How come nobody ever points out that Jordan never won, or even got past the 2nd round without Pippen?
Because Pippen came in '87, MJ had only 3 years in the league (2 if you dismiss the second season he missed with a broken foot). Not enough experience to get past the Pistons and Celtics. Michael didn't won WITH Pippen for 3 seasons so clearly, it was not because of Pippen that he won, it was a couple of things like his maturity/prime, Phil Jackson, Pippen, having a balanced team, etc.
Jordan is the best ever in my opinion, but he came and went on a whim. Abandoned his team twice to retirement, came back when he felt like it. Pippen was a pretty huge puzzle piece, and he was able to push farther into the playoffs without Jordan, then Jordan ever was able to get in his five seasons without Pippen + years he pissed away for hobbies/retirement. Not making any comparison, just think it's odd Pippen gets flack for how his teams did without Jordan, and not the other way around.
Pippen took the Bulls only to the 2nd round the year MJ was retired because of the seeding. They face a much inferior team in Cleveland, whose stars were clearly past their best. MJ lost to the Bucks in his rookie season, he came back in time to face the legendary '86 Celtics in his second season and lost and then again lost to the Celtics in his third season which was the last before Pippen joined. Pippen was a HUGE piece in those Bulls championship piece, he was MJ's right hand but MJ had more to do with Pippen's success than the other way around. What people fails to point is that Pippen couldn't win it all with a stacked Blazers team and a stacked Rockets team.
Pippen played with HOU first. He was healthy enough to play through a 7 game WCF vs LA and he had a deep team. Fuck, they almost won that shit had it not been for the Lakers 4th quarter crazy run.
I don't know why you seem to be trying to build Jordan up by diminishing Pippen's contributions. Why don't you just say what everyone else already knows. Both guys were great players in their own rights and both guys were the main reason for the teams success. Jordan couldn't have done it without Pippen and vice versa. Both guys would also be hard to replace. Where would Pippen find an outstanding scorer who won and led the way Mike did. And where would Mike find a guy who scored good like Pippen, played his level of man to man and team defense, as well as have that ball handling and passing ability. Both guys were rare outstanding players and together they won 6 titles, to try and say that accomplishment is mainly due to only of them is straight up bullshit. Also Pippen got that Blazers team to the conference finals and get the fuck outta here that his Rockets team was stacked. Stacked with who? An overweight over the hill Barkley and an old Olajuwon?
I wouldn't say pippen lead that blazer team physically. Leadership wise maybe but Wallace was the go to man there until the refs fucked him and Portland in the 4th quarter vs the fakers. I also wonder how good pippen would've become if he didn't have the opportunity to check Jordan daily in practice and work out with him
Dunleavy was coaching then right? I understand you gotta put your starters in, but I seem to remember the bench getting them the lead, and i think my man steve smith and detliff was really hot and should have kept one in there
I'm not diminishing Scottie, I'm just putting to rest the "Mj couldn't win without Pippen" myth. Yes, the Rockets were considered STACKED even with their declining stars.
I agREE. But with players like Chandler Parsons getting so much money, Bledsoe will get paid that high.
Yeah, that's what I meant, he was the team leader but not the best player on the team. Wallace was clearly their most talented player but he never wanted to be the man and often failed to come through in the clutch. Of course it's a myth. MJ could have won without Pippen the same way Pippen could have won without MJ. You put either guy on the right team with the right circumstances and they could win. That goes for any player in the league. Now could MJ have won on those Bulls teams without Pippen? I imagine he could have, but it would have been a hell of a lot more difficult. Like I said Pippen didn't just provide the 2nd banana scoring for MJ, but he took a hell of a lot of pressure off of MJ by doing most of the ball handling, and big defensive assignments. Scottie was as much a one of a kind player as MJ was he just was in a different way.
Totally agREED. His career FG% is 37% or something like that. He only got flashy passes and can defend relatively well. Everything else he just sucks at.
can you dudes take SilentNight back? He's posting in our World Football thread, trying to wind people up like he used to do in your thread thanks, fellows
Don't Worry, he'll Be Back when Hoop Matters, Talking about how "Rebounding is a MEANINGLESS Stat", as the Cleveland Cavaliers LEAD the League in that Category AND Advance to the NBA Finals, Out of the Eastern Conference...
He's decided that his favorite club happens to be the same one that basically everyone who really loves the game hates...
Oh, he'll get back here soon enough SeaDawg. Just ignore him. We treat him like the typical mentally challenged cousin, laugh at him, not with him and pat him on the head with sympathy and pity once in a while.
