dankok8
06-18-2015, 06:17 PM
I collected some quick data on their opponents' team DRtg in the playoffs. DRtg measures points allowed per 100 possessions and is the absolute bottom line stat for measuring defense. It's not affected directly by pace, style, physicality etc. Lower DRtg means better defense.
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/dankok8/Jordan%20vs%20Lebron%20Defenses.png (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/dankok8/media/Jordan%20vs%20Lebron%20Defenses.png.html)
Jordan faced only 1 team with a DRtg under 100. Lebron faced 5 such teams.
Jordan faced only 3 teams (see below) with a DRtg under 102. Lebron faced 11 such teams.
These 2015 Warriors that Lebron just faced have a better DRtg than any team MJ faced in the Finals and 35 out of 37 of Jordan's playoff opponents overall. It's clear that they are way better defensively than say the 1991 Lakers, 1992 Blazers, 1997/1998 Jazz, and especially 1993 Suns that Jordan dominated.
Mind you Jordan struggled mightily against the 1993 Knicks (DRtg 99.7), 1997 Heat (DRtg 100.6) and played merely ok against the 1998 Pacers (DRtg 101.6). These 3 teams were great defensively and MJ shot 40.0%, 38.7%, and 46.7% against them, respectively.
Teams that barely miss the elite sub-102 mark are the 1996 Sonics (DRtg 102.1) and 1997 Hawks (DRtg 102.3) and MJ struggled against them as well.
It's interesting that MJ faced much stronger defenses in the 2nd threepeat from 1996-1998 than the earlier part of his career. Maybe that's a major factor in his supposed decline as well?
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/dankok8/Jordan%20vs%20Lebron%20Defenses.png (http://s243.photobucket.com/user/dankok8/media/Jordan%20vs%20Lebron%20Defenses.png.html)
Jordan faced only 1 team with a DRtg under 100. Lebron faced 5 such teams.
Jordan faced only 3 teams (see below) with a DRtg under 102. Lebron faced 11 such teams.
These 2015 Warriors that Lebron just faced have a better DRtg than any team MJ faced in the Finals and 35 out of 37 of Jordan's playoff opponents overall. It's clear that they are way better defensively than say the 1991 Lakers, 1992 Blazers, 1997/1998 Jazz, and especially 1993 Suns that Jordan dominated.
Mind you Jordan struggled mightily against the 1993 Knicks (DRtg 99.7), 1997 Heat (DRtg 100.6) and played merely ok against the 1998 Pacers (DRtg 101.6). These 3 teams were great defensively and MJ shot 40.0%, 38.7%, and 46.7% against them, respectively.
Teams that barely miss the elite sub-102 mark are the 1996 Sonics (DRtg 102.1) and 1997 Hawks (DRtg 102.3) and MJ struggled against them as well.
It's interesting that MJ faced much stronger defenses in the 2nd threepeat from 1996-1998 than the earlier part of his career. Maybe that's a major factor in his supposed decline as well?