Could Bowen have guarded Jordan in his prime?

[PM5K]

Uh oh, the inevitable question: Could these Spurs beat the Jordan Bulls in the finals?

I'm gonna go with no. But I wound't bet on it.

That's stupid, the Bulls were not only a great defensive team but they were a great offensive team, the Bulls destroy the Spurs...

[PM5K]

And now for the original question:

Bowen would have had success in that he would hold Michael to his average on some nights, that was always the measure of success when defending him, if he didn't go for fifty that night you did a good job, certainly Bowen would keep him at his average on some nights, maybe more than other guys would but it's hard to say.

I can tell you that calling Bowen a Jordan stopper as they did with Kobe would have been all the motivation Jordan needed to go for fifty on him, it's a double edged sword.

Having said that you also have to understand that this man has had everything thrown at him but the kitchen sink, he's been guarded one on one, doubled, soft doubled, hard doubled, tripled, The Jordan Rules was about an entire team making sure they didn't let him get to the basket and if he did that he would pay for it physically, not the entire Bulls team, just Jordan.

He's seen physical play, bigger guys guarding him, he's seen it all and Bowen wouldn't bring anything he hasn't seen or beaten before.

Jordan might be able to burn Bowens ass right now, let's not forget this is the oldest guy to ever score fifty or more points.

He'd light you up for sixty easily in this hand checking era....

[E20]

Jordan would own Bowen. It would be more difficult for him to own him but, he will still own him.

[Mark in Austin]

Good point on the hand-checking. Jordan in his prime (the year or two before his first retirement) would be averaging 35-40 per night in this year's league.

Bowen would defend him as well as anybody could, save maybe a motivated McGrady.

Would it matter? Nope.

[ShoogarBear]

The thing is, the player in the league at the time who was probably best equipped to defend MJ played on the same team.

Bowen would have needed a big man back him up like he has now, but Jordan would win way more of those battles.

[ambchang]

I asked that because the player who best defending Jordan was Dumars, and Bowen plays defense similar to that. Always stay in front of your man, play defense with your feet, and force your man into bad shots. Bowen may be more physical, but the basic approach is the same.
Of course Dumars had the whole bad boys backing him up, the Spurs, though great defensively, doesn't have the enforcers like the Pistons did.
BTW, Jordan rarely killed the Spurs, Elliott and Robinson kept him in check, it was always Pippen who killed the Spurs.

[Binji]

I remember Jordan going for 69 points against the best defensive player in the L at the time in i think Danny Ainge. So i don't think he'd be very impressed with Bowen. It might have only given him the extra motivation to score.

[Medvedenko]

First of all....when Jordan was in his prime there was on Zone defense....that trumps all arguements. It would be a steady diet of Iso plays and Bowen would be exposed. The team defense of the spurs and quick zone sets enable him to "shut down" players. I also believe you get rid of zone today and Bowen would be on the bench more often than on the floor. That's my thoughts....

[ShoogarBear]

I remember Jordan going for 69 points against the best defensive player in the L at the time in i think Danny Ainge. So i don't think he'd be very impressed with Bowen. It might have only given him the extra motivation to score.

DANNY AINGE??????????????????????????

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE???????????????????????????????

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

All of this talk is such a waste. We all know that Jordan's success was solely the result of Phil Jackson's brilliant triangle offense and the dominating center tandem of Longley and Wennington. Bowen would take him to school.

[Binji]

DANNY AINGE??????????????????????????

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE???????????????????????????????

Actually i can't remember the name exactly..have to look it up. I just know he was the best defensive player at the time and he couldn't do against Jordan. It was in 1990 against Cleveland btw

[tlongII]

Bowen doesn't play basketball so I don't think he could have guarded Jordan.

[Dre_7]

Bowen doesn't play basketball so I don't think he could have guarded Jordan.

Yeah right, lets look at the list of players he has shutdown/contained in the playoffs

Melo
Allen
Marion

And thats just the playoffs!! He has contained Kobe and others. Pretty darn good for a guy that doesnt play basketball!!!

But then again, right now, Portland doesnt play basketball either!

[dn0774]

Here is trying to back in '98 I think...

[ShoogarBear]

Actually i can't remember the name exactly..have to look it up. I just know he was the best defensive player at the time and he couldn't do against Jordan. It was in 1990 against Cleveland btw

Ah, you're thinking of Craig Ehlo.

Ehlor was a solid journeyman guard/defender, but never came close to sniffing an All-Defensive team.

His only claims are: 1) being on the Houston Phi Slamma Jamma squads and 2) being the poster boy for MJ's first really big time game winner.

[MI21]

I also believe you get rid of zone today and Bowen would be on the bench more often than on the floor. That's my thoughts....

Bowen was a fantastic defender before the zone was allowed back into the league about what? 3 years ago? 2001-2002?

[ShoogarBear]

being the poster boy for MJ's first really big time game winner.

As a pro, of course.

[dbreiden83080]

Nobody could check MJ at his peak, ever in the history of the game i don't care who you put on him in any era MJ would dominate anyone in a 7 game series. Jordan had some of the greatest gifts the game has ever seen combined with the greatest mental toughness any athlete has ever known.

[PM5K]

Good try but you won't stop him from that far away, might as well be on the bench with that type of defense....

[Tek_XX]

MJ couldn't guard MJ