MJ learned that in order to win he had to score less (35.8 vs 32.5)

[Rico2016]

85-90 MJ (6 years)
PPG: 35.8


91-93 and 96-98 MJ (6 years)
PPG: 32.5

It looks like MJ learned that in order to win he needed to stop ball hogging. Once he learned that he didn't have this burden to carry he could focus on defense again like LeBron does. Furthermore, if you sort MJ's top PPG playoff years, the top 4 are all years he did not win a championship and 5 of his top 6 best PPG years he did not win a championship.

So, scoring more is not 'better' after all it appears...

[3ball]

Score less but still more than everyone else in history with the biggest carry job stats ever (biggest gap over 2nd option, highest % of team points)

Only MJ won rings as scoring champ (all 6)... Except Shaq and Kareem did it once each in their peak seasons of 00' and 71'... so their peak burden was mj's standard to win a ring (max production needed to win, aka scoring champ)

[ELITEpower23]

Score less but still more than everyone else in history with the biggest carry job stats ever (biggest gap over 2nd option, highest % of team points)

Only MJ won rings as scoring champ (all 6)... Except Shaq and Kareem did it once each in their peak seasons of 00' and 71'... so their peak burden was mj's standard to win a ring (max production needed to win, aka scoring champ)

He learned the LBJ way

[AirBonner]

MJ had to stop shot jacking

[ELITEpower23]

MJ had to stop shot jacking

Precisely. He was out there trying to be Allen Iverson.

[SATAN]

Many people thought he was a ball hog back in the day. You won't see this on The Last Dunce however.

[aceman]

Score less but still more than everyone else in history with the biggest carry job stats ever (biggest gap over 2nd option, highest % of team points)

Only MJ won rings as scoring champ (all 6)... Except Shaq and Kareem did it once each in their peak seasons of 00' and 71'... so their peak burden was mj's standard to win a ring (max production needed to win, aka scoring champ)

Spurs last championship came with no player scoring more 17 ppg in playoffs. Bulls could've had similar production but Jordan demanded scoring stats

[Roundball_Rock]

Spurs last championship came with no player scoring more 17 ppg in playoffs. Bulls could've had similar production but Jordan demanded scoring stats

The teammates scoring talking point they keep using is BS. No one is going to put up big scoring numbers with Jordan taking a record number of shots. Jordan came from retirement and immediately took 28 shots in that first game. Even on the Dream Team he took 14 FGA a game whereas the next highest player was at 10 FGA.

We saw this play out in real time when Jordan returned in 95':

Bulls' Scoring With/Without MJ in 95'

Pippen without MJ: 21.9*/8.4/5.1 18.7 Gamescore
Pippen with MJ: 19.7/6.9/5.6 16.7 Gamescore

Kukoc without MJ: 16.4/5.5/4.6 14.1 GS
Kukoc with MJ: 13.0/5.3/4.4 11.5 GS

Armstrong without MJ: 14.7/2.3/3.2 10.5 GS
Armstrong with MJ: 11.4/2.1/2.1 9.4

So the Bulls' top 3 scorers went from 53.0 PPG without MJ to 44.1 PPG with him. That is a large decline but with MJ consuming 24 FGA and 33% usage the others will pay a price.

*10th in scoring before MJ returned. For context, Ewing was 6th at 23.9, Barkley 7th at 23.0, Drexler scored 21.8, Penny 20.9, Payton 20.6, Hill 19.9, Miller 19.6, Kemp 18.7 in that same season. All players who MJ stans say were great scorers while Pippen was a "mediocre" scorer.