Kawhi is the closest thing we've seen to MJ

[Vito Corleone]

"Outside of Alvin Robertson and Akeem"

Michael Cooper?
Sidney Moncrief?
DJ ?
Ewing?

Don't be fooled by the high scoring numbers. It's that a lot players were very fundamentally sound in the 80s.

First off, I'll give you Michael Cooper, he was a gritty defender. But DJ and Ewing were mediocre at best, I would have respected this post more if you mentioned Xavier McDaniel or even Mark Eaton, they were known for defense more than Moncrief, Ewing, and DJ.

I can't get over the fact you propped Ewing, dude was about as effective on defense as Joe Barry Carroll.

[bic50]

ass Kawhi haters love these types of threads.

[SanAntonioSpurs23]

Jordan didn't win until his 30s, dumbass. Kawhi is 25.

Leonard was traded to a team that has a great front office, GOAT coach, and a top 5 player of all time.

Jordan was drafted by a 27 win team, and had 3 different head coaches in his first 4 years. Pippen and Oakley came in year 5 iirc, and Zen in year 6.

[slacker77]

I had to jump in here and say this discussion is exactly how this sight used to be. A little talk mixed in with some good basketball debating.

[james evans]

Oh, come one, I was there as well, in the 80's no one played defense in the NBA. It wasn't until Chuck Daly came around that Detroit started to play signature defense. Outside of Alvin Robertson, and Akeem Olajuwon I can't think of another guy that was known for his defense.

But that changed in the 90's when the Pistons came around. They introduced the NBA to ugly physical and sometimes dirty basketball.

Jordan was the premier player in the 80's because no one could stop him, he didn't win because he didn't have a team worth a , but that changed in 87 when they acquired Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant.

The Rule changes you allude to came because the League saw how ty it's product had become post Jordan. They couldn't fathom teams like the Spurs winning championships with ugly basketball so they got back to promoting players like Kobe by making it easier for them to score.

This is one of the reasons I have never respected Kobe's game, he would be just another wanna-be Jordan in the old rules of the NBA.

But in the 90's when physical basketball was king, Jordan was still averaging 30 per game.

Respect where respect is due.

Moncrief, Kareem, Coop, Ewing, Eaton, DJ, to name a few. Please stop it with the "nobody played defense i the 80s " bull . just stop it. All it takes is for one person to say something and everyone repeats it like a parrot through the Internet community. Even people in their 20s who weren't even born yet start repeating the .

[james evans]

I agree with this post except the bold part. Once Jordan rang, you couldn't touch the guy without getting into foul trouble. Sure it was physical, but he always got free throws because he was protected by the league.

yes. I've always respected Jordan and wanted him to get his first in 91, but once he got that first, the league made him unguardable. They were determined to put this guy on mythical status. That's why I said last night the nba promotes players and the NFL promotes a product. Then on the defensive end, they'd let him maul you and they wouldn't call . 1995 1st round east conference playoffs. Jordan's first comeback playoff series. The bulls were playing the Hornets in game 1 and the Hornets were down 1. LJ shoots an airball, Hawkins grabs the rebound to put it in and win the game and Jordan grabs his arm about 4 or 5 feet from a ref and they don't call and the Hornets lose the series. Then he admits to it in the post game. That's the I'm talking about. It was the same way with Magic and Bird. You could not guard those guys. They were already too good to need help from the officials. You play up close on a guy that can shoot, they start calling ticky tack fouls, then you have to back off of him and let him do as he wants. Philly used to get screwed faithfully against the Celtics.

[J_Paco]

Yesterday nba "My opinion is whatever is on TV"



Stop watching basketball old man. You have no place in the new extrneley talented league.

Okay, I'm going to let some opinionated ' on a message board make my viewing choices.

Those guys aren't better than MJ (in his prime) and especially not Kawhi or Durant. That isn't selling them short but giving Jordan the credit and respect he deserves.

And I have never be or will be a Jordan "fanboy." He was a bag, treated teammates poorly and thought his "basketball mind" was greater than it was/is (kind of like you, dumbass).

[Clipper Nation]

yes. I've always respected Jordan and wanted him to get his first in 91, but once he got that first, the league made him unguardable. They were determined to put this guy on mythical status. That's why I said last night the nba promotes players and the NFL promotes a product. Then on the defensive end, they'd let him maul you and they wouldn't call . 1995 1st round east conference playoffs. Jordan's first comeback playoff series. The bulls were playing the Hornets in game 1 and the Hornets were down 1. LJ shoots an airball, Hawkins grabs the rebound to put it in and win the game and Jordan grabs his arm about 4 or 5 feet from a ref and they don't call and the Hornets lose the series. Then he admits to it in the post game. That's the I'm talking about. It was the same way with Magic and Bird. You could not guard those guys. They were already too good to need help from the officials. You play up close on a guy that can shoot, they start calling ticky tack fouls, then you have to back off of him and let him do as he wants. Philly used to get screwed faithfully against the Celtics.

Yesterday's NBA

[south side spur]

Jordan "got every call" yet his free throw attempts from the Bulls championship seasons ranged between what Greek Freak is getting upwards to Derozan and Anthony Davis this season?

The league protected Jordan, Magic and Bird which made the League less than today's superior game but you have Westbrook and Harden getting more preferential treatment than MJ when looking at free throw attempts?

I'm just as frustrated as anyone of you when Kawhi doesn't get the respect he deserves from refs but who gets away with calls defending him? LeBron, Westbrook, Durant, Curry. You're really going to
say the stars of the 80s and 90s were catered to but today's stars somehow just deserve the bull calls they get?

You Kawhi lovers constantly laud over Westbrook and it's a joke the treatment this guy gets from the refs. Same for Harden. These guys thrive on phantom calls. The protection of stars is at an all time high. MJ didn't get anything that today's stars aren't getting as well and they haven't done compared to MJ except for LeBron.

[Arcadian]

You Kawhi lovers constantly laud over Westbrook

Not me. I'm a huge Kawhi fan, but never been a fan of Westchimp/Westchuck/Mr. "triple double with 10 turnovers." And I think he's a massive .

[OrEmuN]

The only similarity is that their father were murder victims.
But I believe there is no allegation that Kawhi is the cause of his dad's death.

[140]

Jordan "got every call" yet his free throw attempts from the Bulls championship seasons ranged between what Greek Freak is getting upwards to Derozan and Anthony Davis this season?

troofbomb

[lefty]

First off, I'll give you Michael Cooper, he was a gritty defender. But DJ and Ewing were mediocre at best, I would have respected this post more if you mentioned Xavier McDaniel or even Mark Eaton, they were known for defense more than Moncrief, Ewing, and DJ.

I can't get over the fact you propped Ewing, dude was about as effective on defense as Joe Barry Carroll.

So you bring up Eaton and Xman evrn though you posted that outside of Akeem and whatshisface nobody else played D?

Makes sense

[r0drig0lac]

Jordan "got every call" yet his free throw attempts from the Bulls championship seasons ranged between what Greek Freak is getting upwards to Derozan and Anthony Davis this season?

The league protected Jordan, Magic and Bird which made the League less than today's superior game but you have Westbrook and Harden getting more preferential treatment than MJ when looking at free throw attempts?

I'm just as frustrated as anyone of you when Kawhi doesn't get the respect he deserves from refs but who gets away with calls defending him? LeBron, Westbrook, Durant, Curry. You're really going to
say the stars of the 80s and 90s were catered to but today's stars somehow just deserve the bull calls they get?

You Kawhi lovers constantly laud over Westbrook and it's a joke the treatment this guy gets from the refs. Same for Harden. These guys thrive on phantom calls. The protection of stars is at an all time high. MJ didn't get anything that today's stars aren't getting as well and they haven't done compared to MJ except for LeBron.

[Benoit]

Jordan didn't win until his 30s, dumbass. Kawhi is 25.

did Mike get outplayed by a scrub he was guarding in a game 7?? no, shut your ass up lmao

[Wildcat67]

Just happened to be watching this video and noticed, especially in the first half of the video, a lot of moves that are totally identical to moves I see Kawhi do a lot.

https://youtu.be/x2_Kh8fPOG8

[skulls138]

did Mike get outplayed by a scrub he was guarding in a game 7?? no, shut your ass up lmao

Jordan was getting bounced out of the playoffs year after year when he started. So you shut up Gaymond

[FkLA]

Just happened to be watching this video and noticed, especially in the first half of the video, a lot of moves that are totally identical to moves I see Kawhi do a lot.

https://youtu.be/x2_Kh8fPOG8

So that's where Kawhi got that move from. He added it to his arsenal this year and has been using it a lot, tbh.

[TampaDude]

Oh, come one, I was there as well, in the 80's no one played defense in the NBA. It wasn't until Chuck Daly came around that Detroit started to play signature defense. Outside of Alvin Robertson, and Akeem Olajuwon I can't think of another guy that was known for his defense.

But that changed in the 90's when the Pistons came around. They introduced the NBA to ugly physical and sometimes dirty basketball.

Jordan was the premier player in the 80's because no one could stop him, he didn't win because he didn't have a team worth a , but that changed in 87 when they acquired Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant.

The Rule changes you allude to came because the League saw how ty it's product had become post Jordan. They couldn't fathom teams like the Spurs winning championships with ugly basketball so they got back to promoting players like Kobe by making it easier for them to score.

This is one of the reasons I have never respected Kobe's game, he would be just another wanna-be Jordan in the old rules of the NBA.

But in the 90's when physical basketball was king, Jordan was still averaging 30 per game.

Respect where respect is due.

Bad Boys started in the '80s, not the '90s. Just sayin'...

[Wildcat67]

So that's where Kawhi got that move from. He added it to his arsenal this year and has been using it a lot, tbh.

You nailed it this is the number 1 example I was thinking of.

[hitmanyr2k]

Jordan didn't win until his 30s, dumbass. Kawhi is 25.

Wrong. Jordan won his first le at 28 and his first retirement came at age 30 after three straight championships.

[LakerHater]

[dabom]

i don't know if that's a dig at Lebron or he actually means it.

But Kawhi is deserving of that le.

[Benoit]

Jordan was getting bounced out of the playoffs year after year when he started. So you shut up Gaymond

Did Jordan get outplayed by a scrub like matt barnes in a game 7?? Answer the question

[skulls138]

I dont know who he got outplayed by, when you lose, you lose, and he lost year after year....until Phil Jackson came along that is. Talk about system player.