pippen defends mj

not sure if its been posted already but pippen on his blog was defending mj sating that he belives mj with todays rules would have got 100pts, he reckons kobe only got 81 because of todays rules.

heres the site http://www.nba.com/blog/blog30.html


In the era when Michael played, it was a physical game. Defense was promoted. Guys took pride in it. Today defense is no longer a part of the game. Guys are driving to the basket. There are rules where you can't step in front of them.

If you want to say that Kobe could get 100, I would say that Michael could get 100. If Kobe could get 81, I think Michael could get 100 in today's game. I think the psychological style that Michael was able to master in the game, puts him far beyond Kobe. But Kobe's youthfulness has put him in a position where it looks like he is overtaking Michael. Kobe has 10 years in this league. That is a lot of experience to have and still be a very youthful player.

Michael had his chance.. there was so many times he was playing against scrubs, why didn't he do it then? It's not because he was unselfish it was not because he did not get "preferential" calls so you can't argue about rules.. He was Jordan, allegedly the GOAT..

Talk is cheap, man.. coulda, shoulda, the fact is Michael didn't.

Its not that Kobe is better than Jordan, its just that at Kobe's best no one can touch him..IMO

What a stupid Pippen !!!!

MJ played many years and didn´t get it. Does Pip mean he played ONLY against great defenders?
WTF. MJ today would still dominate at will, yet he won´t shine as much as he did in the 80s and 90s.
Clyde Drexler was the western conference MJ and those 2 went at eachother, today you have 7 or 8 freaks that can put 40 on anybody at will. Freakish athletes with great perimeter/slash game.

Seems like Pippen got carried away in that article. On Cold Pizza he mentioned that the rules are different and promote scoring for perimeter players, but he also was giving Kobe his props.

I found an interesting link about the rule changes in 2001-2002

http://www.nba.com/preview2001/rush_newrules.html

"The hand-check guidelines have been changed to allow for incidental contact as long as it doesn't impede the offensive player."

Which doesn't sound like what Pippen is talking about. Then on the removal of illegal defenses.

"The new rules only affect post players if they are double-teamed by the defense. The defense may double-team any player at any time. With the old illegal defense guidelines, a player could not be double-teamed unless he had the ball."

And Jordan definately used to post up a lot. In fact that was his advice this season to Kobe, to post up as much as possible. But these new rules won't allow a player to abuse isos in the post. Defenses can put a stop that that now.

Then just last season they made this change which I found in another article.

"As part of its ongoing efforts to boost scoring, the league has instructed referees to crack down on defenders who make contact with the ball-handler above the free throw-line extended. The idea is that by eliminating the hand-check, the offensive player will have more freedom of movement with which to score or set up teammates."

Is this what Pippen is complaining about? That was just last season! Kobe did score 56 in three quarters in 2001-2002 and 51 in three quarters in 2002-2003. I don't think Kobe is abusing this change. Who it does help is a guy like Dwyane Wade. Actually a guy like D-Wade was even supposed to benefit from the rule changes back in the the 2001-2002 season let alone they contact on the perimeter as this quote predicts.

"These rules will reward a quick, athletic player."

Keep in mind that Kobe played some of his best basketball in 2001. Before they changed the rules and allowed zone defenses. Then also remember that MJ really scored a lot in his earlier years. That was in the 80's when there was much higher scoring in the league in general. Why couldn't he put up 80 then? The scoring really went down in the 90's as the game became more physical. Pippen seems to be isolating this period.

But then how does he explain this type of scoring by Iverson rookie season against the Bulls? He scored 30+ in 3/4 games (32, 44, 37). He won the head to head and outscored MJ in all the games, but they were losing efforts. The Bulls were obviously a much superior team.

Iverson's Rookie Season vs. Bulls
BOX1
BOX2
BOX3

Now a much more mature Iverson is having trouble keeping up with Kobe (although he's doing his best to do so and as a result scoring the highest PPG in his career). Just give it up to Kobe Pippen. No exuses!

He is right about one thing.

No one plays any defense now.

Artest and Ben Wallace are one of the few

Although id like to see MJ play in his prime now....

Id LOVE to see him try to get physical with Ron Artest(Artest broke jordans ribs years ago, case you fellas forgot) in an NBA game.

Pippen has a very good point

in Jordan's era, it was much harder, w/ bigs who were allowed to make contact, thus harder to score inside shots

nonetheless, common, 81 points

lakerfool wrote:Pippen has a very good point

in Jordan's era, it was much harder, w/ bigs who were allowed to make contact, thus harder to score inside shots

nonetheless, common, 81 points

Certainly. But make no bones about it.... Kobe's Life Beyond the 3 pt Arc is superior to Jordans, i dont think anyone denies that.

I am not a Kobe hater, but Pippen is right. do you guys remember some of the teams back in the mid 90's? There was so much clutching and grabbing it was ridiculous. With the tighter officiating, Jordan could have scored 100. No question in my mind.

And once again people. You can't compare Kobe and Jordan, not because they played in different eras, but because Jordan is just a better player, period, end of discussion. Jordan shot a better percentage, which means he was more efficient on offense, and got more assists. Now people will use the argument that Kobe shoots from further out. Well, he doesn't have to. Kobe shooting further, more difficult shots says more about Kobe's ability to get the eaiser shot than it does about the discrepency their FG%. Let's not even start on Kobe's D. Jordan was one of the best defenders in league history. Kobe has been living off of those couple seasons early in his career where he made the all defense team. It seems like the only time Kobe tries on D is when he is playing against Michael Redd. Don't ask me why. He always brings it on D against him.

Jordan wasn't the best defender on his team.

I sort of agree with the Pip. a 27-year-old Jordan playing in 2006 would have scored 81 as well, but as far as 100, he may have needed OT. Just like Kobe would. Let's not forget that MJ averaged 37.1 PPG, which is unheard of, and still managed to average over 30 in his early to mid 30s while making his team mates better. I believe Kobe's greatness will be measured by what he does after 30 and how many championships he wins POST DADDY.

Great topic, but let's move it to the Kobe 81 forum, shall we?

lakerfool wrote:Pippen has a very good point

in Jordan's era, it was much harder, w/ bigs who were allowed to make contact, thus harder to score inside shots

that might be true. but look at Kobe's 81. the majority of it was 3's, long-range and mid-range shots. there's no real arguement here.

I said before...Pippen is just protecting MJ. I think he just has a hard time grasping that Kobe did something greater than MJ. I never thought Kobe would score 81, ever. if Kobe were to surpass MJ, or any1 for that matter, I would have a hard time admitting and accepting it as well. I've been a Jordan fan since I was like 5 years old. I think that's what this is about, loyalty more than anything.

Why would Pippen even bring this up in the first place! Jordan has a great legacy, nobody has to defend it. That was the 80's-90's, this is a whole new era. MJ doesn't have to be defended. It is time for new players to do great things.

Is it true that Scottie Pippen refused to play in the end of a 4th QT. because Phil Jackson didn't draw a play for him? I heard this from someone.

doggystyl3 wrote:Is it true that Scottie Pippen refused to play in the end of a 4th QT. because Phil Jackson didn't draw a play for him? I heard this from someone.

yeah it's true. the play was run for Toni Kukoc. Toni hit the game winner while Scottie was on the bench.

the leauge gets better and better as time goes on... (it does not make sense for talent to reverse.... now that's being stupid)

anyone hear of this thing called zone defence?

ahh.. the memories of the isolation MJ just outside the paint fadeaway jumper.

you give kobe iso in todays league right outside the painted area? he will be double/tripled like there is no other laker on the court.

Jeez.....i don't know why we can't just accept that Kobe did something that Jordan never did......

scottie pippen is a gook.. so is michael jordan.. and kobe bryant.. and shaquille o'neal..

they're all gooks!!..

Nba Rule Changes wrote: And Jordan definately used to post up a lot. In fact that was his advice this season to Kobe, to post up as much as possible. But these new rules won't allow a player to abuse isos in the post. Defenses can put a stop that that now.

this proves exactly what i was saying a few posts earlier...

pippen...