Jordan "I could've still led the league in scoring and the Bulls to a title in 1999

[Hey Yo]

This article was originally written in July of 1998. Basically talks about MJ saying he wouldn't play for any other head coach than Phil. Funny to see the claims MJ makes about the 1999 season but his retirement speech he referred to himself as burnt out and exhausted as to why he was walking away again.

You think he leads the Bulls to 4 in a row in 1999 if he came back for the 50gm season?


"Jerry Rnteinsdorf has always made his own choices. Whatever choices he makes, it doesn't force me to play for his choices,' Jordan said. ``I'm not going to be unhappy not playing the game of basketball.

``None of you guys can say he stayed longer than he should have stayed. That's how I've always (felt). I never wanted someone to put a foot in my butt and kick me out. When I walk away, I want you all to realize I can still lead the league in scoring, I can still lead the Chicago Bulls to a championship.'

https://greensboro.com/jordan-leanin...e3b5bf683.html

[Phoenix]

I don't see the Bulls winning the 99 title. Pippen was never the same player post-back surgery and Rodman had become much less reliable than he was in 96 or even 97. Unless they upgraded the roster with some relevant pieces but that's much harder to predict than just taking the 98 team as it was. The only thing in the Bulls favor that year would be the shortened season. IIRC MJ was on 1-year contracts making over 30million which was huge back then. He would have needed to scale that back to bring in some relevant FAs( I don't know who would have been available that year and too lazy to look up right now). Plus the fact that Pippen was also a FA and given what he know about his contract issues, he would have sought a big payday. I just don't see any of that leading to a title.

As for him winning a scoring title, A.I led the league that year at 26.8, not a hard number for MJ to beat. He may have put up another 28ppg. Though if I recall he cut his finger using a cigar cutter during the off-season which would have affected him playing in general, much less leading the league in scoring.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Would have depended on how/if they replaced Pippen. But he was still an MVP-caliber player and they had just won a championship. The confidence was justified.

[90sgoat]

The league was still slow and defense heavy and he likely still had most of his hops, so he would still be able to put up 25-30 points on decent volume on jump shooting alone.

It would be an interesting speculation as to who they would have replaced Pippen with yes.

Glen Rice was a free agent (so says ChatGPT) and they also had prime Kukoc. Would have been interesting to see prime Glen Rice and prime Kukoc on that team. MJ could have saved energy with those two running the offence and just have focused on his 4th quarters as he tended to do in 1998.

[ArbitraryWater]

They wouldnt even have won in 98 without the 2 massive shotclock call mess-ups

[SouBeachTalents]

They wouldnt even have won in 98 without the 2 massive shotclock call mess-ups

It's kind of crazy how little that's brought up. If LeBron had won under those circumstances we would literally never hear the end of it

[97 bulls]

I don't see the Bulls winning the 99 title. Pippen was never the same player post-back surgery and Rodman had become much less reliable than he was in 96 or even 97. Unless they upgraded the roster with some relevant pieces but that's much harder to predict than just taking the 98 team as it was. The only thing in the Bulls favor that year would be the shortened season. IIRC MJ was on 1-year contracts making over 30million which was huge back then. He would have needed to scale that back to bring in some relevant FAs( I don't know who would have been available that year and too lazy to look up right now). Plus the fact that Pippen was also a FA and given what he know about his contract issues, he would have sought a big payday. I just don't see any of that leading to a title.

As for him winning a scoring title, A.I led the league that year at 26.8, not a hard number for MJ to beat. He may have put up another 28ppg. Though if I recall he cut his finger using a cigar cutter during the off-season which would have affected him playing in general, much less leading the league in scoring.

Trailblazers Pippen was more than good enough. Granted, Pippen was definitely not the same player. But he was still very good. Pippen with the Rockets wasn't bad. He wasn't playing a peak capability because his skillset was limited due to the way the Rockets played their offense. But he did finish top 10 in thr DPOY awards in 99 and 00.

I don't know why you guys keep dismissing Rodmans impact in 98. I send the same videos multiple times showing Rodmans defense on Karl Malone in the 98 NBA Finals. Kukoc could've taken on a bigger role on offense.

At some point, these conversations seem to be more about what people want to believe as opposed to what what was believable.

[97 bulls]

It's kind of crazy how little that's brought up. If LeBron had won under those circumstances we would literally never hear the end of it

This can be said about every series in every playoff in every sport. Missed calls are a part of the game. One or two plays is never the reason a team wins or loses.

[Phoenix]

Trailblazers Pippen was more than good enough. Granted, Pippen was definitely not the same player. But he was still very good. Pippen with the Rockets wasn't bad. He wasn't playing a peak capability because his skillset was limited due to the way the Rockets played their offense. But he did finish top 10 in thr DPOY awards in 99 and 00.

I don't know why you guys keep dismissing Rodmans impact in 98. I send the same videos multiple times showing Rodmans defense on Karl Malone in the 98 NBA Finals. Kukoc could've taken on a bigger role on offense.

At some point, these conversations seem to be more about what people want to believe as opposed to what what was believable.

I didn't dismiss Rodman's impact, I said he wasn't as reliable as he was in 96 and 97. 96 Rodman was actually impactful enough to be on the MVP ballot and garner FMVPs votes. By 98 some of his off-court antics were creeping back in, most infamously wrestling in WCW and going off on mid-season Vegas excursions away from the team. All the core players were at the age where a year older didn't mean a year better. It was pretty clear that they were on their,if not close to, last legs as champions as constructed without roster upgrades.

Beyond all that, as said Jordan sliced his finger bad enough that he would have missed time. Who knows what the timetable for his return would be, what seeding the Bulls would be in upon his return, and how affected he would have been by said injury. They may have had an uphill battle trying to get themselves in position for a final run, taking into account 98 Jordan had a hell of a job keeping the team afloat while Pippen was out; he's likely being asked to do a pretty herculean job trying to make up ground again. Pippen was declining as a scorer even before the back injury. Kukoc taking on a bigger offensive role doesn't necessarily cancel all of this out. Best scenario I see is maybe a finals run but they'd have big problems with the Duncan and Robinson tandem.

I mean, what you're saying could just as easily be discounted as what you want to believe as opposed to the reality based on numerous factors.

[ArbitraryWater]

This can be said about every series in every playoff in every sport. Missed calls are a part of the game. One or two plays is never the reason a team wins or loses.

No it cant.

This isnt about arguing calls.

This is literally a false/late basket being awarded in the case of Chicago and a legal basket falsely waved off.

[ArbitraryWater]

It's kind of crazy how little that's brought up. If LeBron had won under those circumstances we would literally never hear the end of it

Absolutely. So undermentioned its crazy.

People love that storybook ending though so why bring it up.

[97 bulls]

I didn't dismiss Rodman's impact, I said he wasn't as reliable as he was in 96 and 97. 96 Rodman was actually impactful enough to be on the MVP ballot and garner FMVPs votes. By 98 some of his off-court antics were creeping back in, most infamously wrestling in WCW and going off on mid-season Vegas excursions away from the team. All the core players were at the age where a year older didn't mean a year better. It was pretty clear that they were on their,if not close to, last legs as champions as constructed without roster upgrades.

Beyond all that, as said Jordan sliced his finger bad enough that he would have missed time. Who knows what the timetable for his return would be, what seeding the Bulls would be in upon his return, and how affected he would have been by said injury. They may have had an uphill battle trying to get themselves in position for a final run, taking into account 98 Jordan had a hell of a job keeping the team afloat while Pippen was out; he's likely being asked to do a pretty herculean job trying to make up ground again. Pippen was declining as a scorer even before the back injury. Kukoc taking on a bigger offensive role doesn't necessarily cancel all of this out. Best scenario I see is maybe a finals run but they'd have big problems with the Duncan and Robinson tandem.

I mean, what you're saying could just as easily be discounted as what you want to believe as opposed to the reality based on numerous factors.

Again, whenever I hear someone saying or questioning Rodmans impact on the 98 Finals, I've literally sent the videos on YouTube showing what 98 Rodman did to Karl Malone. Most of his points came on everyone but Rodman. Hell the Bulls had an easier time with the Jazz in 98 than in 97. If Pippen doent hurt his back in game 6, that game isn't as close and Pippen probably wins Finals MVP. Along with that, the Bulls set the record for winning disparity when they beat the Jazz 96-54.

If Pippen doesn't have that surgery in 98, the Bulls easily win 68-70 games in 98. Keep in mind they won 62 with Pippen missing 38 games and them starting the season 8-7. The Bulls weren't as weak as people like to think.

The Spurs beat a Knicks team without Ewing (granted he was older). I don't see Duncan and Robinson being as much of a factor because I'm sure the Bulls would've severed the head of the snake. Averg Johnson would've been eaten alive by Pippen, Jordan, and Harper. Which would've really limited the Spurs effectiveness.

[97 bulls]

No it cant.

This isnt about arguing calls.

This is literally a false/late basket being awarded in the case of Chicago and a legal basket falsely waved off.

It's not arguing calls. There are missed calls in every game. It happens.

[Phoenix]

Again, whenever I hear someone saying or questioning Rodmans impact on the 98 Finals, I've literally sent the videos on YouTube showing what 98 Rodman did to Karl Malone. Most of his points came on everyone but Rodman. Hell the Bulls had an easier time with the Jazz in 98 than in 97. If Pippen doent hurt his back in game 6, that game isn't as close and Pippen probably wins Finals MVP. Along with that, the Bulls set the record for winning disparity when they beat the Jazz 96-54.

If Pippen doesn't have that surgery in 98, the Bulls easily win 68-70 games in 98. Keep in mind they won 62 with Pippen missing 38 games and them starting the season 8-7. The Bulls weren't as weak as people like to think.

The Spurs beat a Knicks team without Ewing (granted he was older). I don't see Duncan and Robinson being as much of a factor because I'm sure the Bulls would've severed the head of the snake. Averg Johnson would've been eaten alive by Pippen, Jordan, and Harper. Which would've really limited the Spurs effectiveness.

I wasn't specifying Rodman's impact in the 98 finals. I didn't even utter the phrase. Again, I just said he wasn't as reliable overall as in past years in a general sense. You're reading that as if I said he wouldn't be of any use. The Bulls were also used to dealing with one all-star big. Shaq, Mourning, Malone etc. Even if Rodman someone managed to tame Duncan, Robinson is still left largely unchecked. The advantage for the Bulls on the perimeter is to some degree nullified by the interior edge for the Spurs. I've watched the 98 finals numerous times, I know what Rodman did. In the 99 finals Duncan played 46 minutes a night. There's gonna be alot of time he's on the floor and Rodman wouldn't be if he plays similar minutes.

Jordan did a hell of a job keeping that team on pace for 62, and yes of course they win more with Pippen not missing time. But we're talking about a scenario where MJ is out with the finger injury, leaving a post surgery Pippen and Kukoc to pick up the slack. At best they're probably middle of the pack until MJ returns, and then he has to be on form to take them home the rest of the way.

IF Pippen doesn't have surgery. IF Jordan doesn't cut his finger, and so forth. OK, the what If game. But Pippen DID have surgery, MJ DID cut his finger and would have missed time, and the likely result of that is those two and Rodman in 99 being worse ( to varying degrees) versions of who they were in 98. If there is some alternate reality where MJ doesn't cut his finger and is at least as good as 98, Pippen doesn't injure his back and is at least as good as he was in 98, and Kukoc can pick up the slack, then that's a different conversation. But I'm basing my opinion on what actually was in 99.

[SouBeachTalents]

It's not arguing calls. There are missed calls in every game. It happens.

There's never been another game I can think of, esp one of that magnitude, where two incorrect calls went against one team, resulting in a 5 point swing, in a game they ended up losing by 1.

If those calls are made correctly the Jazz get a Game 7 at home with Pippen either extremely hindered or unable to play.