Jordan: 'I could have scored 100 points' in today's NBA

[DJ Rhude]

Well being that one man has only done it, I see where you're coming from

And it was done by a guy who towered over everyone else at that time.....they had to raise the basket because of Stilt and change some rules

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

IMO some of you are letting nostalgia get in the way of reality. In the grand scheme of things offensively Kobe is closer to Jordan than some would like to believe and he's only been able to get to 81. Obviously, if the stars aligned a player such as Jordan or Kobe could score 100 points, but that has more to do with their talent coupled with simply "feeling it" that night and less to do with who they're playing against.

I don't believe either Kobe or Jordan could just decided to to score 100 points, because in saying that you're also saying Kobe and Jordan could score whenever they want, which isn't true. IMO the both of them can get their shot off at any time, but that doesn't mean they're making the shot. Kobe's 81 point display had more to do with him simply "feeling it" and him being one of the great scorers this league has ever seen and less to do with it being against the Raptors.

The NBA during Jordan era was very top heavy. Past the elite 8-12 HOFers the NBA was weak, but Jordan's shadow covered all of that up. Even at MJ's position of SG who was the top #2 guy? Drexler? Starks? Mitch Richmond?

What is strange about people is that they speak nostalgic about the NBA from Jordan's era, which due to Jordan playing it was great, but the elite teams rarely played real defense and instead replaced it for applying pure force, which lowered scoring. When Jordan retired people complained and said the NBA was boring, because teams couldn't score over 90 points. The league adjusted some things and now people complain that the NBA is too easy and teams don't play any defense. IF the NBA allowed teams to play the 90's style defense that Jordan played against people would still complain and say the NBA is boring. The reason for this is because Jordan wouldn't be playing. During the Jordan era most people were either rooting for Jordan or against him.....and all respected him and this affection was greater than they're love for the NBA.

Good post, although I disagree with a lot of this.

The biggest problem with the NBA is a lack of charasmatic stars. It doesn't matter if the players are better/worse than another era, its all about stars. The players come off as selfish, arrogant, and not easy to root for. This has as much to do with the times we live in (the egomanaical era of "social media") as it does the leagues connection with the hip hop culture. Roll your eyes all you like, but John Doe and his suburban white family have a hard time sitting around the tv and connecting with 20-something black kids who grew up on Jay Z & Eminem and carry themselves with a type of arrogance that screams "look at me". Stern knows it, and despite at one point embracing this, he has tries to back the league away from it.

Another problem is diluted rosters due to over expansion. This has hurt the NFL too, and to a much much lesser extent MLB. But its a huge problem in the NBA. I believe the scrub ratio is the by far the highest in the NBA.

But back on Jordan, he's a bitter, insecure man growing more bitter by the minute. I can just see him watching the Finals, seething as Kobe wins another ring. We all hate Kobe, Mike, not just you. Relax. You aren't scoring 100. Nobody is.

 

[FedEx227]

And you don't think Jordan could get 100 against these current Knicks? Led by a coach who's allergic to teaching defense and an offense that wants to get a shot off in eight seconds? Sure things would have to go his way and he's have to be in the mother of all zones, but I don't think it's a reach at all to say he could get 100 in this current climate

If Jordan couldn't get 100 even in his early ball hogging days against the Nuggets, I don't think he could do it against the modern day Knicks.

 

[FedEx227]

The biggest problem with the NBA is a lack of charasmatic stars. It doesn't matter if the players are better/worse than another era, its all about stars. The players come off as selfish, arrogant, and not easy to root for. This has as much to do with the times we live in (the egomanaical era of "social media") as it does the leagues connection with the hip hop culture. Roll your eyes all you like, but John Doe and his suburban white family have a hard time sitting around the tv and connecting with 20-something black kids who grew up on Jay Z & Eminem and carry themselves with a type of arrogance that screams "look at me". Stern knows it, and despite at one point embracing this, he has tries to back the league away from it.

I have no problem with people arguing that point. In a way, I tend to agree. Iverson was a nightmare from a PR standpoint, Vince Carter never set himself apart enough, Tim Duncan never embraced that role, Kobe Bryant is a love/hate guy but he doesn't have the mainstream appeal of a Jordan, LeBron was on a path to maybe reach that but he's thrown that away. Durant has a chance, but he's a somewhat shy reserved guy in the same sense as Duncan.

Another problem is diluted rosters due to over expansion. This has hurt the NFL too, and to a much much lesser extent MLB. But its a huge problem in the NBA. I believe the scrub ratio is the by far the highest in the NBA.

I honestly don't believe that. I know people routinely bring it up, but it's usually the people that say they never watch games anymore. I honestly think (whether I'm wrong or not) that the 7th-8th guy now is FAR better than the 7th-8th guy in the 80s or 90s. I know senser and I have discussed it here before and I don't think it's possible to come to an actual conclusion on it.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

LeBron was the guy, and he pissed it away in one hour.

That awkward hour of tv will prove to be the low water mark of the "look at me" era.

 

[ralaw]

Good post, although I disagree with a lot of this.

The biggest problem with the NBA is a lack of charasmatic stars. It doesn't matter if the players are better/worse than another era, its all about stars. The players come off as selfish, arrogant, and not easy to root for. This has as much to do with the times we live in (the egomanaical era of "social media") as it does the leagues connection with the hip hop culture. Roll your eyes all you like, but John Doe and his suburban white family have a hard time sitting around the tv and connecting with 20-something black kids who grew up on Jay Z & Eminem and carry themselves with a type of arrogance that screams "look at me". Stern knows it, and despite at one point embracing this, he has tries to back the league away from it.

I actually agree with you. After Jordan retired the league needed something or someone to latch on to in order to market the league, because it had no identity, So Stern latched on with the growing culture of the time, which was hip-hop. It helped that the majority of the young stars directly associated with it, so they embraced it. However, it certainly backfired for the reasons you mentioned. Stern is certainly backpedaling from that mistake.

Another problem is diluted rosters due to over expansion. This has hurt the NFL too, and to a much much lesser extent MLB. But its a huge problem in the NBA. I believe the scrub ratio is the by far the highest in the NBA.

I disagree with this, Obviously with more teams equals more people n the league and thus ratio wise there probably are more average players, but IMO the league was no better during Jordan's era. Bad teams are just as common as having good teams in any league. I don't see the 4th-10th guy on any championship caliber team today being any worse than they were during Jordan's era.

But back on Jordan, he's a bitter, insecure man growing more bitter by the minute. I can just see him watching the Finals, seething as Kobe wins another ring. We all hate Kobe, Mike, not just you. Relax. You aren't scoring 100. Nobody is.

Yeah, I actually agree. I think most of the 90's era guys are the same, but this is what happens. We all do it. Its no different from all the MM guys looking back and complaining about post quality at this site and using the "back in our day" line. In the mean time all of the young guys are like "????" We all tend to look at our past work and compare it to the current generation and believe we did it better.

 

[Senser81]

I know senser and I have discussed it here before and I don't think it's possible to come to an actual conclusion on it.

Agreed. Any topic I discuss is inconclusive.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I honestly don't believe that. I know people routinely bring it up, but it's usually the people that say they never watch games anymore. I honestly think (whether I'm wrong or not) that the 7th-8th guy now is FAR better than the 7th-8th guy in the 80s or 90s. I know senser and I have discussed it here before and I don't think it's possible to come to an actual conclusion on it.

I think you are approaching this argument all wrong.

If you want to say the players now are more skilled, I think that's fair. But there is no way the benches are deeper now. Teams routinely ran 9 or 10 deep 20 years ago with good, useful players. Now, benches are littered with expansion bums and roster spots are used on under developed euros & underclassmen. The league doesn't even have 15 starting C's anymore, let alone viable backup 5's. Teams just play whatever 6'8" stiff they have hanging around who's too slow to guard a F.

 

[mgoblue2290]

I'm still all aboard the getting rid of 6 team's bandwagon and letting non playoff teams choose the players from the teams that are gone in a draft. It'd make the league 10 times better.

 

[jeffx]

Like Larry Bird said, the league could use a few more white superstars to bring in more white fans. It was true in Bird's time, and it's true now. In his autobiography Giant Steps, Kareem said it's easier for a white kid to relate to Bird than Magic. You need white players on Bird's level(or close to it) to market a predominately black league to suburban whites. Every group roots for its own. It may not be PC to say it(and its a sad commentary on the human race) but it's true.

 

[j.hen]

MJ could easily put up a hundo.

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Whats with the "if he wanted to" crap ??

Who doesnt WANT to score 100 ?

You dont think Kobe was aiming for 150 points and had to settle for 81 ?

Theres other guys that WANT to stop you thats the problem.

Put Jordan early in his prime against the league of no fundamental having fresh outta high school kids who dont have a clue how to play D. Yes I can picture scoring 100.


But who gives a shit. Jordan needs to quit whining. He sounds like Deacon Jones without the charisma , sense of humor , or manliness.

 

[j.hen]

If you hate on Michael Jordan, fuck you.

 

[Realist]

I like Jordan and all but right now at his age, no way he could drop 100. In his younger day yes. Hell when he was with the Wizards, he looked old sometimes so I know he wouldnt do it now.

 

[Kuzzy Powers]

Whats with the "if he wanted to" crap ??

Who doesnt WANT to score 100 ?

You dont think Kobe was aiming for 150 points and had to settle for 81 ?

Theres other guys that WANT to stop you thats the problem.

Put Jordan early in his prime against the league of no fundamental having fresh outta high school kids who dont have a clue how to play D. Yes I can picture scoring 100.


But who gives a shit. Jordan needs to quit whining. He sounds like Deacon Jones without the charisma , sense of humor , or manliness.

Its a matter of selfishness. People are implying that if MJ was playing selfishly he could do it, but that wasnt really his style. Theres a reason he never broke 70 in his career.

 

[Bear Pand]

No one could score 100 in today's NBA because they'd likely be subbed out before it ever got to that point. When Kobe scored 81 he didn't finish the game. Also the time he scored 62 through three quarters against the Mavs he sat the entire 4th quarter because his team was up 95-61.

It's just so unlikely to have a competitive game where one player scores 100. It'd probably take multiple overtime periods which would make the whole thing much less impressive. I mean yeah if you took a prime Jordan, put him against the worst NBA team, gave him like 44 minutes and the green light shoot every possession I wouldn't be surprised if he put up 100...but that's not even a realistic scenario so who cares.

 

[Kuzzy Powers]

The Raptors were actually winning that game by double digits @ half time, which allowed Kobe to get lot of burn and play 41 mins.

 

[FedEx227]

Its a matter of selfishness. People are implying that if MJ was playing selfishly he could do it, but that wasnt really his style. Theres a reason he never broke 70 in his career.

Late 80s Jordan was VERY selfish.

 

[Kuzzy Powers]

Late 80s Jordan was VERY selfish.

Had to be, not as much talent to play with and probably still a little immature. Most young superstars are kinda selfish, but he learned with age and help.

 

[Realist]

Ok so to clarify, did Jordan mean if he played at his current age or when he was younger?