Michael Jordan, The GOAT, never lost a playoff series when he had homecourt.

[Roundball_Rock]

This flat out isnt true. Pippen was having a great series until he put up that game 5 stinker. He was playing well in game six before reinjuring his back.

What Jordan did was heroic, but no need to dismiss what Pippen did. I can produce multiple writers that believed Pippen was the front runner for finals MVP. Which off course shows how well he was playing.

He obviously did not watch the 98' Finals. MJ's biggest zealots on ISH often are people who have never seen him outside of Space Jam.

[Magic 32]

1958, Bill Russell got injured in the Finals. Missed the last 2 games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljpxUVqcKxs&t=6m2s

[ImKobe]

This flat out isnt true. Pippen was having a great series until he put up that game 5 stinker. He was playing well in game six before reinjuring his back.

What Jordan did was heroic, but no need to dismiss what Pippen did. I can produce multiple writers that believed Pippen was the front runner for finals MVP. Which off course shows how well he was playing.

MJ games 1-4 = 32/5/3 on 45% shooting
Pippen games 1-4 = 20/7/4 on 47% shooting, twice as many turnovers as MJ



MJ and Pippen were both bad in Game 5, but if Pippen at least plays like garbage and not like utter shit, Bulls win in 5. The only great game Pippen had in that series was Game 4, every other game he was worse than MJ. There's no debating that Michael was the clear cut MVP of that series through any amount of games.

MJ practically carried the Bulls to the Finals while Pippen put up role player type of production for most of the Playoffs.

[stalkerforlife]

Starting threads like this only adds fuel to the fire. Do not dignify such outlandish things as comparing Bron to MJ.

Basketball lifers know there is no comparison.

[russwest0]

Starting threads like this only adds fuel to the fire. Do not dignify such outlandish things as comparing Bron to MJ.

Basketball lifers know there is no comparison.

Agreed. Not gonna stop networks like ESPN from making stupid ass comparisons though.

[ImKobe]

He obviously did not watch the 98' Finals. MJ's biggest zealots on ISH often are people who have never seen him outside of Space Jam.

I obviously have and you two are pathetic for trying to dowplay what Michael did in 98. First, he carries the Bulls to a 62-20 record with Pippen out for 38 games in the regular season and second he carries the Bulls to the Finals while Pippen plays like 2012 D-Wade, third he carries the Bulls in the last minute of a Finals game on the road and hits the game-winner while the almighty Scottie Pippen is injured.

You guys are horrible and you should be banned for this bullshit

[Roundball_Rock]

The only great game Pippen had in that series was Game 4, every other game he was worse than MJ.

This confirms that he did not watch the series. Pippen's best game was probably Game 3, where he scored only 10 points (the only game that was a blowout in that series. Anyone who watched the series knows exactly why ).

First, he carries the Bulls to a 62-20 record with Pippen out for 38 games in the regular season

Yeah--he led them to a 56 win pace without Pippen--with a team that won 69 games the year before. Amazing! Pippen led the Bulls to a 58 win pace in 94' without MJ--with a team that won 57 games the year before.

[ImKobe]

This confirms that he did not watch the series. Pippen's best game was probably the one he scored only 10 points.





Yeah--he led them to a 56 win pace without Pippen--with a team that won 69 games the year before. Amazing! Pippen led the Bulls to a 58 win pace in 94' without MJ--with a team that won 57 games the year before.

What happened in 95? can you give me the pace with MJ back for the last 17 games vs the games Pippen played without him that year?

[ImKobe]

Anyways, I don't see why you're trying to get at me with this Pippen bullshit, he was a great sidekick and in stretches during games -- showed up and made up for MJ's blunders. That's what teammates do. He was an exceptional player and one of the best two-way players ever, definitely one of my favorite all-time players, but it's not nearly enough to act like he was anywhere close to matching what Jordan did for those Bulls teams.

MJ still the GOAT, this "debate" is really headed nowhere, since facts are facts. Anything else is subjective.

[Roundball_Rock]

Since you did not watch your hero MJ play, here is a history lesson for you (you also don't know this but the Jazz were the #1 offense who had just swept the Shaq/Kobe Lakers in the WCF):

THE N.B.A. FINALS: At Every Turn, Jazz Finds Pippen; The Bulls' Consummate Defender Picks Apart the Pick-and-Roll
By MIKE WISE
Published: June 9, 1998


Scottie Pippen was buzzing John Stockton like an annoying gnat in the backcourt, filling the passing lanes the way Coach Jerry Sloan wishes his players would and taking a charge from Karl Malone under the basket. On the next Utah Jazz possession, Pippen caused more havoc.

''He is probably the only guy in basketball who draws offensive fouls anymore,'' Sloan said today. ''He had a ton of them last night, I think eight or nine. That was about as good a display of being able to step up and take a charge as you'll see.''

Pippen, a roving linebacker in high-tops, is using the finals to reaffirm his position as the game's most complete and chaos-inspiring defensive player. On Sunday night, he was largely responsible for the lowest scoring total in National Basketball Association history since the advent of the shot clock, when the Chicago Bulls pulverized the Jazz, 96-54, to take a two-games-to-one lead in the four-of-seven-game series.

Pippen roamed the floor, spreading his 6-foot-7-inch angular body from player to player on the Jazz roster. Twenty-six Utah turnovers and an unprecedented finals rout later, everyone wanted to know how one player could cause such disruption.

He has obliterated the criticism he once received for not being physical enough. This post-season alone, he shut down Charlotte's Glen Rice in the second round and discombobulated the Pacers' offense in the Eastern Conference finals.

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/09/sp...cks-apart.html

Yet Pippen sucked that game (only 10 points and 16 year old MJ fans only understand scoring--hence why they are fans of MJ) and it was all MJ. Clear GOAT!

There's no debating that Michael was the clear cut MVP of that series through any amount of games.

This also is laughable to anyone who watched the 98' Finals. Pippen was ahead entering Game 5, and unfortunately, got hurt that game and was a decoy in Game 6. Even then, he led the Bulls to 3 of their 4 wins.

[Nikola_]

Bird

[ImKobe]

Since you did not watch your hero MJ play, here is a history lesson for you:

Jerry Sloan/New York Times: Scottie Pippen was buzzing John Stockton like an annoying gnat in the backcourt, filling the passing lanes the way Coach Jerry Sloan wishes his players would and taking a charge from Karl Malone under the basket. On the next Utah Jazz possession, Pippen caused more havoc.

''He is probably the only guy in basketball who draws offensive fouls anymore,'' Sloan said today. ''He had a ton of them last night, I think eight or nine. That was about as good a display of being able to step up and take a charge as you'll see.''

Pippen, a roving linebacker in high-tops, is using the finals to reaffirm his position as the game's most complete and chaos-inspiring defensive player. On Sunday night, he was largely responsible for the lowest scoring total in National Basketball Association history since the advent of the shot clock, when the Chicago Bulls pulverized the Jazz, 96-54, to take a two-games-to-one lead in the four-of-seven-game series.

Pippen roamed the floor, spreading his 6-foot-7-inch angular body from player to player on the Jazz roster. Twenty-six Utah turnovers and an unprecedented finals rout later, everyone wanted to know how one player could cause such disruption.

He has obliterated the criticism he once received for not being physical enough. This post-season alone, he shut down Charlotte's Glen Rice in the second round and discombobulated the Pacers' offense in the Eastern Conference finals.

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/09/sp...cks-apart.html

Yet Pippen sucked that game and it was all MJ. Clear GOAT!

I never said Pippen sucked in that game, only that Game 4 was his best all-around game of that series. He was exceptional on the defensive end in Game 3, but Game 4 was overall his best of the series because he played well on both ends, not just defensively.

I guess you are an emotional poster and you always HAVE to be right, when in fact you're spewing shit out of your ass. Michael was just as good as Pippen in that game. Pippen was slightly better defensively, but Michael did a whole lot more in the offensive end and he led the huge run in the 2nd quarter to put the game away by halftime.

I remember that game fairly well - Jazz started off hot and Malone made his first 5 shots while Bulls couldn't buy a basket, it was a close game until MJ got hot and Bulls pulled away in the 2nd. anything that happened in the 2nd half was just piling on, Jazz gave up after the 3rd. Pippen did a great job drawing charges and his impact did not show up on the stat sheet, but you're acting like he locked down the jazz by himself and won the game for Chicago...

28/9/5 on 65%TS and 143 ORTG to me was more impressive.

[Roundball_Rock]

The story of the 98' Finals was defense, primarily because of Pippen.

There's no debating that Michael was the clear cut MVP of that series through any amount of games.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1...ls-karl-malone

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/6...VP.html?pg=all

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/bas...anks_suntimes/

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/13/sp...-jordan-s.html

Yet it was all MJ. Clear GOAT--when he is morphed into a figure of mythology. MJ is the Paul Bunyan of basketball.

He was exceptional on the defensive end in Game 3

The only great game Pippen had in that series was Game 4

Nice backtrack. Admit that you are only looking at boxscores and that you previously were arguing Pippen had only one great game--the one where he scored the most points. I remember another MJ stan, EricForman (who probably is banned by now), making the exact same argument about the 98' Finals.

you're acting like he locked down the jazz by himself and won the game for Chicago...

I am not the New York Times' NBA writer...

Michael was just as good as Pippen in that game.

Was MJ even in the NYT article about the game?

[livinglegend]

Roundball owning people again
and exposing ImKobe

[ImKobe]

The story of the 98' Finals was defense, primarily because of Pippen.



http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1...ls-karl-malone

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/6...VP.html?pg=all

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/bas...anks_suntimes/

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/13/sp...-jordan-s.html

Yet it was all MJ. Clear GOAT--when he is morphed into a figure of mythology. MJ is the Paul Bunyan of basketball.

you're acting like he locked down the jazz by himself and won the game for Chicago...



Nice backtrack. Admit that you are only looking at boxscores and that you previously were arguing Pippen had only one great game--the one where he scored the most points. I remember another MJ stan, EricForman (who probably is banned by now), making the exact same argument about the 98' Finals.



I am not the New York Times' NBA writer...



Was MJ even in the NYT article about the game?

So you're placing your whole argument on articles and not actual game footage, just someone else's opinion because you can not come up with your own, right?

You need to chill man. Watch the damn footage and stop acting like Michael was a non-factor and Pippen was the sole reason the Bulls won the series. You need to score more points than the other team to win the games.

And what is it that you're trying to prove here, that Pippen was a more valuable player than Michael Jordan? ..

Pippen did a good job drawing a couple charges in one game and he did an exceptional all-around job in the next one and then went completely ghost, then got injured and it all rode on Michael to close the deal before the Bulls would face a Game 7 on the road. Last time I remember, MJ had the biggest defensive and the biggest offensive highlight of the series and he easily had the better numbers. Pippen was just a great sidekick and he will always be remembered as one while MJ is the consensus GOAT.