Who Guards Michael Jordan Well?

[KingLeBronJames]

The only guy I can think of is Joe Dumars. Anybody know any other list of defenders during the 80's and 90's NBA who can guard Michael pretty well or shut him down?

[Samurai Swoosh]

Small guards who were real quick, and had heart could give him problems at times. But ultimately no one could guard him.

[west]

GP

[1987_Lakers]

Yea, Jordan has said that Joe Dumars played the best defense against him.

[Samurai Swoosh]

GP

No ... just, no

[Biddy77]

guys people tried to bill as "jordan stoppers" were...

craig ehlo. didn't do so well. this led to the cavs aquiring...

gerald wilkins. somewhere along the line, someone nicknamed him "the jordan stopper". the cavs thought he might help them get past the bulls in the playoffs. that didn't end well for them.

joe dumars. like ehlo and wilkins, a very good defender. did the best job out of the 3, and the pistons still had to apply "the jordan rules" when they played the bulls to try to contain him.


GP did well against him, but by the time they locked horns in the finals, Jordan had developed into a monster in the post, and GP was understandably screwed. Clyde tried like hell, and had success sometimes.

john starks and derek harper both took their turns tying to check him at times, and the combined efforts of the Knicks made for some very tough playoff series. that said, we all know who prevailed...

[plowking]

No ... just, no

Played him extremely well in the 96 finals. Jordan was having hissy fits.

[plowking]

guys people tried to bill as "jordan stoppers" were...

craig ehlo. didn't do so well. this led to the cavs aquiring...

gerald wilkins. somewhere along the line, someone nicknamed him "the jordan stopper". the cavs thought he might help them get past the bulls in the playoffs. that didn't end well for them.

joe dumars. like ehlo and wilkins, a very good defender. did the best job out of the 3, and the pistons still had to apply "the jordan rules" when they played the bulls to try to contain him.


GP did well against him, but by the time they locked horns in the finals, Jordan had developed into a monster in the post, and GP was understandably screwed. Clyde tried like hell, and had success sometimes.

john starks and derek harper both took their turns tying to check him at times, and the combined efforts of the Knicks made for some very tough playoff series. that said, we all know who prevailed...

Not really...

[Scott Pippen]

Pippen in practice I have heard.

But to be honest based on the rules at the time I say younger Dennis Rodman was not bad. Guys like Hersey Hawkins or Bobby Phills played him very physical. But overall the answer is Dumars or Rodman to me, though the true correct answer is the Pistons/Knicks defense.

[Godfather]

Bruce B with hand checking would have slowed down Michael.

[Samurai Swoosh]

Played him extremely well in the 96 finals. Jordan was having hissy fits.

Payed him well in that series? Sure. Hissy fits? Uhh no. Ultimately the Bulls won, when they shoulve swept in Seattle. But they won, and Jordan was MVP. I guess that really is giving someone hissy fits. Oh, and GP never really gave him "problems" at any other point in their career. Especiall prior to his first retirement, when he was at his peak.

[Samurai Swoosh]

Bruce B with hand checking would have slowed down Michael.

Bruce Bowen played in Jordan's era with hand checks. And in DIME magazine a year or two ago they asked him who the hardest player to guard was ... and he said Jordan. And he played against a well aged Jordan. No Kobe. Jordan.

[D-Rose]

LeBron's dominant defense would have staggered Jordan to the point of being shutdown.

[Biddy77]

Pippen in practice I have heard.

But to be honest based on the rules at the time I say younger Dennis Rodman was not bad. Guys like Hersey Hawkins or Bobby Phills played him very physical. But overall the answer is Dumars or Rodman to me, though the true correct answer is the Pistons/Knicks defense.

i forget where i heard this, so i can't source it, but as the story goes...

jordan was asked once if anyone in the NBA could guard him one-on-one, and he said "yeap. he's right there." and pointed at pippen.

relating to that... they also supposedly asked "is there anything you can't do (on a basketball court/with a ball)?" and he said there was something. he said he couldn't jump off his right foot and dunk right handed, but scottie could.

wish i could confirm/refute those. interesting anecdotes.

[Indian guy]

The only players who had some success in containing MJ for a meaningful period were Dumars and Starks. Both were short(6'3), had very quick feet, good strength, intelligent, played in the severe hand-checking era and most importantly, played on great defensive teams.