BleacherReport: Top Rivalries of the decade. LBJ and Warriors; MJ and...John Starks?

[Shooter]

Was Bleacher Report having a hard time finding MJ's rivalry or was this it?

https://i.postimg.cc/k5pXdN5h/Rivalry-Decade.jpg


https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2896346-br-nba-staff-the-biggest-rivalries-of-every-nba-decade

[SouBeachTalents]

Cavs/Wizards top 2 rivalry of the 2000's :coleman:

[Manny98]

A grocery bagger was MJs biggest rival?








:roll::roll::roll::roll:

[Kblaze8855]

The bulls and Knicks and then the Knicks vs the heat and pacers were the rivalries of the 90s.

[Shooter]

Cavs/Wizards top 2 rivalry of the 2000's :coleman:

They met 3 years in a row 2006, 2007, and 2008. Better than John Starks :lol

[3ball]

no it's mj vs ewing while pippen is outplayed by x-man and Stark's

pippen's 16 on 40% nearly caused loss in 92'

[Shooter]

no it's mj vs ewing while pippen is outplayed by x-man and Stark's

pippen's 16 on 40% nearly caused loss in 92'

https://i.postimg.cc/Qdw3KZXD/Screenshot-20200704-134403-Samsung-Internet.jpg

This suggests otherwise...

[LAmbruh]

A grocery bagger was MJs biggest rival?








:roll::roll::roll::roll:

:roll::roll:

[Roundball_Rock]

Ewing, who is behind two Bulls all-time, was the "rival" per 3ball. :lol

Jordan had no real rival. Not even a Durant to his LeBron semi-rival.

[3ball]

Ewing, who is behind two Bulls all-time, was the "rival" per 3ball. :lol

Jordan had no real rival. Not even a Durant to his LeBron semi-rival.

magic, shaq, bird > durant

or barkley and malone

drexler, dominique, penny, payton/kemp > pierce, dwight, dirk, 14' kawhi

[Roundball_Rock]

MJ fans trying to manufacture rivals. Isn't it "anti-MJ" to bring MJ down to the level of Ewing, Malone, Drexler, and even Miller? I am hardly a MJ lover and even I find that disrespectful to MJ. :lol

[VictorMosquito]

A grocery bagger was MJs biggest rival?








:roll::roll::roll::roll:

:roll::roll::roll:

[Shooter]

magic, shaq, bird > durant

or barkley and malone

drexler, dominique, penny, payton/kemp > pierce, dwight, dirk, 14' kawhi

Jonathon Starks

[3ball]

Jonathon Starks

similar player to pippen - all-defense with spotty offense (19 ppg), although better floor-spacer than pippen....

Starks was basically a better defensive version of rookie curry, but a couple inches taller with dunk contest athleticism (curry was a 19 ppg player for 3 years before his 3-point attempts increased a ton in subsequent years).. all facts

[3ball]

similar player to pippen - all-defense with spotty offense (19 ppg), although better floor-spacer than pippen....

Starks was basically a better defensive version of rookie curry, but a couple inches taller with dunk contest athleticism (curry was a 19 ppg player for 3 years before his 3-point attempts increased a ton in subsequent years).. all facts

Peak Starks in 93' and 94':

18.1 and 5.4 apg.... all-defense ... aka pippen

okay he wasn't the shooter rookie curry was but his offense was similar (19 ppg for curry in three straight years before he started taking more threes)

[dbugz]

Was Bleacher Report having a hard time finding MJ's rivalry or was this it?

https://i.postimg.cc/k5pXdN5h/Rivalry-Decade.jpg


https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2896346-br-nba-staff-the-biggest-rivalries-of-every-nba-decade

all players are in the west :roll: :roll:

another proof how libron thrive in leastern conference


libron greatest rival is pierce.

Can't beat an aging Cs team? created a superteam then hahahahaha :roll: :roll:

[Shooter]

all players are in the west :roll: :roll:

another proof how libron thrive in leastern conference


libron greatest rival is pierce.

Can't beat an aging Cs team? created a superteam then hahahahaha :roll: :roll:

John Starks

Yikes :lol

[imdaman99]

Starks is my favorite player of all time. So I won't stand idly while you guys shit on him. He had the heart of a lion and was a fan favorite for a reason. I knew more Starks fans than Ewing fans back in the day. Granted now most people remember Ewing more fondly than they do Starks because of his game 7, but let's not forget how ordinary Ewing was that series himself. Starks was killing the Rockets up until the end of game 6. He had a chance to give them the finals, and I'm pretty sure he was gonna hit it because he was carrying them in that game. But Olajuwon is who he is. He's a top 10-15 player of all time.

But it wasn't to be. Knicks fans are cursed. For what reason I do not know.

[3ball]

Starks is my favorite player of all time. So I won't stand idly while you guys shit on him. He had the heart of a lion and was a fan favorite for a reason. I knew more Starks fans than Ewing fans back in the day. Granted now most people remember Ewing more fondly than they do Starks because of his game 7, but let's not forget how ordinary Ewing was that series himself. Starks was killing the Rockets up until the end of game 6. He had a chance to give them the finals, and I'm pretty sure he was gonna hit it because he was carrying them in that game. But Olajuwon is who he is. He's a top 10-15 player of all time.

But it wasn't to be. Knicks fans are cursed. For what reason I do not know.

Stark's was FMVP until game 7

played better than pippen ever did

peak Starks averaged 19 and 6 apg with all-defense... aka pippen

[Shooter]

Stark's was FMVP until game 7

played better than pippen ever did

peak Starks averaged 19 and 6 apg with all-defense... aka pippen

Riiiight :lol

So MJ's greatest rival was slightly worse than MJ's own second option? :lol

Checkmate

[3ball]

Riiiight :lol

So MJ's greatest rival was slightly worse than MJ's own second option? :lol

Checkmate

no one thinks starks is mj's greatest rival.. that's just a dumb troll because you can't make a case for lebron that won't get busted up

but the reality is that starks was relied on more in the 94' Finals than Pippen ever was - he was equal scoring partner to Ewing and tied for the assist lead - he was 1 game away from FMVP and was the MVP thru 6 games

that's a bigger burden and performance than pippen ever had - aka starks wasn't carried like pippen, who scored 10-20 less than mj in every Finals (10-30 less than mj in every playoff series of career)

[3ball]

btw

mj's rivalry was a 1 on 5 rivalry

mj vs. 5 all-stars

Isiah, Dumars, Rodman, Laimbeer, Aguirre... aka Bad Boys

[dbugz]

libron hid in the leastern conference to face weak competition.

Just look who those players are in the image. All from west :roll: :roll:

libron greatest rival is pierce, deal with it :oldlol:

[Uncle Drew]

John Starks. :roll:

[Docs Orders]

Starks and Hornacek were MJ's toughest rivals :roll:

[3ball]

pistons actually weren't a real rival - they were only on the map because pippen averaged 12 on 42% against them from 88-90', thus allowing the Pistons to win... other guys would've easily won with mj and we would've never heard about the Pistons.. aka the piston-killer "Big Game James" (88' FMVP) would've won with MJ from 88-90'

again, only pippen couldn't win with the best help ever, a 35/6/6/dpoy/mvp, aka goat

ultimately, the goat has no rival because he vanquishes all of them so they aren't a threat to compete anymore.. after Jordan beats them, they're done - their style rendered ineffective, similar to the Spurs ending the Heat's brand in 2014

[LAmbruh]

Starks and Hornacek were MJ's toughest rivals :roll:

https://66.media.tumblr.com/8d65d7282e439a2ad9ae23a69ec02972/tumblr_nfh4dv21XC1qcmnsoo7_400.gifv

[Manny98]

John Starks. :roll:

Starks and Hornacek were MJ's toughest rivals :roll:


https://66.media.tumblr.com/8d65d7282e439a2ad9ae23a69ec02972/tumblr_nfh4dv21XC1qcmnsoo7_400.gifv

:roll::roll:

[warriorfan]

Cavs Warriors wasn’t really a rivalry... It was a one sided beat down where they got the shit kicked out of them for years until LeBron bounced out yet again. Usually rivals have to be on some sort of relatively equal ground.

[L.Kizzle]

70s
Knicks vs Bullets

80s
Sixers vs Celtics

So the 90s not even gonna mention:
Barkley vs Malone or the Centers (Hakeem, Pat, David and Shaq).

And they mentioned DeShawn Stevenson but not Gilbert Arenas when talking about the 2000s Wizards ...

ho writes these things?

[Roundball_Rock]

Paul Pierce being compared to Starks? :lol

LeBron's biggest rivals are Pierce, Durant, Kawhi, George--all HOF SF's.

"Starks was FMVP until Game 7."

Where he went 2 for 18...plus the reason he was FMVP for the Knicks through 6 games is Ewing melted down in his lone finals appearance, shooting a horrendous 39% TS as a center (-16% relative to his prime norm). So per 3ball, MJ's top comp were big chokers. :oldlol:

[dbugz]

Only dumbasses think that stark is his greatest rival, it's like randomly picking Danny Granger as libron greatest rival :roll:

MJ is the unanimous GOAT deal with it

:hammertime:

https://media.tenor.com/images/f27a15036ef36fd9681c57bacc37f546/tenor.gif

[insidious301]

I agree that those players are rivals for LeBron. However, I disagree with Jordan's list. Starks was a "rival" of Jordan's because he played on the Knicks. He just wasn't his BEST one. Ewing anyone? Drexler, Barkley, Ewing and Malone were closer rivals to Jordan. In the 80s, it was Isiah Thomas. Teams were the Pistons, Knicks and maybe the Jazz too.

[deathawaitu]

LeBron getting his ass whooped by everyone is now considered a rivalry? :roll:

Snowflake generation I see.

[tpols]

LeBron getting his ass whooped by everyone is now considered a rivalry? :roll:

Snowflake generation I see.

they might as well throw duncan and dirk on the list too. :lol

Everybody has gotten a piece of bran.

can't say the same for MJ...

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

ho writes these things?

A ho, that's who. :oldlol: @ Starks being Jordan's greatest rival.

[Roundball_Rock]

I agree that those players are rivals for LeBron. However, I disagree with Jordan's list. Starks was a "rival" of Jordan's because he played on the Knicks. He just wasn't his BEST one. Ewing anyone? Drexler, Barkley, Ewing and Malone were closer rivals to Jordan. In the 80s, it was Isiah Thomas. Teams were the Pistons, Knicks and maybe the Jazz too.

I assume Starks was listed because he was Jordan's direct match up at SG (on the Bulls' top 90's competitor). The only other SG on your list is Drexler and he played MJ only once in the playoffs but Starks played MJ several times.

The best SG's of the 90's were in the WC (Drexler, Richmond). Dumars was much better than Starks and played MJ several times but that rivalry petered out after 91' so isn't a good choice for the 90's.

The real answer is MJ had no real rival, SG or otherwise, but it is MJ and he has to be included in every article like this so they had to grasp for one and came up with Starks.

[insidious301]

I assume Starks was listed because he was Jordan's direct match up at SG (on the Bulls' top 90's competitor). The only other SG on your list is Drexler and he played MJ only once in the playoffs but Starks played MJ several times.

True. Although Curry was also listed and he wasn't a direct matchup for LeBron either. Its an inconsistent list but I would have put Isiah over Starks, easily.

[Indian guy]

Criteria is limiting. They are only trying to list players at your position from teams you consistently faced in the playoffs. The teams MJ consistently faced in the playoffs - Pistons/Cavs/Knicks - lacked all-star level SGs with the exception of Dumars. Going outside that criteria though, MJ's biggest rivals were clearly Detroit (1988-1991), Magic (1988-1991), Drexler (1990-1992), Barkley (1990-1993) and then Malone (1997-1998). And if one doesn't consider those his rivals, that's only because MJ was notably ahead of even his best competition. Thus the GOAT.

[Roundball_Rock]

True. Although Curry was also listed and he wasn't a direct matchup for LeBron either. Its an inconsistent list but I would have put Isiah over Starks, easily.

Got it--I didn't read the actual article as listing Starks destroyed its credibility from the get go. :lol


And if one doesn't consider those his rivals, that's only because MJ was notably ahead of even his best competition. Thus the GOAT.

The latter doesn't necessarily flow from the former. Kareem, LeBron had no real rivals either. All three by definition can't be GOAT...It just means these were GOAT-level players in eras where there was no other such player (unlike the 60's or 80's). Duncan, Kobe had each other on the same level, but a grade below the GOAT-level.


MJ's biggest rivals were clearly Detroit (1988-1991), Magic (1991), Drexler (1992), Barkley (1993) and then Malone (1997-1998)

You can't be a "rival" if you only play once like Magic or Drexler. Barkley played the Bulls as a Sixer too.

Look at the all-time lists. Isiah, Barkley are top 20-25, Malone is top 20, Drexler around 40th. These aren't rivals to a GOAT candidate let alone a player his fans call the clear GOAT. Magic could have been but not when you play only once.

Drexler made all-NBA 1st team once, same as Ewing (Ewing was never a real MVP candidate in his career). Guys with more credentials are dissed as not being good by the very same people who hype these guys as 10 foot tall juggernauts, which is amusing. :oldlol:

Bird is a candidate but since the Bulls were steamrolled(6-0 for the Celtics) it is hard to call those cake walks a "rivalry."

[Indian guy]

You can't be a "rival" if you only play once like Magic or Drexler. Barkley played the Bulls as a Sixer too.

Rivals in the sense where the players involved were fighting for the same thing. In Magic/MJ's case, it was clearly for title of best player in the league. They won all 5 MVPs from 1987-1991. All their RS match-ups + 1991 Finals from 87-91 were a very big deal. If you read any of MJ's books, he definitely considered Magic to be his biggest competition from that time. It's the same way we consider Kobe/LeBron such a huge rivalry in the 00's even though they never even met in the playofffs.

MJ/Drexler were fighting for title of best SG in the league for a 3 year span (even if the answer was obvious). All culminating in that finals match-up.

Barkley/MJ met in the playoffs 3 times between 90-93 and Barkley was a top 3 player in the league during that span. It was most definitely a rivalry.

MJ was ahead of even his best competition though so we don't tend to consider anybody a true rival of his. But the definition of rivalry can't be so limiting.

[Roundball_Rock]

All their RS match-ups + 1991 Finals from 87-91 were a very big deal. If you read any of MJ's books, he definitely considered Magic to be his biggest competition from that time. It's the same way we consider Kobe/LeBron such a huge rivalry in the 00's even though they never even met in the playofffs.

I don't consider LeBron/Kobe to be rivals and find their fans perception of the "rivalry" to be odd.

The definition being used to manufacture rivals for MJ is very loose. Using that logic, almost anyone is a rival--no matter the relative ability of the player or team in question.


MJ/Drexler were fighting for title of best SG in the league for a 3 year span (even if the answer was obvious)

Drexler was all-NBA 1st team and a MVP candidate exactly once--in 1992. He was compared to Jordan that year but that was basically it. People talk about Drexler like he was KD.


Barkley/MJ met in the playoffs 3 times between 90-93 and Barkley was a top 3 player in the league during that span. It was most definitely a rivalry.

The Sixers lost 4-1 each year. Rivalry? Using your definition, sure, but using that basically anything is.


MJ was ahead of even his best competition though so we don't tend to consider anybody a true rival of his. But the definition of rivalry can't be so limiting.

MJ distorts everything :lol but apply the same logic to another context. Imagine Brady being compared to a QB analogous to the players being mentioned here as "rivals." It wouldn't be taken seriously.

In individual sports like golf, tennis, and auto racing, rivals are always equal or near equal (think Tiger/Mickelson). It makes sense. Someone has to be 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. best whether the gap is large or small or it is a team or individual. Who was the 3rd best golfer behind Tiger/Mickleson? No one cares. 3rd best behind Senna/Prost in Formula 1 or Petty/Pearson in NASCAR? No one cares because of the large drop-off to 3rd, 4th, etc. Those guys were good but there are levels to this. Drexler is top 40 all-time and being compared to the near-consensus GOAT, though? :confusedshrug:

[Shooter]

Only dumbasses think that stark is his greatest rival, it's like randomly picking Danny Granger as libron greatest rival :roll:

MJ is the unanimous GOAT deal with it

:hammertime:

https://media.tenor.com/images/f27a15036ef36fd9681c57bacc37f546/tenor.gif


Your brain is smol

LBJ is a SF. KD, Kawhi, Paul George, Pierce are also SF

MJ is a SG. Starks, Hornacek are also SG.

You good homie? :lol

[Shooter]

I agree that those players are rivals for LeBron. However, I disagree with Jordan's list. Starks was a "rival" of Jordan's because he played on the Knicks. He just wasn't his BEST one. Ewing anyone? Drexler, Barkley, Ewing and Malone were closer rivals to Jordan. In the 80s, it was Isiah Thomas. Teams were the Pistons, Knicks and maybe the Jazz too.

How many of them played SG? And he played Detroit in 80s not 90s. Dont mention MJs 80s, he was like aDeMar to LeBron, getting eliminated 3 straight years by Detroit :lol

[Roundball_Rock]

The original 10 members of the Dream Team were selected in September of 1991--Drexler wasn't one of them. He made it as the last man selected in 1992. This is supposed to be a rival to MJ? On the one hand MJ is the clear GOAT, on the other clearly lesser players were "rivals"?

[Indian guy]

The definition being used to manufacture rivals for MJ is very loose. Using that logic, almost anyone is a rival--no matter the relative ability of the player or team in question.

My definition of rivalry is when 2 similar level players are competing against each other, directly or not, for the same thing. Magic/MJ (87-91) and Kobe/LeBron (06-10) were undoubtedly the 2 best players of the era we are discussing. Clearly chasing the title for league's best player and with a lot of fanfare around it to boot. All their match-ups felt like events. Both MJ and LeBron themselves were very vocal about who they were chasing. That to me is a rivalry.


Drexler was all-NBA 1st team and a MVP candidate exactly once--in 1992. He was compared to Jordan that year but that was basically it. People talk about Drexler like he was KD.

Fair enough. I'm not saying it was a big rivalry. Just that they were considered rivals because they were the 2 best players at their position. And Drexler more than holds his own in most of those match-ups pre-1992 Finals. Even outplays him in some games.


The Sixers lost 4-1 each year. Rivalry? Using your definition, sure, but using that basically anything is.

MJ/Barkley were 2 top 3 players who met 3 times in the playoffs in a 4 year span. Barkley even beat MJ out in the MVP race in 2 of those 4 years. They were definitely rivals.

[Roundball_Rock]

My definition of rivalry is when 2 similar level players are competing against each other, directly or not, for the same thing. Magic/MJ (87-91) and Kobe/LeBron (06-10) were undoubtedly the 2 best players of the era we are discussing. Clearly chasing the title for league's best player and with a lot of fanfare around it to boot

Ultimately it was all hype. Regular season match ups that didn't matter. LeBron did a lot better than Kobe did in those and it didn't sway anyone--just drew big ratings.


Both MJ and LeBron themselves were very vocal about who they were chasing. That to me is a rivalry

I can see that but I disagree. They were wanting to supersede the reigning best guy.That happens in every sport. It is never a rivalry solely on that basis. For instance, no one is calling Giannis a rival of LeBron or KD this year or last on those grounds. Was Mahomes considered a rival of Brady? There will always be a changing of the guard but unless they meet in the playoffs/compete for division titles (not a big deal in basketball but it is in other sports)/etc. is it ever considered a rivalry?


MJ/Barkley were 2 top 3 players who met 3 times in the playoffs in a 4 year span. Barkley even beat MJ out in the MVP race in 2 of those 4 years. They were definitely rivals.

Maybe individually but in those series the Sixers had no chance. 2-8 for a reason. If the Suns and Bulls played several times then they would qualify but it happened only once.

[Docs Orders]

https://66.media.tumblr.com/8d65d7282e439a2ad9ae23a69ec02972/tumblr_nfh4dv21XC1qcmnsoo7_400.gifv

https://66.media.tumblr.com/8d65d7282e439a2ad9ae23a69ec02972/tumblr_nfh4dv21XC1qcmnsoo7_400.gifv

[Nashty]

You know it's weak era when DeMar Derozan wins 6 FMVPs.

[Indian guy]

Ultimately it was all hype. Regular season match ups that didn't matter. LeBron did a lot better than Kobe did in those and it didn't sway anyone--just drew big ratings.



I can see that but I disagree. They were wanting to supersede the reigning best guy.That happens in every sport. It is never a rivalry solely on that basis. For instance, no one is calling Giannis a rival of LeBron or KD this year or last on those grounds. Was Mahomes considered a rival of Brady? There will always be a changing of the guard but unless they meet in the playoffs/compete for division titles (not a big deal in basketball but it is in other sports)/etc. is it ever considered a rivalry?


We obviously have different definitions of rivalry. I told you mine. 2 similar levels players going for the same thing - acknowledged by media, fans and the players themselves - is a rivalry for me. Magic vs. MJ and Kobe vs. LeBron were huge freaking deals in their era, despite limited to no playoff battles. They are certainly the 2 biggest player vs. player discussions of the last 30 years.



Maybe individually but in those series the Sixers had no chance. 2-8 for a reason. If the Suns and Bulls played several times then they would qualify but it happened only once.

Individual is what we're discussing here right (MJ's top rivals). Barkley certainly qualifies. Similar-level individual player who met MJ numerous times in the playoffs.

[PoutinPippin]

Mike had no rivals after he demolished the Bad Boy Pistons, eviscerated Magic, sodomized Drexler, and curb stomped Barkley. No one and no team could present a challenge.

That was the problem.

And one of the major reasons why he was essentially forced to retire the first time beyond the death of his father.

You can’t hold it against somebody that they were so dumb and nobody could present a challenge LOL how is that viewed as a negative?

[Shooter]

Mike had no rivals after he demolished the Bad Boy Pistons, eviscerated Magic, sodomized Drexler, and curb stomped Barkley. No one and no team could present a challenge.

That was the problem.

And one of the major reasons why he was essentially forced to retire the first time beyond the death of his father.

You can’t hold it against somebody that they were so dumb and nobody could present a challenge LOL how is that viewed as a negative?

John Starks

[Roundball_Rock]

I told you mine. 2 similar levels players going for the same thing - acknowledged by media, fans and the players themselves - is a rivalry for me

Do you consider Barkley, Drexler, Malone similar to MJ's level?


Individual is what we're discussing here right (MJ's top rivals). Barkley certainly qualifies. Similar-level individual player who met MJ numerous times in the playoffs.

The GOAT and the 20th GOAT are similar level (40th or so in Drexler's case)? I don't think so but subjective. It is interesting, though. If 1st and 20th are close then why are smaller differences magnified?

That is a stretch--so two great players, one great team and that is being called a rivalry. Manning vs. Brady as a rivalry because the teams were comparable. If Manning was on an 8-8 team it wouldn't have been the same thing.

[deathawaitu]

Geez. People still talking about how everyone taking their turns beating LeBron down?

That’s the true Rivalry, who rape LeBron and his fans the hardest? Warrior or spurs or dirk?

[Docs Orders]

John Starks


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiS3YA5nwcw

[SATAN]

Mike had no rivals after he demolished the Bad Boy Pistons, eviscerated Magic, sodomized Drexler, and curb stomped Barkley. No one and no team could present a challenge.

That was the problem.

Exactly. People who worship MJ and haven't actually watched much basketball in the last 20 years forget how many scrubs were in the league in the 90s. Most over rated era in basketball history.

[Shooter]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiS3YA5nwcw

Starks V Jordan
#90sRivlaries

[Indian guy]

Do you consider Barkley, Drexler, Malone similar to MJ's level?

For a few seasons, sure, why not? Barkley was top 3 for a 4 year stretch and beat MJ out in the MVP race twice during that span. Same goes for Malone for a couple of seasons. 2 great players going at each other in a particular season is just that - 2 great players going at each other. Their historical standing, which is a cumulative ranking based on one's entire body of work to begin with, isn't relevant to the battle at all. There could be 50 players separating 2 players on the ATG list and they could still be on each other's level for a season or 2. Kareem/Walton, Bird/Dr. J, Magic/Isiah, MJ/Drexler, Kobe/T-Mac, LeBron/KD were all considered rivals at some point. The worthiness of a rivalry isn't based on where someone ranks after retirement. That's totally irrelevant. You judge it based on where they stood at that particular moment.

[kawhileonard2]

Jordan's rivalry was the Pistons, while Lebron's was a lot of guys since he was losing to many guys. It could be Dwight, KG, Dirk, Duncan, Kawhi, Steph, Durant to name a few.

[kawhileonard2]

You know it's weak era when DeMar Derozan wins 6 FMVPs.

When did Demar Derozan win a title?

[Shooter]

When did Demar Derozan win a title?

Basically you could swap out MJ for DeMar and Bulls still win 6. They definitely do with Klay Thompson. Probably 5 with Demar. Could be 6. 1993 would be tough but definitely 5 of 6 with DeMar and 6 of 6 with Klay. It was a weak era.

DeMar's direct rival would be...John Starks. Got it?

[Bawkish]

LOL at Bron stans spamming the Starks meme

BRon had too many rivals because he doesn't have the lion's share

MJ is what Domination personified, no one's getting his share of the pie

[Uncle Drew]

When did Demar Derozan win a title?

He won several between 1991 and 1998.

[Uncle Drew]

Rectification: he would have won 8, because DeMar DeRozan is not a mentally fragile player who would be forced into retirement.

[dbugz]

Dwyane Wade says LeBron James can never be greater than Michael Jordan (https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/dwyane-wade-says-lebron-james-can-never-be-greater-than-michael-jordan/)

Carmelo Anthony wasn’t comfortable with the question, but he acknowledges there is just one basketball GOAT — Michael Jordan (https://nypost.com/2020/05/29/carmelo-anthony-weighs-in-on-michael-jordan-lebron-james-goat-debate/)

Mike Malone: Killer Mentality Made Michael Jordan Better Than LeBron James (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2887907-michael-malone-killer-mentality-made-michael-jordan-better-than-lebron-james)

Mario Chalmers And JR Smith Say Michael Jordan Is The GOAT (https://fadeawayworld.net/2020/05/05/mario-chalmers-and-jr-smith-say-michael-jordan-is-the-goat/)

Ray Allen still takes Michael Jordan over LeBron James as the greatest of all time (https://clutchpoints.com/nba-news-ray-allen-still-takes-michael-jordan-over-lebron-james-as-the-greatest-of-all-time/)

https://media0.giphy.com/media/3ornkdvPFqHxkC5QE8/200_d.gif

[Roundball_Rock]

For a few seasons, sure, why not? Barkley was top 3 for a 4 year stretch and beat MJ out in the MVP race twice during that span. Same goes for Malone for a couple of seasons. 2 great players going at each other in a particular season is just that - 2 great players going at each other. Their historical standing, which is a cumulative ranking based on one's entire body of work to begin with, isn't relevant to the battle at all.

Those were the peaks for those respective players and even then no one thought they were better than MJ.


Kareem/Walton, Bird/Dr. J, Magic/Isiah, MJ/Drexler, Kobe/T-Mac, LeBron/KD were all considered rivals at some point

Walton, T-Mac were felled due to injuries. Magic/Isiah, LeBron/KD, Bird/Dr. J was media hype--all players who played the same position on contenders. With MJ people keep bringing up PF's and C's, other than Drexler, who he met one time in the playoffs.

The issue with saying 3rd, 4th, or 5th best is a "rival" is that by definition means there will always be rivalries. No matter the era, there will be a 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 8th, 14th, 20th, etc. Was Phillip Rivers a "rival" of Brady or Manning? No one thought so.


The worthiness of a rivalry isn't based on where someone ranks after retirement. That's totally irrelevant. You judge it based on where they stood at that particular moment.

It goes to gap between the two. Being 3rd best at your peak means you are probably 20th, 25th, or 30th all-time. The top 10 is full of players who all were #1 at some point.

[Shooter]

LOL at Bron stans spamming the Starks meme

BRon had too many rivals because he doesn't have the lion's share

MJ is what Domination personified, no one's getting his share of the pie

Imagine calling MJ's reality a "meme" :lol

Is that how bad the 90s were? Were the entire 90s a meme?

[HoopsNY]

For a few seasons, sure, why not? Barkley was top 3 for a 4 year stretch and beat MJ out in the MVP race twice during that span. Same goes for Malone for a couple of seasons. 2 great players going at each other in a particular season is just that - 2 great players going at each other. Their historical standing, which is a cumulative ranking based on one's entire body of work to begin with, isn't relevant to the battle at all. There could be 50 players separating 2 players on the ATG list and they could still be on each other's level for a season or 2. Kareem/Walton, Bird/Dr. J, Magic/Isiah, MJ/Drexler, Kobe/T-Mac, LeBron/KD were all considered rivals at some point. The worthiness of a rivalry isn't based on where someone ranks after retirement. That's totally irrelevant. You judge it based on where they stood at that particular moment.

You pretty much hit it on the nail. Part of the problem is that by 1990-98, the Bulls were so dominant that it's hard to say there was a rivalry. For example, the Yankees dominated the Red Sox between 1918-2003. Of course in 2004 that changed, but at the time, they were a rivalry that had one side winning all the chips.

In Mj's case, I feel he did have a rivalry with Clyde (media based), Magic (player+fans+media), the Knicks, Pistons, and Karl Malone. In the case of the Pistons, they got the better end of that rivalry. I'm not sure why people dwell on John Starks when you have Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars.

[TheCorporation]

Good ol 90s ball :roll: :roll:

MJ vs Starks

#ToughEra :lol

[TheCorporation]

A grocery bagger was MJs biggest rival?








:roll::roll::roll::roll:

:roll: :roll:

6 for 6 in the GBE grocery bagger era :lol

[Shooter]

https://i.postimg.cc/Qdw3KZXD/Screenshot-20200704-134403-Samsung-Internet.jpg

This suggests otherwise...

Was this MJs 90s rivalry?

[Roundball_Rock]

MJ stans complain about Pippen when the #2 option on the Bulls' biggest rival was John Starks. :confusedshrug:

[Shooter]

MJ stans complain about Pippen when the #2 option on the Bulls' biggest rival was John Starks. :confusedshrug:

They are shook beyond belief :lol

[Roundball_Rock]

They are shook beyond belief :lol

It is like an alternate universe: complain about Pippen 365 days a year while Ewing couldn't even 15.6 PPG from his second option. If you flip Pippen and Starks, how many chips flip between the Bulls and Knicks?

[ELITEpower23]

https://i.postimg.cc/Qdw3KZXD/Screenshot-20200704-134403-Samsung-Internet.jpg



The media is uncovering the history of our game. Bless up Bleacher Report

[FromDowntown]

https://i.postimg.cc/Qdw3KZXD/Screenshot-20200704-134403-Samsung-Internet.jpg

This suggests otherwise...

Nineties ball :lol

[FromDowntown]

Was Bleacher Report having a hard time finding MJ's rivalry or was this it?

https://i.postimg.cc/k5pXdN5h/Rivalry-Decade.jpg


https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2896346-br-nba-staff-the-biggest-rivalries-of-every-nba-decade

Wow. Anyone wanna comment on this

[FromDowntown]

Was Bleacher Report having a hard time finding MJ's rivalry or was this it?

https://i.postimg.cc/k5pXdN5h/Rivalry-Decade.jpg


https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2896346-br-nba-staff-the-biggest-rivalries-of-every-nba-decade

Greatest mismatch exploiter?

[And1AllDay]

Was Bleacher Report having a hard time finding MJ's rivalry or was this it?

https://i.postimg.cc/k5pXdN5h/Rivalry-Decade.jpg


https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2896346-br-nba-staff-the-biggest-rivalries-of-every-nba-decade

was this the 90s

[Carbine]

I'm not even done watching the first three peat but he has player Prime Barkley X2, Ewing X3, Drexler, MVP Magic, Isiah and Price/Doherty were formidable as a duo. That's a shit load of great players in three title runs.

[Spurs m8]

https://i.postimg.cc/Qdw3KZXD/Screenshot-20200704-134403-Samsung-Internet.jpg

This suggests otherwise...

Yes, because bleacher report is a fantastic example of great journalism....dumb shit

But hey...when dumb fvcks don't know shit, they'll believe anything these days

[And1AllDay]

I'm not even done watching the first three peat but he has player Prime Barkley X2, Ewing X3, Drexler, MVP Magic, Isiah and Price/Doherty were formidable as a duo. That's a shit load of great players in three title runs.

ewing was a center and outplayed by pip
drexler :oldlol: one year i guess

magic aids and retired 91 nah

isiah was 80s

doherty :oldlol:

was taht all ?

[And1AllDay]

MJ fans trying to manufacture rivals. Isn't it "anti-MJ" to bring MJ down to the level of Ewing, Malone, Drexler, and even Miller? I am hardly a MJ lover and even I find that disrespectful to MJ. :lol

great point bruh, just imagine it

your rival is malone :oldlol: thats like blake griffin with longevity in modern era

ewing? i guess maybe nikola jokic
miller? :roll: spencer dinwiddie

those were mjs rivals

and his own #2 pippen outscored them all :roll: issa wrap

[Carbine]

ewing was a center and outplayed by pip
drexler :oldlol: one year i guess

magic aids and retired 91 nah

isiah was 80s

doherty :oldlol:

was taht all ?

Aids Magic? What? Is that what we are saying now to downplay Magic Johnson?

This is probably not a discussion I want to be apart of if that's the mentality here. Damn that's bad.

[And1AllDay]

Aids Magic? What? Is that what we are saying now to downplay Magic Johnson?

This is probably not a discussion I want to be apart of if that's the mentality here. Damn that's bad.

magic had aids in 1991 and retired after the season you didnt know just google it your welcome bruh

i know my ball

here just use google next time your confused

https://i.postimg.cc/Gmqk3zKh/magic-aids-educat.png

this one is free

[ZenMaster7210]

Michael Jordan is GOAT. He destroyed all his rivals. He beat more 50+ win teams than any player.

[And1AllDay]

Michael Jordan is GOAT. He destroyed all his rivals. He beat more 50+ win teams than any player.

before
or
after
PIPEn?

[Kiddlovesnets]

To me a rivalry is something that both sides exchange wins and losses, however lopsided the inferior side cannot be winless. The Warriors and Cavaliers are considered a rivalry, although the Warriors were dominant in their last two series and it wasnt much of a contest. The Warriors and Rockets are not a rivalry at all, since the Warriors won all the 4 series against the Rockets, it’s more like a beatdown than a rivalry.

[Real14]

Bleacher report has turned into a bron stans source.

[And1AllDay]

https://i.postimg.cc/Qdw3KZXD/Screenshot-20200704-134403-Samsung-Internet.jpg

This suggests otherwise...

is this photo chopped?

[And1AllDay]

magic had aids in 1991 and retired after the season you didnt know just google it your welcome bruh

i know my ball

here just use google next time your confused

https://i.postimg.cc/Gmqk3zKh/magic-aids-educat.png

this one is free
carbine?

[TheGoatest]

Jordan's competition at his own position is straight up EMBARASSING:

Clyde Drexler
Reggie Miller
Joe Dumars
Mitch Richmond
Latrell Sprewell?

Vs

Kevin Durant
Kawhi Leonard
Paul Pierce
Paul George
Carmelo Anthony

Imagine if those two groups played against each other. :oldlol: @ the slaughter.

[bluechox2]

when did lebron have a rivalry, dude bunny hopped into the laps of stacked teams...

[MadDog]

when did lebron have a rivalry, dude bunny hopped into the laps of stacked teams...

Bingo

[Trollsmasher]

I'll never not laugh when I see that last Starks airball in that G7... the ball goes through the plane of the rim closer to the top of the key than to the basket

what a tough rival:roll:

[Shooter]

I'll never not laugh when I see that last Starks airball in that G7... the ball goes through the plane of the rim closer to the top of the key than to the basket

what a tough rival:roll:

That was his biggest rival too :lol

A literal former grocery bagger

[Shooter]

So John "Safeway" Starks was a real thing. Wow

https://i.postimg.cc/8k0GGqxs/Safeway-Starks.jpg

[Mauzah]

The 90's Bulls/Knicks match-up is actually a lot like this years Finals that you soulless clowns celebrate so hard

Superior 1-2 Bulls/Lakers
Players 3-7 Knicks/Heat

But yes Starts was a scrub with shitty stats in a lower scoring era, gotcha!

[HoopsNY]

all players are in the west :roll: :roll:

another proof how libron thrive in leastern conference


libron greatest rival is pierce.

Can't beat an aging Cs team? created a superteam then hahahahaha :roll: :roll:

Yep. Isn't that convenient? Post "rivals" he was 2-4 against, all from the Western Conference. Not to mention, one of those "rivals" was a rookie Kawhi.

[HoopsNY]

Paul Pierce being compared to Starks? :lol

LeBron's biggest rivals are Pierce, Durant, Kawhi, George--all HOF SF's.

"Starks was FMVP until Game 7."

Where he went 2 for 18...plus the reason he was FMVP for the Knicks through 6 games is Ewing melted down in his lone finals appearance, shooting a horrendous 39% TS as a center (-16% relative to his prime norm). So per 3ball, MJ's top comp were big chokers. :oldlol:

TheFakeBulls fan likes to excuse Pippen by using a stretch of games minus the bad game due to injury, but somehow it doesn't go for Starks. Starks averaged 19.3/3.3/6.5 on 42% shooting and 41% threes prior to Game 7. But Starks doesn't get the same love as Pippen. I wonder why. :lol

[HoopsNY]

Rivals in the sense where the players involved were fighting for the same thing. In Magic/MJ's case, it was clearly for title of best player in the league. They won all 5 MVPs from 1987-1991. All their RS match-ups + 1991 Finals from 87-91 were a very big deal. If you read any of MJ's books, he definitely considered Magic to be his biggest competition from that time. It's the same way we consider Kobe/LeBron such a huge rivalry in the 00's even though they never even met in the playofffs.

MJ/Drexler were fighting for title of best SG in the league for a 3 year span (even if the answer was obvious). All culminating in that finals match-up.

Barkley/MJ met in the playoffs 3 times between 90-93 and Barkley was a top 3 player in the league during that span. It was most definitely a rivalry.

MJ was ahead of even his best competition though so we don't tend to consider anybody a true rival of his. But the definition of rivalry can't be so limiting.

Excellent post. Of course this is conveniently glossed over by TheFakeBulls and LeBron stans.

[HoopsNY]

For a few seasons, sure, why not? Barkley was top 3 for a 4 year stretch and beat MJ out in the MVP race twice during that span. Same goes for Malone for a couple of seasons. 2 great players going at each other in a particular season is just that - 2 great players going at each other. Their historical standing, which is a cumulative ranking based on one's entire body of work to begin with, isn't relevant to the battle at all. There could be 50 players separating 2 players on the ATG list and they could still be on each other's level for a season or 2. Kareem/Walton, Bird/Dr. J, Magic/Isiah, MJ/Drexler, Kobe/T-Mac, LeBron/KD were all considered rivals at some point. The worthiness of a rivalry isn't based on where someone ranks after retirement. That's totally irrelevant. You judge it based on where they stood at that particular moment.

Strange ownage on TheFakeBulls fan. He moves the goal posts as he goes along and likes to look at things from a future perspective during that specific time period. It doesn't work that way.

[HoopsNY]

Those were the peaks for those respective players and even then no one thought they were better than MJ.

The issue with saying 3rd, 4th, or 5th best is a "rival" is that by definition means there will always be rivalries. No matter the era, there will be a 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 8th, 14th, 20th, etc. Was Phillip Rivers a "rival" of Brady or Manning? No one thought so.

It goes to gap between the two. Being 3rd best at your peak means you are probably 20th, 25th, or 30th all-time. The top 10 is full of players who all were #1 at some point.

And Steph, Kawhi, and KD are top 10 (or top 5 considering LeBron's ranking)? :lol

[And1AllDay]

Was Bleacher Report having a hard time finding MJ's rivalry or was this it?

https://i.postimg.cc/k5pXdN5h/Rivalry-Decade.jpg


https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2896346-br-nba-staff-the-biggest-rivalries-of-every-nba-decade

wait isnt starks a grocery bagger?

[And1AllDay]

Starks and Hornacek were MJ's toughest rivals :roll:

:oldlol: :roll: fraud goat :oldlol:

[Shooter]

Jordan's competition at his own position is straight up EMBARASSING:

Clyde Drexler
Reggie Miller
Joe Dumars
Mitch Richmond
Latrell Sprewell?

Vs

Kevin Durant
Kawhi Leonard
Paul Pierce
Paul George
Carmelo Anthony

Imagine if those two groups played against each other. :oldlol: @ the slaughter.

Damn :lol

[000]

lebron is jason terrys rival

[Shooter]

lebron is jason terrys rival

Stay on track. Who was MJ's rivalry? John Starks?

[000]

Stay on track. Who was MJ's rivalry? John Starks?
john starks is better than jason terry

[Shooter]

john starks is better than jason terry

:roll::roll::roll:

2021 3ball alts are funny

[000]

:roll::roll::roll:

2021 3ball alts are funny

im new, so maybe "alt" means something other than "alternate account" here

[Shooter]

im new, so maybe "alt" means something other than "alternate account" here

You're not new. You're 3ball and his deranged army of alts.

[And1AllDay]

Was Bleacher Report having a hard time finding MJ's rivalry or was this it?

https://i.postimg.cc/k5pXdN5h/Rivalry-Decade.jpg


https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2896346-br-nba-staff-the-biggest-rivalries-of-every-nba-decade

guys? was br on the money?