The whole "Jordan needed Pippen" argument is overrated.

[JamStone]

You haven't addressed your claims that Rodman was a washed up journeyman when he got traded to the Bulls. Rebounding champ and first team all defense the previous season for a 62-20 Spurs team. Averaged 16.8 RPG. The Spurs was the second team in his NBA career. Washed up journeyman?

And can you list all those players Michael Jordan made better other than Pippen? And again, not getting players wide open jumpers in games. Actually make players better like you suggest he did with Pippen. Who are all these players? You said there were a lot of them.

[JamStone]

Also...

3) Yeah MJ was hard on his team when they ed up. He didn't take from anyone. If you weren't trying your hardest, or you didn't want to play defense, MJ would take it personally.

I'd say that's the trait of a ing winner. All great men do the same thing, they do not tolerate losers. You can call MJ an asshole if you like, but if he had been a pussy and been a nice guy, he wouldn't have 6 rings.

So you like that trait in Kobe Bryant? Just curious. That makes Kobe a ing winner, right?

4) MJ took the previously draft lottery ty Bulls to the playoffs in his rookie season and every season after that. Yeah, they got bounced by Boston twice, but Boston-Lakers were the two best in the NBA, stacked with talent. If MJ would have eliminated Boston with those ty Bulls teams, everyone should have just quit the NBA and give him les.

Knocking MJ for that is ridiculous. That would be like dogging LeBron with the 2005 Cavaliers for not defeating the eventual champion Spurs in the playoffs. (for your smartasses, yes EC - WC never meet in 1st round blah blah)

I would like to point out back then that the Eastern Conference had 11 teams. 8 teams still made it to the playoffs. In his rookie season, Michael Jordan led the Bulls to the playoffs with a 38-44 record. While it's still an "accomplishment," it's important to put it in context.

[stretch]

It's NOT that MJ NEEDED Pippen ...


BUT

He NEEDED a reliable #2 star and Pippen was one of the best in NBA history in that role ...

If you gave Jordan Drexler, Nique, Dale Ellis etc. he STILL gets les but maybe not 6 ...

Pippen was a "near perfect fit" with MJ ...and MJ took a lot of pressure off of Pippen who probably, (despite his great playoff run without MJ)was not a true #1 ...

Phil deserves MORE credit for that than PIppen IMHO ...One of Phil's greatest coaching efforts next to keeping Kobe and Shaq from detroying the 3-peat ...

+1. Well put, lakerfan.