Gary Payton on the 1996 Finals vs. Chicago and Michael Jordan [Sonicsgate Bonus #4]

[TheRebuiltOne1980]

@lbj6mj23 Actually its not how many pts mj scored nor his %, its whether u win or lose. GP played good D on MJ but I've seen MJ go 3for18 from the field & still have a triple double while dominating the gm defensively. He did it in gm 3 against the knicks in 92. Shooting terrific & losing is worse than shooting horrible & winning.

[PANTERAcfhGETCHAPULL]

Bulls won but they had to do it against one of the greatest teams of all time!

[Domini478]

@PANTERAcfhGETCHAPULL One of the greatest teams wins the championship and the Sonics didn't do that.

[MrLovingspain]

man i miss the sonics so much..the NBA sucks without them!

[mastergrim8]

0:53, listen closely "greatest basketball player ever to play than me" -the glove

Gotta love that cockiness lol

[Hawkhunter07]

@mastergrim8

actually he was saying Greatest basketball player ever to play TO me

[mastergrim8]

@Hawkhunter07

Thanks, but I wouldn't be surprised if he said the other thing to. Thanks for the clarification.

[xdachinamanx]

MJ does more than just scoring. People need to realize that. But props to Payton since he did tone down MJ... too bad the rest of the 95-96 Sonics didn't follow up that well.

[ImFeelingSquatchy]

hahaha my parents named me after him and im mexican

[seattlehawkins]

@ImFeelingSquatchy So..........Gary Mexipayton???? Mexi-Payton??? MIchael Mexipayton?  Detlef Mexishrempf?????? Sam Mexismooth Perkins? LMAO!!!!!!!

[KDurantula]

Great player im so happy that he win a ring with the heat

[Postman206]

BOYCOTTING STARBUCKS FOR LIFE. LONG LIVE THE SONICS!!!

[Grapes428]

I'm still upset. I just can't believe the Sonics moved out of Seattle. What a great city to have a basketball team. All those surrounding cities and suburbs to get fans from and people who actually have money to buy tickets. 50% of residents in the metro Seattle area have bachelor's degrees. They have money to do things like go watch Sonics games. Some people though just don't give a bloody crap about history.

[tkcwu]

mj had tendonities that series and whole 1996 seaon from non stop practising

[scorpionJB]

GP, the best point guard in the 90's......big fan of his game

[ImSoGangsta1]

GP couldnt completely shut jordan down, he had to pressure jordan into taking bad shots. He got jordan to score 20 points in one game thats like the lowest points in a playoff game he had.

[stematwork]

loved this series...great matchup...STUPID front office to break up that team. gary is right...if they had stayed together they would have come out of the west in 99



[sde12345]

The glove lockdowned Jordan.

[Domini478]

@sde12345 No he didn't...MJ was just missing his shots. Nobody could shut down MJ because he has the highest scoring avg in NBA History.

[sde12345]

@Domini478

the why was jordan dominating until payton guarded him in the finals?

[Domini478]

@sde12345 He just got cold....its happen to everybody...

[shaq430]

@sde12345 dont argue with this asshole he goes on every video talking shit hes probrably like 14 smh this is like the third video saying that jordan didnt get locked up he got cold he doesnt know basketball dont argue with him...

[epics7]

@Domini478 Dude. How are you going to tell G.P. what he don't know and he guarded the man? Gary's right, he made him work hard. Not too many tried that. It's similar to what I've seen certain players do to Kobe. They stay on him and make him work harder for it, forcing them to score less.

[northvalleynews]

@epics7 kobe aint mike and never will be

[onyxfich]

yeah seattle with payton and kemp that was my first team and first love with the NBA

[victorjulio15]

gp was nasty...just nasty. even that look on his face just says nasty.

[puffykilled2pac]

I really don't think anyone else defended Jordan better. Everyone remembers Dumars and Miller but I really think that was only because those guys played him so much more.

[FuckUtube4Life2010]

@puffykilled2pac reggie miller was known for his defense?

[Domini478]

@puffykilled2pac Nobody could shut MJ won down dumbass. He has the highest scoring avg in NBA History. Btw, Miller was not known for his defense.

[rob23molina]

Just another MJ victim.

[rob23molina]

If it was MJ he would of still guarded the opponent whether he was hurt. EXCUSES EXCUSES

[FuckUtube4Life2010]

@rob23molina how do u know what MJ would've did if MJ had the same type of injury? you act like MJ has never sat out for a game or two due to injuries. i know u jordan fans think the guy was superman, but he wasn't. u fans give these guys (jordan, kobe, lebron, whoeover) way too much credit. they're not supermen. they're human beings.

[rob23molina]

@FuckUtube4Life2010 I don't know what the fuck your talking about and i really don't give a shit. payton did well but not enough to win a ring. Whether it was do to an injury or not ALL players go through it so this can't be used as an excuse and the what could of been crap.

[FuckUtube4Life2010]

@rob23molina only a jordan slurper would give such a ridiculous, idiotic response to my comment. continue to worship a man that doesn't know you, never done nothing for you and if he met you, may just tell you to get off his nuts and go fuck yourself. how does it feel to be a groupie and a homosexual?

[rob23molina]

@FuckUtube4Life2010 It was an intelligent response you nor anyone in your family would ever recognize it.

[fgypsy45]

@ 1:33 i feel the same people be tripping bout like they're yeah as if and when you get to the finals people shut the f up and bow down to all the hard work you done and recognise so i know what he talking about there

[at1212b]

Sonics were amazing that year, and its a shame that it did get broken up. Its just unfortunate for Payton that they ran into a team of Destiny that year. Any team, in modern times would have gone down the same, if they played that Bulls team.

[rwwk17]

Love what GP said regards to guarding MJ and the Sonics. Thumbs up to GP.

[jayrny24]

The most important thing he said we could have won but when Michael Jordan retired!lmao

[fccl1]

MJ's field goal for first 3 games in 96 finals combined: 29/63 = 46%(31ppg) with 7 turn overs, 15 assists

The last 3 games combined: 22/60 = 37%(23.7ppg) with 11 turn overs and 10 assists

I think he did a great job on MJ, probably the best ever player to contain MJ in the finals.

So Payton should be credited for his hard work in the 96 finals, against GOAT.

[rob23molina]

@fccl1 well i hope he's happy with the credit & MJ is happy with his championship.

[DannyJumbo]

i remember that final series, i wanted gp to take down the bulls so bad

[rob23molina]

@DannyJumbo Just another disappointment that MJ inflicted.

[hbksteve2002]

Seattle (OKC) was and is my favorite team but guys posting comments "that if G.Payton was on MJ since GM1 we would of won the series" is just nonsense. Yes, it would of slowed MJ a bit but its not like he was killing us with his scoring, he only scored +30 in one game. 3 Things were killing us; MJ shutting down Hawkins(he played terrible that series), Kukoc having his way with our forwards and 3 basically inexperience and lets face it, this Bulls team was the best in history (72-10) dont forget.

[Nate187um]

@hbksteve2002 With Payton on MJ the sonics were 2-1. It's not out of this world to think they would of won the series had he been on MJ from Game 1.

[hbksteve2002]

@Nate187um To be honest, it is out of this word to think they would of won the series. It would of been a bit more competive series. But Like I mentioned the Bulls were dominating my sonics in almost every aspect of the game. I've heard rumors that MJ wanted to finish off the series in Chicago... It could of easily been a sweep. Keep in mind im a die hard Seattle/OKC fan.

[Nate187um]

@hbksteve2002 So MJ just decided to shoot 5-19 in game 4? That was the toughest team the Bulls ever faced in the finals. So again it is not out of this world that if GP is guarding MJ the entire series that they win it.

[hbksteve2002]

@Nate187um Again, you're talking to a DIE-HARD Seattle/OKC Fan. GP was my favorite player, no doubt he slowed MJ down, but the reason why MJ is regarded as the best player in basketball HISTORY is due to his dominance on both ends of the court & his intangibles. MJ still shut down whoever he was guarding(Hawkins mostly). So once again GP on MJ the whole series makes for a bit more competitive series but no chance My sonics beat that Bulls team, which is arguably the best team in NBA history.

[Nate187um]

@hbksteve2002 lol Jordan averaged 23ppg the last 3 games when GP was guarding him. So NO it is not out of this world. Think what you want though.

[hbksteve2002]

@Nate187um How many times do i have to mention it, Jordan's game was not just all about his offense. He dominated the game with his other abilities. Plus the Bulls didnt seem to need Jordan's scoring much, since Pippen, kukuc where having their way vs hawkins & shrempf. Not to mention Longley, Rodman & harper where playing very solid. The fact is, as much as i love seattle they were COMPLETELY outmatched vs the best team in nba history.

[Domini478]

@Nate187um The Bulls would have won the series anyway.

[lbj6mj23]

@hbksteve2002

its not how many pts he scored its how you score it mj shoot a bad fg% of 40% sonics defense was amazing

[hbksteve2002]

@lbj6mj23 The Sonics had a great halfcourt trap defense. Their guards were great defenders, Kemp was okay but other than that we didnt have much in the middle-- shrempf was pretty bad defensively lol.

[nujrz4lyfe]

@hbksteve2002 The biggest factor in that finals seriies was Rodman...He was phenominal,...Seattle couldnt handle him at all

[synapse913]

George Karl's massive brain fart in this series is what caused his brain cancer.

True story..

[setkid]

great player

[JohnRohd]

he was just at my school's basketball game. We played against his son and won. Lawrence vs Sawyer. He gave me his autograph (:

[billny33]

What this interview tells me is that George Karl cost his team the series by not putting Payton on MJ until the 4th game when they were already down 3-0. The Sonics won the next 2 in convincing fashion after getting killed in convincing fashion for games 1 and 3 with game 2 being somewhat close. It seems like that one switch made all the difference in the world, and the Sonics could have been neck and neck with the Bulls if Payton had been guarding MJ from game 1.

[rob23molina]

@billny33 That's the difference between a good player (payton) and a great player (MJ) cuz whether your hurt or not you gotta do what you gotta do to get that championship. MJ would of told his coach put me on him (key word TOLD) but no matter what the sonics would of met there fate & MJ still would of took his ring.

[FuckUtube4Life2010]

@rob23molina another jordan groupie and homosexual. get off his dick.

[rob23molina]

@FuckUtube4Life2010 I'm a basketball fan moron. You sure are pretty tough at home behind your computer. Thanks for the intimidating conversation ma'am. Deuces trick.

[2sikkidz]

@rob23molina i looked at the past comments, and i'm just wondering... why do you think that gary payton was just a "good" player? cuz i feel he's probably in the top 10 point guards of all time.

[rob23molina]

@2sikkidz To show the difference because the word GREAT is thrown around so easily. And yes he was a very good player but didn't raise his game to match what his mouth could do.

[2sikkidz]

@rob23molina I would argue that he is a GREAT player. 3rd on the all time steals list, 9x defensive 1st team, 20k+ points, 8k+ assists plus the only point guard to win the defensive player of the year. His inability to win a title rested more on the shoulders of the sonics front office.

[rob23molina]

@2sikkidz Your right. He deserves that.

[stematwork]

um? didn't you guys lose a team or something?

[MrSwishtastic]

@stematwork yes.

[aHIGHasian]

i vote gary p. hall of famer

[kilagon10]

Is Payton trying to say that he can stop JORDAN?...Yeah right...

[LyleLe]

@kilagon10 No, you're just a dumbass.

[wuat007]

@kilagon10 not stop him, but trying slow him down in that one game.

[vaquino206]

@kilagon10 yeah jordan was hard to stop, but Payton was infamous for stopping holding him down pretty well. Check the wiki

[BeatsBearsBattlestar]

It's so funny how most of the people who've commented get really defensive about Jordan playing even though Gary mentions that Jordan's the best ever. I like MJ as much as anybody and of course he's the GOAT, but numbers show that Gary did a great job defending him and let's not take credit away for what he did or what the Sonics did that year.

[rob23molina]

@BeatsBearsBattlestar Everything but win the championship. You can give credit for all they did but nothing could replace the championship.

[BeatsBearsBattlestar]

@rob23molina Of course I agree, but people act like Payton didn't do anything. Fact of the matter is the Bulls could have swept the Sonics and for all purposes should have, but they didn't. They blew game 4 and lost badly AND Jordan had an awful game. Then they lost game 5. Two reasons why that happened was the Gary Payton switch and Nate McMillan playing hero with his terrible back.

[rob23molina]

@BeatsBearsBattlestar Well of course they deserve credit. They didn't make it to the finals cuz they sucked.

[whiteflash1323]

Jordan seemed to have "trouble" with cats from Oakland. JR RIder used to have pretty big offensive games against Jordan 'cause he was so strong he'd put him on his hip and get buckets in the post. That's saying something 'cause Jordan 2.0 was pretty damn diesed.

[Domini478]

@whiteflash1323 Yeah right...JR never killed MJ dumbass...Btw you have no proof of that bull!!

[whiteflash1323]

@Domini478 What're you, 12? Where'd I say Rider "killed him"? I didn't numbnuts. But, if you back and look at their games Jordan had trouble with Rider in the post. Jordan is the best player of all time and outplayed Rider [clearly], but if you'd go back and check the stats and game footage you'd see Rider had some pretty good games against him.

[cuzodave]

Stop comparing Jordan to Payton but not because Jordan is probably the greatest but bcause they play2 different position. they have to play the game different. AND YES PAYTON DID PLAY SUM GREAT D ON JORDAN! HE WASNT THE GLOVE FOR NO REASON!

[pauladc22]

payton is really good he just don't have the thing to keep the team together unlike jordan he is the glue that keep chicago bulls together til 1998. when you see jordan play you just cant stop believing you could fly...

[evxdaddy]

As a Bulls fan and a Jordan fanatic I must say The Glove did a hel of a job on MJ. I believe Jordan shot like maybe 40% in those Finals which well bellow his avg. Now was it the thought of losing hes father and first trip to the Finals w/o him looming over his head I don't know but Gary did dope job on him.

[at1212b]

@evxdaddy Payton did a wicked job on MJ, and that's true, he did make MJ work for it.

But however, by that time, MJ was cruising with the system on autodrive, it looked like he figured that he didn't need to do as much so didn't seem to focus as much as going for it as hard. Now, if there had been any sense of urgency, I think you would have seen a different MJ.

Regardless of personal glory, def. going back to the Finals, especially all he had gone through since 96, def weighed on him.

[1979galway]

gary payton is b-shitting...he is arrogant and is not a great player at all.. hei sn othing agianst MJ...MJ played the whole season through on a very high level...

[itsmerobinyi]

@1979galway Ok, tell that to the millions of fans that actually know about GP. Tell that to MJ, who recognizes GP's defensive ability (as well as other players that have played against him).

[1979galway]

@itsmerobinyi he is a good player, but not good enough....casue he is arrogant and is not able to lead a team...he got stopped so many times...real good players win some titles...he was good as an individual...but if you hearhim talking on the interview he is so confidetn he could stop MJ..mygod go home adn sleep

[LyleLe]

@1979galway LOL YOU ARE CALLING SOMEONE ELSE ARROGANT IN THE SAME SENTENCE AS MICHAEL JORDAN? I am as much of a Jordan fan as anyone else but you are a god damn fool, Jordan is perhaps the most arrogant/cocky professional athlete of all time.

[CoolerKing37]

@1979galway Not a great player?? 9 time all-star, only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year, future first ballot Hall of Famer. Yeah, he sure sucks.... Idiot.

[PopExpo]

no shit. the sonics may have not won the finals against chicago..... but there (sonics) 95-96 roster defenently had the talent to go back.

[momosso]

he wanted to frsustrate MJ lol

[THETOYOTAable]

happy for you payton when you won a champs

[AgentCirrus]

Everyone is forgeting that Seattle was the 2nd best team in the NBA that year at 64-18, they even beat the Bulls in Seattle in the reg season that year with Payton stealing the ball from MJ in the final seconds of the game. it wasnt just Payton's defense, the Sonics were the 2nd best defensive team, most of the Bulls shot poorly in the finals, not just MJ. in terms of MJ's standards, that was his worst finals, though better than most other players. Payton played great D when MJ had 45 in 1997

[Jillacam]

R.I.P the mitten!!

[iTzeXile13]

at least GP won his 1 ring in miami

[dv122]

@iTzeXile1 dwane wade and shaq won him his ring. Oh and also the referees helped out in that series game 5 i believe when dwane wade shot something like 30 free throws and averaged more free throws per game than the entire dallas mavericks team combined. Fuck pussy shit hole cunt

[marciano0901]

@iTzeXile13 hey knuckle head GP didnt win a CHIP ....

[mulder1021]

I love how he says we could of won without Jordan there......of course the Bulls werent the Bulls without MJ....6 countem 6 championships...Seattle was probably the easiest of all the finals game.....soft team.

[frusionnn]

@mulder1021 Seattle was the easiest or toughest (scoring wise for Jordan)? Jordan was averaging only 27-27.5 PPG in the 96 finals (record low for all of Jordan's finals).

[WecanWinJesse]

@mulder1021 they could have gotten swept but i noticed why the Bullslet the sonics win so Michael could get the championship on father's day. They didnt play hard during those 2 games they lost.

[Dfins79]

@WecanWinJesse only a fool would agree with you. Every team wants the sweep.

[WecanWinJesse]

@Dfins79 dude that Final was to easy it could have been a sweep That wasnt no coincidence Someone with a l;ittle speculation would agree. It was planned. The Sonics was no real match for the Bulls that yr come on DFINS79 !!! your right about the sweep.. Be aware sports are rigged too..

[dv122]

@WecanWinJesse it should've been a sweep but the referees wanted them to win the championship on fathers day for a story book ending. The two games chicago lost rodman, pippen,longley and other key guys got into quick foul trouble. It should've been a sweep but you know how it is in the nba.

[dv122]

@WecanWinJesse yeah i believe that but also the bulls had some of their guys pick up quick fouls and play in foul trouble. Maybe the league wanted the bulls to win it on fathers day or maybe the players didn't play as hard. Whatever the case because the bulls lost 2 games gary payton got cocky and delusional thinks he could've beat the bulls and shut down MJ if he had guarded him.

[WecanWinJesse]

@dv122 Im glad im not the only who saw it this way!!! i said it onftahers day that they were going to win i was in jail at the time. If i was out i would have made a serious bet a 25,000 bet. and would have co,lected. Even whn the Celtics played on Holloween last year i said the Celtics are going to win. Because Halloween and Celts go hand and hand and they won....Its entertainment. colege games are a little bit more realer.

[dv122]

@WecanWinJesse 2002 wcf game 6 made it obvious that the NBA is rigged

[sackage27]

first matchup between the Sonics and Bulls after the Finals next season, Jordan dropped 45 on GP. Great defender, but dont talk like you successfully guarded the G.O.A.T.

[anerres]

Jordan can't be contained as Gary said Jordan Is the greatest ever. He has the highest ppg in the playoffs and all Gary did was get under his skin and inspire him even more to win

[TBlake34]

Let's not forget that Karl claiming that Jordan was "just a jump shooter" led to this game the next year:

watch?v=KdNuTG1ARzo

Payton was a great defender, probably one of the top five perimeter defenders of all time along with Pippen and Jordan, but Jordan faced tougher challenges. He spent years playing the Bad Boys 1-5 until his teammates improved. He faced down those Knicks teams that just decided to clothesline him every time he went to the basket.

He would have found a way.

[level13statedept]

So Gary the Glove...who was a good defender tires out MJ...he simply scores 32 instead of 37 (has 4 more assists) and the Bulls win anyway...Noone...stops MJ..or contains him or whatever...Gary you were blessed to not guard MJ in the first 3 games cause he would of undressed you too.

[kingofthenoobs]

@level13statedept if by 32 you mean 23 then yes

[rulae]

@level13statedept I'm a BIG fan of MJ. But MJ only scored 30+ in 1 game out of those 6 against the Sonics in the 1996 finals. The Bulls vs Sonics series was the lowest scoring series for MJ in all of his six finals.

[vincentrich]

@rulae

I guess winning 72 games took a lot out of him.

[dv122]

@vincentrich Jordan never took a game off. He played hard every game and on every possession. By the time he got to the playoffs he always had some nagging injury. He had tendonitis in his knees with a bad back. He played like that for the entire second half of the year. He was 32-33 years old. This is more why he struggled shooting percentage in this series and not because of gary paytons defense. I think Jordans teammates took those two games off to so he'd win it on fathers day.

[frusionnn]

@rulae that's right. Gary Payton held Jordan to a record-low of all Jordan's NBA Finals' (27-27.5 PPG)

[WecanWinJesse]

@frusionnn LOLOL

[frusionnn]

@WecanWinJesse ...?

[4deg4]

Damn, how do I like Gary more and more every time I watch an interview or watch him play?

It hurts to hear him say we could've gone back and he was most dissapointed for us fans. He needs to see his jersey retired in SEATTLE. The NBA should bring the Sonics back just to do that, Gary deserves it.

[blablamusic]

miss the sonics:(((

[pabarrie23]

Very well spoken Gary Payton dude and I agree, the best possible way Id imagine to 'contain', not 'stop' Jordan is to tire him out. Great insight.

[Zachrydaman]

Luv how he uses his injury as an excuse. Jordan woulda told his coach "no i'm guarding him" if da situation was vice versa.

[famohsen]

nobody can guard mike NOBODY

[Sonicsgate]

and that is one of the many reasons why we love him

[jamesjamescamp3]

gary just wants to talk about himself

[paok34]

I miss the sonics!! :(

[Hawkhunter07]

nice!

[iluvrei]

it was a thrill seeing you and kemp at the finals.