Michael Jordan 1988: 52 pts Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Entering his prime, this version of MJ was just untouchable - finishing with 35ppg, 5.5rebs, 5.9asts, 3.2stls, 1.6blks, 54%fg, the MVP, the Defensive Player of the Year, the scoring title, the steals title, the PER title, the First Defensive team and the First NBA team all in the year of 1988. With absurd athleticism matched with skill and will, this era of MJ was the most exciting as an individual spectacle. In this game, MJ dominated with his usual dazzling array of acrobatic drives and hanging jumpers to score a cool and effortless 52 points on 20-31 shooting and 12-12 free throws. MJ displayed an uncanny ability to enter a zone of jumpers while mixing it up by entering a zone of creative drives. With the Cavs becoming early rivals of the Bulls, MJ always seemed to take his game to another level when they came to town. The most exciting player ever was at his most exciting in these years just before he became a champion.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Michael
• Jordan
• Cavaliers
• Dwyane
• Wade
• Kobe
• Bryant
• Lebron
• James
• NBA
• Shaq
• Allen
• Iverson
• Vince
• Carter
• Tmac
• Lakers
• Bulls
• MJ

[billyvanbvb]

The bottomline is that MJ overall is the best player ever,---- due to his inner will and dazzlong athleticism. His overall stats are untouchable and he had the largest arsenal of mind boggling moves and ridiculous mid-air instinct that is unmatched.

Kobe is a ridiculously great player, he really is, but hes a different type of player than MJ, although they do appear similar at times.

[mnkhan2020]

WTF? There is really never will be next MJ. Bron cant even be Magic so get off his dick.

[migueljavier23]

@HymanKaplan Haha well that definitely is evidence there that he easily could've done 40+ppg in today's league

[HymanKaplan]

@migueljavier23 He actually avaraged 37.1 ppg the year before and over 40 ppg for entire half of season. That would very probably mean way over 40+ ppg for a season with todays rules

[migueljavier23]

@HymanKaplan haha aright i see what you're getting at and yeah i guess so. and i'm pretty sure that 40+ppg is realistic for a prime jordan. he did average 35 one season don't see why it's not possible :)

[HymanKaplan]

@migueljavier23 I said probably better long range and it is debatable, because their career 3p% is very similar, although MJ is better in PO and Finals. But Kobe made way more 3 pointers and is little more explosive from that range. So in that sense i have to give him very slight edge. Mid range shots or any other area or skill, MJ is better, you don't have to convince me about that, I'm the biggest MJ fan there is and I think he would score 40+ppg in todays league. But let's be realistic here..

[migueljavier23]

@HymanKaplan ok. so is all the other stats. the a majority of jordan's career he spent shooting jumpers regardless of "long" range or just within the arc. and fine. if you want long range just look at their career as a whole. never does kobe break the .400 mark in 3pt shooting percentage. i disregard jordans 94/95 career because he came back halfway where he shot for .500. but in the season after jordan shoots .427. yes kobe is more consistent but not in anyway a better shooter.

[HymanKaplan]

@migueljavier23 You're an idiot. Do you know what long range means? Reading is fundamental.

[migueljavier23]

@T82486 ... you've never seen any of the 90's then if you say that he never got a chance to face a whole lot of double teams. ever heard of the Jordan rules?

[migueljavier23]

@HymanKaplan their shooting percentage is practically identical? you're crazy. Kobe has never shot over 50% in his entire life. jordan average 49% over his entire carrer. get your stats right

[playmate1975xx]

nba is nothing like it use 2.....mj is a miracle

[HymanKaplan]

@T82486 Kobe was not better on ball defender and post player, that's just nonsence. MJ was better rebounder and passer, but it is close. He jumped higher than Kobe but i like Kobe dunks too, so it depands on your taste. Footwork is equal, but MJ was much quicker and more explosive. Kobe is more flashy dribbler, which leads to more turnovers, but you can say he is better dribbler. He is probably better long range shooter, although their % is practically identical. Agreed with the rest.