Anybody know the most points scored by MJ

[SwooshReturns]

Now, now. No need for you to get your panties in a bunch. You're an unsual Kobe Knobslobber in that you're an MJ fan first and foremost. This forces you to see things from a reasonable perspective in regards to comparing him to Jordan.

Then why was it 'suprisingly astute'? ... that's how my loyalties and basketball perspective has always been surrounding both of those players.

And please w/ the "kobe knob slobber" ... I've called Wade the same caliber player, who out performs Kobe in the playoffs and Finals. And LeBron is the superior regular season player compared to Kobe for his career.

I'm also not the one who ONLY posts in Kobe Bryant related threads, Knoe.

We all know your history here, you're attracted to the Kobe threads like a streetwalker to tricks. What would that make you then if Kobe is the only active conversation you have EVER had on ISH?

[Knoe Itawl]

Then why was it 'suprisingly astute'? ... that's how my loyalties and basketball perspective has always been surrounding both of those players.

And please w/ the "kobe knob slobber" ... I've called Wade the same caliber player, who out performs Kobe in the playoffs and Finals. And LeBron is the superior regular season player compared to Kobe for his career.

I'm also not the one who ONLY posts in Kobe Bryant related threads, Knoe.

We all know your history here, you're attracted to the Kobe threads like a streetwalker to tricks. What would that make you then if Kobe is the only active conversation you have EVER had on ISH?

Now, now. No need to get testy. I've never had that much of a problem with you, mainly because like I said you're a Jordan fan first and foremost which is unusual for hardcore Bryant fans. I was mostly just teasing when I said it was suprisingly astute. You took it personally calling me a clown, to which I responded with calling you a Knobslobber. But I defnitely think you're miles above the average Bryant psychophant, if that's better.

[Da_Realist]

Well that's the point. MJ always put a cap on the amount of points he would score, so he could make a statement with his scoring power, but wouldn't alienate himself or embarrass his teammates at the same time.

Because at some point, even watching that 81 point game in retrospect, it gets to the point where it's akward to watch and the other team isn't just getting shown up, your teammates are as well.

Reminds me of the LaBradford Smith game where he promised to drop 37 on him before halftime because Smith posted 37 on Jordan the game before. He got 36 at the half...and only scored 11 points the rest of the way. He shot 59% that game.

[bwink23]

Reminds me of the LaBradford Smith game where he promised to drop 37 on him before halftime because Smith posted 37 on Jordan the game before. He got 36 at the half...and only scored 11 points the rest of the way. He shot 59% that game.

But missed the last FT before halftime that would have netted 37....

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Reminds me of the LaBradford Smith game where he promised to drop 37 on him before halftime because Smith posted 37 on Jordan the game before. He got 36 at the half...and only scored 11 points the rest of the way. He shot 59% that game.

Phil put it best. Jordan would go on scoring terrors, a retribution night often times going after the teams leading scorer (needing to take him out to hurt the opposing teams psyche). Kobe would go on 40-50 point game streaks vs bad defenses, and some of those high scoring games were on mediocre shooting percentages.

[Da_Realist]

Phil put it best. Jordan would go on scoring terrors, a retribution night often times going after the teams leading scorer (needing to take him out to hurt the opposing teams psyche). Kobe would go on 40-50 point game streaks vs bad defenses, and some of those high scoring games were on mediocre shooting percentages.

Yep. MJ was a competitor first and foremost. It didn't mean as much to beat scrub teams. MJ was a better player in the playoffs than he was in the regular season. Playoffs matter because not only is the competition better, but you're facing that same team up to 7 times in 2 weeks. It's very hard to dominate a team that is actively scheming against you after scouting your strengths, weaknesses and tendencies.

MJ needed to make up or exaggerate stuff to feed that fiery competitor inside. LaBradford Smith is just one of these examples. He just needed to get up for a boring regular season game.

I don't think we ever saw MJ max out. If the championship level Bulls could go back in time to face Magic's Lakers and Bird's Celtics, win or lose we would have seen the best of MJ. If MJ had the foresight to see what Hakeem was going to do in the mid 90's and stayed to play instead of retire, that 3 year war would have brought out the very best of MJ.

Instead, we just hear stories of what happened during those Dream Team practices. MJ said that was the very best he has ever played. And we missed it.

[bwink23]

Yep. MJ was a competitor first and foremost. It didn't mean as much to beat scrub teams. MJ was a better player in the playoffs than he was in the regular season. Playoffs matter because not only is the competition better, but you're facing that same team up to 7 times in 2 weeks. It's very hard to dominate a team that is actively scheming against you after scouting your strengths, weaknesses and tendencies.

MJ needed to make up or exaggerate stuff to feed that fiery competitor inside. LaBradford Smith is just one of these examples. He just needed to get up for a boring regular season game.

I don't think we ever saw MJ max out. If the championship level Bulls could go back in time to face Magic's Lakers and Bird's Celtics, win or lose we would have seen the best of MJ. If MJ had the foresight to see what Hakeem was going to do in the mid 90's and stayed to play instead of retire, that 3 year war would have brought out the very best of MJ.

Instead, we just hear stories of what happened during those Dream Team practices. MJ said that was the very best he has ever played. And we missed it.

Magic said that was the best basketball he's ever been a part of....and MJ had the greatest dunk he's ever seen in one of those scrimmages....where the hell were the camera phones then....

[Da_Realist]

Magic said that was the best basketball he's ever been a part of....and MJ had the greatest dunk he's ever seen in one of those scrimmages....where the hell were the camera phones then....

Camera phones in 1992???

[Nevaeh]

What always amazed me the most was how Jordan became the best post Player on his team during his career, when at the time that would be where the Center players would operate the most. From his book "For the Love of the Game" page 47:

"We had lost to the Pistons 4-2 in the 1989 Conference Finals and I had taken a beating in that series. I promised myself I never would let that happen again. I knew I had to get stronger. If I was going to go into the post, then I was going to have to play like a big guy. I still had my quickness so I knew if I got stronger I could turn the tables. Teams such as the Pistons and Knicks figured the only way to throw me off my game was to throw me out of the air. I'd had enough. I wanted to start dishing out the punishment instead of taking it all the time."

Of course, we all know that he did lose to Pistons one last time in 1990, but it certainly wasn't from his lack of trying to get his team over the hump. It seemed like Jordan was always waiting for his teams to "catch up" to him, and not the other way around.

What made his big scoring days special was that he was a master at picking and choosing his spots. I re-watched game 6 of the 97 Finals and was amazed at how he scored one of the quietest 39 point games that I ever saw, all within the offense, unless he was on the break.

[SwooshReturns]

Yep. MJ was a competitor first and foremost. It didn't mean as much to beat scrub teams. MJ was a better player in the playoffs than he was in the regular season.

Yup, Wade has this Chicago / Jordan gene in his basketball DNA, too.

Do you know he performs the best against elite defenses compared to LeBron and Kobe?

Playoffs matter because not only is the competition better, but you're facing that same team up to 7 times in 2 weeks.

Very astute basketball observation. You can't hide weakness in a 7 game series where you're facing the same people game after game.

A great defense takes something away from you, the great players have other option on how to beat you ... even if you're heavily scouted.

MJ needed to make up or exaggerate stuff to feed that fiery competitor inside. LaBradford Smith is just one of these examples. He just needed to get up for a boring regular season game.

Yup. He had what .... 36 at the half, while shutting LaBradford Smith down the entire game? And then he chilled in the 2nd half.

How about that reverse pivot move from the elbow in that game? Ugh, sick. Kobe's got a lot of MJ's post foot work, but I've never seen Kobe do things quick enough on the block and in the post with his upper body to accentuate the moves and literally SHAKE defenders in the post the way Jordan was known to do.

I don't think we ever saw MJ max out. If the championship level Bulls could go back in time to face Magic's Lakers and Bird's Celtics, win or lose we would have seen the best of MJ. If MJ had the foresight to see what Hakeem was going to do in the mid 90's and stayed to play instead of retire, that 3 year war would have brought out the very best of MJ.

We didn't get to see him max out. Ever, really. Not in his prime at least. Him and his damn gambling habits deprives us fans of an epic 1994 and 1995 season. The last two years of MJ's prime, both physically and skill wise.

Instead, we just hear stories of what happened during those Dream Team practices.

Oh, like where he almost made Clyde Drexler cry? Or have Magic begging to take it easy?

The same way Craig Hidges leaked a story of how Pippen in practice following the Olympics wasreally feeling himself, decided to challenge MJ's alpha ... and MJ went on a tear in practice "raining buckets" on Pippen to the point he begged him to stop in front of the team?

[Da_Realist]

Swoosh, in the 91 Finals the Bulls were more hungry, younger, and (as we found out starting in Game 2) much better than the Lakers so MJ played traffic cop and directed the flow of the offense. He averaged over 11 assists per game while also scoring the most points.

In the 93 Finals, the team needed more scoring to keep up with Phoenix's high octane offense. MJ ended up averaging 41 points and grabbing 9 boards a game.

Now, imagine a team good enough to force both of these MJ's out at the same time. Basically, a smarter, more experienced version of the late 80's beast that ripped through the playoffs. It would have been ugly.

I think the closest we ever got to seeing MJ at his best was the first half of Game 7 vs the Knicks in 1992. That should be required viewing before anyone wants to compare somebody to MJ. INCREDIBLE