NBA: Is Klay Thompson the most overrated player in the history of the NBA?

[james evans]

I already stated in an earlier post that I didn’t buy Pippen’s 94 season as him being a franchise player in his own right. I’ll explain why.

In the first Bulls 3peat from 90-93, Pippen put up:

19 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block on 50% FG shooting.

In that 93-94 season when Jordan left, Pippen put up:

22 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.9 steals, 0.8 blocks on 49%

So after losing Jordan, arguably the greatest player ever, a 30 point scorer, Pippen elevated his game to the tune of about 3 more points, 1 extra rebound, and another steal. That sure proves how he took over for Jordan... seems like the team collectively picked up the slack, not Pippen and his star talent.

Further, in the 94 playoffs, Pippen put up:

22.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.4 steals, 0.7 blocks on 43.4% FG

So he not only didn’t elevate his game in the post season, but he was slightly worse.

Additionally, the Bulls record is a bit deceiving. Only 6 of the Bulls losses came against non playoff teams that year. They were 29-6 against non playoff teams. They did really well against the Western Conference, even the good teams, which they deserve credit for. There were three other 50 win teams in the Eastern Conference that season. Knicks, Hawks, Magic. The Bulls were 6-7 against them. Now good teams are supposed to beat up on bad teams. It’s not their fault. But it gives context. The EC as has been the case for what seems like forever had a couple good teams and the rest was garbage. That 55 win record isn’t as impressive as it seems. And of course they lost in the second round.

What did 1993-94 Scottie Pippen really proves that season?

, the following season before Jordan made his return, I believe they were something like 34-31.

To me, Pippen was one of the best role players. But still. A role player.

And you're conveniently failing to mention that they had no interior defense in the 94-95 season. Even when Jordan came back, they were bounced in the 2nd round and should have been put out by the hornets, but obvious shady officiating put them in the 2nd round. ESPECAILLY game 4 when Jordan pulled hawkins' arm down in front of the ref with 2 seconds left in the game with no call. No Grant during 94-95 season and they lost interior defense/rebounding. Adds Rodman in the summer and they rest is history. You can put Jordan on that same 94-95 team in Pippen's place and their record wouldn't have been any better.

[lefty]

Jordan before Pippen was Russell Westbrook before Russell Westbrook

[FrostKing]

Jordan before Pippen was Russell Westbrook before Russell Westbrook

Westbrook + Curry's jumpshot. Steph has never matched the FG% of MJ's rookie season

[lefty]

Westbrook + Curry's jumpshot. Steph has never matched the FG% of MJ's rookie season

Curry’s j…

what?

[james evans]

Westbrook + Curry's jumpshot. Steph has never matched the FG% of MJ's rookie season

Cmon man Jordan wasn't a great jump shooter when he entered the league. He still never became a great 3 point shooter. He has the all time record for worst 3 point score in the 3 point contest and he rarely shot them. You've got to realize when jordan was in high school and his first year of college, there was no 3 point line. I don't know where you got that information from that Jordan was this great shooter.

[FrostKing]

Cmon man Jordan wasn't a great jump shooter when he entered the league. He still never became a great 3 point shooter. He has the all time record for worst 3 point score in the 3 point contest and he rarely shot them. You've got to realize when jordan was in high school and his first year of college, there was no 3 point line. I don't know where you got that information from that Jordan was this great shooter.

I'm just going by data. In a more defensive Era, Jordan had a higher FG% as a rookie than Curry ever has.

[lefty]

I'm just going by data. In a more defensive Era, Jordan had a higher FG% as a rookie than Curry ever has.

« a more defensive era »

yeah when accountants like Craig Ehlo and grocery baggers like JohnStark were left on an island in the illegal defense era and didn’t have the right to breathe on Jordan

[DMC]

MJ has never been a better shooter than either Klay or Steph. It's never happened. I guess you want to say Patrick Ewing was better since his FG% was high, being camped under the rim.

MJ finished with a 32.7% 3pt shooting.. Michael Finley finished with 37%

[Chris Fall]

Jordan wasn't a "great" shooter early in his career. But he is also pretty underestimated as a jumpshooter because in his early years, he mostly drove and dunked. And his three point shooting percentages weren't very good. But three point percentages back then were warped by small sampling. Jordan would take like one three point attempt a game, or less. The percentages would be all over the place because of that. Case in point, Larry Bird shot under 30% from three point range four of his first five NBA seasons. Small samples. People going to argue Bird couldn't shoot when he started in the league? The evolution of volume three point shooting made for more accurate stats.

[Dirks_Finale]

Jordan wasn't a "great" shooter early in his career. But he is also pretty underestimated as a jumpshooter because in his early years, he mostly drove and dunked. And his three point shooting percentages weren't very good. But three point percentages back then were warped by small sampling. Jordan would take like one three point attempt a game, or less. The percentages would be all over the place because of that. Case in point, Larry Bird shot under 30% from three point range four of his first five NBA seasons. Small samples. People going to argue Bird couldn't shoot when he started in the league? The evolution of volume three point shooting made for more accurate stats.

This.

And Jordan was on record as saying he actually did not want to be a good 3 point shooter as he felt that he might get too complacent with it and not drive as often as he should be doing. I have no doubt that if he wanted to be a better 3 point shooter, he would have. At least as good as Lebron is from out there, if not better. We saw what happened in the 92 Finals vs Portland when Jordan actually had a chance to get in a groove from distance.

[lefty]

« I don’t want to be a good 3 pt shooter »

what a lame re ed excuse

[MultiTroll]

^ meh different era.

[lefty]

^ meh different era.

Shaq didn’t want to be a good FT shooter

I respect that tbh

[MultiTroll]

Shaq didn’t want to be a good FT shooter

I respect that tbh

With LakerRef he only needed to make 50%.

[ElNono]

Raymond Green is

[james evans]

This.

And Jordan was on record as saying he actually did not want to be a good 3 point shooter as he felt that he might get too complacent with it and not drive as often as he should be doing. I have no doubt that if he wanted to be a better 3 point shooter, he would have. At least as good as Lebron is from out there, if not better. We saw what happened in the 92 Finals vs Portland when Jordan actually had a chance to get in a groove from distance.

ONE HALF!!! he had 35 in the first half, but then finished the game with 39 lol. Jordan just wasn't a great 3 point shooter. I don't care how personal he took it or if you made him mad. he could hit 1 or 2 wife open, but he rarely shot them.

[james evans]

« I don’t want to be a good 3 pt shooter »

what a lame re ed excuse

Jordan did actually say that. His quote was something like, "Drexler is a better 3 point shooter than I want to be" or something like that basically stating he doesn't want to shoot them.

[FrostKing]

I bet if you broke down the data, Curry/Klay/whoever else today take far more open/uncontested shots than MJ did. Yet his FG% was superior. As a 21 year old no less.

[lefty]

Jordan did actually say that. His quote was something like, "Drexler is a better 3 point shooter than I want to be" or something like that basically stating he doesn't want to shoot them.

yeah he did, stil a re ed thing to say

[james evans]

I bet if you broke down the data, Curry/Klay/whoever else today take far more open/uncontested shots than MJ did. Yet his FG% was superior. As a 21 year old no less.

I agree, but in no universe is jordan on par or better than curry or Klay in shooting. You're also failing to mention that Jordan attacked the basket quite a bit and shot mostly midrange. Also, there was an illegal defense while Jordan played. This means, you could double while they had the ball, but not without. A defender had to be within an arm's reach of their assignment at all times so this enabled a lot of 1 on 1 play. The play was still physical and you could clothesline someone at the rim, but it's was a lot of 1 on 1. No need to shoot 3s back then. 3 point shooting was so rare that the league moved the line in during the 94-95 season. That's when we saw guys like MOurning taking 3s during games. And then they moved it back.

[Neo.]

I bet if you broke down the data, Curry/Klay/whoever else today take far more open/uncontested shots than MJ did. Yet his FG% was superior. As a 21 year old no less.

just a quick glance but Steph has the superior 2pt%, 3pt%, efg%, and ts%

mjs fg% was higher simply because he took less 3s

[Dirks_Finale]

ONE HALF!!! he had 35 in the first half, but then finished the game with 39 lol. Jordan just wasn't a great 3 point shooter. I don't care how personal he took it or if you made him mad. he could hit 1 or 2 wife open, but he rarely shot them.

Unless Reggie or someone was shooting it, they were considered bad shots back then.

[Neo.]

Unless Reggie or someone was shooting it, they were considered bad shots back then.

sounds like the game has evolved

unfortunately that makes too much sense for some and it's easier for most people to just chalk it up entirely to "rule changezzsz11!!!!" when said rule actually existed since the 70s

[MultiTroll]

Effective fg% needs to be used when comparing Jordan to the Warrior twinks.

[DMC]

Shaq didn’t want to be a good FT shooter

I respect that tbh

Shaq didn't want to take the time to become a good FT shooter. Two different things.