Jordan faced shorter defenders than what players like Kobe and LeBron see today. Best defenders on Jordan are generally considered to be:
Starks: 6'2
Dumars: 6'3
Payton 6'4
He was able to back his
shorter defender in the post and take advantage of that.
Today almost every team has a 6''8 or 6''9 swing man.
Here are some real ballers, many who are elite defenders and 20+ ppg scorers - these are the guys Kobe and Lebron face:
Kevin Durant 6''9
Lebron 6''9 (260 lbs)
AK47 6''9
J. Wright 6''9
T.Prince 6''9
A.Jamison 6'9
D.Granger 6''9
L.Deng 6''9
S. Battier 6''8
W.Chandler 6''8
B.Outlaw6''8
S.Marion 6''8
P. Pierce: 6''8
J. Posey 6''8
J.Johnson: 6''8
A. Harrington: 6''8
K.Martin 6''8
S.Jackson 6''8
J. Hayes 6''8
A. Iguadala 6'8
Carmelo 6''8
J. Green 6''8
G. Wallace 6''8
B. Bowen 6''7
R. Artest: 6''7 (260 lbs)
Players are stronger and taller today- no doubt about it. Everything get's better with time.
You have defensive specialists today like Bruce Bowen, Ron Artest, Shane Battier, Thabo Sefolosha etc. who are supposed to be ''Kobe-stoppers''.
During Jordan's era the defensive specialists were guys like John Starks. The idea of Starks being a Jordan stopper is ridiculous . When you give up 4 inches and 30 pounds to someone who you'll guard in single coverage (for most the game) in the mid-range perimeter area, then those physical limitations will be almost impossible to overcome.
The 90s defense was 1 on 1 vs. shorter midget defenders in the post all day long on isolations.
Today no body can even post up anymore - Duncan, KG, Shaq, Kobe they are all doubled after 1 or 2 dribbles at the most.
Jordan's career high is 69 in double over time againt a slow, weak, un-athletic white guy named Craig Ehlo and he thinks he could score 100 today.