A breakdown of the players who were guarding Michael Jordan in those 6 NBA Finals..

[usmarin3]

Gary Payton was probably the greatest perimeter defender along with MJ during his time, there is a reason why he is called the glove
Russell was a tough physical defender too, the whole Jazz team was a physical team,and the NBA as a hole was more tougher in Jordans era. If yall thought Wade got a alot of bullshit foul shots in his Finals, Jordan would of tripled that by the way he was guarded
Majerle and the Suns - i remember them fouling the shit out of Jordan and him converting a bunch of 3 point play
Drexler was probably the second best 2 guard in Jordans era along with Mitch Richmond, but he was athletic and can play defense too, i thought Terry Porter guarded Jordan too.

Keep in mind that Jordan had to turn around and guard some of these guys too, he couldn't slack on defense either. Sure Pippen would sometimes take the best perimeter player, but Jordan would guard some of these guys.

 

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Its ridiculous the amount of times Michael got to the line in any one of those 6 series.

You'd think they would let them play, especially in those days.

Some of those calls were garbage too..

Touch and go shit.

Yeh US Marine you definitely right about the foul calls, man..

 

[BlackxChild]

Gary Payton was probably the greatest perimeter defender along with MJ during his time, there is a reason why he is called the glove
Russell was a tough physical defender too, the whole Jazz team was a physical team,and the NBA as a hole was more tougher in Jordans era. If yall thought Wade got a alot of bullshit foul shots in his Finals, Jordan would of tripled that by the way he was guarded
Majerle and the Suns - i remember them fouling the shit out of Jordan and him converting a bunch of 3 point play
Drexler was probably the second best 2 guard in Jordans era along with Mitch Richmond, but he was athletic and can play defense too, i thought Terry Porter guarded Jordan too.

Keep in mind that Jordan had to turn around and guard some of these guys too, he couldn't slack on defense either. Sure Pippen would sometimes take the best perimeter player, but Jordan would guard some of these guys.

Michael did get alot ofcalls to go his way and went against less talented players. Players actually are more tough and are bigger and stronger now anytime someone gets smacked they get bloodied I don't get why ppl want to deny these things... The talent strength and speed of the NBA is better now than it ever was

 

[dc's teflondon]

don't matter who was guarding mj he was going to get his

 

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don't matter who was guarding mj he was going to get his

He was getting double and triple teamed always.

Thats why he will always be the best to me, no player has had that much attention drawn to them and still play at such an incredible level.

Watch any one of those series and you see what I'm talking about.

He'd post up and see the big man come off to his right, switch left, go up and drill the shot.

Or he'd push it up, go right, two step, pull up as soon as the second man comes up to double, and hit the shot just in time.

Not to mention at one stage in the Utah Series (dont know if it was 97 or 98) he was actually leading in the Assists category over John Stockton.

Greatest to do it.

 

[D.D.S.]

gp was the best defender out of all those guys named

he held jordan to his lowest finals point total in 96.

 

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I have to watch the Seattle series again, in full when I get home.

I think from memory Detlef Schrempf might have had some time guarding him too.

 

[Focal Point]

Michael did get alot ofcalls to go his way and went against less talented players. Players actually are more tough and are bigger and stronger now anytime someone gets smacked they get bloodied I don't get why ppl want to deny these things... The talent strength and speed of the NBA is better now than it ever was

strength and speed are all well and good, but like any balla will tell you... the game is 90% mental...

 

[blank..]

strength and speed are all well and good, but like any balla will tell you... the game is 90% mental...

Yeh good point, very good point.

A few times especially in the Suns series, he did it with the Jazz too..

He would find himself trapped on the baseline face up, and they coming at him from all directions.

He got a narrow passage goin left toward the rim, and he would take it..

I'm thinking what the fuck is the point of that..?

But before he even gets near the rim, the refs got the whistles ready to blow it..

And next thing he's at the line, off a drive he would have NEVER finished anyway.

 

[Legend24]

strength and speed are all well and good, but like any balla will tell you... the game is 90% mental...

Where the fuck did you get that from? This is basketball, not poker...

Just seems like one of those cliche things people say but don't believe.

 

[blank..]

Where the fuck did you get that from? This is basketball, not poker...

Just seems like one of those cliche things people say but don't believe.

Yeh well maybe its not 90% mental obviously..

But what the fuck you saying?

Basketball requires no mental toughness and smarts?

 

[Legend24]

Yeh well maybe its not 90% mental obviously..

But what the fuck you saying?

Basketball requires no mental toughness and smarts?

I didn't say that... don't twist my words.

Basketball requires mental toughness and "intelligence" but physical ability is and will always be more important than basketball IQ/mental toughness/smarts (or whatever you want to call it) when it comes to playing the game.

 

[bless the child]

Truth be told GP was getting in MJ's ass in those finals. Go look at Mike's numbers.

 

[CoolJoe]

Nigga said 90 percent mental hahahahaha.

 

[Chi-Town Bully]

Truth be told GP was getting in MJ's ass in those finals. Go look at Mike's numbers.

The only time Jordan didn't average 30 in the finals

 

[usmarin3]

Keep in mind Jordan played in the era of Ewing, Hakeem (most blocks ever), Mutombo(second most), Alonzo, Daughrety, Shaq,etc and lol at players being tougher today, fuck out of here with that bullshit.

 

[Focal Point]

Nigga said 90 percent mental hahahahaha.

Yeah I said it, you have to know in your head what you wanna do, and anticipate what your opponent is gonna do be it on the Defense or Offense side, you have to be at least 4 or 5 steps ahead, you need mental toughness to keep going when ya body is ass from playing so hard, you need mental strength to withstand a game that is full of runs... how hard is that to figure out, the old heads will all tell you it's 90% mental

 

[Focal Point]

Where the fuck did you get that from? This is basketball, not poker...

Just seems like one of those cliche things people say but don't believe.

Clown, if you play ball, you have to outsmart your opponent, in your mind you gotta be thinking he doing this, so ima do this or he's trying to get me to do this and this, so I gotta do that, don't be fooled by the amazing highlights... why you think guys like Bird and Nash excel in the league

 

[smokelahoma]

Keep in mind Jordan played in the era of Ewing, Hakeem (most blocks ever), Mutombo(second most), Alonzo, Daughrety, Shaq,etc and lol at players being tougher today, fuck out of here with that bullshit.

I was bout to say, where the fuck did that shit come from? Seems like players today are more frail and injury prone in all different types of sports. Its almost like you expect a major player on your team to be hurt before the end of the season.

 

[Legend24]

Clown, if you play ball, you have to outsmart your opponent, in your mind you gotta be thinking he doing this, so ima do this or he's trying to get me to do this and this, so I gotta do that, don't be fooled by the amazing highlights... why you think guys like Bird and Nash excel in the league

Hahaha, this kid is serious bout his 90%.

If the game is 90% mental, why aren't dudes like Derek Fisher the best talents in the league?

It's more like 90% physical, 10% mental. Look at the dominant players in the game today... LeBron, Dwight, Durant, Wade, etc. Their physical attributes and skill set allow them to dominate, not their fucking mentality. They can still go out there and score 25ppg with their minds on cruise control because their basketball talent is far superior to others in the league.

If the game is 90% mental, how was a guy like Vince Carter considered one of the best SGs in the league for the first 10 years of his career? Dude had physical attributes that allowed him to do the things he did. If what you're sayin was the case, they'd throw draftees in a gym, make them write a fucking test and see who has the "mentality" to play pro ball.

Talent over basketball IQ... any GM will tell you that. That's why raw, high school talent would go first overall in the draft.