1996 Bulls 72-10 VS THE 2000/2001 Repeat Lakers 15-1

[The Franchise]

For me, the series still comes down to Shaq vs. MJ. Shaq was so dominant that he forced double teams nearly every single time he was in the post. This alone would have negated a lot of advantages the Bulls had on defense IMHO, as a team they historically struggled against teams with dominant centers (NYK, HOU, etc.).

I just don't buy into the idea that MJ would have been harder to stop than a prime Shaq. LAL had the defenders to at least attempt to slow Jordan down, the Bulls had nobody outside of Rodman who could even stand a chance at stopping a prime Shaq.

The 95 Orlando Magic team would beat the 01 Lakers, And your trying to compare them to one of the greatest teams ever?

[The Franchise]

To all the idiots predicting 4-5 game series, the Bulls got taken to 6 games by the Sonics and Knicks that year. If your saying the '96 Sonics and '96 Knicks were better than the '01 Lakers you don't know .

Are you slightly re ed?

[mistwiya]

To all the idiots predicting 4-5 game series, the Bulls got taken to 6 games by the Sonics and Knicks that year. If your saying the '96 Sonics and '96 Knicks were better than the '01 Lakers you don't know .

The Celtics got pushed to 7 games by the Hawks and beat the Lakers in 6, what point are you trying to convey here? I think you're the one that doesn't know ....

[stretch]

The Celtics got pushed to 7 games by the Hawks and beat the Lakers in 6, what point are you trying to convey here? I think you're the one that doesn't know ....

[TheMadHatter]

The 95 Orlando Magic team would beat the 01 Lakers, And your trying to compare them to one of the greatest teams ever?

Thanks for playing Rocket fan.

Not sure what the Celtics have to do with this conversation, we're talking about two all-time great teams. The '08 Celtics are not worthy of being in this discussion.

[stretch]

Not sure what the Celtics have to do with this conversation, we're talking about two all-time great teams. The '08 Celtics are not worthy of being in this discussion.

you are re ed

[TheMadHatter]

you are re ed

Nice avatar.

[jacobdrj]

Jordan's Bulls never lost a series in six trips to the finals.

That is the equivalent of saying:
It was in the last place I looked.
Unless I am an idiot, I would certainly hope so...

Jordan did loose many playoff series, and so have the Shaq lead Lakers.

[TheMadHatter]

Looked at the boxscores from when both teams played in the 1996-1998 seasons and both teams seemed to have traded blows with one another delivering big time defeats. Lakers win by 45, Bulls by 20, etc.

So no, it doesn't appear the Bulls dominated the Shaq and Kobe Lakers at all.......and that was when they were at their weakest before Jackson came aboard.

[The Franchise]

Looked at the boxscores from when both teams played in the 1996-1998 seasons and both teams seemed to have traded blows with one another delivering big time defeats. Lakers win by 45, Bulls by 20, etc.

So no, it doesn't appear the Bulls dominated the Shaq and Kobe Lakers at all.......and that was when they were at their weakest before Jackson came aboard.

The Atlanta Hawkls defeated the Bulls three ti\mes that season as well. Whats your point?

[stretch]

Nice avatar.

thanks

[mistwiya]

Looked at the boxscores from when both teams played in the 1996-1998 seasons and both teams seemed to have traded blows with one another delivering big time defeats. Lakers win by 45, Bulls by 20, etc.

Sat, Dec 16, 1995 Chicago Bulls defeat Los Angeles Lakers 108-88

Fri, Feb 2, 1996 Chicago Bulls Defeat Los Angeles Lakers 99-84

Tue, Dec 17, 1996 Chicago Bulls Defeat Los Angeles Lakers OT 123-129

Wed, Feb 5, 1997 Los Angeles Lakers defeat Chicago Bulls 106-90

Wed, Dec 17, 1997 Chicago Bulls Defeat Los Angeles Lakers 104-83

Sun, Feb 1, 1998 Los Angeles Lakers Defeat Chicago Bulls 87-112

[baseline bum]

Defender.

If anybody but Bryant gets Jordan as the primary defensive assignment, no way is Jordan not scoring 30 a game in that series.

If Bryant gets Jordan, then Micheal prob drops 40 a game. Kobe is the most overrated defender I've ever seen. He always guards the weakest offensive player on the other team, i.e., Doug Christie, Bruce Bowen, Rajon Rondo, and so on. I don't know how this guy keeps getting first team defense honors; what a joke.

[TheMadHatter]

If Bryant gets Jordan, then Micheal prob drops 40 a game. Kobe is the most overrated defender I've ever seen. He always guards the weakest offensive player on the other team, i.e., Doug Christie, Bruce Bowen, Rajon Rondo, and so on. I don't know how this guy keeps getting first team defense honors; what a joke.

Why didn't he drop 40 ppg on Kobe during the 96-98 seasons then?

[Tacker]

Why didn't he drop 40 ppg on Kobe during the 96-98 seasons then?

Why didn't the Lakers Beat Boston in 08??
Why didn't Jordan's buzzer beater go in in the 1998 Game 5 Finals?
Why didn't Lakers beat the Houson Rockets in '86 WCF
How come I'm not in the NBA
How Kobe Bryant scored 81 Points against the Raptors but in their next meeting only scored 20?

The Pondering Repose of If..................

[TheMadHatter]

Why didn't the Lakers Beat Boston in 08??
Why didn't Jordan's buzzer beater go in in the 1998 Game 5 Finals?
Why didn't Lakers beat the Houson Rockets in '86 WCF
How come I'm not in the NBA
How Kobe Bryant scored 81 Points against the Raptors but in their next meeting only scored 20?

The Pondering Repose of If..................

My point is if the Bulls DIDN'T dominate a YOUNG Laker squad back in the 1997-1998 seasons then why would you expect them to dominate a MUCH better 2001 squad?

Note I've never said the Bulls wouldn't win. But I wouldn't expect the series to go 4-5 games either.

[Tacker]

My point is if the Bulls DIDN'T dominate a YOUNG Laker squad back in the 1997-1998 seasons then why would you expect them to dominate a MUCH better 2001 squad?

Note I've never said the Bulls wouldn't win. But I wouldn't expect the series to go 4-5 games either.

Take a look at post 62 that will explain..

[TheMadHatter]

From 1996 onwards the Bulls won 3-2. Not exactly domination in my book, and this was against a FAR inferior Laker team with a VERY young Kobe and Shaq not in his prime.

[mistwiya]

From 1996 onwards the Bulls won 3-2. Not exactly domination in my book, and this was against a FAR inferior Laker team with a VERY young Kobe and Shaq not in his prime.

4-2 that 1995 game was in the 1996 Season...

[angelbelow]

My point is if the Bulls DIDN'T dominate a YOUNG Laker squad back in the 1997-1998 seasons then why would you expect them to dominate a MUCH better 2001 squad?

Note I've never said the Bulls wouldn't win. But I wouldn't expect the series to go 4-5 games either.

the team in 97-98 was a much different team actually, pippen was injured, along with other less important role players. also they team is older, and its simply not the same team that won 72 games. and lets face it, it was regular season.

the argument you use about shaq needing double teams is completely valid, shaq was just that damn good. but that doesnt mean jordan didnt comand double teams either. it goes both ways, no one on that laker team could bother jordan, (not even kobe.) it really goes both ways. if you watch jordan play he relentlessly attacks the rim, the lakers outside have no chance. kobe was always skinner and not as polish defensively.

[spurms]

From 1996 onwards the Bulls won 3-2. Not exactly domination in my book, and this was against a FAR inferior Laker team with a VERY young Kobe and Shaq not in his prime.

really i thought u were comparing the 1996 bulls, and now ur talking 1996 onwards? stick to the argument, happens that the bulls in 1998 is old, and not nearly as compe ive as they were in 1996, so they dropped a couple of meaningless games to the lakers, but where were they when in mattered most? Who won the finals that year? Lakers are not even in the discussion, which makes everything you try to prove meaningless. Not interested in hypothetical theories, just analyze the strength of both teams and their players, and it's clear the 96 bulls are vastly superior to the 01 lakers, and ur argument that the lakers went 15-1 in the 01 finals is silly, bulls dropped one game as well on route to the finals, and the talent level of teams in 96 is considerably stronger than 01, clearly. *Note that houston didnt do in that finals, with their dominating center, who made shaq cried once, so stop throwing in hakeem in the discussion, who is easily more dominating than shaq and he doesnt have to face watered down centers.

[TheMadHatter]

really i thought u were comparing the 1996 bulls, and now ur talking 1996 onwards? stick to the argument, happens that the bulls in 1998 is old, and not nearly as compe ive as they were in 1996, so they dropped a couple of meaningless games to the lakers, but where were they when in mattered most? Who won the finals that year? Lakers are not even in the discussion, which makes everything you try to prove meaningless. Not interested in hypothetical theories, just analyze the strength of both teams and their players, and it's clear the 96 bulls are vastly superior to the 01 lakers, and ur argument that the lakers went 15-1 in the 01 finals is silly, bulls dropped one game as well on route to the finals, and the talent level of teams in 96 is considerably stronger than 01, clearly. *Note that houston didnt do in that finals, with their dominating center, who made shaq cried once, so stop throwing in hakeem in the discussion, who is easily more dominating than shaq and he doesnt have to face watered down centers.

I'm going off of the only relevant data that we have when comparing these two teams. In '95 Kobe was still in ing highschool, how relevant are those games both teams played then? We can really go off of 1996 onwards, and even that is a stretch considering Kobe was 18 years old and Shaq wasn't near his prime. My point is the Lakers didn't get dominated by a much better Bulls team then, they just didn't get dominated like you say they would.

In '01 they were a FAR better team than they were in '96-98, so it's not unreasonable to think they would have given the '96 Bulls a run for their money if they played. I'm just responding to the idiots that think the Bulls would sweep.

A perimeter player like Jordan is easier to contain than prime Shaq. I'm dead serious, Shaq was just unguardable and had to be doubled at all times in the post. At least with Jordan you could bank on him having 1-2 off shooting nights during a series. There was no stopping Shaq when he got the ball deep in the post.

[TheMadHatter]

And the Bulls lost 3 playoff games during their '96 run and that was with the 1st round being best of 5, not best of 7.

[spurms]

I'm going off of the only relevant data that we have when comparing these two teams. In '95 Kobe was still in ing highschool, how relevant are those games both teams played then? We can really go off of 1996 onwards, and even that is a stretch considering Kobe was 18 years old and Shaq wasn't near his prime. My point is the Lakers didn't get dominated by a much better Bulls team then, they just didn't get dominated like you say they would.

In '01 they were a FAR better team than they were in '96-98, so it's not unreasonable to think they would have given the '96 Bulls a run for their money if they played. I'm just responding to the idiots that think the Bulls would sweep.

A perimeter player like Jordan is easier to contain than prime Shaq. I'm dead serious, Shaq was just unguardable and had to be doubled at all times in the post. At least with Jordan you could bank on him having 1-2 off shooting nights during a series. There was no stopping Shaq when he got the ball deep in the post.

moronic, shaq and kobe got raped by malone and stockton, 4-0 in the 98 finals, what makes you think insignificant regular season lost to the lakers are a valid part of your argument, because if the bulls had faced the lakers in the playoffs, going by ur stupid hypothesis, the bulls would have handily swept the lakers as well. no stopping shaq? who the did shaq have to play against in the 01 playoffs? Thats right, nobody.

[mistwiya]

I'm going off of the only relevant data that we have when comparing these two teams. In '95 Kobe was still in ing highschool, how relevant are those games both teams played then? We can really go off of 1996 onwards, and even that is a stretch considering Kobe was 18 years old and Shaq wasn't near his prime. My point is the Lakers didn't get dominated by a much better Bulls team then, they just didn't get dominated like you say they would.

In '01 they were a FAR better team than they were in '96-98, so it's not unreasonable to think they would have given the '96 Bulls a run for their money if they played. I'm just responding to the idiots that think the Bulls would sweep.

A perimeter player like Jordan is easier to contain than prime Shaq. I'm dead serious, Shaq was just unguardable and had to be doubled at all times in the post. At least with Jordan you could bank on him having 1-2 off shooting nights during a series. There was no stopping Shaq when he got the ball deep in the post.

Dude, this argument is on the 96 Bulls dont bring the old 97-98 Bulls in this k?

I never said Bulls will sweep, I honestly think The Bulls will win in 7 and maybe 6..