Michael Jordan 1991: 37pts, Xmas Day Vs. Detroit Pistons

As Tex Winter said, the Detroit Pistons had as much to do with MJ's greatness as MJ himself. The Pistons challenged MJ to raise his game with their bruising defense and as always, MJ figured out a way to not only beat his challengers, but to dominate them. Perhaps one might say that without the Pistons, MJ might have wallowed in his individual dominance but since they did exist, MJ was forced to elevate his mental game to another level. With the Pistons' defense, MJ mastered multiple dimensions to his already supreme game: finding split-second open spots before the defense could set, outsmarting traps and avoiding developing double teams, baiting the defense to draw them away from the tertiary shooters for the pass and so on. MJ stated that the physical aspect to the game provided no challenges at this stage and that everything was mental. It was all about outthinking the play and timing each move to get the edge. With that mindset, MJ's Bulls finally became wise and overcame the Pistons during this year. And as the single toughest obstacle in MJ's path to greatness, beating them meant nothing could stop them. Of course, it turned out to be true.

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[hoobie06]

for those of you who didn't get to watch the NBA in the 80s and 90s missed out. it was more exciting back then. we used to plan our sunday around watching the bulls/lakers/celtics on nbc. great players now, just not the same

[DAB901]

This was Xmas 1990, not 1991,

[masterchiefrules2012]

@DAB901 yeap, you can tell it from MJ's shoes. He wears the AJ 5 white/fire red-blacks and later debuted the AJ 6 black/deep infareds in the ASG 1991.

[Dkouts57]

"shooting 56%"

guys today cant approach 50% with weaker defenses

[GreatkingAlexander]

where everything finally went the gods way

[mirrenmaniac]

@chiladin

I see your point and I agree.

All great players should be evaluated on their own merits. But, TBH, I think Kobe deliberately invited a lot of the MJ comparisons himself (He even imitated MJ's SPEECH for years!)

The sad thing about Wilt, Kareem, Russell, Robertson and others is that, in their prime, pro basketball games were either not televised at all or shown on the infamous "tape delay" late at night. So, generations missed out on their greatness.

[chiladin]

@mirrenmaniac But in their own generation they are the measuring sticks. Alot of the younger generation they NEVER saw Jordan play so to them Kobe, Lebron or Wade are the measuring sticks. Just how in the 70's it might've been Kareem or Wilt or the Big-O it's all a matter of perception not facts it's just an opinion. Let Kobe live, let Lebron live. Jordan is done playing man it's a new era. Yeha he's the GOAT but let other people have a legacy without his shadow over them. Lebron is only 26!

[mirrenmaniac]

@kinkdinkling

You have a point about the Pistons' injuries that year.

But didn't MJ have tendonitis in BOTH knees that same year?

LOL: And let's not forget about Pip's recurring migraines!

[mirrenmaniac]

@chiladin

"Why does every great player after MJ have to be compared to MJ?"

That's a big clue right there, bro.

When KB and LBJ start being used as the measuring stick of excellence, we can start considering them GOAT candidates.

[MrSlik25]

@yahshuatwo And Jordans stamina is way way more than LBJ or KB...They are like kids to him...He would cook both of them in his prime...it would be blowouts...The Bulls teams that lost to the Pistons in 89 and 90 in the ECF would destroy the 2011 Miami Heat or Dallas Mavericks...Sweep either one..Lebron doesnt move in the same gear Mike did.

[yahshuatwo]

Lebron just has more muscle mass. Not more athletic. MJ had far superior body control and agility the KB or lbj

[ferrisnesse18]

all the fouls in the 1st 30 seconds would have been technicals or ejections in the nba today smdh