If Jordan never retired, would he have a 8-Peat?

[JustinJDW]

I am getting real sick and tired of all these Kobe Threads, so I decided to make a thread about the real GOAT, Michael Jordan.

Most NBA Basketball fans would agree that Michael Jordan is the GOAT. Some respectfully disagree and say Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the best, with the most Career Points in NBA History, his 6 NBA Championships, 6 NBA MVP's, 19x NBA All-Star and countless other Awards. Some make cases for other players like Bill Russell, with an unmatched 11 NBA Championships. He even has an 8-Peat somewhere in there.

Speaking of 8-Peats, if Michael Jordan achieved that in his Career, it would no doubt, in my opinion, rank him as the GOAT, without question or debate. However, would a 8-Peat even have been possible?

To finally get to my point, I want to ask all of you Hardcore Fans personally, if Jordan never retired, would he have achieved an 8-Peat? Now this is for real, cut the bull****. I know we joke around with the topic, but do you honestly think Jordan could have accomplished such a thing? It sure is a hell of a task.

But think about if for a second. Suppose he would have won the 94 and 95 Titles, but that does not necessarily mean he would have won the 96,97 and 98 Titles. Think about the work it must take, the toll it would have on your body to win 8 Rings in a row. Do you think Jordan could do it.

So, I ask you all again. If Jordan never retired, would he have achieved an 8-Peat. Did Hakeem luck out with his 2 Championships? Or would he still have won his Rings. Or maybe Jordan would have grabbed one, but fail to grab any more? What do you think would have happened?

Please Discuss.

[Jinxed]

Not if Horace Grant still left for the Magic in 94-95 season. People forget that JORDAN WAS BACK in 95 and was avg his usual 31/6/5 in the playoffs. But without an interior presence to stop Shaq the Magic cruised past them.

It wasn't until they added Rodman in 96' were they going to be dominant again. They needed someone on that team to rebound and play defense and without Grant they had no one.

[thejumpa]

Good question. If any one person/team could win 8 in a row....it's Michael Jordan.

So the answer is yes....

[Gundress]

It would be great series if the Bulls didnt lost by Magic when Jordan came back with #45......Rockets swept Magic in the final series, thinking about how the great series would be Bulls vs Rockets...who would stop Hakeem?

[Glide2keva]

It would be great series if the Bulls didnt lost by Magic when Jordan came back with #45......Rockets swept Magic in the final series, thinking about how the great series would be Bulls vs Rockets...who would stop Hakeem?

I was working at the United Center the first years that it opened. And those were the best years.

If MJ wouldn't have "retired", they would've won at least four in a row, maybe H. Grant stays, then there was no need to get Rodman, but I don't think they would've gotten the last four for the 8 peat though.

It is possible but Jason Caffey was a complete bust as a back up to Horace and never panned out, hence the need to get Rodman.

Who knows

[bruceblitz]

I am getting real sick and tired of all these Kobe Threads, so I decided to make a thread about the real GOAT, Michael Jordan.

Most NBA Basketball fans would agree that Michael Jordan is the GOAT. Some respectfully disagree and say Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the best, with the most Career Points in NBA History, his 6 NBA Championships, 6 NBA MVP's, 19x NBA All-Star and countless other Awards. Some make cases for other players like Bill Russell, with an unmatched 11 NBA Championships. He even has an 8-Peat somewhere in there.

Speaking of 8-Peats, if Michael Jordan achieved that in his Career, it would no doubt, in my opinion, rank him as the GOAT, without question or debate. However, would a 8-Peat even have been possible?

To finally get to my point, I want to ask all of you Hardcore Fans personally, if Jordan never retired, would he have achieved an 8-Peat? Now this is for real, cut the bull****. I know we joke around with the topic, but do you honestly think Jordan could have accomplished such a thing? It sure is a hell of a task.

But think about if for a second. Suppose he would have won the 94 and 95 Titles, but that does not necessarily mean he would have won the 96,97 and 98 Titles. Think about the work it must take, the toll it would have on your body to win 8 Rings in a row. Do you think Jordan could do it.

So, I ask you all again. If Jordan never retired, would he have achieved an 8-Peat. Did Hakeem luck out with his 2 Championships? Or would he still have won his Rings. Or maybe Jordan would have grabbed one, but fail to grab any more? What do you think would have happened?

Please Discuss.

I guarantee 7 out of 8.

[Roundball_Rock]

Not if Horace Grant still left for the Magic in 94-95 season. People forget that JORDAN WAS BACK in 95 and was avg his usual 31/6/5 in the playoffs. But without an interior presence to stop Shaq the Magic cruised past them.

It wasn't until they added Rodman in 96' were they going to be dominant again. They needed someone on that team to rebound and play defense and without Grant they had no one.

Exactly. Only propagandists pretend there was a straight line from a 47 win team in 1995 which lost soundly to Orlando in the second round to the 72 win team that sweeped the same Magic the next season. MJ actually played better in the 1995 playoffs than the 1996 playoffs. They lost because Orlando killed them inside. In 1995 they were a below average rebounding team--in 1996 they jumped to 4th best. That wasn't because of MJ.

If MJ did not retire in 1993 and played until 1998 then they would have won 7 out of 8. These are big ifs, though. MJ left in part because he needed a new challenge. If his team won 4 straight, then won again after losing once, would he have played until 1998? Would there be a sufficient challenge left for him?

[spree43]

I'm not going to disrespect Hakeem and the Rockets 94 and 95 seasons by saying the bulls would have beat them
Even with Horace grant they didn't have anyone to guard Olajuwon

But its like the butterfly effect, if Jordan stays another year they maybe resign grant, keep bj, dont get rodman or harper maybe age a bit faster as a team maybe they lose to olajuwon and then don't win any other titles at all

Maybe the Magic get Rodman to go with shaq and penny and win 4 titles of their own, or Rodman goes back to the pistons with hill and dumars

But I dont think he wins 8 in a row, because those two semi development years were needed to get the teams that won later down the road

[NBASTATMAN]

Not if Horace Grant still left for the Magic in 94-95 season. People forget that JORDAN WAS BACK in 95 and was avg his usual 31/6/5 in the playoffs. But without an interior presence to stop Shaq the Magic cruised past them.

It wasn't until they added Rodman in 96' were they going to be dominant again. They needed someone on that team to rebound and play defense and without Grant they had no one.

Yea but Mj made alot of mistakes that year.. Either way I don't think they would have put together a 8 peat.. No way... More like 7 of 8...

[Samurai Swoosh]

I think they definetely would've won in 1994. 1995 would've still been tough without a solid PF, being that Grant skipped town for Orlando. A four peat, one year they would've lost (1995) then would've nailed the three peat again, IMO.

[Roundball_Rock]

I'm not going to disrespect Hakeem and the Rockets 94 and 95 seasons by saying the bulls would have beat them
Even with Horace grant they didn't have anyone to guard Olajuwon

They didn't need it. Hakeem had a great series against the Knicks and yet the Knicks came within one shot of winning the title.

The 94' Bulls may have won it without MJ if it weren't Hue Hollin's horrendous call; with MJ it never would have been close enough for Hollins to decide the outcome.

[Samurai Swoosh]

They didn't need it. Hakeem had a great series against the Knicks and yet the Knicks came within one shot of winning the title.

The 94' Bulls may have won it without MJ if it weren't for Hue Hollin's horrendous call; with MJ it never would have been close enough for Hollins to decide the outcome.

Agreed. The '94 team was better than the previous years by a significant margin. 1994 wouldn't have been a great challenge for them. Without Grant in '95, they would've struggled mightily at some point.

[Glide2keva]

They didn't need it. Hakeem had a great series against the Knicks and yet the Knicks came within one shot of winning the title.

The 94' Bulls may have won it without MJ if it weren't for Hue Hollin's horrendous call; with MJ it never would have been close enough for Hollins to decide the outcome.

This I agree with.

[Roundball_Rock]

Keep in mind 94' team would face easier competition than 93' team. The 93' Knicks>94' Knicks, the 93' Cavs>94' Pacers imo, and the 93' Suns>94' Rockets.

[Samurai Swoosh]

Keep in mind 94' team would face easier competition than 93' team. The 93' Knicks>94' Knicks, the 93' Cavs>94' Pacers imo, and the 93' Suns>94' Rockets.

DEFINETELY

well, only one I disagree with is I think the '94 Pacers > '93 Cavs