My latest reports on the world of sports. Welcome to Vaughn's World Sports Network. Here, you will receive nothing but pure, absolute, unbiased facts and opinions on the world of sports. I was inspired to create this, because of my undying passion for sports, and love of history. For those who desire a healthy combination of history with modern facts, this is the place for you. Follow me on Twitter: @301kingvaughnjr
With the NBA Finals behind us, I would like to present my All-Time Starting Lineup. Recently, CBS Sports also released their list of the 50 Greatest Players of all-time. In order for this team to be where they need to be, these players need to be the best versions of themselves. I will have mine coming soon, but for now, here are my Starting Five:
The Quintessential Point Guard. Magic Johnson is the standard that all Point Guards are measured by. At 6'9", Magic was a walking mismatch with his size, athleticism, and ball-handling skills to drive to the hoop or dish out a no-look pass. Magic opened up the world of scoring opportunities for his teammates. His IQ was at Genius Level. If you need someone to control the pace and tempo of the game, Magic is the Point Guard and Leader that you need.
Shooting Guard: Michael Jordan
Seasons: 15
Championships: 6
Finals MVPs: 6
MVPs: 5
All-Star Appearances: 14
All-Star MVPs: 3
Defensive Player of the Year: 1
All-NBA 1st Team: 10
All-NBA 2nd Team: 1
All-Defensive 1st Team: 9
All-Rookie Team: 1985
Rookie of the Year: 1985
NBA Scoring Titles: 10
Who else would you choose as your Starting Two Guard? The Greatest Basketball Player that the world has ever seen. Michael Jordan's main assignments would be his greatest strengths: Scoring and Defending. That is the scariest thing to think about considering who he is surrounded by. This team needs players that can change the pace of the game, and Michael can do that in the blink of an eye.
If you are looking to build the Prototype for the Ultimate Basketball Player, LeBron James would make a Great Template to start from. LeBron is lethal as a double threat on both ends of the floor. If you need someone to put on an onslaught from a Scoring standpoint, he can do that. If you need a pivotal playmaker, he can do that as well. If you need someone who can be a threat defensively, you have that as well. This team would have a very interesting dynamic with LeBron at Small Forward considering you have Magic Johnson, the Greatest Point Guard of all-time feeding you the ball along with Michael Jordan, the Most Dominant Scorer of all-time at the Two Guard. LeBron is also a Once in a Generation Player like everyone else in this Starting Lineup so he will make his presence known along with his teammates. When you consider his body of work and his consistency, LeBron James has officially taken Larry Bird's crown as the Greatest Small Forward Ever.
Power Forward: Tim Duncan
Seasons: 19
Championships: 5
Finals MVPs: 3
MVPs: 2
All-Star Appearances:
All-Star MVPs: 1
All-NBA 1st Teams: 10
All-NBA 2nd Teams: 3
All-NBA 3rd Teams: 2
All-Defensive 1st Teams: 8
All-Defensive 2nd Teams: 7
NBA All-Rookie Team (1998)
NBA Rookie of the Year (1998)
The Big Fundamental. The Quintessential Power Forward of his Era and All-Time. Tim Duncan modeled Basketball Technique at its finest. Duncan would bring great chemistry in a lineup with personalities larger than life. Tim would create great spacing in the Front Court as well as a Great Dynamic with the Greatest Center of All-Time. Duncan was not known for being flashy, but he was highly effective and efficient. He was a great weapon on both the Offensive and Defensive ends of the court.
If you wanted to build the Perfect Center in a Lab, this is how he would turn out. When talking about the Greatest Centers of All-Time, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a perfect storm. He is the ultimate combination of Offensive Dominance, Solid Defense, Championships, Great Individual Stats, and Achievements. Jabbar had the Greatest Offensive Weapon (Skyhook), he retired as the All-Time Leader in Blocks, he is STILL the All-Time Scoring Leader (38,387) and has the MOST MVP Awards (6). When you have that Deadly Combination in the Paint, that is the Ultimate exclamation point that anyone would want on their team. While there is a wide variety of Great Centers that you could choose from, Kareem has everything that I would want for my All-Time Starting Team.
Congratulations to Mr. LeBron James for winning his 4th NBA Most Valuable Player Award for the 2012-2013 NBA Season. LeBron has now joined Elite Company, making him the 5th Player in NBA History to win at least four or more MVP Awards:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6)
Michael Jordan (5)
Bill Russell (5)
Wilt Chamberlain (4)
LeBron James (4)
This is certainly a prestigious class to be a part of, which adds even greater value to LeBron's already impressive legacy. As always, LeBron has been playing like a man among boys this season. From the start, I pretty much knew that LeBron was the ultimate lock for the Award. No one else was even within striking distance of the award. James won 120 out of the 121 votes. He would have been the unanimous MVP if it had not been for scoring leader Carmelo Anthony winning that 1 vote. That is how lopsided the voting was. Not even KD received a vote, when he was second place last season. Shaq went through the same thing when he won the MVP in 2000, when Iverson had the 1 vote that kept him from being the unanimous winner. LeBron had another fantastic day in the office this season, as he averaged 26.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.7 spg, with an incredible career-high field goal percentage of 56%. LeBron also shot a career-high 40% from the 3-point line, while shooting 75% from the free throw line. Once again, LeBron led the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating (PER) for the sixth straight time in his career with a PER of 31.6. LeBron also led the league in Win Shares for the fifth season in a row (19.3), along with a career-high .322 Win Shares/Per 48 Minutes. James also shot a career-high in True Shooting Percentage, shooting 64%. Those are true examples of value, for both the team and the league. This season, LeBron James also became the "youngest" player in NBA History to reach 20,000 career total points. As I have said before, he is only considered the "fastest" because of age, but in terms of career, he is not. Either way, it was very impressive. LeBron was also named "NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month" for every month, except April. (November-March) This season, LeBron also went on a monstrous streak of games where he scored at least 30 or more points on 60% shooting or higher from the field. Even more recently, LeBron led the charge as the Miami Heat went on a 27-game winning streak, while finishing the season 66-16. With new additions such as Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, and Chris "Birdman" Anderson, LeBron found new players whose roles could be further enhanced by playing with him. This season, we have continued to see James be the general and march his team to success. Once again, we have seen LBJ continue to dominate on both ends of the court. LeBron has also earned the respect, and admiration from All-Time Greats such as Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Karl Malone as well as Bob Pettit to name a few. They expressed their appreciation of James during a roundtable interview with USA Today Sports. Kareem admires LeBron's desire to be the best. Bob Pettit sees his own commitment to strength and conditioning in LeBron's game. Moses Malone appreciates the path that he and James both took to NBA success coming straight out of High School, winning multiple MVP Awards and each a Finals MVP. Bill Russell has even said that he thinks of LeBron James the same way that he used to think about Wilt Chamberlain. Not to speak for anyone, but I am sure that Wilt would also have a certain admiration for LeBron James and everything that he brings to the table. Like Wilt, LeBron is head and shoulders above the rest, as his amazing individual production gives balance to his team success. Although Wilt only led his teams to 2 championships, he had 4 MVP's and multiple records to further solidify his legacy in other areas. James is carving his place in History even more. He continues to add more dimensions to his game. With all fairness to today's NBA, the competition looks more like St. Vincent St. Mary than the NBA that we have been so used to for years. This is not a swipe at LeBron, but to the rule changes. LeBron's versatility continues to reach new levels. However, James' season has orchestrated yet another incredible season to further etch his career to legend status.
Now that we have gotten the point crystal clear about the dominance of the 80s/90s, it is time to show how players like Jordan would translate into today's game. The fact that Michael Jordan put up the insane numbers that he did (10 scoring titles, 6 finals mvp's, 5 league mvp's), in an era where players went through wars getting the crap kicked out of them with all of the grabbing, holding, wrapping around, etc, is the ultimate testament to his greatness. The very fact that Michael Jordan became the cream of the crop for shooting guards, with his numbers (8 seasons of 30 ppg, 5 w/32+ ppg, shooting 50%+ from the field) further adds to that greatness. These are all testaments to sustained dominance, the likes that we have never seen before, and we may never see for a long time. With all respect to LeBron, I am not talking about a streak of games. I am talking about over the span of an era, and career. Unfortunately, too many new school fans cannot comprehend the idea of a player like Michael being as versatile as he was, and being able to attack the rim against such force during that time. Like many others, I firmly believe that if Jordan were in his prime today, his numbers would be greatly enhanced by today's rules. Not just me, but others such as Phil Jackson, Clyde Drexler, Dominique Wilkins, Penny Hardaway, and others. Obviously Phil coached him in that era. Dominique, Drexler, and others played under the rules of that era, and can tell first hand the drastic difference between the game then and now. They obviously understand how the rules impacted perimeter players like themselves. In this article, I will go into further detail to show how the rules would further enhance their numbers as well.
Here, I will give you a timeline of the various rule changes since Jordan's 1998 retirement. Over time, the game was slowly, but rapidly becoming more of a perimeter player's game.
1999-00
In the backcourt, there is no contact with hands and forearms by defenders. In the frontcourt, there is no contact with hands and forearms by defenders except below the free throw line extended in which case the defender may only use his forearm. In the post, neither the offensive player nor the defender is allowed to dislodge or displace a player who has legally obtained a position. Defender may not use his forearm, shoulder, hip or hand to reroute or hold-up an offensive player going from point A to point B or one who is attempting to come around a legal screen set by another offensive player. Slowing or impeding the progress of the screener by grabbing, clutching, holding "chucking" or "wrapping up" is prohibited.
2000-01
No contact with either hands or forearms by defenders except in the frontcourt below the free throw line extended in which case the defender may use his forearm only
Neither the offensive player nor the defender will be allowed to dislodge or displace a player who has legally obtained a position.
Defender may not use his forearm, shoulder, hip or hand to reroute or hold-up an offensive player going from point A to point B or one who is attempting to come around a legal screen set by another offensive player.
Slowing or impeding the progress of the screener by grabbing, clutching, holding "chucking" or "wrapping up" is prohibited.
(I guess the repeat is to further endorse and remind everyone).
2001-02
A new defensive three-second rule will prohibit a defensive player from remaining in the lane for more than three consecutive seconds without closely guarding an offensive player.
2004-05
New rules were introduced to curtail hand-checking, clarify blocking fouls and call defensive three seconds to open up the game.
2006-07
On a clear-path-to-the-basket foul, the team that is fouled is awarded two free throw attempt and the ball on the sideline.
As you can see, as time went on, the NBA was deteriorating the impact of the post players in favor of the perimeter. Ironically, the rules began to shift during the Shaq/Duncan reign (last era of dominant big men). No longer could a player grab, hold, wrap around or check with the hand in the face. Forearms were prohibited. The 2004-2005 season is where things really came to a head, when they clearly wanted to "curtail hand-checking" to call defensive three seconds in favor of this one key purpose "to open up the game". Even though this is pretty explanatory, allow me to break it down even more: When they say to open up the game, it is to give perimeter players more space to score. It is no coincidence that Steve Nash went from a middle of the pack Point Guard, to suddenly a 2-time MVP, while shooting 50% from the field.
Here is Brooklyn Nets Star Joe Johnson on how the rule changes helped him, from an interview in the summer of 2010: "It benefits me," said Johnson, who was one of three Hawks players that season who averaged 20 or more ppg that season. (Mike Bibby & Jamal Crawford were the other two) Johnson continues: "It definitely changes the game because it gives every guy that extra step. If we could hand check now, the game would be totally different. If they could hand check back in the day, there are some guys that would have been even better than they were. It would have been nuts for some of the big-time scorers and perimeter players from the 1980's and 1990's. Can you imagine what Michael Jordan would have done in a league where you couldn't hand check."
That is the smoking gun evidence from a player of this era! Even he testifies about how the rule changes would further benefit not just him, but the top perimeter players from back then. If you won't take his word, I have other accounts.
Here are quotes from players and coaches from that time.
Phil Jackson on Michael Jordan today: "Michael would average 45 with these rules."
Former Bulls Assistant Coach Tex Winter (Architect of "Triangle Offense"): "Players today can get to the basket individually much easier."
Larry Brown: "The college game is much more physical than our game. I always tease Michael Jordan, if he played today, he'd average 50."
Now, time for the players:
From a radio interview with Clyde Drexler:
Question: In the current league where there is no hand checking and no ruff play, how much better would your numbers be?
Clyde Drexler: "Oh, tremendously better, from shooting percentage to points per game everything would be up, and our old teams would score a lot more points, and that is saying something because we could score a lot back then. I do think there should be an asterisk next to some of these scoring leaders, because it is much different trying to score with a forearm in your face. It is harder to score with that resistance. You had to turn your back on guys defending you back in the day with all the hand checking that was going on. For guys who penetrate these days, it's hunting season. Yes, now you can play (floating) zone, (legally), but teams rarely do."
Scottie Pippen in January 2006: "The defensive rules, the hand checking, the ability to make contact on a guy in certain areas...(have) all been taken away from the game. If Kobe could get 81, I think Michael could get 100 points in today's game."
Craig Hodges, another former Jordan teammate, now a Lakers shooting coach:
Question: If you could take one player in their prime, would you take Michael Jordan or Kobe?
Hodges: "M.J., all day. There's no comparison. M.J. could score 100 points in this era. You can't hand-check now. Imagine that trying to guard M.J. It would be crazy."
Dominique Wilkins was also addressed with this subject.
Question: Seeing that you played in one of the greatest eras in NBA history, what has changed the most in the NBA since your days as a player?
Dominique Wilkins: "The power forward position had the license to kick your butt and the game was very physical. I think the physical aspect of the game, some of it has been taken away with the rule changes."
Question 2: Do you think you could take them?
Wilkins: "I don't believe in comparisons, but I look at the era I played in. Like I said, when you have to play against a great player every night, that defines who you are if you can compete on that same level night in and night out. That tells you where your place is in the whole, I would say, history of the game. You put yourself in a very high spot."
Dominique on how he would play today:
Wilkins: "When you can compete on that level against the greatest players every single night, and when you can play just as good or better, that really defines who you are as a player. So if you're asking me what would I have done (today), well, put it this way, if you couldn't touch me (because of the rule changes), instead of averaging 25 or 30 (points), I'd probably average 40."
Scottie Pippen on MJ/Kobe:
Scottie Piippen: "I think you definitely have to give Michael a little bit of a nod in most areas of the game, whether it is passing or shooting. Kobe is truly a great shooter, but he is playing in a different era of the game. It's not as physical. He also has more freedom in going to the basket, which creates a more wide-open scoring opportunity for players like him in today's game. We've never seen the amount of players scoring 30, 40 or 50 points in a game. Ten years ago, if a player scored 50 points in a game, it would be major news all week."
Tim Grover, (who has trained Jordan, LeBron, and Kobe) was asked who would win a 1-on-1 battle with Jordan vs. either Kobe or LeBron:
Grover: "Oh, Michael. No question. From a physical and mental standpoint, he's the best I've ever seen. If he were playing now, with the way the refs call everything, and with all the padding these guys wear, he'd average 40 or 50 a night if he wanted."
NBA.com conducted an interview with Executive Vice President Stu Jackson about the impact of the hand checking rule changes back in 2004-05.
NBA.com: "Since the hand-checking rule was interpreted differently beginning in the 2004-05 season, the game has opened up. Players are penetrating and the floor is spread. As a result, scoring has risen every season. Was this anticipated back in 2004?
Jackson: "No. The scoring increase was not our goal. Our objective was to allow for more offensive freedom by not allowing defenders to hand-, forearm- or body-check ball handlers. By doing so, we encouraged more dribble penetration. As players penetrated more, it produced higher quality shots for the ball handler as well as shots for teammates on passes back out to perimeter. When NBA players get higher quality shots-having more time to shoot-they tend to make more of them."
NBA.com: "Shooting percentages have risen since 2004-05 regardless of location- at-the-rim shots, short-and deep-mid range and 3-pointers. Does this surprise you, especially the higher percentages from 3-point range?"
Jackson: "It doesn't. With the rule and interpretation changes, it has become more difficult for defenders to defend penetration, cover the entire floor on defensive rotations and recover to shooters. This has provided more time for shooters to ready themselves for quality shots. With more dribble penetration, ball handlers are getting more opportunities at the rim. Additionally, teams now realize the 3-point shot is a great competitive equalizer, so they are taking more; they have improved their skill level on threes and are making them at a higher rate."
Finally, it is time to for the man himself, Michael Jordan:
"The history book inspires them to be some of the best", said Jordan. "Rules have changed to help them. I could have averaged 50 points today."
Jordan also says due to the hand checking rule changes, triple digits would be reachable for him in today's game. "It's less physical and the rules have changed, obviously." says Jordan. "Based on these rules, if I had to play with my style of play, I'm pretty sure I would have fouled out or I would have been at the free throw line pretty often and I could have scored 100 points."
I decided to test that theory myself in video game form. Recently, I played NBA 2k12, and used Michael Jordan in Create A Legend Mode. During the season, MJ won MVP. (50 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.6 spg, 61% FG, 38% 3pt, 92% FT) This may seem like a game, but for me, it is also a symbol of art imitating life. Not only did MJ break his own scoring record (3,041) from 1987, but he also broke Wilt's 1962 scoring record (4,029). MJ finished with 4,045.
Now, let's take a look at Jordan's 1986-87 season:
Points: 3,041
Points Per Game: 37.1
FG%: 48%
FT%: 85%
Rebounds: 430
RPG: 5.2
Assists: 377
APG: 4.6
Steals: 236
SPG: 2.9
Blocks: 125
BPG: 1.5
Now, here is a more realistic view of what MJ would average in today's game. (61% was a bit of a stretch by the way, no matter how bad today's defense is)
MJ in the Modern NBA:
Points: 4,041
PPG: 50.5
FG%: 50.6% (51%)
FT%: 85%
Rebounds: 525
RPG: 6.5
Assists: 400
APG: 5.5
Steals: 265
SPG: 3.2
Blocks: 150
BPG: 1.9
With that said, I firmly believe that he would score at least 1,000 more points than that season with the modern rules. With his advantage in free throw shooting, he would be able to break Wilt's 1962 scoring record. Naturally, Wilt would have an advantage in shooting percentage from the field, because of his position. Chamberlain shot 50.6% (51%). The other stats are a bit miscellaneous, but I believe that Jordan's field goal percentage would increase because of how much easier it would be for him to score without resistance. If you look at Jordan's other seasons where he shot between 52-54% (88-92), those percentages would increase as well.
Here is a look at the difference in defense:
Jordan vs. Old School Defense:
Modern Era Defense:
The difference in contact is clearly obvious. If that doesn't cement it even more, here is something else that will blow you away.
Michael Jordan had 39 career 50+ point games. 22 of them came against Top 10 Defenses, 13 against Top 5 Defenses.
Here is a career timeline of Jordan's 50 point games:
1. 63 points vs. Boston Celtics (4/20/1986) (Playoff Career-high)
Defensive Rank: #1
2. 50 points vs. New York Knicks (11/1/1986)
Defensive Rank: #20
3. 53 points vs. Portland Trailblazers (1/8/1987)
Defensive Rank: #13
4. 58 points vs. New Jersey Nets (2/6/1987)
Defensive Rank: #18
5. 61 points vs. Detroit Pistons (3/4/1987)
Defensive Rank: #5 (DPOY: Dennis Rodman)
6. 56 points vs. Philadelphia 76ers (3/24/1987)
Defensive Rank: #12
7. 53 points vs. Indiana Pacers (4/12/1987)
Defensive Rank: #8
8. 50 points vs. Milwaukee Bucks (4/13/1987)
Defensive Rank: #4 (DPOY: Sidney Moncrief)
9. 61 points vs. Atlanta Hawks (4/16/1987)
Defensive Rank: #2
10. 52 points vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (12/17/1987)
Defensive Rank: #11
11. 52 points vs. Portland Trailblazers (2/26/1988)
Defensive Rank: #10
12. 59 points vs. Detroit Pistons (3/3/1988)
Defensive Rank: #2 (DPOY: Dennis Rodman)
13. 50 points vs. Boston Celtics (3/18/1988)
Defensive Rank: #17
14. 50 points vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (4/28/1988)
Defensive Rank: #5
15. 55 points vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (5/1/1988)
Defensive Rank: #5
16. 52 points vs. Boston Celtics (11/9/1988)
Defensive Rank: #20
17. 52 points vs. Philadelphia 76ers (11/16/1988)
Defensive Rank: #24
18. 52 points vs. Denver Nuggets (11/26/1988)
Defensive Rank: #8
19. 53 points vs. Phoenix Suns (1/21/1989)
Defensive Rank: #5
20. 50 points vs. Milwaukee Bucks (2/16/1989)
Defensive Rank: #6
21. 50 points vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (5/5/1989)
Defensive Rank: #2
22. 54 points vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (11/3/1989)
Defensive Rank: #9
23. 52 points vs. Orlando Magic (12/20/1989)
Defensive Rank: #27
24. 69 points vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (3/28/1990) (Career-high)
Defensive Rank: #9
25. 51 points vs. Washington Bullets (3/19/1992)
Defensive Rank: #12
26. 50 points vs. Denver Nuggets (3/24/1992)
Defensive Rank: #13 (DPOY: Dikembe Mutombo)
27. 56 points vs. Miami Heat (4/29/1992)
Defensive Rank: #25
28. 54 points vs. LA Lakers (11/20/1992)
Defensive Rank: #17
29. 57 points vs. Washington Bullets (12/23/1992)
Defensive Rank: #25
30. 64 points vs. Orlando Magic (1/16/1993)
Defensive Rank: #11
31. 52 points vs. Charlotte Hornets (3/12/1993)
Defensive Rank: #19
32. 54 points vs. New York Knicks (5/31/1993)
Defensive Rank: #1
33. 55 points vs. Phoenix Suns (6/16/1993)
Defensive Rank: #9
34. 55 points vs. New York Knicks (3/28/1995)
Defensive Rank: #1
35. 53 points vs. Detroit Pistons (3/7/1996)
Defensive Rank: #7
36. 50 points vs. Miami Heat (11/6/1996)
Defensive Rank: #1
37. 51 points vs. New York Knicks (1/21/1997)
Defensive Rank: #2
38. 55 points vs. Washington Bullets (4/30/1997)
Defensive Rank: #13
39. 51 points vs. Charlotte Hornets (12/29/2001)
Defensive Rank: #10
Here is a breakdown of this timeline:
Jordan had 34 games between 50-59 points. (27 during the regular season, 7 in the playoffs)
Jordan scored 60+ points 5 times. (4 during the regular season, 1 playoffs)
The fact that Michael scored a playoff record 63 points against the powerhouse 1986 Celtics, is beyond impressive. Boston not only had the 1st ranked Defense, but they went on to win the Championship that season as well. I am much more impressed with that game, than Kobe scoring 81 points against a bottom feeder Toronto Raptors team. (WORST defense in the league that season)
Jordan also had 4 50+ point games against teams with a Defensive Player of the Year:
61 points vs. Dennis Rodman (Detroit- 3/4/1987)
50 points vs. Sidney Moncrief (Milwaukee- 4/13/1987)
59 points vs. Dennis Rodman (Detroit- 3/3/1988)
50 points vs. Dikembe Mutombo (Denver- 3/24/1992)
Bonus:
Here are the players that won Defensive Player of the Year that Jordan scored 40+ points:
41 points vs. Los Angeles Lakers (11/28/1986)
(D.P.O.Y- Michael Cooper)
41 points vs. Milwaukee Bucks (12/12/1986)
(D.P.O.Y- Sidney Moncrief)
43 points vs. Houston Rockets (1/15/1987)
(D.P.O.Y- Hakeem Olajuwon)
44 points vs. Houston Rockets (3/16/1987)
(D.P.O.Y- Hakeem Olajuwon)
44 points vs. Houston Rockets (12/12/1987)
(D.P.O.Y- Hakeem Olajuwon)
42 points vs. Los Angeles Lakers (12/20/1988)
(D.P.O.Y- Michael Cooper)
46 points vs. Detroit Pistons (1989 ECF- Game 3)
(D.P.O.Y- Dennis Rodman)
44 points vs. San Antonio Spurs (2/3/1990)
(D.P.O.Y- David Robinson)
42 points vs. San Antonio Spurs (1/24/1993)
(D.P.O.Y- David Robinson)
40 points vs. Seattle Supersonics (1/13/1998)
(D.P.O.Y- Gary Payton)
Notice how 6 out of these 10 games came against Big Men (Centers) who won Defensive Player of the Year:
David Robinson ('92)
Hakeem Olajuwon ('93 & '94)
Kobe has had 25 50 point games in his career. Only 7 of them came against Top 10 Defenses.
Out of those games, Kobe has played 20 games with 50-59 points. (19 regular season, 1 playoffs)
Kobe also has 5 60+ point games (5 regular season, 0 playoffs)
Scoring in the Jordan Era (Old School Rules):
1988-89 Points Per Game Leaders:
1. Michael Jordan- 32.5
2. Karl Malone- 29.1
3. Dale Ellis- 27.5
4. Clyde Drexler- 27.2
5. Chris Mullin- 26.5
6. Alex English- 26.5
7. Dominique Wilkins- 26.2
8. Charles Barkley- 25.8
9. Tom Chambers- 25.7
10. Hakeem Olajuwon- 24.8
(Hakeem was the only player under 25 ppg)
1989-90 Points Per Game Leaders:
1. Michael Jordan- 33.6
2. Karl Malone- 31.0
3. Patrick Ewing- 28.6
4. Tom Chambers- 27.2
5. Dominique Wilkins- 26.7
6. Charles Barkley- 25.2
7. Chris Mullin- 25.1
8. Reggie Miller- 24.6
9. Hakeem Olajuwon- 24.3
10. David Robinson 24.3
1990-91 Points Per Game Leaders:
1. Michael Jordan- 31.5
2. Karl Malone- 29.0
3. Bernard King- 28.4
4. Charles Barkley- 27.6
5. Patrick Ewing- 26.6
6. Michael Adams- 26.5
7. Dominique Wilkins- 25.9
8. Chris Mullin- 25.7
9. David Robinson- 25.6
10. Mitch Richmond- 23.9
1991-92 Points Per Game Leaders:
1. Michael Jordan- 30.1
2. Karl Malone- 28.0
3. Chris Mullin- 25.6
4. Clyde Drexler- 25.0
5. Patrick Ewing- 24.0
1992-93 Points Per Game Leaders:
1. Michael Jordan- 32.6
2. Dominique Wilkins- 29.9
3. Karl Malone- 27.0
4. Hakeem Olajuwon- 26.1
5. Charles Barkley- 25.6
6. Patrick Ewing- 24.2
1993-94 Points Per Game Leaders:
1. David Robinson- 29.8
2. Shaquille O'Neal- 29.3
3. Hakeem Olajuwon- 27.3
4. Dominique Wilkins- 26.0
5. Karl Malone- 25.2
6. Patrick Ewing- 24.5
1994-95 Points Per Game Leaders:
1. Shaquille O'Neal- 29.3
2. Hakeem Olajuwon- 27.8
3. David Robinson- 27.6
4. Karl Malone- 26.7
5. Jamal Mashburn- 24.1
(The league's scoring was ruled by Big Men when during Jordan's 1st retirement)
1995-96:
1. Michael Jordan- 30.4
2. Hakeem Olajuwon- 26.9
3. Shaquille O'Neal- 26.6
4. Karl Malone- 25.7
5. David Robinson- 25.0
1997-98:
1. Michael Jordan- 28.7
2. Shaquille O'Neal- 28.3
3. Karl Malone- 27.0
Now, a look at the Modern NBA:
2003-04 Point Per Game Leaders (Pre-Rules Changes):
1. Tracy McGrady- 28.0
2. Peja Stojakovic- 24.2
3. Kevin Garnett- 24.2
4. Kobe Bryant- 24.0
(Anyone notice how low the scoring was during this season? Does anyone also notice where Kobe is on the list? Immediately, the NBA changed the rules to speed up the pace of the scoring, and to open the floor.)
2004-05 Scoring Leaders- (The floodgates opened for perimeter players with the rule changes):
1. Allen Iverson- 30.7
2. Kobe Bryant- 27.6
3. LeBron James- 27.2
4. Dirk Nowitzki- 26.1
5. Amare Stoudemire- 26.0
6. Tracy McGrady- 25.7
7. Gilbert Arenas- 25.5
8. Vince Carter- 24.5
9. Dwyane Wade- 24.1
2005-06:
1. Kobe Bryant- 35.4
2. Allen Iverson- 33.0
3. LeBron James- 31.4
4. Gilbert Arenas- 29.3
5. Dwyane Wade- 27.2
6. Paul Pierce- 26.8
7. Dirk Nowitzki- 26.6
8. Carmelo Anthony- 26.5
9. Michael Redd- 25.4
10. Ray Allen- 25.1
11. Elton Brand- 24.7
12. Vince Carter- 24.2
(This was the same season where Kobe scored the notoriously overrated 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, a below sub-par team. Overall, this was the WORST season for perimeter defense, because of how many players averaged 24.0 ppg or higher. 11 out of those 12 play on the perimeter. Nowitzki is a hybrid PF that plays outside.)
Wilkins (Modern Era):
Points: 2,700
Points Per Game: 34.7
FG%: 51%
FT%: 84%
(These are mere projections. The Big Men would have a field day under these rules.)
The amount of perimeter players that led in scoring since 2004-05 is alarming! This is the direct example of the extinction of the interior scorers like Shaq, Hakeem, Robinson, and others.
In Conclusion, Michael Jordan will always be the ultimate measuring stick for perimeter players to be measured by. The facts speak for themselves. Players in Jordan's era were still very impressive, in spite of the physical resistance during that time. Michael not only overcame the best perimeter players, but also the best interior players when he got to the basket under very stiff, and intense competition. Michael Jordan reigns supreme in ANY ERA!
Case Closed!
(Special Thanks to Bruce Blitz, Basketball-Reference, and NBA.com)
I would like to take the time out and say congratulations to LeBron James for reaching the 20,000 point club, after 726 games. This is an incredible feat, for a player like LeBron who is already in his 10th season. I feel that it is a shame that he has not gotten the proper credit that he deserves as a prolific scorer, until he came close to this milestone. His scoring ability is overshadowed by his all around numbers, and playmaking ability. Far too often, he is compared to Magic, but he is not a true point guard. LBJ was superior to Magic scoring-wise. LeBron James even has a scoring title to his legacy. (2008-30 ppg) LeBron has the 3rd highest scoring average in history, behind Wilt Chamberlain (2nd), and Michael Jordan (1st). If you ask me, I would rather put the ball in his hands than Kobe. However, I have to do one thing before I go any further: I have to put this accomplishment in perspective. Yes, LeBron is the "youngest" to reach 20k points, just like Kobe was the "youngest" to reach 30k points, but age means nothing when it pertains to the NBA. As the song says "Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number". It is about how many games it took someone to reach that milestone. From a career standpoint, it has taken LeBron and Kobe "longer" to reach 20,000 points compared to those ahead of them. Even though both men came out of high school, they have played more games, and have had more flaws along the way, compared to their predecessors. As I was watching the Heat-Warriors game, I saw how Disn-ESPN blew smoke up Kobe again, saying that he was the "fastest to reach 20,000 points" before LeBron, because of his age. The players ahead of LeBron have turned pro after at least 3-4 years of college. Now, time to put things into perspective:
As it is very clear to see, Wilt Chamberlain reached this plateau faster than anyone, because of his incredible scoring averages (7 Scoring Titles in 7 seasons). Michael Jordan was the next to reach 20,000, but it took him 2 extra seasons than Wilt, while winning his seventh scoring title at the end of the 1992-93 season. It is also clear to see that LeBron has made, or at least taken less shots than the men above him, which results in him having to play more games to reach this point. Oscar Robertson was his prototype as a scoring playmaker. Like LeBron, Oscar himself was your standard 27-7-7 type of player. However, he was also the third fastest player to reach 20,000 points, because he has had more seasons of 30+ ppg (6) while LeBron has only had two. Others such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Allen Iverson, and Jerry West have also had more seasons with 30 ppg or higher than LeBron. As I close out this point, I would like to make some other things very clear. LeBron has played 227 more games than Wilt, 116 more games than Michael, 55 more games than Oscar, 42 more games than Kareem, 15 more games than Elgin, 13 more games than Iverson, and 6 more games than West. However, I will go to LeBron's defense for this one case: Elgin Baylor and Allen Iverson were the biggest "volume scorers" out of this list. Even though it took them less games, LeBron has a higher field goal percentage than both of them. He was a more efficient scorer than both Baylor, and Iverson ever were. Iverson and Elgin have never had seasons shooting 50% from the field, while everyone else on this list has, including LeBron himself. With that being said, let us take a look at his contemporary, Mr. Kobe Bryant:
-Kobe Bryant (20,000 points, 811 games)
*Side note: If you include ABA, it also took Julius Erving just as long as LeBron to reach this feat.
Obviously, Kobe has had more blemishes than LeBron and any other player leading to this point in his career. LeBron has already annihilated his "youngest to 20,000" milestone. If he stays healthy, he can destroy his "youngest to 30,000" milestone as well. Kobe played 85 more games than LeBron did to reach this point. Unfortunately, Disn-ESPN, or as Dan Patrick would call them "The Mothership", is trying to protect their long-time Jordan-like investment (Kobe), by covering up the nasty zits on his legacy. As I have said before, LeBron should receive as much credit for his scoring as Kobe, if not more. LeBron is excellent at creating his own shots. That is the best way for me to describe it.
Here are the accomplishments of the players before him, when they achieved 20,000 points:
-When Wilt Chamberlain scored 20,000 points, he won 2 MVP's, and 7 Scoring Titles.
-When Michael Jordan scored 20,000 points, he won 3 MVP's 6 Scoring Titles, and 2 Finals MVP's.
-When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 20,000 points, he won 5 MVP's, 2 Scoring Titles, and 1 Finals MVP.
-When Oscar Robertson scored 20,000 points, he won 1 MVP, and 1 Scoring Title.
-When LeBron James scored 20,000 points, he won 3 MVP's, 1 Scoring Title, and 1 Finals MVP.
-When Jerry West scored 20,000 points, he won 1 Scoring Title, and 1 Finals MVP.
-When Allen Iverson scored 20,000 points, he won 1 MVP, and 4 Scoring Titles.
Out of the players who reached 20k before LeBron, Elgin Baylor had the least body of work. LeBron is in great company, when you look at his accomplishments, combined with his scoring. (This is specifically directed to the players who reached 20k within the span of time as LeBron).
These players had great resumes when they reached this point, they reached 20,000 after playing more games than LeBron.
-Kobe Bryant- 20,000 points, 2 Scoring Titles
When Kobe reached 20,000, he had not won a Regular Season MVP, nor did he win a Finals MVP at this point. He had 2 more scoring titles than Elgin Baylor, but 2 less scoring titles than George Gervin.
Finally, it is time to look at the best 20k scorers of all-time. Here is a look at their field goal percentages:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar- 38,387 points, 56% FG shooting- 1,560 games
Karl Malone- 36,928 points, 51% FG shooting- 1,476 games
Michael Jordan- 32,292 points, 50% FG shooting (51% as a Bull)- 1,072 games
Wilt Chamberlain- 31,419 points, 54% FG shooting- 1,045 games
Kobe Bryant- 30,619 points, 45% FG shooting- 1,199 games
Julius Erving- 30,026 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,243 games
Moses Malone- 29,580 points, 49% FG shooting- 1,455 games
Shaquille O'Neal- 28,596 points, 58% FG shooting- 1,207 games
Elvin Hayes- 27,313 points, 45% FG shooting- 1,303 games
Hakeem Olajuwon- 26,946 points, 51% FG shooting- 1,238 games
Oscar Robertson- 26,710 points, 48% FG shooting- 1,040 games
Dominique Wilkins- 26,668 points, 46% FG shooting- 1,074 games
George Gervin- 26,595 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,060 games
John Havlicek- 26,395 points, 43% FG shooting- 1,270 games
Alex English- 25,613 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,193 games
Rick Barry- 25,279 points, 45% FG shooting- 1,020 games
Reggie Miiler-25,279 points, 47% FG shooting- 1,389 games
Jerry West- 25,192 points, 47% FG shooting- 932 games
Kevin Garnett- 24,824 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,293 games
Patrick Ewing- 24,815 points, 50% FG shooting- 1,183 games
Allen Iverson- 24,368 points, 42% FG shooting- 914 games
Dirk Nowitzki- 24,312 points, 47% FG shooting- 1,068 games
Charles Barkley-23,757 points, 54% FG shooting- 1,073 games
Elgin Baylor- 23,149 points, 43% FG shooting- 846 games
Clyde Drexler-22,195 points, 47% FG shooting- 1,086 games
Larry Bird- 21,791 points, 50% FG shooting- 897 games
David Robinson- 20,790 points, 52% FG shooting- 987 games
LeBron James- 20,007 points, 49% FG shooting- 726 games
There were others in between, but I wanted to cut it short. LeBron is in great company, especially with his field goal percentage. I added others such as Havlicek, Elgin, Iverson, etc, so that there have been other volume scorers besides Kobe. Outside of those players, the rest were very efficient, and took smarter shots. Now, LeBron is in the midst of his fourth straight season of 50% or higher from the field. Once again, I am very impressed, but he is not the fastest.
Congratulations to LeBron James for winning his first title, while leading the Miami Heat to victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 NBA Finals. Therefore, LeBron James' victory as the Leader of a championship team, further solidifies and cements his legacy among the all-time greats, adding a Finals MVP trophy along with his 3 MVP Awards. Now, LeBron has proven that he is indeed an Alpha Dog level player, both in the regular season and in the postseason with an incredible playoff run to add to that. LeBron's versatility is on another level apart from the rest of the league. As for those critics that say that LeBron is not "clutch" or a "killer", as The Rock says, they can know their role and shut their mouth!! LeBron has given the ultimate validation and confirmation, that he can in fact, close the deal. In fact, he has often "closed" the game more than his star sidekick Dwyane Wade. Excluding last year's Finals vs. the Mavs, James was the more consistent player for that team. LeBron is 45% in Game-winning situations, while Wade is 33%. During the series against the Celtics, LeBron was the driving force. In the Eastern Conference Finals vs Chicago, LeBron was the ultimate weapon to destroy League MVP Derrick Rose. During the offseason, LeBron went on a mission, with full focus. He goes to Houston to train with Hall of Famer, and NBA Legend Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon to improve his low post game. The training brought great results, as LeBron cut out his jump shooting, and took more control down low in the paint. As a result, he recorded a career high field goal percentage of 53%. During a compacted, sloppy lockout-shortened 66 game season, LeBron James was the most consistent player throughout the league, especially for his team. By the way, did I mention before that this year's average FG % was 45 percent? Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade, the man that many called the main leader on the team, played anything like it, as he missed nearly half of the season with injuries, along with inconsistent play, bringing in only 22 ppg. Along with a great shooting percentage, LeBron's numbers were his typical well-rounded stats across the board, as he averaged merely 27.1 ppg, 7.9 RPGs, and 6.2 apg. LeBron turned up the Heat (no pun intended) in the playoffs, with a phenomenal 30.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg, and 5.6 apg, off of 50% shooting, with a playoff run that we have not seen for quite some time, since Prime Shaq, & Tim Duncan. During this time, he guarded everyone from Carmelo Anthony, Danny Grainger, Rondo, Paul Pierce, to Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook. The highlights of this run included a (40/18/9) in Game 4 of the East Semis ,vs the Pacers, (45/15/5) in Game 6 of the ECF vs. the Celtics, and a triple double (26/11/13) in Game 5 of the Finals vs. The Thunder. In the first round, he burned the Knicks with (27.2/6.2/5.6). In the Conference Semis vs. Indiana, he obliterated the Pacers for (30.0/10.8/6.2). In the Conference Finals, he went on a rampage (33.6/11.0/3.9). In the Finals, he cleaned Kevin Durant & the Thunder's clock (28.6/10.2/7.4). When someone is hungry for a title, they have a breakout season that I call their "statement" season. In this case for Michael, it was 1991 vs. the Lakers, when he vanquished them for 31/6/11 55% FG, in his quest for his very first title, and First Finals MVP. (He would soon make many more statements). That season, he went on to win League MVP (31.5/6.0/5.5/2.7), and led the Bulls through a season in which they could not be stopped. For Magic Johnson, it was 1987, when he had his greatest individual season (24/6.3/12.2) en route to his first MVP (his best MVP season). Johnson was bashed for the way he & the Lakers underperformed the previous year vs. The Houston Rockets in the WCF. This season, Magic went on to lead the Lakers to a 65-17 record on the way to putting away arch-rival Larry Bird's Celtics once and for all. For the Finals, Johnson averaged (26.2/8.0/13.0). These are just the few of many great examples, where a player is on a seek & destroy mission, where they blow the competition, and leave a trail of bodies behind. These are the kind of seasons, where a player has that standout, defining season, where they make their mark as the undisputed "Best Player in the NBA" by winning League MVP, while leading his team to a title, then earning "Finals MVP", to stand as the best in both regular & postseason. This season, LeBron James definitively, and undeniably made that claim, as he put his ultimate stamp on the league as the best in the world. This year, along with the rest of his consistency during his career, has launched LeBron higher into the upper echelon of NBA Greatness. LeBron's legend will only continue to grow.
It is official. LeBron James has been crowned the MVP for the 3rd time in his career, and has solidified his place as the best all-around player for both his team and the regular season. The award goes to who has added the most value for his team and the most dominating player throughout the league and he certainly has fit both forms of criteria for the past 4 years. In spite of a truncated 66 game regular season, LeBron has played out of his mind. He has not only enhanced his game in the low post from his training with Hakeem Olajuwon, but he has also peaked statistically, with an insane career high field goal percentage of .531. Only 3 other players have had reached a stronger stat level in the regular season:
1. Michael Jordan ('88, '89, '90, '91)
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('71, '72)
3. Wilt Chamberlain ('62, '63)
Appropriately, these players are my Top 3 Players of all-time. Now, I am not going off the deep end to compare LeBron to any of these guys on a larger scale like others do, but when you look at regular season, he is in very good company (when you look at NBA Metrics). Out of this list, only MJ and Kareem won the MVP during those great seasons. LeBron averaged 27.1 ppg (Career average), while shooting 53% while the league average field goal % was 45. The incedible versatility of LeBron James is what puts him above the rest, because of how efficient he is as a scorer, his terrific playmaking ability as a passer, his great rebounding to open up for his transition game, unbelievable athleticism, and improved defense. If you are looking for those ingredients all in one superstar, LeBron James is the answer. LeBron has been a master at opening the floor for his teammates and he has been able to guard every position from the 1-5 effectively. James has been the most consistent member of the Miami Heat, when their co-Alpha Dog (Dwyane Wade) has missed at least 40% of the season due to injury, relegating him to the No. 2 man on the team. This award is very valuable to a player's legacy and this raises LeBron's stock even further at this point. This dynamic reminds me of the Moses Malone/Dr. J tag team in 1983. At the time, Moses Malone was the most dominant player in the league as the reigning MVP with the Houston Rockets. Malone won his 2nd MVP award in his last season with the Rockets the previous year, with a phenomenal campaign while posting a career high 31.1 ppg, and 14.7 rpg. His first season with the Sixers, nothing changed for him from a performance standpoint. He was the best player on an already stacked team, leading the way with 24.5 ppg (5th in the league), while still leading the league in rebounding (15.3 rpg). Moses was the largest piece of the 76ers puzzle to overpower their opponents with a 65-17 record, a 13-1 playoff record (including a Finals sweep of the Lakers) and a Finals MVP for Malone. That story sounds awfully familiar doesn't it? Yes, the same story is being re-written nearly 30 years later. This time, LeBron James plays Moses Malone, and Dwyane Wade plays Dr. J. James was a force in Cleveland like Moses was in Houston. Now, he is on a more stacked team like his predecessor was. LeBron is now in elite company as one of four players in history to win multiple MVPs on multiple teams (Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone). These are the same men that I have alluded to previously in this article, and like LeBron, each player has won another MVP as a member of a new team.
1. Chamberlain was the first, as he won his 1st with the Warriors in his rookie year (1960). Six years later, as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, he wins his 2nd of an eventual 4 for his career ('60, '66, '67, '68).
2. Kareem was a record 6-time MVP, as he won his first 3 with the Milwaukee Bucks (1971, 1972, 1974) with two scoring titles as a bonus. Jabbar went on to win another 3 with the Los Angeles Lakers (1976, 1977, 1980).
3.Finally, last but not least, Moses Malone. To add further detail, Malone won his first 2 MVPs with the Rockets (1979, 1982) and his last with the Sixers (1983). The most important element for each of these players is this: They all closed out one of those campaigns with a championship. Wilt won his first title in his 3rd MVP year (1967). Kareem won two of his six rings during his first MVP season ('71) and his last MVP campaign ('80). As you already know, Moses won his only ring in his one MVP year with Philly ('83).
Now, it is time for LeBron to settle the biggest piece of unfinished business: Winning a championship. I don't want to sound like someone who overemphasizes rings, but for a player of his caliber & expectations it will further complete the painting of his body of work. This will certainly be a great form of redemption for a future Hall of Famer, Top 50 player, and one of the top 5 Small Forwards of All-Time. For those of you who say that LeBron is not clutch, let me remind you that he has orchestrated numerous great fourth quarter performances from his days with the Cavs, even several with the Heat. While LeBron layed a colossal egg in last year's Finals vs. the Mavs, he has had his share of classic playoff greatness (His destruction of the Wizards in '06, his 48-point Massacre of the Pistons in '07, his Game 7 duel with Paul Pierce in '08, and last year's domination against the Celtics & Bulls). The ultimate icing on LeBron's cake is the ring, like Nowitzki last year and many others before. I am not a LeBron-tard bandwagon fan that equates LeBron to Michael and co. but I am a fan of great players striving for greatness. I have let go of my frustration from "The Decision" in 2010 and want to see him put the ultimate exclamation point on his legacy so that everyone can finally SHUT UP!!
