My Favorite MJ: The 1998 Version
When most people think of Michael Jordan, they think of all of the high flying moments from the first half of his career. However, when I think of MJ, I immediately think about of his more grounded years following his first return to basketball from 1995-1998. During that time, MJ wasn’t dunking on everyone the way he had in the past. He wasn’t faster or more athletic than anyone in the league. Yet he was probably a more complete basketball player than anyone in the game at that time.
His footwork and his ball handling were flawless. His mid-range jumper was pure butter. He even started to develop some sort of three point range. But the real icing on the cake for MJ during that time was his unbelievable mid and low post game.
During those years, he was so good from the foul line below. With his footwork, strength, and new found fade away jumper, he was damn near unstoppable from that area.
I always think about what kind of player Jordan would have been if he could have combined his fundamentals, strength and mental prowess from the latter part of his career with the outright athleticism of his first years in the league. Scary thought, right?
Watching video of Jordan from 1998, I think about how much a guy like LeBron James could benefit if he would just follow the older MJ’s lead and work on his fundamentals. I’ve mentioned this before, but if LeBron developed his fundamentals in the post in the same fashion that MJ did, the entire league would be in trouble.
Kobe Bryant could also learn lessons from MJ. Kobe spends too much time on the perimeter. His range may be better than Michael’s ever was, but with his skill set, Kobe could score much more efficiently from the free throw line below. As he grows older and starts to slow down, he might want to follow MJ’s lead, bulk up and hit the block.
Anyhow, take a look at this clip from MJ’s last game as a Bull in Madison Square Garden. He was like a Maestro out there.
His footwork and his ball handling were flawless. His mid-range jumper was pure butter. He even started to develop some sort of three point range. But the real icing on the cake for MJ during that time was his unbelievable mid and low post game.
During those years, he was so good from the foul line below. With his footwork, strength, and new found fade away jumper, he was damn near unstoppable from that area.
I always think about what kind of player Jordan would have been if he could have combined his fundamentals, strength and mental prowess from the latter part of his career with the outright athleticism of his first years in the league. Scary thought, right?
Watching video of Jordan from 1998, I think about how much a guy like LeBron James could benefit if he would just follow the older MJ’s lead and work on his fundamentals. I’ve mentioned this before, but if LeBron developed his fundamentals in the post in the same fashion that MJ did, the entire league would be in trouble.
Kobe Bryant could also learn lessons from MJ. Kobe spends too much time on the perimeter. His range may be better than Michael’s ever was, but with his skill set, Kobe could score much more efficiently from the free throw line below. As he grows older and starts to slow down, he might want to follow MJ’s lead, bulk up and hit the block.
Anyhow, take a look at this clip from MJ’s last game as a Bull in Madison Square Garden. He was like a Maestro out there.
7 comments:
I couldn't agree with you more. Mike was an absolute beast 95-98, mostly due to that low post game. That fadeaway was unbelievable, on par with Hakeem's (Karl Malone had that shot down too towards the latter part of his career, but not like these two). We are all lucky to have been able to see him. Sadly, I cannot make a case for the 97-98 version of my beloved Utah Jazz as one of the best teams of all time, because they couldn't beat Mike. My heart gets ripped out again and again every time you see a replay of him pushing off on Bryon Russell and nailing that shit. I can take small consolation in that fact that nobody else could beat this guy either (once he started winning titles, that is).
I think you're right about that Jordan being a more efficient player who could teach Kobe and LBJ a thing or two, but when I think of MJ the first championship run comes to mind, particularly the first game of the Portland series. Complete annihilation in a way that made it seem like his rest state instead of something he was actively forcing onto the other team.
In November 1997, I saw the Bulls play at the Clippers. With five minutes left in the regulation, Jordan had 23 and Bulls trailed by double-digits. He gave up on the perimeter game and posted up over and over down the stretch. He had 26 points in the last five minutes and the two OTs and the Bulls won going away. He posted Rodney Rogers, Maurice Taylor and even Lorenzen Wright. No one could stop him. I had seats under the baseline, and it was plain he was the strongest guy on the floor, whatever players' actual physiques.
Lebron's size makes it even more inexcusable that he has not bothered to develop the post game.
You've talked about Carmelo post moves improving his game, and it's a great point.
But here's the thing: At 6'8 and 240 or so, LeBron could easily be a Power Forward in the league.
You can't really say that for Melo.
That's why it's even more ridiculous that LeBron does not yet have a dependable hook, turnaround or fadeaway from the post. He could combine the brute strength of an Elton Brand with the high-flying & shooting that he displays now.
And wouldn't that be a sight to see.
how much were those under the baseline seats? :)
Being a Knick fan, at first, I was hating on the video itself. But after I saw the intense nature of the New York/Chicago rivalry, and the NBA on NBC, I really appreciate being able to watch the video and re-live such awesome memories.
MJ was a basketball God, but he had to bring his "A" game to defeat New York.
I can't hate on that.
Jordan did combine his skills and his athleticism. Rememeber 1996. That was my favorite Jordan, then he was at his best. 96 Jordan and 93 Jordan.
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