Why I Feared Jordan

[bdonovan]

Phil Jackson mentioned this in one of his books: how MJ would naturally notice weaknesses in opponents and sought to exploit them relentlessly. He would notice things the coaching staff didn't notice. MJ mentioned how he used this against himself to perfect his game.

That's very cool. I have to check that out. I might get the e-book and scan for that.

>MJ mentioned how he used this against himself to perfect his game.

That is next level. That's the pursuit of perfection right there. Most of us hide from our flaws, don't even want to know what they are, cringe if anyone mentions them, whereas this guy is searching them out with the same ruthlessness he used to examine opponents. Inspiring.

[bdonovan]

MJ was on a level above the super star as Bird was during his era.

MJ when he walked on the court , he claimed it his domain .

THAT IS WHY HE IS THE GOAT.

That was one thing about Jordan, he always made it seem like "greatness" wasn't something you just were, it was something you constantly pursued. When he added that post-up move to his game later in his career, when he vibrated like he was having a spasm (lol sounds funny typing), and you weren't sure which way he was going and nailed that jumper from the elbow - it was unguardable. Yet he added it because getting older, it was harder for him to get to the rim. He could still get to the rim better than 90% of the players but he added that move deliberately even though he was already the greatest in the game.

I see this in boxing, I see it in tennis, and now I see it in the NBA. That American players of this generation don't have that kind of instinct anymore. That's one of the reasons they don't win. Look at the top boxers- all foreign names. They're too content. I see it in Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball, Trae Young. They know they're good and that's good enough. They're improving but whatever, it's not life or death.

The last 5 MVPs were all foreign-born. One can go too far down this road, clearly there are exceptions.

Anyhow - remembering how seriously Jordan took the game is refreshing. He's in a league of his own.

[iamgine]

Growing up a Knicks fan in upstate NY (late 80s, early 90s), the excitement grew before every playoff season as the possibility we might win a ring came closer. In my lifetime, the Knicks had never won the championship. During this time, there was one person responsible more than anyone else for making sure this never happened: Michael Jordan.

I loved the Knicks; the grittiness of Ewing, the physicality of Mason and Oakley; the grocery-store-bagger turned NBA phenom John Starks. To risk a cliche, it seemed like a "working man's" team without the flash but won with hustle and toughness.

When the playoffs came around and we inevitably played the Bulls, the only emotion I can remember distinctly is fear.

I thought "We can win. But we have to play perfectly. Handle the ball well. Ewing has to be on. Stark has to take great shots. " etc. The margin for error was thin.

30 years later, reflecting on why I felt that emotion, I drew the simple conclusion: Michael Jordan was a predator. That term best defines his nature as a player. He was not normal, there has been no one like him since. Period.

None of this has to do with his build, his facial expression, how "tough" he looked, nothing superficial.

And I won't go through what everyone already knows- that he was stronger, faster, jumped higher, quicker reflexes, more athletic than a league full of athletic freaks.

What drove the fear was that Jordan was absolutely like an apex predator from the wild. He studied the opposing team and his defender like a lion evaluating his prey. I doubt it came from watching film. He was just like this. I don't care how many players come in to the league, how many make adjustments, or how much film they watch- I don't think they'll be another like him.

The more you played Jordan, the better he would get at dismantling you.

Most people's minds are filled with trivial details, wants, memories. Jordan's mind was like a data bank of his opponent's weaknesses.

Highlights show Jordan soaring into the air and dunking. Truth is he had a million ways to score. There was nothing he couldn't do. He had a killer midrange game. He could score behind the arc. He had a great post-up game, especially later in his career.

His quickness and feints were akin to a running back, no one could keep up with him, and he would keep doing them until you eventually couldn't keep up. He used his toughness, esp. after the first few years when he put on muscle. If he was doubled, in a split second, he saw the 2nd defender, knew who on his team was guarded by that man, where he was on the court, and found him immediately with the ball for an easy score.

His IQ in the moment was stunning; as if we were calculating all the probabilities he had, exhausting every one in seconds, before deciding on the winning algorithm. And then storing in his head what worked against any defensive arrangement by the opponent, and using that later on. He was the closest thing to basketball artificial intelligence engine that improved on every iteration. On both ends of the court- offense and defense.

His scoring versatility (mentioned earlier) and peak athleticism is what allowed him to act on all this information.

During that period, the Bulls won every playoff series against the Knicks (except 94 when the Bulls were without Jordan). Of the series we lost, the 1992 playoffs were the only one we took it to 7 games. We won the first game. By the last game, the Bulls beat the Knicks by 29 points (!), a total shellacking, with Jordan scoring over 50% and scoring 42 points. The Bulls wont 110-81. 110 was massive back then in the playoffs- neither team in the first 6 games scored over 100 points.

By 1996, the last time during this era the two teams faced off in the playoffs, the Bulls won the series 4-1, no contest.

I could go on but I won't. Every athlete sizes up his opponent and tries to come up with ways to beat them based on some assessment. None of them were as good at it as Jordan.

Lets look at things more objectively here. Without Jordan, '94 Knicks was only able to beat the Bulls in the 4th quarter of the 7th game.

The problem wasn't Jordan. Knicks just sucked.

[Real Men Wear Green]

For about 50 years now the Knicks in the Garden are the team that superstars show out against. They have not always sucked, especially in the Ewing era they were a generally respectable challenge. I have found them to be generally overrated, any time they get a decent group of players people start losing their minds. But they did a good job of giving Jordan a respectable punching bag.

[tpols]

Feel like everybody knows MJ was an absolute killer except the lebron kiddies around here.

[tpols]

Knicks didn't suck, they gave the Bulls some battles but I don't know how Ewing is expected to win with such a weak historical 2nd option in John starks. If he had someone like Gary Payton or something Knicks would've won a ring or 2.

[1987_Lakers]

Tl:dr 1-9

[Lebron23]

LeBron would cook him just what he did to Vince Carter derozan in the playoffs

[90sgoat]

When comparing to stars today what stands out is that MJ insisted on going all out, all the time.

MJ forced himself to make quick moves, quick decisions, each and every time. He forced himself to play fast and decisive so the opponent also had to make quick decisions and in that game, MJ was the fastest.

[FKAri]

You usually make thoughtful posts. A bit surprised you descended to this kind of ad hominem.

You're right and I apologize. I will strive to be better.

When comparing to stars today what stands out is that MJ insisted on going all out, all the time.

MJ forced himself to make quick moves, quick decisions, each and every time. He forced himself to play fast and decisive so the opponent also had to make quick decisions and in that game, MJ was the fastest.

Then why was his bitch ass not playing 48 minutes? Why is he resting on the bench? Wilt out here playing 48 plus OT and these modern punks need to feel wood on their ass every 15 minutes.

[warriorfan]

Lebron stans in this thread like




I have to say it’s been an amusing read

[1987_Lakers]

I haven't seen this gif in like 15 years.

[bdonovan]

When comparing to stars today what stands out is that MJ insisted on going all out, all the time.

MJ forced himself to make quick moves, quick decisions, each and every time. He forced himself to play fast and decisive so the opponent also had to make quick decisions and in that game, MJ was the fastest.

A good way of putting it. He made them play his game.

[SATAN]

lol@MJ going all out ALL THE TIME. It's already been discussed here before how he got mad and literally refused to shoot in a couple of games.

I like OP as a poster but MJ fans take the idolization of this man to a completely irrational and dishonest level.

[TheMan]

I've talked to a few Knicks fans over the years and they all told me they feared MJ and knew deep down that they knew the Knicks weren't beating the Bulls. I imagine that's a tough feeling to have going into a playoffs series. When James was in his first stint with the Cavs, the Bulls and Cavs met in one playoffs series that the Bulls lost and I thought that this was probably the way the Knicks fans felt during the 90s when the opposing team had the head and shoulders best player between the two clubs. Then in 2011 we had the Thibs led Bulls with DRose playing at what in hindsight was his peak and a nasty D behind him, but that's the year James cowardly hightailed it to Miami to hook up with the second best player in the EC along with a perennial All Star to boot to win not one, not two, not three... and ruined basketball for the next decade. Had he stayed in CLE, the Bulls would've whopped them and probably beat Dallas in the Finals.