put PEAK MJ instead of harden on the rockets

[FKAri]

Warriors still win the series. MJ's not going to solve team cohesion and terrible team defense which is the Rockets main flaw. His effort on D will inspire his teammates to try harder compared to Harden but team defense takes a long time to fix. You can have great individual defenders (like the Rockets do) but if they don't know when to show, switch, etc they won't be effective.

Plus there's no hand checking and thus perimeter defenders can't really have the kind of game impact MJ is capable of having defensively. [what a convoluted sentence - too lazy to reword]

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

MJ on this Rockets team, in his prime, where he was incredible on both ends? They take Golden State to 5 or 6 games.

Mike would run roughshod on a team that couldn't handcheck him, thoroughly taking advantage of today's soft rules. He would LIVE on the line.

Unfortunately, Dwight is still Dwight.

[ClipperRevival]

He'd get swept on the Rockets. Every mathematical probability would point towards a 4 game sweep rather than 6 or 7 games.

There are plenty of MJ myths, hence why it is so funny watching some of you post the bullshit you do as if we don't have the film readily available to us.

The people who sh&t on MJ for losing early in his career are simply ignorant of the situation. His teams were the 8th seeds and sometimes weren't even .500 teams and he had to face GOAT level to elite teams in the 80's in the Bucks (very underrated and talented team), Celtics and Pistons.

But yeah, let's keep saying, "1-9" without proper context. That's expected.

[ClipperRevival]

Take a look at the Bull's record and who they faced. Actually, MJ's teams during the famous 1-9 run won 38, 30 and 40 games. So they weren't even a .500 team and were facing elite to GOAT level teams. But that 1-9 doe.

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=394831

[tpols]

Take a look at the Bull's record and who they faced. Actually, MJ's teams during the famous 1-9 run won 38, 30 and 40 games. So they weren't even a .500 team and were facing elite to GOAT level teams. But that 1-9 doe.

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=394831

the rockets were only a .500 team this year as well, and the warriors won more than any team mj ever faced when he was going 1-9 so ...

[ClipperRevival]

the rockets were only a .500 team this year as well, and the warriors won more than any team mj ever faced when he was going 1-9 so ...

But this Rockets team clearly underachieved. They were the 2nd seed in the West last year. And a lot of that has to do with their leader laying eggs on one end and his teammates seeing it and it rubs off on them too. If you play, you know that certain things can be contagious, like laziness or effort or sharing the ball or one guy ball hogging. All of these factors have a positive or negative effect.

MJ's teams before Pip simply sucked. They had no talent. Therein lies the difference.

[tpols]

But this Rockets team clearly underachieved. They were the 2nd seed in the West last year. And a lot of that has to do with their leader laying eggs on one end and his teammates seeing it and it rubs off on them too. If you play, you know that certain things can be contagious, like laziness or effort or sharing the ball or one guy ball hogging. All of these factors have a positive or negative effect.

MJ's teams before Pip simply sucked. They had no talent. Therein lies the difference.

this rocket team also has no talent .. the only difference between this years and last was Harden was playing much better. You know who the leading scorers besides him were? Trevor ariza, montejiunas and corey brewer. in 20 years you'll have no idea who those guys were.



Who is talented on this rocket team right now? Please dont say dwight.. he would put mj through a wall if he tried to step to him. DH isnt exactly the type to take constructive (or destructive) criticism

[ClipperRevival]

this rocket team also has no talent .. [COLOR="Red"]the only difference between this years and last was Harden was playing much better[/COLOR]. You know who the leading scorers besides him were? Trevor ariza, montejiunas and corey brewer. in 20 years you'll have no idea who those guys were.



Who is talented on this rocket team right now? Please dont say dwight.. he would put mj through a wall if he tried to step to him. DH isnt exactly the type to take constructive (or destructive) criticism

The stats suggest otherwise.

2015-16: 29.0 PPG, 7.5 APG, 6.1 RPG, 25.3 PER
2014-15: 27.4 PPG, 6.8 APG, 5.5 RPG, 26.7 PER

On paper, they are very similar seasons. Although I must admit his D this year is probably worse than last year.

[tpols]

The stats suggest otherwise.

2015-16: 29.0 PPG, 7.5 APG, 6.1 RPG, 25.3 PER
2014-15: 27.4 PPG, 6.8 APG, 5.5 RPG, 26.7 PER

On paper, they are very similar seasons. Although I must admit his D this year is probably worse than last year.

stat dont tell he story bro.. all the stuff you just said about attitude and effort and contagious was the difference

[Fire Colangelo]

As for the question, I think the Rockets would have a shot at winning the series. Replacing a non-D playing flopper with the GOAT in this era of no physicality allowed, no hand checking and wide open spacing to attack the basket, MJ would literally have a field day. The guy became the GOAT rim attacker in probably the toughest era ever to attack the rim with terrible spacing and tons of physicality allowed. MJ could also set guys up when surrounded by shooters.

And his D would inspire the rest of his teammates. Heck, just his will would. All of MJ's past teammates talk about how much will/determination he had and that rubbed off on everybody.

You can't be serious

[senelcoolidge]

The Rockets are one dumbass team, but I know MJ alone would make them into a disciplined group or they would rot on the bench. I think an MJ 2015-16 Rockets could scare the Warriors. Not win the series but make it a longer series. MJ would be so dominate on both sides.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

MJ on this Rockets team, in his prime, where he was incredible on both ends? They take Golden State to 5 or 6 games.

Mike would run roughshod on a team that couldn't handcheck him, thoroughly taking advantage of today's soft rules. He would LIVE on the line.

Unfortunately, Dwight is still Dwight.

You know...the more I think about it, the likelihood of them having a CLOSE 6 game series just seems...right.

MJ and Bev in the backcourt with Dwight protecting the middle? Would be a devastating trio if the big man decided to show up. From an individual perspective, Mike vs Steph would be hero ball at its absolute finest.

[Quickening]

Just lol at people thinking MJ whose mediocre teams got routinely destroyed (1-9) would somehow turn an 8th seed into an outfit that beats argubaly the best team ever

This is up there with wilt stans talking about mountain lions, and 60 inch verticals etc

[HoopologyPhD]

Rockets couldn't beat their own meat if you gave them lube and porno. You could take Curry off the W's and give the current Rockets MJ and they would still lose with their terrible roster. I am no fan of the Warriors but it was quite glorious to watch them utterly dismantle the Rockets and expose James Haren as being a manufactured superstar.

I stand by what I said in the earlier thread about this.

[AirFederer]

Ring