'80s Michael Jordan vs. 2nd threepeat Michael Jordan

[Im Still Ballin]

Inspired by the Karl Malone thread.

[Bawkish]

80s MJ was crazy athletic, impressive stamina

2nd 3peat MJ was more cerebral

[Axe]

80s: he was more potent as a scorer and like the bub said above me, more athletic overall but didn't win anything significant esp. with coaches preceding the zm phil jackson. Was also an immature ballhog, like how young kobe bryant was bt.

2nd 3peat: winning his first 3peat under the triangle system, he became more tamed while on the floor but still a lot capable and learned to pass the ball often as he knew his cast was quite competitive already at the time.

[dankok8]

I'd lean 80's honestly. Much was made about his ballhogging but those early Bulls teams were very thin on talent. He needed to carry them and then some.

Of course he became a more polished player but early Jordan was just too quick and explosive to contain.

[Baller789]

People expecting Jordan to win with the 80s Bulls in the East should have their heads checked.

[Phoenix]

I appreciate his refined skillset more in the 90s than his 80s version, case in point I thought his jumper just looked a lot better in form on top of the expansion of ways to create space that wasn't totally reliant on 'out-athleting' the defender. Of course the perfect balance point is that 90-92 period when he was still doing alot of the crazy athletic stuff but with a fully formed mid-range game.

[Jasper]

last three peat , league was in fear of him (.)

[Full Court]

People expecting Jordan to win with the 80s Bulls in the East should have their heads checked.

He wasn't really elevating his teammates in the 80s though, something he did later on under Phil Jackson's tutelage.

[sdot_thadon]

80s Mj was an alien in the league ability wise during that time, there just weren't any guards on his level athletically and the gap was big for his 1st few seasons. He could literally do anything he wanted on the floor because of this. 2nd 3peat Mj wasn't inferior so to speak but physically he had declined and he offset it with his game hitting its mental prime. This was my favorite version of Mj because he had the ability and still some athleticism but the cunning and poise you get with experience. I loved how in his later years he pretty much wasted no motion or energy he almkst always knew exactly what he was going to do and how to get that result. And by effect was a far better teammate in the 2nd 3peat because in his mind he was convinced he couldn't do it by himself and his younger self Wanted to do it by himself lol.

[dankok8]

Maybe this commercial will provide the answer lol

youtube.com/shorts/rf9s7dtb7sI

[Indian guy]

1988 and 1989 MJ is definitely better than 96-98 MJ. Difference in athleticism aside, his skills had taken a noticeable leap by that point and the difference in motor between mid-20's MJ and a 33-35 year old MJ is just too massive.

[Axe]

1988 and 1989 MJ is definitely better than 96-98 MJ. Difference in athleticism aside, his skills had taken a noticeable leap by that point and the difference in motor between mid-20's MJ and a 33-35 year old MJ is just too massive.

And despite being hailed by the league as the goat bt, he didn't reach the finals until after 1990. When the implementation of the flagrant foul into the league became effective.

[Bawkish]

And despite being hailed by the league as the goat bt, he didn't reach the finals until after 1990. When the implementation of the flagrant foul into the league became effective.

Yeah, "Bulls became champions because of implementation of flagrants"

same like Bron became champion when he's started flopping

[Axe]

^^Truth definitely hurts this casual.

[Bawkish]

^^Truth definitely hurts this casual.

What "truth"?

The whole thread posts are mostly FACTS until you post your garbage