"I Could Score 100."

[Cebby]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

Still can't believe there are so many guys think he couldn't do this.

I can't believe there are so many people blinded by homerism and their hero-worship from their school boy days that they think he could.

69 points in OT with an NBA that allowed far more points was his best, yet you think he could drop 100?

[dragonyeuw]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

69 points in OT with an NBA that allowed far more points was his best, yet you think he could drop 100?

So because that happens to be his best score, you're saying if he really tried to, he couldn't get more? David Robinson and David Thompson both have higher career scoring games than Jordan, so by that reckoning are they better scorers than Jordan? I didn't see the Thompson game, but I did see when Robinson scored 71. It was a deliberate effort on the part of his teammates to get him the ball so that he could beat out Shaq for the scoring title that year. Jordan's 69 points weren't a part of some effort on the part of his teammates to have him score as much as he could, he simply went off that game, because it was Cleveland( this game happened after 'the shot' over Ehlo, so the Jordan-Cleveland thing was in full swing at this point). There came a point at the end of the Raptors game when the Lakers were up by 13 with 2 minutes left, game well in hand. Kobe had 74, and had no further need to be in the game. Yet he was kept in to score another 7 points. Think there wasn't an effort on the part of his team at that stage to see how far he could push his total?

Edit: I present this as proof of the above bolded statement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5vuc6M9s90

Main point is, this has nothing to do with Jordan homerism. It's pretty clear to me that if less talented scorers than Jordan can have a '15 minutes in the sun' moment and go off for 70+, then I find it hard to believe that Jordan didn't possess the ability to push for at least 80-90. Lost in the hoopla about Jordan's 69 point game is that he also contributed 18 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals. You really think if he solely concentrated his efforts on scoring, that he couldn't have at least eclipsed what Kobe did? Not to discount Kobe's game, it was one HELL of a performance, but to use that as some kind of dangling carrot to suggest Jordan couldn't do it is crazy.

[st0rmb11]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

So because that happens to be his best score, you're saying if he really tried to, he couldn't get more? David Robinson and David Thompson both have higher career scoring games than Jordan, so by that reckoning are they better scorers than Jordan? I didn't see the Thompson game, but I did see when Robinson scored 71. It was a deliberate effort on the part of his teammates to get him the ball so that he could beat out Shaq for the scoring title that year. Jordan's 69 points weren't a part of some effort on the part of his teammates to have him score as much as he could, he simply went off that game, because it was Cleveland( this game happened after 'the shot' over Ehlo, so the Jordan-Cleveland thing was in full swing at this point). There came a point at the end of the Raptors game when the Lakers were up by 13 with 2 minutes left, game well in hand. Kobe had 74, and had no further need to be in the game. Yet he was kept in to score another 7 points. Think there wasn't an effort on the part of his team at that stage to see how far he could push his total?

Main point is, this has nothing to do with Jordan homerism. It's pretty clear to me that if less talented scorers than Jordan can have a '15 minutes in the sun' moment and go off for 70+, then I find it hard to believe that Jordan didn't possess the ability to push for at least 80-90. Lost in the hoopla about Jordan's 69 point game is that he also contributed 18 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals. You really think if he solely concentrated his efforts on scoring, that he couldn't have at least eclipsed what Kobe did? Not to discount Kobe's game, it was one HELL of a performance, but to use that as some kind of dangling carrot to suggest Jordan couldn't do it is crazy.

This.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

I can't believe there are so many people blinded by homerism and their hero-worship from their school boy days that they think he could.

69 points in OT with an NBA that allowed far more points was his best, yet you think he could drop 100?

Dude whatever. So anybody that thinks he would've been capable of doing it is a homer or suffering from hero-worship? GTFOH with that Cebby. Nobody said you guys hate Jordan or are Kobe/LeBron/2000's ball homers so why even play that card? Kobe went off against the Raptors for friggin 81 points with the rules in question. It's not impossible or out of the question to say that Jordan could light up a putrid squad for 100 on one of his ridiculous nights. Your piss poor logic that you're using makes it seem like he couldn't even match Kobe's 81. Let's see Jordan's 69 he went 69 pts, 18 rebs, 6 asts shooting 62% from the field with just 37 shots and took only 6 three point attempts. Meanwhile Kobe went 81 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts, shooting 60% from the field with 46 shots and 13 three point attempts.

Again it's not Jordan going off against the best defense in the league right now, it's Jordan going off against a bottom feeding team like Kobe did. If Jordan isn't actually playing...you know a complete game he very well could have scored 60 plus in regulation. But points weren't exactly easy to come by when guys could basically kick the crap out of you back in the day. If you wanna say more points were allowed back then fine, but now you're opening up the door to players being better back then than now or at the very least stronger. It's one of the things about Jordan that doesn't get as much hype is how strong he had to be to finish the way he did cause he got abused on the way to the rim and didn't get all manner of bailout calls like now which is one of the reasons that many believe he'd feast on this NBA.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

So because that happens to be his best score, you're saying if he really tried to, he couldn't get more? David Robinson and David Thompson both have higher career scoring games than Jordan, so by that reckoning are they better scorers than Jordan? I didn't see the Thompson game, but I did see when Robinson scored 71. It was a deliberate effort on the part of his teammates to get him the ball so that he could beat out Shaq for the scoring title that year. Jordan's 69 points weren't a part of some effort on the part of his teammates to have him score as much as he could, he simply went off that game, because it was Cleveland( this game happened after 'the shot' over Ehlo, so the Jordan-Cleveland thing was in full swing at this point). There came a point at the end of the Raptors game when the Lakers were up by 13 with 2 minutes left, game well in hand. Kobe had 74, and had no further need to be in the game. Yet he was kept in to score another 7 points. Think there wasn't an effort on the part of his team at that stage to see how far he could push his total?

Main point is, this has nothing to do with Jordan homerism. It's pretty clear to me that if less talented scorers than Jordan can have a '15 minutes in the sun' moment and go off for 70+, then I find it hard to believe that Jordan didn't possess the ability to push for at least 80-90. Lost in the hoopla about Jordan's 69 point game is that he also contributed 18 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals. You really think if he solely concentrated his efforts on scoring, that he couldn't have at least eclipsed what Kobe did? Not to discount Kobe's game, it was one HELL of a performance, but to use that as some kind of dangling carrot to suggest Jordan couldn't do it is crazy.

Beat me to it, but exactly lol. Like I said earlier, Michael against one of the horrid Knicks squads we've seen over the last ten years, in MSG, with Spike Lee courtside running his mouth and guy's love of showing up huge at the Garden...guys are trying to tell me in THIS NBA with THESE rules, THESE foul calls, there's no possible way that Jordan could go off one night knowing what Kobe would have done in a previous night or knowing that Kobe is coming to the Garden after him? That's just one of the teams, one of the scenarios I'm suggesting I could see it happening, not the only one.

[airjoca]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

Every single time people doubted or challenged Michael Jordan, whether it was the media, a rival coach or player, he rose to the challenge and then some. People just seem for forget the kind of man and competitor he was.

As soon as someone told him he could not do something, he would do it. And then tell you about it.

He got 63 against the 86 Celtics, one of the best teams ever. Of course he could score 100 against a crappy team nowadays. Wilt was not the only human being to score 100, Cheryl Miller did it. Drazen Petrovic did it. Jordan would do it if he was challenged to do so.

[dragonyeuw]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

He got 63 against the 86 Celtics, one of the best teams ever. Of course he could score 100 against a crappy team nowadays.

And to add to this point, he wasn't anywhere near the complete player( offensively) that he would become. He scored this 63 purely and mainly off physical ability.

You know, something that I don't often see discussed, and I hate to bring this up as it will spawn the 1001th Jordan-Kobe debate but......I note that Kobe's greatest scoring games have never come in the most critical situations. He's never scored 50 in the finals( has he even scored 40), he's had how many 50 point games in the playoffs? One against Phoenix.... anymore? Just seems to be that Jordan always rose to the occasion when the stakes were highest. Can you say the same about Kobe? Not really.....

[Po Pimp]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

If Jordan wanted to score 100 at the risk of losing and contributing nothing else to the team, he could.

To everyone saying Kobe was a more pure scorer than Jordan and that Jordan wasn't capable of scoring 100, take a look at the following links...

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01/gamelog/1987/

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bryanko01/gamelog/2006/

When you compare both of their highest scoring seasons, Jordan scored less than 30 points fifteen times that year while Kobe was below 30 twenty-four times. This means Jordan was more consistent, while Kobe had higher peaks and lower valleys.

Rebounds and assists were a push, and Jordan had only 5 double-doubles compared to Kobe's 4 those seasons.

On the defensive end, Jordan had WAY more steals with 48 games with 3+ steals compared to Kobe with 24. Jordan also destroys him in blocks with 18 games of 3+ blocks where Kobe had 0 with 3+ blocks.

Kobe's record was better, Jordan shot a higher percentage, so take all of this for what it's worth.

[KG]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

Still can't believe there are so many guys think he couldn't do this. This is the same man who told his defenders exactly what he was about to do, which way he was going to go and they STILL COULDN'T STOP HIM. The guy was so good that he trash talked by telling you the play and still successfully pulled it off. That, ontop of all the other points people have made in this thread and there's still doubt that Jordan could go off for 100 one time? Especially after all the hype that Kobe got for his 81? He and Kobe would be the Kobe/LeBron debate we have now so the second that 81 game happened for Kobe you KNOW the media and fans would be on Kobe's jock about it and asking Jordan about it and people would be putting him on top of Jordan for having scored that many as a lot of Kobe fanboys do right now after that game. Jordan might go out the next night and shoot for 100+ just cause someone dared questioned him being the best. I think cats are underestimating Jordan's competitiveness man. That dude was on another level when it came to that fire in the belly. Though there are a lot of people on here that seem to think he'd be all over going LeBron and playing with the best players if he had the chance when it's pretty clear that he wanted to dominate the best.

These days you know what everyone is going to do. Everyone knows all of Bron Bron & Kobe's moves but you can't stop them. Most good teams know all of the others teams plays too.

Guys are saying MJ could score 100 just because Kobe did it like it's a common occurrence. The only other 70+ game there has been a long time was DR's last game BS against the Clippers where LAC LET him win the scoring title.

[Cebby]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

You guys clearly don't understand what scoring 100 points is.

The closest anyone in history other than Wilt has come is 81 points which is still almost an entire game of scoring away. Jordan's closest was 31 points short of 100.

The only game featuring a 100 point performance was a 169-147 game. In 1962 the lowest scoring team was averaging more points than any team in 2010. Nobody is ever going to match the statistical craziness of the 1962 season. The literally did not play defense.

Guys are saying MJ could score 100 just because Kobe did it like it's a common occurrence.

Exactly

Jordan's highest non-overtime game was 61 points. Even if you buy into the anti-factual belief that the 80s/90s had far better defense he would still have to be playing out of his mind to get to 61 and then score more than he ever averaged in a game.

This is like seeing a really fast player in the NFL and claiming he could run a 3.5 second forty.

Wilt was not the only human being to score 100, Cheryl Miller did it. Drazen Petrovic did it. Jordan would do it if he was challenged to do so.

WTF?

Of course Jordan could drop 100 against high school girls or Yugoslavian club teams. That has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

[st0rmb11]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

You keep bringing up that 69 point game (in overtime..) as if all Jordan was trying to do in that game was score as many points as he possibly good. He only shot 37 times (and 23 free throws). Made 23 of the 37. At that percentage, if he had gone out and shot 50 times, he would've made 31. he made 2 threes, so those 31 makes alone would've given him 64. add the 21 free throws he made, he's at 85. if he and his team wanted him to get the shots up for 100, how can you say he couldn't get it?

he took 37 of his team's 87 attempts. so he wasn't going out and TRYING to do everything on his own that night on offense.
on a given night, if he's as hot as he was that night against Cleveland, if he wanted 100, you couldn't say it wouldn't be a possibility.

[Dice]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

I can't believe there are so many people blinded by homerism and their hero-worship from their school boy days that they think he could.

69 points in OT with an NBA that allowed far more points was his best, yet you think he could drop 100?

I don't believe how you can't see how he can't. Yeah, he scored 69 points against the 6th best defense in the league at that time.

And as I said before, the league scores less because there are more players in the league who're offensively challenged. How many guys you can find in someone starting line-up who can't hit a 15 ft jumpshot? I can find more in this era than I can from 20 years ago.

Kobe scored 60+ five times in his career in the regular season. Of those five games, only one team(the Dallas Mavericks in 2005) was at the bottom third of defense. Jordan only scored 60+ in only four regular season games BUT only one team(the Orlando Magic in 1993) was the one team that WASN'T in the top ten in defense that year. And even though the Magic in 1993 was not in the top ten in defense, they had the second best FG% defense in 1993.

And not only did Jordan face top ten defenses in his 60 point games, he was in an era where defenses got away with a lot more physical play than now. Guys back then was allowed to mug players with no repercussions. You do that now, and you get ejected with a suspension.

The obvious is Jordan wouldn't be able to do it against just anybody. There's got to be a situation where he's feeling it and the team he's playing is weak defensively. And the league today as a hand full of weak defensive teams. If guys like Michael Redd and Jerry Stackhouse can score 57 in a game, why can't Jordan score 100?

[Speedy]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

Just for funsies...career FG% / 3P%:

Bryant-> .455/.340

MJ --> .497/ .327

If given the opportunity and if he had a legitamte chip on his shoulder (remember his HOF speech...that's all he talked about were those who did him wrong or didn't believe in him) I'm certain he would acheive 100 points.

[Cebby]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

I don't believe how you can't see how he can't. Yeah, he scored 69 points against the 6th best defense in the league at that time.

And again, he's still 31 points short. That's a whole lot of points.

And the league today as a hand full of weak defensive teams. If guys like Michael Redd and Jerry Stackhouse can score 57 in a game, why can't Jordan score 100?

1. That comparison makes no sense. What do Michael Redd and Jerry Stackhouse having a big game have to do with Jordan? Especially when they just barely got half of what you're saying Jordan could do. That's like saying "if Billy could beat Joe in a race then Pedro could beat Usain Bolt."

2. As much as you guys want to believe that the 80s and 90s defenses were so much better, the point totals now are far less.

3. Most importantly, Jordan couldn't score 100 in 2010 because nobody can score 100 in 2010. Go look up my topic on the 1962 season. Every crazy season you've heard of in NBA history happened in 1962. I would consider it possible for Jordan to score 100 then, but not in today's NBA.

Just for funsies...career FG% / 3P%:

Bryant-> .455/.340

MJ --> .497/ .327

A large percentage (33%) of Jordan's 3 point shooting came in the 2.5 seasons the arc was moved up. Without those three years (which are today's rules) his percentage drops to 28%.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: "I Could Score 100."

Jordan would score 100 against the 09-10 Nets and I'm 100% Confident in saying that.