What year was the best Jordan?

[Mask the Embiid]

88
91
92
93
Or 96?

I know it was probably of these 5.Which one was it though?

As a player. Forget the team he was on. Which Jordan was the best version of mj?

[SouBeachTalents]

I'd prob go with '91.

[gengiskhan]

1989!

32.5-8-8 @ 54%FG 2.9 SPG in that era is just impossible.

Bulls were in toughest, physical East Conf. in the toughest, physical Central Division (DET, CAVS, HAWKS)

CAVS went 6-0 destroyed 1989 Bulls and MJ. 57 wins

PISTONS went 5-0 destroyed 1989 Bulls and MJ. 63 wins.

HAWKS win 52 games!

That Oakley trade to NYK was such a disaster in hindsight.

That 0-11 against fierce central divisional rivals (pistons, cavs) costed MJ 1989 season MVP with last place 47 wins.

1989 Playoffs MJ rises again!.

"The Shot" Cavs-Bulls series! followed by jaw dropping 1989 NYK-Bulls series followed by brutal 6 games Jordan-rules Pistons-Bulls ECF.

1989 version of Jordan was inhuman, alien creature. By far the best player to ever play the game from any angles. offense, defense, intangibles, Bball IQ, game intelligence on such a bad Bulls team.

1990 and 1988 MJ comes close......May be 2nd and 3rd respectively.

[SATAN]

"The Shot"

Yay! Mikey made it past the first round! What an epic achievement! :oldlol:

[gengiskhan]

Yay! Mikey made it past the first round! What an epic achievement! :oldlol:

Thats what real GOAT does.

not some imposter GOAT wannabe who "collude" or go "franchise hopping" out of boredom or year after year choke jobs. :lol

or worst yet, Go on National TV and backstab entire city with attention seeking "The Decision" disaster. :lol:oldlol:

dont know which one is worst. Kicking big brother out of LA after collecting 3 easy rings and sabotaging 2004 Finals :oldlol:

OR

Colluding, team hopping, super teams creating mindset that literally destroyed the NBA forever.

[SATAN]

It's easier if you just say "I'm a casual" rather than wasting all that time writing that.

[Axe]

03

[NBAGOAT]

Thats what real GOAT does.

not some imposter GOAT wannabe who "collude" or go "franchise hopping" out of boredom or year after year choke jobs. :lol

or worst yet, Go on National TV and backstab entire city with attention seeking "The Decision" disaster. :lol:oldlol:

dont know which one is worst. Kicking big brother out of LA after collecting 3 easy rings and sabotaging 2004 Finals :oldlol:

OR

Colluding, team hopping, super teams creating mindset that literally destroyed the NBA forever.

Yet the nba has no superteams right now…

[gengiskhan]

Yet the nba has no superteams right now…

KD + Beal + Booker is a definition of SUPER team

Harden + Kawhi + PG + Westbrook is a definition of SUPER team.

LBJ + AD + Westbrook was a SUPER team

the trend started by LBJ's 2 super team hopping. to collect comfortable rings.

make no mistake, Cavs were SUPER team. LBJ was given rookie wiggins. He wanted to win now. He wanted 3rd franchise player as Cav in Kevin Love (from twolves).

BTW, draymond is not franchise!. I even wonder if Klay is a true Franchise for team to be built around. or he is more of a Pippen. a solid defender but on and off streaky SG.

[8Ball]

1989!

32.5-8-8 @ 54%FG 2.9 SPG in that era is just impossible.

Bulls were in toughest, physical East Conf. in the toughest, physical Central Division (DET, CAVS, HAWKS)

CAVS went 6-0 destroyed 1989 Bulls and MJ. 57 wins

PISTONS went 5-0 destroyed 1989 Bulls and MJ. 63 wins.

HAWKS win 52 games!

That Oakley trade to NYK was such a disaster in hindsight.

That 0-11 against fierce central divisional rivals (pistons, cavs) costed MJ 1989 season MVP with last place 47 wins.

1989 Playoffs MJ rises again!.

"The Shot" Cavs-Bulls series! followed by jaw dropping 1989 NYK-Bulls series followed by brutal 6 games Jordan-rules Pistons-Bulls ECF.

1989 version of Jordan was inhuman, alien creature. By far the best player to ever play the game from any angles. offense, defense, intangibles, Bball IQ, game intelligence on such a bad Bulls team.

1990 and 1988 MJ comes close......May be 2nd and 3rd respectively.

He got his shit pushed in by Isiah Thomas.

[SATAN]

KD + Beal + Booker is a definition of SUPER team

Harden + Kawhi + PG + Westbrook is a definition of SUPER team.

LBJ + AD + Westbrook was a SUPER team

the trend started by LBJ's 2 super team hopping. to collect comfortable rings.

make no mistake, Cavs were SUPER team. LBJ was given rookie wiggins. He wanted to win now. He wanted 3rd franchise player as Cav in Kevin Love (from twolves).

BTW, draymond is not franchise!. I even wonder if Klay is a true Franchise for team to be built around. or he is more of a Pippen. a solid defender but on and off streaky SG.

You are an idiot.

[RRR3]

You are an idiot.
Funniest thing is he was a massive LeBron stan back in the old days here. Then LeBron became a threat to his loverboy MJ :oldlol: This is true for a ton of the Jordan fans from back in the day, they used to always side with LeBron fans in the LeBron vs Kobe debates.

[kawhileonard2]

Funniest thing is he was a massive LeBron stan back in the old days here. Then LeBron became a threat to his loverboy MJ :oldlol: This is true for a ton of the Jordan fans from back in the day, they used to always side with LeBron fans in the LeBron vs Kobe debates.

Lebron was never a threat. A dude who switched teams 5 times and still doesn't have more titles than a guy in his own era that came in after him and that beat him head to head more.

[3ba11]

.
In order:


89' Jordan
90' Jordan
91' Jordan
97' Jordan
92' Jordan
93' Jordan
87' Jordan
96' Jordan
98' Jordan
02' Jordan
03' Jordan


The Bulls lost the 89' ECF in 6 games, but Pippen missed Game 6 and the Bulls were the only team to win any games off the Pistons that year - MJ had a real chance to beat the pistons with nothing that year.. When you consider this was his greatest carry-job and he played point guard a fair amount - it was the best overall version of Jordan, and then 1990 he nearly beat the Bad Boys again with nothing but Pippen missed game 7 this time.... 97' Jordan was amazing - he had all his moves the smoothest that they ever were that year - completely relaxed Jordan after becoming champion again the prior year - the greatest jumpshooting season ever and the greatest clutch playoffs of all-time (3 game-winning plays in the Finals).

[j3lademaster]

In real life, 93, but 96 mj always gets like 90+ 3 pt rating on 2k.

[SouBeachTalents]

Lebron was never a threat. A dude who switched teams 5 times and still doesn't have more titles than a guy in his own era that came in after him and that beat him head to head more.
Switching teams is no guarantee of success, just look at Kawhi on the Clippers. ONE playoff win in the last 3 years :biggums:

[RRR3]

Switching teams is no guarantee of success, just look at Kawhi on the Clippers. ONE playoff win in the last 3 years :biggums:
Why do you even respond to him? Quite literally 99.9% of his posts are about LeBron, even 3ball isn't that bad.

[Indian guy]

1991

The zenith of his athleticism and skills coming together and his best statistical season on top of it. Zero doubt it's his best version.

[gengiskhan]

Switching teams is no guarantee of success, just look at Kawhi on the Clippers. ONE playoff win in the last 3 years :biggums:

But KD followed LBJ and made a SUPER team and won Back-2-back FMVPs. Doesn't that count.

[SouBeachTalents]

But KD followed LBJ and made a SUPER team and won Back-2-back FMVPs. Doesn't that count.
KD's another example, outside of joining a 73 win, his teams have been massive disappointments in Brooklyn & Phoenix.

[Da_Realist]

1991

The zenith of his athleticism and skills coming together and his best statistical season on top of it. Zero doubt it's his best version.

I agree with this. But MJ said he was at his best in 1997 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beq7jjtrsV0&t=143s).

[SouBeachTalents]

I agree with this. But MJ said he was at his best in 1997 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beq7jjtrsV0&t=143s).
Well MJ proving once again to be a poor evaluator of talent.

[1987_Lakers]

'90 or '91.

[Da_Realist]

Well MJ proving once again to be a poor evaluator of talent.

All your little corny one-liners. Ha ha.

He led his team to 69 wins being the only consistent offensive threat mostly by using IQ and guile in a league where guys matched him physically (Penny, Grant Hill, Kobe, etc). Even won a Finals swing game on the road when he wasn't close to 100%. Who else has done that?

I think 91 was his best version but I don't really disagree with MJ.

[Bawkish]

Well MJ proving once again to be a poor evaluator of talent.

Probably meant he was at his peak basketball IQ

He was still beating match-ups even at the decline of his athletic prime

[Axe]

Probably meant he was at his peak basketball IQ

He was still beating match-ups even at the decline of his athletic prime
Yes. But against eric barber and john rogers? Nvm.

[Xiao Yao You]

Looks like hes yet to peak https://x.com/GolfonCBS/status/1800248867218510054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1800248867218510054%7Ctwgr% 5Ea9ad54f6c7c3cefc3943eeec67d1a18281eceb16%7Ctwcon %5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F*********.com%2Frumors%2F

[sdot_thadon]

Lebron was never a threat. A dude who switched teams 5 times and still doesn't have more titles than a guy in his own era that came in after him and that beat him head to head more.

Yeah cuz something something homecourt advantage right?:oldlol:

[NBAGOAT]

All your little corny one-liners. Ha ha.

He led his team to 69 wins being the only consistent offensive threat mostly by using IQ and guile in a league where guys matched him physically (Penny, Grant Hill, Kobe, etc). Even won a Finals swing game on the road when he wasn't close to 100%. Who else has done that?

I think 91 was his best version but I don't really disagree with MJ.

he did basically the same in 96 except his team was even better and he had better stats in the RS and playoffs. Doesnt make much sense to take 97 over 96

[Da_Realist]

he did basically the same in 96 except his team was even better and he had better stats in the RS and playoffs. Doesnt make much sense to take 97 over 96

That's why this is a discussion. It's hard to pick MJ's best year. I will say 97 was just as impressive if not more impressive than 96 though. Defending a championship is always harder than winning initially. Defending a championship after setting the all time RS wins mark made it infinitely more difficult. After getting every teams best effort every night, they won just 3 less games than the year before and tied for second most in history until the Warriors won 73 in 2016.

As for MJ's point, notice he didn't bring up stats or team win totals. He talked about maturity, IQ and craftiness. If it was going to just be a numbers discussion, no one would need to ask MJ anything. We could just go to basketball-reference.com and let that determine everything.

[GimmeThat]

Jordan sold so many meal tickets, that you'd have to blatantly foul him in order to not look like you're out of sorts.

[BarberSchool]

Physically ? 92-93

Skillwise? 96-97

[NBAGOAT]

That's why this is a discussion. It's hard to pick MJ's best year. I will say 97 was just as impressive if not more impressive than 96 though. Defending a championship is always harder than winning initially. Defending a championship after setting the all time RS wins mark made it infinitely more difficult. After getting every teams best effort every night, they won just 3 less games than the year before and tied for second most in history until the Warriors won 73 in 2016.

As for MJ's point, notice he didn't bring up stats or team win totals. He talked about maturity, IQ and craftiness. If it was going to just be a numbers discussion, no one would need to ask MJ anything. We could just go to basketball-reference.com and let that determine everything.

you better have some strong evidence yourself to argue jordan was significantly better in those categories in 97. Also teams were bringing it against the 96 team once they showed early they were the best team in the league

[sdot_thadon]

After getting every teams best effort every night, they won just 3 less games than the year before and tied for second most in history until the Warriors won 73 in 2016.
Anybody else ever figure out why MJ is the only guy that gets to use unconfirmable narratives like this as support for arguments. Most of the debates with him are full of opinion pieces masquerading as facts.


As for MJ's point, notice he didn't bring up stats or team win totals. He talked about maturity, IQ and craftiness. If it was going to just be a numbers discussion, no one would need to ask MJ anything. We could just go to basketball-reference.com and let that determine everything.
He likely said 97 because he wasn't that good in the 96 finals in comparison.

[3ba11]

Anybody else ever figure out why MJ is the only guy that gets to use unconfirmable narratives like this as support for arguments. Most of the debates with him are full of opinion pieces masquerading as facts.




They're facts because anyone that actually played basketball knows them to be tenets of the game - long-standing common knowledge among people that play or coach.. anyone that questions these common tenets and bball101 is exposed as a nascent fan

[Da_Realist]

They're facts because anyone that actually played basketball knows them to be tenets of the game - long-standing common knowledge among people that play or coach.. anyone that questions these common tenets and bball101 is exposed as a nascent fan

...or someone that just wants to discredit MJ any way he can. He already knew this.

[Soundwave]

If you want athletic dominance and most entertaining with a play style that's almost more like a work of art than sport, probably like 1990 or 1991.

If you want grizzled master of the game and full mental dominance of the sport and the best display of a will to win probably like 1996 or 1997.

[RRR3]

...or someone that just wants to discredit MJ any way he can. He already knew this.
Agreeing with 3ball the biggest troll in ISH history and you expect to be taken seriously :roll:

[sdot_thadon]

They're facts because anyone that actually played basketball knows them to be tenets of the game - long-standing common knowledge among people that play or coach.. anyone that questions these common tenets and bball101 is exposed as a nascent fan


...or someone that just wants to discredit MJ any way he can. He already knew this.

Both of you. If they were really "long standing tenets of the game" like you propose or cosign....then it would apply to every case and not just the ones you choose. If it was truly "common knowledge" for people who "know the game" then you two wouldn't look like waffling idiots in every thread trying to hedge the conversation to your desired result. Or maybe its you guys unknowingly admitting you dont know shit about basketball beyond a jumpman logo. Being a hypocrite constantly is the biggest disservice a man can do to his words. We all get it wrong sometimes, guys like you get it wrong everytime.

Back to the actual point of reply: "they got the best effort form every opponent" you can apply this narrative to any defending champion you can apply this narrative to any player as great as Lebron James. There exists other such narratives in the basketball collective. The question is do you accept it coming from the other side of the table? If not how could anyone respect it coming from you? And nah you got me all wrong bro, at some point I was likely a bigger Jordan stan than you Da_Realist,(not a chance I was ever a groupie to 3balls asylum level) the thing is at some point I grew up.

[gengiskhan]

I agree with this. But MJ said he was at his best in 1997 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beq7jjtrsV0&t=143s).

agree

1996. he looked bulked up. After playing full 82. doing deep in finals. you could see NBA Finals Game 4,5,6. He couldn't dismiss Payton Defense casually. or He should've taken 5-7 games off, played only 75 games 1996 season. finish off 1996 NBA Finals in style.

1997 is clearly his best season in "comeback" years. He had more spring in his legs. He moved better. he looked less bulky. Probably shredded few lbs. played all 82 games. But finished off 1997 NBA Finals strongly. Flu Game and Game 6.

1998 is when he started declining. Everytime I see kobe's peak or prime years. 2003 or 2008. He reminds me more and more of 35 yrs old Jordan. whenever people say Kobe is a poor man's MJ, this 1998 season 35 yrs old MJ is quite similar. MJ was still better but stats clearly declined.

[NBAGOAT]

Anybody else ever figure out why MJ is the only guy that gets to use unconfirmable narratives like this as support for arguments. Most of the debates with him are full of opinion pieces masquerading as facts.


He likely said 97 because he wasn't that good in the 96 finals in comparison.

Yep in this case it’s a debate over which mj year is better not trying to discredit him but I guess disagreeing with mj is discrediting him. If we’re being reasonable Phil Jackson and Jerry Krauses opinions matter significantly more here. They’re the ones who coached and built a dynasty they know how to evaluate talent.

I bet if you asked Tatum/brown last offseason they would’ve thought they had enough for a title. Stevens knew otherwise and look at Boston now

[SATAN]

Both of you. If they were really "long standing tenets of the game" like you propose or cosign....then it would apply to every case and not just the ones you choose. If it was truly "common knowledge" for people who "know the game" then you two wouldn't look like waffling idiots in every thread trying to hedge the conversation to your desired result. Or maybe its you guys unknowingly admitting you dont know shit about basketball beyond a jumpman logo. Being a hypocrite constantly is the biggest disservice a man can do to his words. We all get it wrong sometimes, guys like you get it wrong everytime.

Back to the actual point of reply: "they got the best effort form every opponent" you can apply this narrative to any defending champion you can apply this narrative to any player as great as Lebron James. There exists other such narratives in the basketball collective. The question is do you accept it coming from the other side of the table? If not how could anyone respect it coming from you? And nah you got me all wrong bro, at some point I was likely a bigger Jordan stan than you Da_Realist,(not a chance I was ever a groupie to 3balls asylum level) the thing is at some point I grew up.

https://media.tenor.com/dWwb5caFzJcAAAAC/damn-ice-cube.gif

Somebody might wanna check on Da_Retard and make sure he's ok...