Pippen could have won a championship as the 1st option

[Melo Screwed Us]

Patrick Ewing could have won a championship if he ever played with someone as good as Pippen as well.

in that situation, ewing would be the 1st option though

[G-Funk]

Maybe a Clyde?

[Melo Screwed Us]

Maybe a Clyde?

clyde would be the 1st option too. and that duo wouldn't win a title. it would have to be some kind of big man to team up with pip.

[Melo Screwed Us]

i'd say pip + gasol could win some chips.

[Ne 1]

Certainty would have been possible.

After Jordan abruptly retired in October in '93, Pippen led Chicago to 55 wins and if not for one of the most controversial foul calls in sports history would have led the Bulls to the Finals. This was with Pete Myers being Jordan's replacement and Horace Grant as his second best player.

Even with Pippen losing Grant the next year he had Chicago on pace for 40+ wins before Jordan returned with Armstrong/Kukoc as his best players.

Also Pippen past his prime at 34 years old won 59 games and was one quarter away from the Finals as the leader of Portland.

[97 bulls]

Are we just talking about the 94 season? I still doubt they win that year even with one of those guys.

I have a feeling that you'd doubt anyone other than jordan and god could've took the bulls over the top. Regardless of the year.

But I don't see how adding mitch richmond to the bulls in 94 doesnt get them a championship.

[Ne 1]

clyde would be the 1st option too. and that duo wouldn't win a title. it would have to be some kind of big man to team up with pip.

If terms like "#1 option" are going to be thrown around we need to define them. "#1 option". Option for what?

[97 bulls]

If terms like "#1 option" are going to be thrown around we need to define them. "#1 option". Option for what?

Good question. I think "first option" and "best player" or "leader" get misunderstood for each other

[iamgine]

Meh, could have are plenty. Trade Bulls squad for Rockets and Hakeem won a lot more while MJ won much less.

[OldSchoolBBall]

What the ****, people. Every freaking week we need to have multiple Pippen topics. Get over it. Jesus...

Why do we never see topics like this about Worthy, McHale, Manu etc.?

[t-rex]

Yes!

Pippen absolutely could have been a first option.


In 1993 the Chicago Bulls went 57-25 and won the NBA Championship over the Phoenix Suns in 6 games. Scotty Pippen playing as the second option to Jordan averaged 18.6 pts per game.


Michael Jordan (The greatest player of all time ) retired.


In 1994 with essentially the same team minus Jordan, Scotty Pippen led the Bulls to 55-27 record. They lost a tough 7 game series to the Knicks in the semifinal round, in a playoff contest most noted for one of the worst calls in NBA history that many feel cost the Bulls the series. (The old timers here know what I am talking about.) The Knicks went on to the NBA finals and lost to the Rockets in 7 games.


Scotty Pippen averaged 22 points per game that year. And there was only a 2 game regular season difference between the Bulls with Jordan, and the Bulls without Jordan.

In addition Pippen was

All NBA 1st team
All Defensive 1st team
The 1994 All Star game MVP
Finished 3rd in MVP voting


Could you imagine what Scotty Pippen and the 1994 Bulls could have done if Pippen had as good a wing man as Jordan was fortunate enough to have?


Scotty Pippen is probably one of the most underrated players in NBA history. He and Jordan provided one of the best 1-2 combos in the history of the sport.

Yes… Pippen could have won a championship as a 1st option. And thanks to Jordan's retirement, we have a rare historic chance (in an apples to apples comparison) to see just how good Pippen and the Bulls really were, without one of the greatest players of all time at the helm.





An all time great player, and more than "just" a #2 option.

[Ne 1]

Good question. I think "first option" and "best player" or "leader" get misunderstood for each other

I think some misinformed people automatically assume that leading scorer = team leader.

There are many kind of leaders. Offensive, defensive, vocal, locker room, scoring, positional, etc.

[97 bulls]

What the ****, people. Every freaking week we need to have multiple Pippen topics. Get over it. Jesus...

Why do we never see topics like this about Worthy, McHale, Manu etc.?

Then make a topic about them. Its sad that a scottie pippen thread makes you so mad you need to curse lol. Im as big a jordan fan as you and I can still respect pippen and what he sacrificed.

[guy]

I have a feeling that you'd doubt anyone other than jordan and god could've took the bulls over the top. Regardless of the year.

No not at all. I think switching Jordan with a number of players could've produced a championship depending on the year.

But I don't see how adding mitch richmond to the bulls in 94 doesnt get them a championship.

Kind of like how many couldn't see how giving Wade and Bosh to a guy that could lead scrubs to over 60 wins wouldn't guarantee a championship?

I think they would definitely be better, but I don't think its a guarantee they get past the Knicks or Pacers, and even if they did, I don't think they beat the Rockets.

[OldSchoolBBall]

Then make a topic about them. Its sad that a scottie pippen thread makes you so mad you need to curse lol. Im as big a jordan fan as you and I can still respect pippen and what he sacrificed.

It's just that it's EVERY FREAKING WEEK. It's absurd. lol @ "what he sacrificed". Pippen wouldn't have even been known if not for Jordan. He would have become a good, possibly all-star level player without MJ, but he wouldn't have been as good an all-around and defensive player as he was, and he certainly doesn't get nearly as much talk without being part of a dynasty. He didn't sacrifice anything - he's remembered far more fondly now than if he had never played for Chicago.