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Post by donniehoward on Jun 26, 2010 20:22:54 GMT -5
I'm gonna come clean and say this is a complete Devil's Advocate type of thread.
If pressed, I'd give Jordan the nod more than likely as the greatest although I don't think it is the slam dunk others claim.
This thread is just gonna focus on some possible reasons why he isn't the greatest of all time.
1. He didn't win till the old guard got old.
2. He never had another guard his equal or close to equal athletically.
3. IMO, and strictly my opinion, I don't think he ever beat an all time great team for a title. Those west teams were good, but not great.. Past his prime Magic, those Trailblazer teams were ok....... Phoenix had Barkley KJ and not a lot else, Seattle.. Payton and Kemp LOL, Utah had Malone,Stockton not much else.
4. When Jordan Retired. Bulls still won over 55 games and were a terrible call from going back to the NBA Finals without him.
U name any other greatest of all time candidate and that WOULD NOT HAPPEN. When Bird missed a lot of the 87-88 season with bone spur surgery, Boston went 42-40. lost in first round
Jordan misses a season, Bulls a bad call from probably winning another championship.
anybody else have anything to prove maybe he wasn't?
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Post by Jimbo Collins on Jun 26, 2010 23:42:21 GMT -5
Excellent points my friend. Even if pressed, I would not say Jordan is the best player ever. Absolutely the best shooting guard ever! Not the best basketball player.
The league was watered down when he started hanging banners and trying on rings! When Bird came into the League he immediately made the Celtics a contender. His rookie year was the biggest turnaround in NBA history for a team's wins from the previous season.
If not for Magic and some untimely injuries, Bird wins seven or 8 titles. If not for Bird, Magic wins 7 or 8 titles.
When The Celtics lost Bird, they fell into mediocrity! When Magic was forced to retire, the Lakers were barely a playoff team for years to come.
Jordan was great, but IMO Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are the two best players ever.
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Post by donniehoward on Jun 26, 2010 23:59:55 GMT -5
When u think about it, who was the 2nd best player in Jordan's era? Patrick Ewing? Some would say his own teammate Scottie Pippen.
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Post by Jimbo Collins on Jun 27, 2010 0:02:43 GMT -5
When u think about it, who was the 2nd best player in Jordan's era? Patrick Ewing? Some would say his own teammate Scottie Pippen. I would say Hakeem Olajuan (sp?) I think he is overlooked a lot. He bested a young Shaq pretty easily. Houston doesn't win a title without the dream lol. |
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Post by donniehoward on Jun 27, 2010 0:08:37 GMT -5
Jordan also, thanks to being the league's money machine, got every single tick tack foul known to man as well.
NBA has always had a little bit of suspicion hanging over its head and a lot of people think its fixed to a degree. Jordan didn't hurt for foul calls.
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Post by Jimbo Collins on Jun 27, 2010 0:32:16 GMT -5
Kobe gets a lot of those phantom calls. I may see more than the average guy because I am a big Celtics fan, but Kobe gets his nutz rubbed a lot lmao!
Jordan got away with a lot and he always got the benefit of doubt too. The league loved him, much like they love Kobe and Lebron. They have tried SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hard to make Lebron a champion.
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Post by donniehoward on Jun 27, 2010 0:55:18 GMT -5
What if Lebron does go to Chicago? Playing in Jordan's shadow! WOO! good luck.
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Post by Jimbo Collins on Jun 27, 2010 0:57:13 GMT -5
I heard that Lebron is leaning towards Miami and D Wade now. Supposedly Miami can clear enough room for Lebron, Wade and Bosh! I still don't think that makes them automatic for a championship, but it also makes them basketball whores IMO lol.
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Post by donniehoward on Jun 28, 2010 2:05:12 GMT -5
I have ZERO respect for ring chasers. If Lebron goes and plays with Wade, I will lose respect for both of them. If they do sign Wade,Lebron and Bosh..they are gonna have the world's shittiest team around them though.
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Post by Jimbo Collins on Jun 28, 2010 17:55:57 GMT -5
I have ZERO respect for ring chasers. If Lebron goes and plays with Wade, I will lose respect for both of them. If they do sign Wade,Lebron and Bosh..they are gonna have the world's shittiest team around them though. I've said all along that signing Bosh and Lebron doesn't guarantee ANY team a championship. There is still going to have to be other pieces of the puzzle... including decent bench to win a title...even in today's watered down version of the NBA. |
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Post by donniehoward on Jun 28, 2010 19:20:39 GMT -5
Plus Chris Bosh has the least impact of any star I've ever seen. He may avg 24 and 10 but to not be able to get the Toronto Raptors to the playoffs in the East? I just feel he is the Vince Carter king of the empty meaningless stat type player. There are stat players and guys who make an impact with those stats.
For instance u take Pau Gasol, he tried to carry his own team and failed miserably, u put him with a true superstar in Kobe and he wins rings.
So maybe Bosh will benefit that way, but Lebron hasn't shown the ability to win the big game either.
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