Do you think Michael Jordan would've won 2 more rings if he didn't pursue baseball?

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

The Houston Rockets I guess took advantage of him not being there and won two titles.

Saying that I think Olajuwon deserved those titles, he in my opinion is the greatest center ever.

But what do you guys say? You think Jordan and the bulls would've continued on winning 2 more titles. If Jordan didn't leave basketball during that period.

 

[mixmastermo]

Yea, really good chance IMO. Jordan was the superstar but the Bulls were super strong in that era.

It's not like they would have gotten knocked out of the playoffs in the first round ::cough::Lakers::ahem::

ps agree on your take on Hakeem Olajuwon

 

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

Yea, really good chance IMO. Jordan was the superstar but the Bulls were super strong in that era.

It's not like they would have gotten knocked out of the playoffs in the first round ::cough::Lakers::ahem::

ps agree on your take on Hakeem Olajuwon

Well said, thanks.

 

[Belaya Smert]

Clandestine Gambling Suspension by that monster David Stern

 

[PRESIDENT TRUMP]

Doubtful. Jordan was a mental midget that needed to load manage for multiple seasons. Without his break, he likely would have burnt out and ended with 3 titles. Not everyone's capable of handling the pressure of being the best. He's a prime example of low mental fortitude.

 

[ferrisjso]

The short answer is 94 maybe 95 no.

In 94 the Bulls still had Horace Grant and they took the Knicks to 7 games. The Rockets had not yet paired Hakeem with Drexler and Grant had not left the Bulls to join Shaq and Penny Hardaway. So yeah they'd have had a great chance in 94.

In 95 the Bulls lost both their starting bigs in Horace Grant and Bill Cartwright. They lost Grant to the team that would beat them the Magic. That was the real reason the 95 Bulls lost not Jordans rust he averaged over 30 in the playoffs. They were not beating the Magic and Rockets with the 95 roster where their leading rebounder was Scottie Pippen. Heck the Hornets gave the Bulls some trouble with Mourning in the 1st round. Before 1995 the Jordan Bulls had not won a single playoff series without Grant.

In 1996 the Bulls replaced Grant with Dennis Rodman and that was the main catylyst for their 2nd dynasty. The Bulls having Rodman and Grant being injured led to the Bulls sweeping the Magic in 1996.

 

[Odoylerules22]

1995 no way. They were done in their current state. Jordan was back for 30ish games when they got bounced. Rust my ass.

1994- they were still good, but the rockets had the bulls number in the prior seasons.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Yes, of course. The GOAT getting bored with winning and taking on a different sport was fascinating to watch. Coming back and dominating for another three-peat was beautiful.

The Rockets were a good team, especially in 95, and Dream was great but the Bulls would have also evolved. Regardless, whenever it mattered and MJ was fully there they won.

Bonus: GOAT Dream teaching a can how to play basketball. Dream in today's era averages 38-19-11.

 

[gspieler]

I don't think so. If they got through NY/Orlando, the Rockets would've gotten them in '95.

 

[TheTickG]

The Houston Rockets I guess took advantage of him not being there and won two titles.

Saying that I think Olajuwon deserved those titles, he in my opinion is the greatest center ever.

But what do you guys say? You think Jordan and the bulls would've continued on winning 2 more titles. If Jordan didn't leave basketball during that period.

Even without Jordan it still should have been Bulls vs Rockets. That ref's phantom call ruined history.

 

[Odoylerules22]

Yes, of course. The GOAT getting bored with winning and taking on a different sport was fascinating to watch. Coming back and dominating for another three-peat was beautiful.

The Rockets were a good team, especially in 95, and Dream was great but the Bulls would have also evolved. Regardless, whenever it mattered and MJ was fully there they won.

Bonus: GOAT Dream teaching a can how to play basketball. Dream in today's era averages 38-19-11.

He was back in 95 and they got whooped. That’s why they added Rodman. The bulls as they were in the early 90s were done.

 

[Sweater of AV]

He was back in 95 and they got whooped.

He had barely played. 17 games is not nearly enough for yourself or to get the team on track.

That’s why they added Rodman. The bulls as they were in the early 90s were done.

As I said:

The Rockets were a good team, especially in 95, and Dream was great but the Bulls would have also evolved. Regardless, whenever it mattered and MJ was fully there they won.

Every team changed and made adjustments. The Rockets added Glide after winning a chip. How'd the Rockets do in 96 and how'd the Bulls do?

People wanting the exact same Bulls team in 93 to continue playing the rest of the decade are either idiots or just wished they had lost.

 

[Possum Jenkins]

Nope.

The Rockets were 5-1 against the Bulls throughout their first 3-peat. They had their number. Plus, Hakeem hit his peak at exactly the right time. He won MVP in 94 and was even better in 95 and would've won MVP again if Rockets weren't seeded #6.

Winning 4+ chips is unbelievably hard, physically and mentally. The Bulls dominated the Lakers and Blazers pretty easily for their first two championships but the Suns gave them a much harder time. If just a couple of things had gone differently, it could've gone the other way.

The Rockets would have definitely had them at the very, very least in one of those years, but probably both.

Having said that, no one was beating the 96 or 97 Rodman Bulls tho.

 

[Hog-train]

Nope.

The Rockets were 5-1 against the Bulls throughout their first 3-peat. They had their number. Plus, Hakeem hit his peak at exactly the right time. He won MVP in 94 and was even better in 95 and would've won MVP again if Rockets weren't seeded #6.

Winning 4+ chips is unbelievably hard, physically and mentally. The Bulls dominated the Lakers and Blazers pretty easily for their first two championships but the Suns gave them a much harder time. If just a couple of things had gone differently, it could've gone the other way.

The Rockets would have definitely had them at the very, very least in one of those years, but probably both.

Having said that, no one was beating the 96 or 97 Rodman Bulls tho.

This. Rockets were peaking at that time, got Drexler while the Bulls didn't have Rodman yet.

Plus, the Rockets PROVED it by having their number.

Simply put, the Bulls had no answer for Olajuwon in his absolute prime.

 

[Sweater of AV]

I like how the Rockets had the Bulls' number by winning 5/6 games in three years while not being able to make it to the Finals.



This is going to be hard to believe but the regular season and the playoffs are not the same.

Also, it's cute that the Bulls magically must have the same team they had in 93 even though multiple players left or were leaving soon. Jordan definitely wouldn't have played a role in changing the team.

It's hilarious to read some of this shit.

 

[ferrisjso]

I like how the Rockets had the Bulls' number by winning 5/6 games in three years while not being able to make it to the Finals.



This is going to be hard to believe but the regular season and the playoffs are not the same.

Also, it's cute that the Bulls magically must have the same team they had in 93 even though multiple players left or were leaving soon. Jordan definitely wouldn't have played a role in changing the team.

It's hilarious to read some of this shit.

Well they won the title with basically the same team 3 years in a row then didn't really add anyone in 94 or 95. So its a solid asssumption.

Were you making an Orlando Magic pun there? If so that was really clever.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Well they won the title with basically the same team 3 years in a row then didn't really add anyone in 94 or 95. So its a solid asssumption.

Were you making an Orlando Magic pun there? If so that was really clever.

It's not a solid assumption because Jordan wasn't nearly as involved in the decisions for how to move forward compared to if he had been there. It's also not a solid assumption to believe that winning a few more games in a hilariously small sample size translates to winning in the playoffs.

The only thing MJ's years off proved is that Pippen was completely incapable of leading a team. The guy was on the verge of a meltdown and being traded. The team was a complete mess and MJ was expected to get everything on track in 17 games. You'd also hope Pippen would set career high numbers during those two years but it didn't really happen, at least to the extent that a lot of people believed. Grant etc were a big reason for the success in 93-94. Pippen actually had similar or greater impact on the team's success when Jordan was leading the team.

 

[ferrisjso]

It's not a solid assumption because Jordan wasn't nearly as involved in the decisions for how to move forward compared to if he had been there. It's also not a solid assumption to believe that winning a few more games in a hilariously small sample size translates to winning in the playoffs.

The only thing MJ's years off proved is that Pippen was completely incapable of leading a team. The guy was on the verge of a meltdown and being traded. The team was a complete mess and MJ was expected to get everything on track in 17 games. You'd also hope Pippen would set career high numbers and WS/48 during those two years but it didn't really happen. Pippen literally had a greater impact on the team's success when Jordan was leading the team, not when he was leading.

In 94 the Bulls almost beat the Knicks with Pippen leading the team. Who were one game away from the title themselves. The Bulls issue in 95 was the loss of Grant and Cartwright and yes they couldn't have overcome that but that was largely because the main obstacles were the Magic and Rockets.

 

[Sweater of AV]

In 94 the Bulls almost beat the Knicks with Pippen leading the team. Who were one game away from the title themselves. The Bulls issue in 95 was the loss of Grant and Cartwright and yes they couldn't have overcome that but that was largely because the main obstacles were the Magic and Rockets.

Lol. Did you watch the Knicks series? Do you know what happened in game 3 and who saved Pippen's ass because he was acting like a baby? Pippen literally wanted to leave the Bulls after one season leading them.

Also, if you're arguing that the Bulls without MJ almost beat the Knicks who almost beat the Rockets then....what are you saying if MJ had been there?

 

[ferrisjso]

Lol. Did you watch the Knicks series? Do you know what happened in game 3 and who saved Pippen's ass because he was acting like a baby? Pippen literally wanted to leave the Bulls after one season leading them.

Also, if you're arguing that the Bulls without Pippen almost beat the Knicks who almost beat the Rockets then....what are you saying if MJ had been there?

Bulls likely would have won in 94 but couldn't and didn't in 95. That is my position here.