magic and Bird both were successful in the NCAA with teams that didn’t have much talent especially Bird’s in comparison to Jordan who played with Worthy and Sam Perkins. In the Olympics, when he wasn’t hurt, Magic excelled playing internationally where Jordan seem to struggle from the games I saw. Magic just seems to find a way to win no matter what the rules of basketball are. His rookie year he played center in the finals and dominated that game to win the series. As for today’s game, if you surround Magic with shooters, there is a good chance his teams will always be contenders, the same way Lebron’s teams have always been. Magic is a less athletic but better playmaker than Lebron so the comparison isn’t too far off. Magic’s 3 point shooting was respectable during his last couple of years so I don’t think he would be a liability there but it could hold him back if wasn’t able to improve a little there. Even then, I think his playmaking, intelligence, and unselfishness would make up for some of his deficiencies.

Magic is one of my top 5 favorites of all time (non warriors edition) so I totally get it.

I just think it's almost impossible to cross compare eras and just plug and play their skills. Like if you took Ben Simmons today who's maybe a fringe top 15 player and put him in the 70's he's probably one of the top 10 best players of all time. Or if you took Rasheed Wallace and put his prime in today's game he might be one of the top 10 players in the league.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

You're so clueless. Our writing styles are completely different, you and sj76 are the only two that are holding on to this false notion.

So you’re going to be a pussy.

Awesome, this is going to be fun.

 

[msgkings322]

O

So you’re going to be a pussy.

Awesome, this is going to be fun.

Oh great, 10 more pages of you bitches having your little slap fight. You're all boring

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

O

Oh great, 10 more pages of you bitches having your little slap fight. You're all boring

Welcome to fuck off to somewhere that doesn’t upset you so much then.

Are you seriously expecting a genuine discussion from a troll thread?

 

[msgkings322]

Welcome to fuck off to somewhere that doesn’t upset you so much then.

Are you seriously expecting a genuine discussion from a troll thread?

No I'm expecting to be entertained. Or rather, expecting not to be.

 

[dtgold88]

Lol, remember the 'cramps' game?

I do.....if you have had bad leg cramps and the sniffles you know what is easier to play with.

 

[Bart]

Magic is one of my top 5 favorites of all time (non warriors edition) so I totally get it.

I just think it's almost impossible to cross compare eras and just plug and play their skills. Like if you took Ben Simmons today who's maybe a fringe top 15 player and put him in the 70's he's probably one of the top 10 best players of all time. Or if you took Rasheed Wallace and put his prime in today's game he might be one of the top 10 players in the league.

Well, nothing happens in a vacuum. Even when you are comparing within the same era there will be challenges when comparing players too. You look at last year and compare Curry to Kawhi, there are many variables that create challenges to comparing their impact on the game. Curry had Durant for most the season but lost him midway through the playoffs. Kawhi plays in the easier East. Curry lost Klay at critical times in the finals. If Klay plays and the W’s win, then Curry would be considered the best. But who is really better? It’s really hard to say even in the same era but it’s always fun trying to debate it. Of course, cross comparing over era’s have a lot more variables to contend with but it’s not impossible to come up with an educated guess, IMHO.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I do.....if you have had bad leg cramps and the sniffles you know what is easier to play with.

So playing an entire game with a fever, or food poisoning as has been rumored, is easier than a cramp?

Lol, not even you are that stupid.

 

[Bart]

So you’re going to be a pussy.

Awesome, this is going to be fun.

If LB23J is my alt show me where I slipped up revealing it was really me.

 

[dtgold88]

So playing an entire game with a fever, or food poisoning as has been rumored, is easier than a cramp?

Lol, not even you are that stupid.

The term "sweat it out" when referring to a fever or a flu is not a myth. Or the sniffles/cold which is as likely.

But bad leg cramps you can barely move.

 

[Black Adam]

O

Oh great, 10 more pages of you bitches having your little slap fight. You're all boring

man, pipe down, I'M enjoying this...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

If LB23J is my alt show me where I slipped up revealing it was really me.

Lebron23james referring to comments left to you is a start...

Learn to log out before trying to converse with yourself

 

[Bart]

Lebron23james referring to comments left to you is a start...

Learn to log out before trying to converse with yourself

Give me an example. I have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[Rambunctious]

Going down the list, I have 8 new guys better, 3 old guys better, and one pair equal. It's hard to make perfect head to head comparisons because the old team is bigger and the new team is more about shooting (hence the rules question). If you move some of these one to one comparisons around you can make it more even but here's my wild ass guess:

Jordan >> Harden
1992 Magic < LeBron
Malone < Durant
Stockton < Curry
Ewing < Davis
Mullin < Thompson
Pippen = Kawhi
Robinson > Lillard
Drexler < Westbrook
Barkley > Butler
1992 Bird <<< Paul George
Laettner < Zion

Your team would be faster, that's for sure.

 

[msgkings322]

man, pipe down, I'M enjoying this...

It was fun for the first 10 pages but now they are just repeating themselves and going in circles

 

[CitySushi]

Well, nothing happens in a vacuum. Even when you are comparing within the same era there will be challenges when comparing players too. You look at last year and compare Curry to Kawhi, there are many variables that create challenges to comparing their impact on the game. Curry had Durant for most the season but lost him midway through the playoffs. Kawhi plays in the easier East. Curry lost Klay at critical times in the finals. If Klay plays and the W’s win, then Curry would be considered the best. But who is really better? It’s really hard to say even in the same era but it’s always fun trying to debate it. Of course, cross comparing over era’s have a lot more variables to contend with but it’s not impossible to come up with an educated guess, IMHO.

Yeah and your main points actually are the reason I wonder about your reasoning behind Jordan not being as successful in this era. Because as you said nothing happens in a vacuum. Jordan never had to play against super teams as there are in this era, but that also comes with the assumption he wouldn't have other great players around him either. He didn't have to go up against the Warriors, but who's to say he wouldn't have had two other superstars on his team as well. Or what conference/team he played for. Who would his coach be? What would be their offensive philosophy? There's all sorts of things that matter in the grand scheme of things. With this discussion being so broad, I'm just genuinely curious as to your position. Of course it is your opinion, so I'm not saying you're wrong, just why do certain guys like Bird/Magic, get a pass because they'd be able to adapt but Jordan wouldn't?

 

[msgkings322]

Your team would be faster, that's for sure.

The new guys would be faster and better shooters, the old guys bigger and better defenders in the paint. That's why the rules matter.