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So they let go of one problem and sign another

And even if you do consider Jordan to be the greatest, which I personally do, that still doesn't mean that he was the most significant player in the history of the league, or even necessarily significant enough to justify that ruling. Look at Major League Baseball, for example: I don't think that anybody's going to make the case that Jackie Robinson was the greatest baseball player ever, but nobody's arguing against his number being retired, since he was, arguably, the most historically significant player in the history of Major League Baseball. I don't really follow hockey, but people whose opinions I respect that do say that Gretzky is the most significant player in the history of the NHL. What, aside from being great, justifies Jordan's number being retired? And, as I suggested before, if you're going to retire 23 league-wide because Jordan was great, then you need to also retire 6 (Russell), 13 (Chamberlain), 32 (Johnson) and 33 (Abdul-Jabbar).
But that's really what the argument comes down to. It isn't just that Jordan was great, the argument for retiring #23 is that he did change the game. There were great players before that, for sure. But if you look at so much of what represents the image of the NBA today (playing above the rim, sneaker contracts, dunk contest) a lot of that comes from Jordan. He changed the face of the game. I think there's an argument to be made that Doctor J should get some credit as well, but for sure Jordan's impact on the sport goes a lot deeper than his stats and his championship rings. Everybody who grew up watching basketball in MJ's heyday wanted to play like Michael. That's what Lebron was saying. Without MJ there's no Kobe Bryant, no Lebron James, no Dwyane Wade. That's why so many players choose to wear #23 in the first place. I don't exactly agree that his number should be retired for the entire league, but I think it's fair to say his impact on the game is bigger than any other single player.
But that's really what the argument comes down to. It isn't just that Jordan was great, the argument for retiring #23 is that he did change the game. There were great players before that, for sure. But if you look at so much of what represents the image of the NBA today (playing above the rim, sneaker contracts, dunk contest) a lot of that comes from Jordan. He changed the face of the game. I think there's an argument to be made that Doctor J should get some credit as well, but for sure Jordan's impact on the sport goes a lot deeper than his stats and his championship rings. Everybody who grew up watching basketball in MJ's heyday wanted to play like Michael. That's what Lebron was saying. Without MJ there's no Kobe Bryant, no Lebron James, no Dwyane Wade. That's why so many players choose to wear #23 in the first place. I don't exactly agree that his number should be retired for the entire league, but I think it's fair to say his impact on the game is bigger than any other single player.
The NBA changed rules to stop Wilt Chamberlain.
The NBA changed rules to help Michael Jordan.
So mr Russell should be mad that he's not on the NBA logo too?
You Jordan haters are something else
Wayne gretskys jersey number is retired in all the NHL arenas. Jordan should get the same treatment.
Ok hoopsie say what you want but Jordan played when you can hand check a player and you're beloved bean Bryant plays in an era where it's not allowed. Oh and if I remember correctly there was an actual team(pistons) that created their own rules to stop Jordan.
99, it's shaky ground to imply that Jordan of all people had a tough time getting to the line compared to anyone of this generation. You got whistled if you breathed on Jordan.
The Pistons had rules to stop Jordan because they knew he would stupidly try to butt his head thru a wall of defenders over and over. The same franchise knew the same thing about Kobe yrs later. They did not have Magic or Bird rules -- they had Lakers and Celtic team defensive strategies.
That's not what he implied. He said, very clearly, that handchecking was not against the rules in Jordan's heyday. And it wasn't. There's no arguing that changing that rule has affected the game; that's the reason they changed it, after all.
Superman said:Jordan didn't have Kareem and Wilkes or Parish and McHale. It wasn't until 1990 that Scottie Pippen became a significant contributor. When you played the Lakers or Celtics, you couldn't zero in on one player because they had talent all over the floor. When you played the Bulls, it was all about stopping Michael Jordan.
Crystal clear what he implied. I answered Jordan is a bad example of someone who was supposedly hampered by league rules. No superstars starve for calls, no matter how the land lays, Jordan especially.
Let's also not pretend that Jordan was the same guy in 1990 under Collins than he was after Phil got to him. Aamof, Jordan was the same way under Collins in 2001(!) much less 1990. He forced his way thru defenses on his own volition in those days. Hard to argue that he wouldn't have done the same thing with good teammates before Jackson put cor-...nay...before Jordan himself ACCEPTED the corners that Jackson was trying to put on his game.
Best I'll give you is that the period where he became more of a facilitator precisely coincided with the rise of Pippen and Grant.
Everyone's A Critic -- Especially Phil Jackson
Hmm, could there be some latent frustration in Phil Jackson about Pau Gasol’s slow-to-heal right hamstring?
Before the Lakers played the Pistons Tuesday night, Jackson said Gasol went through practice Monday and shootaround Tuesday morning and Jackson hoped Gasol would be able to play in the game. Alas, he remained on the inactive list. When Jackson was asked if he was concerned Gasol was being gun-shy, he jumped in and said, “That he’s a hypochondriac and might be a baby and won’t come out and play? Is that what you’re trying to say with that question?”
That drew laughs. Then Jackson turned TV critic, referring to Gasol’s guest appearance on “CSI: Miami.”
“I think he got injured on CSI and he’s not telling us the truth,” Jackson said. “I watched that program last night just to see if that was what [happened]. And then he dragged that kid out of the car; I’m sure that’s where he got that injury.
“I never watched [the show] before. I was totally amazed that people watch it. I can’t believe people actually watch that stuff.”
When someone compared Gasol’s acting duties to Andrew Bynum hoisting a Playmate at a Playboy Mansion party while out with an injury last season, Jackson stayed on his roll.
“That’s good for his shoulders,” Jackson said. “It’s another thing to be dragging someone and stretch your hamstring like Pau was doing.”
And finally, on Pau’s future in the acting biz: “I told him to keep his night job.”
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/10775/everyones-a-critic-especially-phil-jackson
Can someone tell me something more about Mike Taylor, former Clippers point guard? He just signed with my hometown team here in Serbia and I saw couple of videos on youtube. His dunks are great, but what about his passing and shooting skills?
There was a lot more pushing and shoving in the NBA in the '80s and early '90s than there is now, and while Jordan certainly didn't starve for calls, there was more physical play by the defenses back then. Anthony Mason wouldn't go two weeks without getting fined in the NBA today. He was one of the Knicks best players. John Starks was a goon, but was considered "the Jordan Stopper". Ruben Patterson was nowhere near as goonish as Starks. Bruce Bowen? Get outta town.
All I'm saying (I won't speak for anyone else anymore) is that the NBA is different now than it was then.
We don't have to take anything away from Pippen and Grant to acknowledge that Jordan was the straw that stirred the drink (you know as well as anyone else that the Bulls don't beat the Lakers in '91 if not for Scottie Pippen matching up with Magic.) The method of attack changed under Phil Jackson, but it was still the Michael Jordan show. And, as good as Pippen and Grant eventually became (not just in '91, but especially in the years that followed), they weren't Kareem and Wilkes/Worthy, and they weren't Parish and McHale.
It also precisely coincided with Phil Jackson's takeover.
Hawks streak is over.... to the hornets nonetheless. 3rd in a row for NO under their new coach, I believe?
And without CP3.