How Good Was Michael Jordan Actually?

Michael Jordan scored 50 points or more in the playoffs eight times, more than Kobe, KD, LeBron, and Wilt combined. Jordan also had the most 40-point playoff games, more than Kareem, AI, Steph, and D-Wade put together. In fact, MJ is the only player in NBA history who had more 40-point career games than games where he scored less than 20 points. Jordan's godlike aura, brutal trash talk, and physical dominance put fear in opponents' hearts, and while they had to get a good night's sleep before facing the Bulls, Jordan could drink and smoke cigars before the game, and still drop 40. His airness made it look easy, and he proved it when the games were on the line. 28 times Jordan scored the game-winning shot, including seven game winners in the playoffs. And MJ wasn't just a scorer. He had the most first-team all-defense selections ever, with nine. He's the all-time blocks leader by a guard, and has the most seasons with over 200 steals, with six. In 1989, when the Bulls lost their starting point guard, coach Doug Collins made Jordan play the point, and he notched 10 triple-doubles in 11 games, averaging 30 points, 11 assists, and 9.5 rebounds per game. Between 1991 and 1996, MJ played 13 consecutive playoff series, where he averaged more than 30 points per game, retiring with six rings, five MVPs, and a 6-0 record in the final. But despite his seemingly invincible legacy, Jordan did have some weaknesses. MJ led the NBA in field goal attempts nine times during his 13 years in Chicago, and he was a bit of a ball hog, especially in his early career. Jordan also had some bad playoff games, and he certainly wasn't the most pleasant teammate. So, how good was Michael Jordan actually, and is he really the GOAT? To answer that, we'll start with his genetics and God-given talent. Michael Jordan was supposed to be short. Nobody in his family was taller than 5'9", and as a high school sophomore, Michael was famously cut from his varsity basketball team because he was only 5'11". However, the Jordans were blessed with supreme athleticism. Just look at Michael's older brother Larry, who could dunk at 5'8". So, when an unexpected growth spurt pushed Michael to 6'6", he became unstoppable. By the end of his high school career, Jordan was averaging 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. But despite his unreal speed and athleticism, young MJ was still an unpolished gem because he really only played two years of high school basketball. As a freshman at UNC, MJ averaged a modest 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. He was the third-leading scorer on the team behind James Worthy and Sam Perkins, and his fundamentals, ball handling, and confidence weren't yet at a super high level. But all that changed in the 1982 NCAA Finals, when Michael hit a game-winning shot against Patrick Ewing, winning the national championship. Jordan said this was the biggest turning point of his career, because after that, his confidence was through the roof. That turning my name from Mike to Michael Jordan, it gave me the confidence that I needed to start to excel at the game of basketball. In the next two seasons, Jordan continued his basketball education under Dean Smith, and became a complete player. He averaged 20 points per game, was a consensus first-team All-American, and as a junior in 1984, he was named Collegiate Player of the Year. But based on his college career alone, it was hard to predict that Jordan would reach the pinnacle of the NBA. After all, many great players who came before Michael had far better college careers, including Kareem, Magic, Bird, Bill Walton, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, David Thompson, Pete Maravich, and a few others. Because of his relatively modest numbers in college, and because the 80s were the era of the big men, Jordan was selected third in the 1984 NBA Draft, behind centers Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. However, it took just two practices for the Bulls coach to call the manager and say, "...you didn't mess up the draft this time." For the first day in practice, my mentality was, whoever is the team leader on that team, I'm going after him, and I'm not going to do it with my voice, because I had no voice. I have to do it with the way that I play." When the season started, it took Jordan only three games to score over 30, and nine games to eclipse 40. By the end of the first month, it was obvious that Jordan was supposed to be the first overall pick. While Olajuwon looked like a star, Jordan was more like a supernova, because there was nobody in the league faster than him. It seemed almost unfair how he blew past opponents with just a single step, who had no answer for his drives to the basket. On top of his speed, Jordan was also the most athletic player in the NBA, with an unmatched vertical jump and hang time. When he drove to the cup, it looked like he was a fighter jet, and his quickness served as a runway for his vertical takeoff. When MJ raised up for a jump shot, it seemed like nobody was ever guarding him, because the laws of gravity didn't seem to apply to Michael. Defenders could jump at the same time, but as they would inevitably fall down, Jordan would continue to float in the air and shoot completely unbothered. How's the transition been from college to the NBA? Well, I think it's been pretty easy." Thanks to his high-flying feats and insane dunks, Jordan quickly became the most popular player in the NBA. So, it only made sense that in 1986, he got voted to the All-Star Game, despite playing just three games up to that point due to an ankle injury. And that same year, in the playoffs, he set a playoff scoring record, with 63 points against Boston. But it was an incredible, incredible playoff performance. I've never seen it before, and I had never seen it after. That wasn't Michael Jordan. That was God disguised as Michael Jordan." As if MJ wasn't doing enough already, in 1987, MJ led the NBA in scoring with 37 points per game, which was, and remains, the fifth-best scoring output ever, behind only Wilt's insane scoring feats of the early 1960s. I just want the franchise and Chicago Bulls to be respected as a team. It's very hard for something like that to happen, but it's not impossible." Meanwhile, Jordan was miserable. Despite all the fame and individual accolades, he was always losing. In his first three seasons, MJ only won one playoff game, despite being the best player in the league. But after the Bulls' GM Jerry Kraus drafted Horace Grant and Scotty Pippen, his life would change forever. In 1988, MJ averaged 35 points on 54% shooting, with six rebounds and six assists, winning his first career MVP. Because he also led the NBA in steals with 3.2, plus 1.6 blocks per game, Jordan won the Defensive Player of the Year, and he is still one of only five players ever to win Defensive Player of the Year and MVP. And after the 1988 dunk contest against Dominique Wilkins, which is considered by many to be the best of all time, some people already started calling him the best player they have ever seen. But none of that mattered, because the most important thing to Jordan was winning. And now, with Pippen and Grant on the team, the Bulls had their first 50-win season since 1974. Chicago then finally advanced in the playoffs, winning the first round over the Cavaliers, with MJ averaging an insane 45 points per game. However, in the second round, a more experienced Pistons team defeated the Bulls pretty easily, four games to one. It was proof that individual greatness doesn't translate to playoff wins, a lesson Jordan had yet to learn. But that didn't make him any less entertaining to watch. In the 1989 season, Jordan hit his first legendary shot in the NBA, simply known as The Shot. In the second round, the Bulls got past the Knicks, but they again fell victim to the Pistons, who bullied Jordan with their physicality. And in 1990, it was more of the same. MJ led the NBA in scoring and steals, he was super efficient, but the team couldn't get over the hump and get past the Detroit Pistons for a third consecutive year. In his first six years in the league, MJ had won five playoff series and lost six, with an overall playoff record of 25 wins and 29 losses. So after that third loss to the Pistons, the media started doubting Jordan, questioning his ability to play team basketball, and wondering if he was only concerned about himself and his numbers. And in a way, they were right. In the 80s, he was often trying to score out of double or even triple teams, ignoring his wide-open teammates. In 1989, he was a capable passer, averaging a career-high 8 dimes per game, but Jordan always looked to score first and pass second. And he wasn't like Magic, Jokic, or Doncic, who manipulate defenses with their eyes and fake defenders into wrong coverages. Jordan's passing was more reactive, he got rid of the ball only when he saw that somebody was wide open. And since Jordan was like a black hole that sucked all the defensive attention, when he did opt to pass, it was usually for an easy dunk. But despite MJ's ridiculous scoring numbers, the Bulls' offense was always average during the 80s, and they were actually at their best in 1986, when Mike missed 80% of the season due to an ankle injury. It wasn't until 1990, the arrival of Phil Jackson and the emergence of Scottie Pippen, that the Bulls' offense cracked the top five in the NBA. Pippen's passing and pushing the ball in the open court created lots of space for Jordan, who could finally trust someone else to make plays for him consistently. But Pippen's value was maybe even more pronounced on the defensive end. With an enormous wingspan, agility, and a motor to cover multiple players on one possession, Scottie was just what Michael was missing. Pippen's presence allowed Michael to play free safety on defense, jump into passing lanes for steals, and he didn't need to waste his energy guarding the best opposing player, because Scottie usually did that. And after agonizing defeats against the Pistons, MJ decided to bulk up, which was unprecedented at the time. Players didn't spend much time in the gym, and if you look at all the players in the 80s, they looked lean. But hardly anyone was super muscular. So when MJ returned for the 1991 season, he was still super quick, athletic, and could contort his body in the air like no one else. But this time around, he was also much stronger, which allowed him to absorb contact better and bully smaller players with his size. What also helped Michael was the arrival of coaches Phil Jackson and Tex Winter, who instituted the triangle offense, which was based on cutting in open spaces and playmaking out of the post. If executed properly, the triangle was believed to be the most optimal offense to optimize spacing. MJ didn't have to bring up the ball all the time and force his shots, and he was receiving the ball closer to the basket, where he'd bully smaller defenders and dominate like never before. Even though Jordan was phenomenal from the moment he stepped into the NBA, in 1991 he was at his best, and he won his second MVP award. The 91 Bulls had the best offense in the NBA, and they crushed the opposition in the Eastern Conference. They swept the Knicks, beat the 76ers in five, and then finally got their revenge against the Pistons. This time, it wasn't even close, as Detroit was on the decline after three straight NBA Finals trips, while the Bulls were ascending. MJ swept Isaiah and the Pistons, who famously left before the final buzzer of Game 4, refusing to shake the Bulls' hands. We finally got over the hump of the losers' mentality. We were starting to become a winning franchise, and, you know, the sky was the limit. But in the NBA Finals, another legend awaited, Magic Johnson. And it seemed like the five-time NBA champion still had the upper hand when the Lakers defeated the Bulls at home in Game 1. That is, until Phil Jackson made the adjustment to have Pippen guard Magic, which turned the series around. And in Game 2, Jordan dazzled the world with another iconic move, switching hands mid-air to score an acrobatic layup. The Bulls won the next four games, and at last, the championship. Jordan's hunger for an NBA ring was finally satisfied. Throughout the playoffs, MJ averaged 31 points, 8.5 assists, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks, shooting a career-high 56% from the field. Jordan is the most talented player in the NBA, by far. And the 1992 season was a continuation of peak form for Jordan and the Bulls. Another scoring title with super-efficient shooting, first-team all-defense, and another MVP for his airness. The Bulls once again had the best offense in the NBA, and won a franchise-record 67 games. Chicago reached the finals against the Trailblazers, and the media pushed the narrative that Clyde Drexler was better than Jordan, because Jordan is not a good outside shooter. So, MJ responded, by nailing 6 threes and 35 points in the first half of Game 1, which was a Finals record for both threes and points and a half. In what will forever be remembered as the Shrug Game. And even though Portland tied the series at 2-a-piece, the Bulls were just too good, and they won the series in 6, with MJ averaging 36 points in the Finals. After the second Finals and the Dream Team experience in Barcelona, Pippen and Jordan came into the 1993 season with an empty tank, and the Bulls weren't as dominant in the regular season. But even though he was tired, MJ still led the NBA in scoring, which was his 7th scoring title in a row, and he also led the league in steals. Chicago made it to a third consecutive Finals, where they faced league MVP Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns, the best team in the regular season. Barkley was also the best player on the Dream Team, and when he won the MVP, many people believed that he could be an even better player than Michael, which pissed off Jordan. But because of the Suns' inexperience and Barkley's nasty elbow injury, the Bulls won the first two games on the road, and it seemed like it would be smooth sailing to the next title. However, the Suns weren't going away that easily. They won games 3 and 5 in Chicago, and they could have won game 4 too, if it wasn't for Jordan, who buried the Suns with 55 points, the second-highest scoring game in NBA Finals history. After five games, it was 3-2 for the Bulls, but the remaining two games were to be played in Arizona. In game 6, the Suns had the lead throughout the fourth quarter, but Jordan kept the Bulls in the game, and everybody expected Jordan to take the final shot to tie the game. But MJ wasn't the same stubborn player as before, and he gave up the ball early to set up an open shot for Jon Paxson. That was it. A three-peat, and MJ's legacy was set. Jordan finished the 93 finals with averages of 41-8-6 on 51% shooting and 40% from three. And this wasn't even his best playoff series statistically. MJ was on the top of his game, and his basketball IQ, winning mentality, and physical dominance all synced in perfect harmony. Jordan showed his otherworldly ability to beat an opponent one-on-one, separate double teams, attack the rim, but also to find open teammates. If we compare the 1993 Jordan to his early NBA years, the growth was evident. When it was needed, he was pressing full court defensively. When nobody could score, he recognized it and carried the Bulls. And when he got doubled, he gave up the ball without trying to be a hero. In terms of basketball skills, Jordan was physically a much stronger player, who became a master of footwork and post-up game. When he reached the desired position with his back to the basket, he'd turn and stay in the air for what felt like an hour longer than his opponent, only to hit a patented turnaround jumper clean as a whistle. The memories of anyone doubting him were long forgotten. Everybody knew he was the best player alive, and many believed after that three-peat, he was already the best of all time. My love for this game is strong. I'm gonna be here as long as my love is strong. Jordan told reporters after the finals in a champagne-soaked locker room. However, just one month later, his father was killed, and Jordan retired from basketball for a year and a half. The love for basketball was put on hold. I had him for 32 years, you know, and he taught me a lot in 32 years. You know how many kids get that opportunity? Very few in today's society get the chance to spend that much time with their parents and get that type of influence. 18 months and a stint in minor league baseball later, and the itch for the game became too strong. So, Jordan released arguably the most famous two-word press release of all time. It came in a two-word statement which is now just begging to have a Nike campaign built around it, quote-unquote, I'm back. And it didn't take Jordan too much time to show that he was still the god of basketball. In just the fifth game after his return, he poured in 55 points against the Knicks in the infamous double nickel game. But overall, MJ struggled with his shot, shooting a career-low 41 percent from the field. And it turned out that playing baseball for a year and a half took a bite out of his greatness. Even the best players need to practice. And in the second round of the playoffs against Orlando, things didn't go according to plan. Even though Michael averaged 31 points on 48 percent shooting, the Bulls weren't as strong inside. Horace Grant, who used to be their starting power forward, was now playing for Orlando. And together with a young Shaq, the magic simply outmuscled the Bulls in the paint. Many people will say the Bulls lost in 95 because Jordan wasn't in peak form after his baseball hiatus. And there is some truth to that. But Jordan actually averaged his usual numbers. Really, basketball is just a team sport. And they lost because Orlando was much bigger and deeper than them. Thankfully, the Bulls management knew that too. Last week, the Bulls announced the acquisition of a player many people consider the most controversial basketball star in the NBA. They added Dennis Rodman to the team, the best rebounder of all time, and one of the fiercest defensive players ever. I don't care. Whatever. What's up? A year before, they also added Steve Kerr, the most accurate three-point shooter ever. And together with a defensive dog, Ron Harper, and Tony Kukoc, who was the most versatile power forward in the NBA, MJ had the best supporting cast in the league. In the 1996 season, the Bulls were so good that they became only the second team in NBA history to lead the NBA in offensive and defensive rating. And their plus-13.4 net rating is still the best ever. Their 72-10 record was the best of all time. And, of course, Jordan won an MVP, averaging 30-6-4. As for the playoffs, there was no stopping the Bulls. Only the Sonics in the finals showed any kind of resistance. And Gary Payton was the first defender to have slowed down Michael. But he couldn't beat him. And Chicago won their fourth title, with Michael crying his guts out in the locker room because it was the first championship he won without his father. He's a voice of reason that always drove and challenged me. That's the type of father I have. Yeah, like a friend. And when the 1997 season started, the Bulls continued to rule the NBA. With four Hall of Famers, the most accurate three-point shooter of all time, and other excellent role players, no team could match up with Chicago. Running the triangle like a well-oiled machine, the Bulls dominated the regular season with 69 wins. And getting to the finals seemed like a walk in the park, as they only lost two games in three playoff series. But in the finals, it wasn't that easy, because they played the formidable duo of Stockton and Malone and the Utah Jazz. This series would be remembered by the infamous flu game, where Jordan suffered from food poisoning and had a fever before the pivotal game 5 when the series was tied. But Jordan played through the illness and managed to squeeze every atom of strength to score 38 points and the Bulls won, 90-88. In Game 6, Jordan trusted Steve Kerr with the final shot, and Kerr hit a jumper for the win in the final seconds. However, when the 1998 season started, the Bulls were running on fumes. Pippen had injury problems and disputes with management, and Rodman was more reckless than ever. But they still had Michael. Even though he wasn't as athletic as before and his efficiency decreased, Jordan was still capable of winning games by himself. The Bulls finished with 62 wins despite Pippen missing half the season, and that's why Jordan was named NBA MVP for the fifth time. In the playoffs, the Bulls survived the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Finals, winning Game 7 by 5 points. And then, in the finals, Utah awaited again, hungrier than ever. In a tough defensive series where neither team scored 100 points, Jordan proved his clutch factor once again, hitting, arguably, the most famous shot in NBA history over Byron Russell. Six championships in eight years, with six awards for the finals MVP, and Jordan achieved basketball immortality. And if this is the final chapter, what a way to close the book. After 1998, Jordan retired for the second time, which was the end of his prime, and we can sum up his career with the Bulls in three parts. The first part being between 1984 and 1990, when he was easily the most athletic player in the NBA, a scoring machine beating players with speed and leaving defenders stuck in the mud. But basketball is a team sport, and Jordan didn't have enough quality teammates around him and those who he did have, he didn't trust. The second part was the first threepeat, when he slowed down a bit and wasn't going 100 miles per hour on every possession. MJ was then physically stronger, he became a master of all facets of the game, improved his shot, and started trusting his teammates. And then came the second threepeat, where the Bulls had the deepest and most versatile team in the NBA. The Bulls with Pippen, rookie Kukoc, and Kerr won 55 games in the 1994 season, and they played without Jordan, Rodman, and Harper, who was maybe the most underrated teammate MJ ever had. When they all got together in 1996, it was game over for the league. But having good teammates is essential to winning in the NBA, especially when you're past your physical prime. Jordan lost a chunk of his quickness during the second threepeat, but that's like when a Ferrari loses 100 horsepower, it's still faster than almost anything else on the road. And that answers the question, how good was Michael Jordan actually? Even when he wasn't at his best, Jordan was still the best player in the league. If you divide his career into three parts, each part would suffice for a Hall of Fame career. In his first six seasons, Jordan didn't win a ring, but he was the most electrifying athlete the NBA had ever seen, with unreal stats and winning all possible accolades. The first threepeat was Jordan at his best, showcasing a level of basketball that's rare, and few, if any, have touched. And with his second threepeat, the Bulls won 72, 69, and 62 games in the regular season, and capped it off with three championship rings, losing just 13 games in 12 playoff series from 1996 to 1998. The only season of his career where Jordan wasn't the best player in the league was probably just his rookie season. Jordan was the best player in the world for over a decade, something that can be said only of three other players, Wilt, Kareem, and LeBron. But while Kareem's individual and team accomplishments are similar to MJ's, Jabbar wasn't the best player on his team for three of his six championships, and he only has two finals MVPs, compared to Jordan's six. Wilt's scoring numbers from the impossible to reach even for Jordan, but he only won two titles, and was constantly losing to Bill Russell. And finally, there's LeBron, who might be the most complete basketball player ever, and due to his longevity, he is the statistical goat. But LeBron only has four titles, and has lost six times in the finals, including the 2011 dud against the Mavs, where he played a catastrophic series that cost Miami the championship. And that's something that never happened to Jordan. And because of his decade of dominance, a six-row record in the finals, with six finals MVPs, and the biggest impact on NBA popularity worldwide, it's hard to say that Jordan wasn't the greatest player to ever touch a basketball. Speaking of Jordan, we've got another video about him in Pippen you simply can't miss.