Micheal Jordan vs Sonics defense 1996 finals

[madmax]

90's nostalgia tards always crack me up...
I've said it many times, I'll repeat it again - hard fouls DO NOT CONSTITUTE good defense. I thought this should be evident enough to anyone with half a brain? As for hanchecking, it was already partially removed in the early 80's and as the 90's rolled arround it was barely evident. Jordan got all the superstar calls that today's stars get as well. Stop rewriting history and making him some untouchable god.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

1996

1997

2011


lol @ the BS. Other than Jersey, the teams who had an ABOVE average DRTG made the post season.

[D-Wade316]

Kobe

04 Pistons 95.4
01 76ers 98.9
08 Celtics 98.9
02 Nets 99.5
09 Magic 101.9
00 Pacers 103.6
10 Celtics 103.8

Jordan
96 Sonics 102.1
97 Jazz 104.0
92 Blazers 104.2
91 Lakers 105.0
98 Jazz 105.4
93 Suns 106.7

The toughest D Jordan faced in the Finals would be a below average Finals opponent for Kobe.

Nah. Those are Drtgs for the regular season. Better use playoff Drtg and make sure you compare them to league average.

91 Lakers - 109.6, 4th
92 Blazers - 110.1, 5th
93 Suns - 110.2, 13th
96 Sonics - 104.1, 7th
97 Jazz - 106.7, 5th
98 Jazz - 100.4, 1st

00 Pacers - 106.8, 12th
01 Sixers - 105.8, 9th
02 Nets - 102.3, 6th
04 Pistons - 92.0, 1st
08 Celtics - 103.3, 2nd
09 Magic - 105.3, 3rd
10 Celtics - 101.7 2nd

Kobe did face better defenses in the Finals, but not by much.

[OldSchoolBBall]

All the younger fans should take note of the paint on defense and how much more crowded it is when it's not illegal to play defense in the paint like it is today. Jeremy Lin would be working as a lawyer if the rules were still like this.

lol @ the bolded.

The paint was definitely more crowded in the 80's and 90's than today for three main reasons:

1) No defensive 3-second rule

2) Big men weren't generally "stretch big men" who could step out to 18-20 feet and hit jumpers, or, in some cases, threes. This meant that on offense they hovered in or near the lane; thus, their defenders did also. The result was clogged lanes and fewer angles to the basket. This is especially evident from '85-'91.

3) More and better big men shotblockers who took pride in protecting the paint either via shotblocking a la Dream/Mutombo or physical intimidation a la K. Malone/Oakley etc.

[eliteballer]

You herbs need to chill out. You're acting like they were playing football out there. Early to mid 00's were definitely more physical than the 80's-early 90's. Saying otherwise means you're either blind or in denial. Just because a few random hard fouls hadnt been actually labeled flagrant yet doesnt change that.

The Bad Boys were allowing more PPG than Don Nelsons Nash/Dirk Mavs. Yet you want to pretend it was World War 3 in those days.

A complete and utter joke.

[Yao Ming's Foot]

Nah. Those are Drtgs for the regular season. Better use playoff Drtg and make sure you compare them to league average.

91 Lakers - 109.6, 4th
92 Blazers - 110.1, 5th
93 Suns - 110.2, 13th
96 Sonics - 104.1, 7th
97 Jazz - 106.7, 5th
98 Jazz - 100.4, 1st

00 Pacers - 106.8, 12th
01 Sixers - 105.8, 9th
02 Nets - 102.3, 6th
04 Pistons - 92.0, 1st
08 Celtics - 103.3, 2nd
09 Magic - 105.3, 3rd
10 Celtics - 101.7 2nd

Kobe did face better defenses in the Finals, but not by much.

Why do we compare defensive ratings to league average if we don't compare the offensive statistics born from those defensive ratings to league average as well?

[Deuce Bigalow]

Lmao....learn to read ur fellow jockers posts, he is referring to Game 6, Jordan shooting 5 for 19 and having bad 4th quarter....please don't have me post Kobes numbers in 2010 dude is a career 40% shooter in the finals and has no memorable moments, those belong to Derek Fisher.

Also let's not post teammates production, I've been down this path, posted facts, u guys simply ignore all truths, then cry why people hate on Kobe. U sir are a prime example, see u do shit like this and think u proved some massive point, ur high fiv'n ur roommate who's probably on you tube spewing the same garbage. "We got'em now".........really, u guys somehow conjure up these bullshit theories and myths. Like ur post:

Find Jordans worst finals ever, against DPOY Payton, Second team all defense Nate McMillan, Askew, Schrempf, and Hawkins......take that series which is right on par with Kobes career final numbers, against Lee, Pietrus, Allen, Allen and Pierce, manipulate Kobes numbers by posting his basic stats, while ignoring his horrid fourth quarters throughout the Celtics series, his ability to watch Fisher rack up more clutch moments in those two series than Kobe has his entire finals career. Continue to ignore Jordans finals prior to and after this.....let's just hang on the one, which was Jordans first full season after a retirement

What is wrong with these jockers?

[andgar923]

Some people have clearly never played basketball before.

Even when in today's game, whenever it gets remotely physical we can see how it clearly affects their game play.

Idiots trying to convince themselves that physical game is no big deal and even more idiotic is these morons making it appear as if today's game is no different physical wise.

Fools.

[eliteballer]

Some people have clearly never played basketball before.

Even when in today's game, whenever it gets remotely physical we can see how it clearly affects their game play.

Idiots trying to convince themselves that physical game is no big deal and even more idiotic is these morons making it appear as if today's game is no different physical wise.

Fools.

When you say you would take Rik Smits over Dwight Howard you lose all right to call anyone else a fool

[andgar923]

When you say you would take Rik Smits over Dwight Howard you lose any right to call anyone else a fool

I see you never have anything else to say, but to post shit that's outta context.

I'm the fool yet you believe Kobe >>> MJ... right.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

When you say you would take Rik Smits over Dwight Howard you lose all right to call anyone else a fool

Well, Rik Smits was better on the offensive end...

[andgar923]

Well, Rik Smits was better on the offensive end...

In a Howard vs Smits matchup, I'm taking Smits 8 outta 10 times.

The slight edge goes over Howard defensively, but half the shit he does vs today's 6'10 weak centers aint gonna work on Smits, who was 7'4 with a long wingspan and very athletic (for his size) before his injuries.

If Smits played today, he'd be the best center.

People don't wanna believe me?

Bynum is considered the 2nd best center in the league at the moment . Smits was as skilled as Gasol, but taller and tougher (much tougher). There would be NOBODY that would be able to stop Smits. He'd kill you in the inside (who's gonna guard him?) and kill you in the outside as well (again, who's gonna guard him?). Even if you throw a double team at him, the rules are soft and he'd just shoot over most of them, from either the perimeter or the post. If Yao was damn near impossible to stop in the paint, imagine what a longer armed, more physical Smits would do.

[eliteballer]

WOW

You guys must take Illgauskus over Howard too

[andgar923]

WOW

You guys must take Illgauskus over Howard too

No

Stop making a fool outta yourself.

Maybe if you actually saw some basketball or at least understood it you wouldn't keep embarrassing ourself, and making a mockery out of L.A fans.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

In a Howard vs Smits matchup, I'm taking Smits 8 outta 10 times.

The slight edge goes over Howard defensively, but half the shit he does vs today's 6'10 weak centers aint gonna work on Smits, who was 7'4 with a long wingspan and very athletic (for his size) before his injuries.

If Smits played today, he'd be the best center.

People don't wanna believe me?

Bynum is considered the 2nd best center in the league at the moment . Smits was as skilled as Gasol, but taller and tougher (much tougher). There would be NOBODY that would be able to stop Smits. He'd kill you in the inside (who's gonna guard him?) and kill you in the outside as well (again, who's gonna guard him?). Even if you throw a double team at him, the rules are soft and he'd just shoot over most of them, from either the perimeter or the post. If Yao was damn near impossible to stop in the paint, imagine what a longer armed, more physical Smits would do.

Good post, Andgar. I would probably take Dwight because of his defensive prowess (the impact a big has on the defensive end is immeasurable). Rik was the man though. As you said, the guy was like Pau but more physical.