Gen Z is really pushing the “The 90s were awful” angle lately.

[dankok8]

He shot 33.2% from 3 on low volume in the playoffs

His last two postseasons bring his average down a lot.

From 1985-1996, MJ shot 36.3% from 3pt range in the playoffs which is 4% above league average.

[RRR3]

His last two postseasons bring his average down a lot.

From 1985-1996, MJ shot 36.3% from 3pt range in the playoffs which is 4% above league average.

"If you don't include the times he shot bad, he did good"

[Soundwave]

His last two postseasons bring his average down a lot.

From 1985-1996, MJ shot 36.3% from 3pt range in the playoffs which is 4% above league average.

36.3% in the modern game would about the same as many star players today in the playoffs.

People thinking all these dudes are putting up 40% in the playoffs probably need a reality check.

[tpols]

Scoring was lower due to less spacing. You're right about that. However there are other factors including hand checking, lack of 3 second rule, and lower pace which all made that era be low scoring compared to today.

The pace was low because of the lack of shooting. Teams were non stop trying to work the ball closer to the rim and into a crowded paint because of how post oriented offense was back then. Nobody was pulling up from deep right off the jump even if they were WIDE open because it was considered bad offense.

And maybe it was bad offense back then... but with the %'s even mediocre shooters today can hit it at? It's not a bad shot at all. Expending little energy to get a 3 point play. And it allows star players more room to operate with a 2pt motive when role players have to be tightly guard out to 25 feet.

I'm watching some of these old school games and it's insane how much even guards got sagged off of. Everybody was trying to post or slash. Nobody was willing to pull up and get hot from 3.

[Soundwave]

The pace was low because of the lack of shooting. Teams were non stop trying to work the ball closer to the rim and into a crowded paint because of how post oriented offense was back then. Nobody was pulling up from deep right off the jump even if they were WIDE open because it was considered bad offense.

And maybe it was bad offense back then... but with the %'s even mediocre shooters today can hit it at? It's not a bad shot at all. Expending little energy to get a 3 point play. And it allows star players more room to operate with a 2pt motive when role players have to be tightly guard out to 25 feet.

I'm watching some of these old school games and it's insane how much even guards got sagged off of. Everybody was trying to post or slash. Nobody was willing to pull up and get hot from 3.

All that really boils down to though is Jordan would score more in the current NBA, not less. 30 ppg in the late 90s would be more like 34-35 ppg today if not more.

His talent level was held back by an era that was still built around catering to big men.

Anyone who's played organized basketball at any reasonable level probably even knows this drill or rule ... a coach says you have to make 3 passes before you're allowed to take a shot.

The thinking was passing and rotating the ball around would get defenses slightly off their coverage and you had to go look and see if your post player had an easy post opportunity near the rim.

That doesn't mean it was "bad", it's just things were different before Steph Curry started jacking 3s from 5 feet behind the 3 point line and that being considered a good shot. It made sense in the past that you would want your post player to get a touch and see if you could get an easier basket first.

[FKAri]

Scoring was lower due to less spacing. You're right about that. However there are other factors including hand checking, lack of 3 second rule, and lower pace which all made that era be low scoring compared to today.

I think zone is also an underrated factor. With zone it's much easier to bother a big and force them to pick up their dribble. Defender don't have to full commit. He can stand in no man's land and keep feinting like he's going to come double. It's why passing is so much more valuable for a big compared to the past.

[Soundwave]

There are pros that go the other way too.

Jordan not being as dependent as modern players on the 3 point shot meant his higher efficiency mid-range/rim attack game was a work of art. He completely mastered the fundamentals of killing you at the rim and then as he matured as a player, in the mid-range too.

Kobe shot a lot more 3s, but it also led to him being a less efficient player that Jordan.

If your game is heavily built around a 3 point shot, yes it can be deadly when you are on, but the flipside to that coin is when the 3 isn't going as well, we see guys like even Steph and Durant get a lot less effective and that's led to their teams get bounced out of the playoffs. You could see Kobe shot himself out of games chasing a 3 point heater too. Jordan would just adjust and find more efficient ways to score.

You can see it with the Warriors too ... Steph is still a top offensive player, but the Warriors are barely a .500 team which is embarrassing, you put any version of Jordan still near his peak/prime on a team that has a fair bit of talent (Wiggins, Klay, Kuminga, CP3, etc.) on the roster and no way would be they be chugging along .500 barely, sometimes under.

[tpols]

All that really boils down to though is Jordan would score more in the current NBA, not less. 30 ppg in the late 90s would be more like 34-35 ppg today if not more.

His talent level was held back by an era that was still built around catering to big men.

Anyone who's played organized basketball at any reasonable level probably even knows this drill or rule ... a coach says you have to make 3 passes before you're allowed to take a shot.

The thinking was passing and rotating the ball around would get defenses slightly off their coverage and you had to go look and see if your post player had an easy post opportunity near the rim.

That doesn't mean it was "bad", it's just things were different before Steph Curry started jacking 3s from 5 feet behind the 3 point line and that being considered a good shot. It made sense in the past that you would want your post player to get a touch and see if you could get an easier basket first.

Nobodies arguing MJ wouldn't dominate today. He'd be even MORE dominant today. These videos are satire. The guy is literally running a comedy routine. Offenses back then weren't as prolific not because of MJ or Scottie but because guys like Rodman, Longley, and Harper were trash long range shooters and provided 0 spacing to their star teammates.

[dankok8]

The pace was low because of the lack of shooting. Teams were non stop trying to work the ball closer to the rim and into a crowded paint because of how post oriented offense was back then. Nobody was pulling up from deep right off the jump even if they were WIDE open because it was considered bad offense.

And maybe it was bad offense back then... but with the %'s even mediocre shooters today can hit it at? It's not a bad shot at all. Expending little energy to get a 3 point play. And it allows star players more room to operate with a 2pt motive when role players have to be tightly guard out to 25 feet.

I'm watching some of these old school games and it's insane how much even guards got sagged off of. Everybody was trying to post or slash. Nobody was willing to pull up and get hot from 3.

It's a tactical difference. Every team back then had a few guys that could hit threes but they just didn't take many.

Besides, the tactical shift towards so many threes didn't really start happening till about 10 years ago. The 1996 and 2012 NBA took about the same number of threes.

[Soundwave]

Even by 2005-2010 the conventional thought even on boards like this was "you can't win playing Steve Nash Phoenix Suns basketball". The thinking was their pace was too high and they were a shrimpy little team with a small ass center trying to shoot 3s tot a title.

[tpols]

Steve Nash and the Suns would've won a title if Robert Horry didn't go0n Steve Nash into the scorers table and get the whole team suspended on a bullshit technicality.

And that isn't basketball.

You guys played g0on ball because you couldn't play basketball. That's BIG trash!

[Soundwave]

Gen Z: "Just let Jordan go left"













This dude would murder this era and every other era.

[tpols]

The crazy thing about those top 3 gifs you posted is Jordan finished with his right hand every single time. You're almost making the satire seem true.

Watch it close fellas... it's true.

[Soundwave]

The crazy thing about those top 3 gifs you posted is Jordan finished with his right hand every single time. You're almost making the satire seem true.

Watch it close fellas... it's true.

That's just dumb, who cares which hand you shoot with, the point was somehow you force him to the left side of the court and it's some kind of magic formula.

Here's a pro-tip you get dunked on and no one gives a shit which hand you got dunked on with.

Jordan would murder this sorry sap league with it's optional defense and 6'8 centers and 130 points gifted out like free Halloween candy. He'd average 35 easy, go up from there in peak years (37/38/40+).

I'll just also say it ... there's no one in the league as entertaining today as that. Some of his plays are just sheer works of art, today some guys can jump high, but they can't do much of this shit in game, don't have the agility, dexterity, explosive first step, no one like that in the game today, no one ever really.

[tpols]

You just added a 4th gif where he used his right hand again.