"Coaches would rather have a Scottie-type player than a Michael" - Scottie Pippen

[Fillmoe]

So Pippen never hesitated when he was asked—once again—about not being appreciated as much as he should have been.

"I know that, but I think people love me just as much as they love Michael," Pippen said. "The fans who understand the game, the GMs and coaches. I think they'd rather have a Scottie than a Michael."

There was an awkward, shocked pause after Pippen answered—Pippen over Jordan?—and someone finally asked why.

"Because I'm an all-around player," Pippen added. "Coaches would rather have a Scottie-type player than a Michael. I was an all-around player. I made people around me better."

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-070216smith,1,3885314.column?coll=cs-bulls-headlines


is this nigga on crack? he needs to stay out of the league and check his old ass into a nut house

[Mixability]

#23 is the only reason #33 had a fucking career.

[resistanze]

Sco·ttie Pi·ppen (n.) - See mid-life crisis.

[lefty]

#23 is the only reason #33 had a fucking career.

MJ would have never won without Pip either

[Mixability]

MJ would have never won without Pip either

he filled a role. a role that would've been filled by someone else if he wasn't there.

[P-O-Z]

pippen was a good player but no way was he better than mj

[mavs>spurs2]

Lets see....without jordan, pippen could barely help his team get to the playoffs. Jordan comes back and they win more rings. Jordan had more impact on his team than any other player in history.

[lefty]

Pippen has never said he was better a player then Jordan!

He said : teams are looking for Pip type player

[mabber]

MJ would have never won without Pip either

I think he would have won at least one title w/o Pippen.

[ambchang]

You guys are on crack.
First, Pippen never said Pippen > Jordan, he said a coach would rather have a Pippen than a Jordan, which I do not agree with. I think any coach would rather have Michael than Pippen, and Jordan >>>> Pippen.
Second, Jordan barely got into the playoffs before Pippen and Horace Grant developed, and Pippen got the Bulls to the 2nd round of the playoffs the two years Jordan was out.
No, Pippen didn't simply "filled a role", he was a superstar, and he would have been a superstar even without Jordan. He was pre-injury Grant Hill with better defense, he was a gold-plated, diamond studded Sean Elliott with court vision, in fact, he was one of the best perimeter defender the league has ever seen (he is at least on the same level as Bruce, Ron Artest and Cooper) , he perfected the point forward spot, he had the court vision and enabled the Bulls to have shooters at the PG positions who can't do much else. Pippen was a superstar, there was not a thing he cannot do on the court, and was as complete a player as a perimeter player could possibly be.

[ambchang]

I think he would have won at least one title w/o Pippen.
and why would you think that? Because he could barely get the Wiz to the playoffs? Because he couldn't win a game in the first round before Pippen was developed, even though he scored 37.1 ppg?
Yes, Jordan was a great player, but the myth that he single-handedly took the Bulls to the championship is wildly exaggerated, if he didn't have Pippen, he would have been another great player without a ring, like Barkley, Malone and Stockton.

[cherylsteele]

Pippen has never said he was better a player then Jordan!

He said : teams are looking for Pip type player
That is not the whole quote.
He said coaches want a Pippen-type player over a Jordan-type player.
That is totally wrong.
If a coach had a choice between those type player...the Jordan-type player would be chosen....hands down.

Defense and rebounding are the only things Pippen MIGHT be better at.....but just barely. Jordan was a solid player on the "D".....especially in his prime.
Jordan was Head and shoulders better in every other aspect of their games.

[lefty]

That is not the whole quote.
He said coaches want a Pippen-type player over a Jordan-type player.
That is totally wrong.
If a coach had a choice between those type player...the Jordan-type player would be chosen....hands down

Well, it depends on what a team has ; let's say u have Kobe on ur team (a Jordan type player) why would u add Jordan ; add a Pip to complement him

[RonMexico]

Pippen has been delusional about his career since he went to Portland.

[mabber]

and why would you think that? Because he could barely get the Wiz to the playoffs? Because he couldn't win a game in the first round before Pippen was developed, even though he scored 37.1 ppg?
Yes, Jordan was a great player, but the myth that he single-handedly took the Bulls to the championship is wildly exaggerated, if he didn't have Pippen, he would have been another great player without a ring, like Barkley, Malone and Stockton.

Wasn't aware that there was a myth out there that Jordan single-handedly took the Bulls to the championship :rolleyes

Jordan was in his prime during their 6 championships and I just think that they would have won at least one title in there with someone else at the small forward position. I'm not downplaying Pippen's contribution as it was immense. I just think there is a strong likelyhood that the Bulls would have won a title one of those years. We'll never know so no point in arguing about it.

[P-O-Z]

Pippen has been delusional about his career since he went to Portland.

[MrChug]

Man...you guys disappoint me. It's no fucking surprise that Scottie hasn't ever been a beacon of sense nor eloquance. You KNOW he was "referring" to the fact that he (a defensive minded, pass-first athletic player) would be a wise choice over a scoring minded player. Is/was he better than Jordan? No. HE DIDN'T SAY THAT. He said TYPE. Imagine bringing in a Gilbert Arenas or an Allen Iverson or even a Ben Gordon for that matter into the Spurs system. Would you rather have him or Josh Howard/Joe Dumars? Who would help the Spurs system without disrupting it more? Just a thought...

[nkdlunch]

THere is no TYPE of player when in comes to Jordan, because nobody has, is or will ever be like Jordan. If Pippen had said Iverson type or Wade type ,etc,etc then it would be ok. But Jordan type? wtf is that? there is no such thing.

Pippen needs to lay off the pipe.

And Pippen was more all-around player??? :donkey r u fuckin serious?

[cheguevara]

the only reason Pippen played that way was because he was following MJ's orders. If he had failed to follow orders, he would have been sent to play in Europe.

[RonMexico]

the only reason Pippen played that way was because he was following MJ's orders. If he had failed to follow orders, he would have been sent to play in Europe.

Or for the Blazers... whoops.

[ambchang]

Wasn't aware that there was a myth out there that Jordan single-handedly took the Bulls to the championship :rolleyes

Jordan was in his prime during their 6 championships and I just think that they would have won at least one title in there with someone else at the small forward position. I'm not downplaying Pippen's contribution as it was immense. I just think there is a strong likelyhood that the Bulls would have won a title one of those years. We'll never know so no point in arguing about it.

Jordan's prime started before those 6 championships, he didn't suddenly learn "how to win", it was Phil Jackson’s coaching, Tex Winter’s triangle offense and the improvement of the supporting cast.
Yes, there was no point in arguing whether Jordan having another competent forward would help him win at least one championship in those 6 years, but it depends what you mean by competent. If you mean by a forward who plays just like Pippen, then hell yeah, the Bulls would have won 6 champions too, but find me such a player, find a few players who could have filled Pippen’s role in the early 90’s with the Bulls, and still would have won a championship.

Jordan is widely known as the best player in the history of the NBA after the 6 championships, despite the fact that he had one of the best coaches in league history, one of the best small forward by his side, and a team built specifically to accentuate his strengths and hide his weaknesses, but was considered a choker, loser and self-centred player before those championships even though he put up far greater stats, and took a team of much lesser talent to the playoffs. So yes it is a myth that Jordan single-handedly took the Bulls to 6 championships, and it is widely held.

[mabber]

Jordan's prime started before those 6 championships, he didn't suddenly learn "how to win", it was Phil Jackson’s coaching, Tex Winter’s triangle offense and the improvement of the supporting cast.
Yes, there was no point in arguing whether Jordan having another competent forward would help him win at least one championship in those 6 years, but it depends what you mean by competent. If you mean by a forward who plays just like Pippen, then hell yeah, the Bulls would have won 6 champions too, but find me such a player, find a few players who could have filled Pippen’s role in the early 90’s with the Bulls, and still would have won a championship.

Jordan is widely known as the best player in the history of the NBA after the 6 championships, despite the fact that he had one of the best coaches in league history, one of the best small forward by his side, and a team built specifically to accentuate his strengths and hide his weaknesses, but was considered a choker, loser and self-centred player before those championships even though he put up far greater stats, and took a team of much lesser talent to the playoffs. So yes it is a myth that Jordan single-handedly took the Bulls to 6 championships, and it is widely held.

I still have never heard that Jordan single-handedly took the Bulls to 6 championships until now (by you). All I've ever heard was the great Bull championship teams led by MJ & Scottie.

I think you're apparent dislike for Jordan has gotten in the way of how those teams are perceived. Pippen was voted in as a top 50 player ever. I'm pretty sure most people realize that he was a big part of their championships. All I said earlier was that I think Jordan could have won a title or two w/o him. I think Jordan was that good. I wasn't downplaying Pippen's contribution. There's no way the Bulls win 6 championships w/o Pippen.

From what several players that played on those teams have said, Jordan pretty much ran practices and was more of a coach than Phil Jackson was so I'm not so sure that they wouldn't have won several w/o Jackson as their coach. Not saying that Jackson is not a really good coach, but if the players say they listened to MJ more than Jackson then why would anyone believe otherwise.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Pippen was a great player. I grew up in Chicago so I saw more than my fair share of him.

But no Coach / GM in there right mind would take Pippen over Jordan. Pippen over a lot of people. He's one of the 50 greatest players of all-time. But Jordan is arguably the greatest player of all time.



But I still love Pipp. Get him in a Spurs uniform!

[mabber]

Pippen was a great player. I grew up in Chicago so I saw more than my fair share of him.

But no Coach / GM in there right mind would take Pippen over Jordan. Pippen over a lot of people. He's one of the 50 greatest players of all-time. But Jordan is arguably the greatest player of all time.



But I still love Pipp. Get him in a Spurs uniform!

Yeah, Pippen was my favorite Bull player but to say he was anywhere near as good as Jordan was is ridiculous. Jordan was just a different animal all together.

[ambchang]

I still have never heard that Jordan single-handedly took the Bulls to 6 championships until now (by you). All I've ever heard was the great Bull championship teams led by MJ & Scottie.

I think you're apparent dislike for Jordan has gotten in the way of how those teams are perceived. Pippen was voted in as a top 50 player ever. I'm pretty sure most people realize that he was a big part of their championships. All I said earlier was that I think Jordan could have won a title or two w/o him. I think Jordan was that good. I wasn't downplaying Pippen's contribution. There's no way the Bulls win 6 championships w/o Pippen.

From what several players that played on those teams have said, Jordan pretty much ran practices and was more of a coach than Phil Jackson was so I'm not so sure that they wouldn't have won several w/o Jackson as their coach. Not saying that Jackson is not a really good coach, but if the players say they listened to MJ more than Jackson then why would anyone believe otherwise.

Read the comments along this thread, Pippen has always been viewed as riding Jordan's coattails. Comments like "Jordan made Pippen's career", or "Pippen would have been another nobody in the league if it wasn't for Jordan" are not comments that are unheard of. So if people thought Pippen was a nobody, and the Bulls still won 6 championships, wouldn't that have made Jordan winning those 6 championships by himself? Who else was there? Horace Grant? BJ Armstrong? Bill Cartwright?
And no, I do not dislike Jordan, no basketball fan would ever dislike Jordan, I just think he's overrated. I would love the Spurs to have a Jordan on their team, I think his ability to dominate the offense was amazing, his drive to win is unparalleled, but he is not without weakness in his game. He is one of the best players in the game, but he is not the clear-cut #1.
And look at how the Bulls did before and after Jackson, look at the Lakers last year and this year. Phil Jackson is an amazing coach, I hate his guts (now this is one guy I dislike), but he is one of the best coaches in the history of the league. To say that Jordan would have won without Jackson would be stretching it, and to say Shaq and Kobe would have won anything without Jackson would be just as faulty, look at them before Jackson got there.

EDIT: I am not saying that you are saying Pippen sucked, my comments were referring to people who think Pippen was nuts and called him a nobody. I am not sure why you had to jump in and try to argue Pippen was well-appreciated by fans when there were multiple posts in this thread that stated the contrary.
And there is no way in hell the Bulls win 1 or 2 championships without Pippen, if by without you mean substituting him with an average SF, or even an also-ran all-star SF like Sean Elliott. Look at how the playoffs panned out for the Bulls:
1991: went all the way to the finals with a stellar record. Mind you though, with Jordan on Magic, the Lakers won, the Bulls blew out the Lakers in 4 straight with Pippen on Magic, without Pippen, Bulls loss.
1992: Narrowly escaped the Knicks 4-3, without Pippen, they would have been gone in the 2nd round.
1993: Down 0-2 to the Knicks, then came back won 4 straight, of which 2 are relatively close
1996: Pippen put the clamps on all-star Detlef was a key to the Bulls victory
1997 and 1998: The Jazz games were closely contested in both years.
And without Pippen, the BUlls probably won't even enjoy the regular season success that gives them home court advantage in many of these series.