Quote Originally Posted by airjordans:
First off let me say that Lebron plays in an easy conference. He's always had an easier road to the finals. That is huge as the west has always been tougher in Lebron's era. The road to this year's finals was a joke.
Secondly, yes the Warriors are scary good but how good would they be back in Jordan's era where rules were different? Would they be as good? Do today's teams and players just seem much better because of the advantage of the rules nowadays? You can barely touch a player. I'm sure a lot of average players in Jordan's era could have a good chance at being stars in today's times with these rules.
You never acknowledge or address this major fact but I believe it is a huge part of why Jordan is more talented.
I'll get to your question now. Portland? How about the 96 and 97 Jazz team that Jordan beat to win it? (was it 96 and 97 or 97 and 98, I can't recall and not looking it up too much work)
That Jazz team was wicked good. They were so cohesive. They had all stars. Malone, Stockton were crazy. Even Hornacek. Jordan beat them twice.
I know I will be mocked for this but if the Warriors had to play under those old rules I'd bet the Jazz team to win. At the very least it's an argument. I don't care how much mockery I get for this. I take the Jazz. Again, the rules back then and the rules now make the teams and players seem much better. I can't emphasize this enough.
The first championship Jordan won he had NO allstars and he had a bunch of overrated players as a cast. Pippen wasn't even an allstar or all defensive team member yet I believe. That year Jordan had to beat the bad boy Pistons, defending champs with Isaiah Thomas, Dumars and all defensive Rodman. Jordan did this with a weak supporting cast that he made to look better with his great play. Lebron has never won a championship without another all star.
In that 1 run Jordan beat all time greats Ewing, Isiah, Barkley, Magic Johnson and others.
Even my favorite team back then, The Knicks, were an all defensive powerhouse with legend Patrick Ewing and a bunch of great players. Yes Jordan had to go through that Knicks team and Pistons on his way to win it all against Magic and the Lakers.
Could the Warriors really beat the Jazz teams, the Knicks etc under those rules? I'm skeptical. I refuse to believe Warriors are better than Utah Jazz or the Knicks or even the Pistons or some of the other great teams back then. Curry running loose under these rules, dancing and prancing, those guys back then wouldn't let him do half the things he does dancing around. You can't even touch a player nowadays, let's see Curry or Lebron score at will like Jordan did when they were allowed to forearm or hand check or when they took you out if you tried to do a lay up or dunk.
So Jordan had to go through Patrick Ewing and the Knicks, then Barkley and the 76ers then the bad boys Pistons team all just to play Magic and the Lakers. Wow. All with no all star on his team and a weak supporting cast that was overrated cause due to playing with Jordan or playing off of him rather.
The Bulls beat Orlando Magic with Penny Hardaway (another one of my favorite players of all time) and Shaq, a young, powerful Shaq and a Magic team that was dominant. A magic team that had Penny and Shaq with a strong supporting cast. Can't remember their names, Derrick Scott, Nick Anderson and some other really good shooters that would even be better in today's time.
THAT Magic team I would also say can beat the Warriors. Again mock me if you want but I believe it.
But we aren't comparing teams we are comparing players.
You already mentioned Portland but I will say that the Magic team, the Jazz team in those 2 years, the Knicks team and even the Pistons and a couple other teams can beat the Warriors.
The Warriors look so good and Lebron looks so good because of the rules. Take some of those great teams I mentioned and put them in today's era and as great as they were, they'd be 2 or 3 times as good today. For Jordan I'd say he'd be 4 times as good. He was lethal. Look at the calibre of great teams he beat, the list of superstars he's beaten. Wilkins, Ewing, Barkley, Isaiah, Clyde the Glyde, Magic, I can go on forever.
Who has Lebron beaten? He beat the Spurs when Timmy was on what 37? He beat a Warriors team that had Curry clearly banged up and not right. Daymond suspended and Bogut injured. I think Iguodola was injured.
If Lebron beats this Warriors team then MAYBE I will consider an argument that Lebron is better.Even then I won't agree but at least I won't consider it absurd.
Look I don't expect you to read all this. I'm not as proficient as you in organizing my thoughts and writing. Plus I'm typing in a hurry. However, I said my part. Nobody is going to change my mind on this but I won't take any cheap shots at you anymore. I like what you stand for both in sports and outside of sports.
I'm a long time lurker first time poster. I read a line by you somewhere, long ago, maybe during last season's NFL season?
Something about watching, your father (or was it somebody else, excuse me if I'm way off) Losing at the track or something, and you wanting to win it all back and some. Stick it to the man. I like that passion and intensity about this whole game. The game we all play which is to beat the odds. You take it personally. I like that. I do too.
I just scrolled up. Looked at all that I typed. Wow. I should just hit delete and not litter your thread further but I'm hitting submit.
Oh and by the way, I've read EVERY SINGLE WORD IN EVERY SINGLE THREAD you've typed up for a pick you've made in every sport. Every word. If I didn't have time I'd be sure to get back to it and read it. Even if it was after the game. I'm open minded and I like to learn even though I consider myself a seasoned capper.
So take that for what it's worth. When the clowns and immature haters come to hate in your threads after a loss, just remember you are doing it, and will keep doing it for those of us that read every single word of your pick's threads and even in a lose we try to learn something.
There are so many idiotic things in this post, it's mind boggling, boy. You need to get this "get off my porch" ideas out of your head. Warriors would decimate the Jazz of the late 90s. Who's guarding Durant on that Jazz team? That's all you need to ask and then you'll understand who would win. Jazz could not defend this Warriors team, regardless of the rules.
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