Could young Jordan score 100 points in a game if he was playing in today's NBA?

You probably all read the news about this.

Jordan stating that with today's rules about fouling and the fact that the game is less physical than it was in late 80s-early 90s, he'd go so much to the line he could get to 100 points.

I say yes. I think his PPG would go up since there are a lot of very weak defensive teams right now. If the conditions are right, he could score 100 in a single game. But I don't think he'd willingly aim for a hundred, especially if you take 90s Jordan. But young MJ with a crappy team looks a lot like 05-06 Kobe.

I mean, take '88 Jordan, scoring 37 ppg, and put him against the Toronto Raptors. He would light them up so bad they'd all retire on the spot.

What say you?

Young Jordan was a crappy 3-pt shooter. I mean really REALLY crappy. As in 13% type crappy in 88. No way is young Jordan scoring 100.

No one can score 100 in the NBA any more. Not MJ, not Kobe. Wilt wouldn't even be able to do it today.DJ_Magneto

If Kobe could get to 81, I have a feeling some player will come along eventually and get 100.

Easy

The teams were stronger in Jordan's days and he only scored what? 70 back then?

Give the weaker NBA with it's watered down talent and more wide open rules and he scores 100 without much effort besides having to shoot that many times

I understand all you say, and I agree mostly with what you wrote. Except one thing.

Wing players.

Wing players in today's NBA are better than they were 20 years ago, that's true. On offense. Name me 3 or 4 elite defenders who could defend Jordan today? Look, elite perimeter defenders are rare, very rare these days. I mean, hell, if a very average defender like LeBron makes the All-Defensive team, there's a freaking problem.

Back in the days, when Jordan was playing, you had All-time perimeter defenders, like DJ, Joe Dumars, Craig Ehlo (even if he got owned by MJ more than once), John Starks, Bryon Russell, Gary Payton, etc.

Now you've got Battier who's excellent, Kobe, Ron, Iggy and a few are pretty good, but that's about it.

Plus, you had beasts protecting the key, like Robinson, Hakeem, Ewing, Parish, Shaq. Now you've got Dwight and Timmy D, and that's about it.

I agree defenses are more complex and players generally more athletic than they were 20 years ago, but the lack of real perimeter stoppers make me think it would be possible.

Then again, Jordan wouldn't, because he's just not that kind of player.

I understand all you say, and I agree mostly with what you wrote. Except one thing.

Wing players.

Wing players in today's NBA are better than they were 20 years ago, that's true. On offense. Name me 3 or 4 elite defenders who could defend Jordan today? Look, elite perimeter defenders are rare, very rare these days. I mean, hell, if a very average defender like LeBron makes the All-Defensive team, there's a freaking problem.

Back in the days, when Jordan was playing, you had All-time perimeter defenders, like DJ, Joe Dumars, Craig Ehlo (even if he got owned by MJ more than once), John Starks, Bryon Russell, Gary Payton, etc.

Now you've got Battier who's excellent, Kobe, Ron, Iggy and a few are pretty good, but that's about it.

Plus, you had beasts protecting the key, like Robinson, Hakeem, Ewing, Parish, Shaq. Now you've got Dwight and Timmy D, and that's about it.

I agree defenses are more complex and players generally more athletic than they were 20 years ago, but the lack of real perimeter stoppers make me think it would be possible.

Then again, Jordan wouldn't, because he's just not that kind of player.

BaraChat

It's not just wing players

How many great teams does the NBA have now?

People are getting all bent out of shape because the Heat have 3 All Stars but Jordan put up 63 against a HOF trio and he took on the Lakers with another HOF trio.

It was a stronger NBA in Jordan's time, a good chunk of players who start in the NBA today would have a hard time being second string back then. That's who Jordan would be playing against

No. I always knew the dude was arrogant but seriously! NOBODY can score 100 today, the talent pool is one of the deepest ever and the difference between players isnt that great. Jordan was seen as head and shoulders above everybody in the 90's, now Kobe, LeBron, Durant, Wade....Not so much of a huge difference.

[QUOTE="BaraChat"]

I understand all you say, and I agree mostly with what you wrote. Except one thing.

Wing players.

Wing players in today's NBA are better than they were 20 years ago, that's true. On offense. Name me 3 or 4 elite defenders who could defend Jordan today? Look, elite perimeter defenders are rare, very rare these days. I mean, hell, if a very average defender like LeBron makes the All-Defensive team, there's a freaking problem.

Back in the days, when Jordan was playing, you had All-time perimeter defenders, like DJ, Joe Dumars, Craig Ehlo (even if he got owned by MJ more than once), John Starks, Bryon Russell, Gary Payton, etc.

Now you've got Battier who's excellent, Kobe, Ron, Iggy and a few are pretty good, but that's about it.

Plus, you had beasts protecting the key, like Robinson, Hakeem, Ewing, Parish, Shaq. Now you've got Dwight and Timmy D, and that's about it.

I agree defenses are more complex and players generally more athletic than they were 20 years ago, but the lack of real perimeter stoppers make me think it would be possible.

Then again, Jordan wouldn't, because he's just not that kind of player.

It's not just wing players

How many great teams does the NBA have now?

People are getting all bent out of shape because the Heat have 3 All Stars but Jordan put up 63 against a HOF trio and he took on the Lakers with another HOF trio.

It was a stronger NBA in Jordan's time, a good chunk of players who start in the NBA today would have a hard time being second string back then. That's who Jordan would be playing against

Back in the days, when Jordan was playing, you had All-time perimeter defenders, like DJ, Joe Dumars, Craig Ehlo (even if he got owned by MJ more than once), John Starks, Bryon Russell, Gary Payton, etc.

Now you've got Battier who's excellent, Kobe, Ron, Iggy and a few are pretty good, but that's about it.

BaraChat

there's some pretty dam good defensive players Kobe went up against this last decade. Andrei Kirilenko, Doug Christie, Shane Battier, Bruce Bowen just to name a few and he owned them all at one point or another. The best wing player when Jordan played was on MJ's team and his name is Scottie Pippen. The ones you listed are all good but my point is all the ones I mentioned are as good as the wing players Jordan went up against. Did you ever see someone put a hand right in Jordans face for an entire series while he was shooting before?

yeah Jordan wouldn't even come close to 100

Yeah seeing as you mentioned guys like Doug Christie and Andrei Kirilenko, I'm 100% confident in my argument about Joe Dumars, DJ and John Starks. You can't compare Hall of Famers to some dudes who barely ever made an All-Star team... (Bowen and Battier are good, even great, but not Dennis Johnson great, far from it).

And look, I'm not saying that today's NBA is crappy or anything, (in fact, I love players like Kobe and Wade and the young generation. Heck, I've just bought Durant's and Rose's jerseys) but you can't convince me that today's perimeter defenders are even near what you'd see from 85 to 95.

I can't help but feel that my post is kinda offensive but it's definitely not what I intended... Most of the arguments by posters make a lot of sense. That's the kind of discussion I like. :)

Jordan, score 100.....NO. Too late to elaborate.

I know starks is a good defender even though MJ dropped 53 on him before, but there is nothing he did that really seperates him from someone like Bruce Bowen besides his obviously superior offense. both were pesky defenders, both are great perimeter defenders, both get right up on you. Even though the game was more physical back then MJ used to pull up right over Starks and get all the shots he wanted. you put Kobe in his prime against Starks and he would have torched Starks just the same way.andyboiii

I agree with andyboii, but I'll take it even further. I don't think Starks is in Bowens class as a defender. Starks was 6'5", 190lbs, Bowen is listed as 6'7", 200. Bowen made the 1st team All defense 5 years straight, after making the 2nd team 3 years straight. Starks never made the 1st team, and made the 2nd team once (92-93). I admired Starks's heart/hustle, but he was to small for Jordan at 6'6" 216(probably not his weight the first few years, but at least 200). Starks was more like a Raja Bell type of defender, tough/scrappy/pesky. But Bell is listed as 6'5"/206 and made the 1st team all defense once and 2nd team once. Starks gave good effort but was not as good a match for MJ as Bowen would have been.

I took "hand-checking" into consideration for all the above and below, I just think it's effect is overstated concerning great offensive players. I believe a collasping zone, with no "illegal defense" rule is tougher to play against. Getting by the first man is no problem for a great offensive player hand checking or not, it's the 2nd and 3rd man waiting for you that's the problem. Just my opinion.

As far as a comparison of MJ's and Kobe's defenders: (BTW, Detroit and New York were not the only teams in the NBA in MJ's day. He faced some mediore and bad defensive teams also, including expansion teams. And after a certain point, when MJ really got established, several complained that you were not allowed to lay a hand on him without a whistle. So his whole career was not spent fighting through and conquering great/tough defenses.)

MJ (6'6", 216): Dumars, 6'3/195, Starks, 6'5"/190, Dennis Johnson, 6'4"/185 (but was already in the NBA 8-9 years before MJ and probably not at his atheletic/defensive best), Paul Pressy, 6'5"/185, Sidney Moncrief, 6'3"/180, Alvin Robertson, 6'3"/185,... Michael Cooper, 6'5"/170, Derek Harper, 6'4"185, Nate McMillian, 6'5" (Cooper, Harper and McMillian all were excellent defenders but played mostly in the west and didn't face MJ that much), Bobby Phills, 6'5"/226

Kobe(6'6", 205): Bruce Bowen, 6'7"/200, Raja Bell, 6'5"/206, Shane Battier, 6'8"/220, Thabo Sefalosa, 6'7"/215, Ron Artest, 6"7"/260 really!, Doug Christie, 6'6"/200, Matt Barnes, 6'7"/226, Rueben Patterson, 6'5"/224,.....Gary Payton could go on either list but played in the west so didn't face MJ much (shame cause he could D MJ up), but probably didn't face Kobe much either playing the point. Also Rueben Patterson (6'5"/224) didn't make a All Defensive list but was a pesky defender against Kobe (but not a "Kobe Stopper"!)

I may have missed some guys on either side. But none of MJ's defenders (on this list) were 200+lbs, and of his primary defenders in the east all were 6'5" or below, yes they could hand check.

All of Kobe's primary opponents on D were 6'5" or more and all were 200+ lbs, hand-checking or not they were all physical and would get up in his jersey(Bowen, Bell, Battier, Sefalosa, Artest, Christie, Barnes. Those guys were bigger, bulkier, and still atheletic enough to be very good defenders, as good if not better in some cases than MJ faced. But you be the judge.

Kobe on that 05 team was no more of a "ball hog" than MJ would have been

Depends really on which bad team he plays. Cleveland, oh yes.

No. No way Jordan socores 100 today. 100??! How about 80?? 70?? They had sad defensive teams in Jordans day, yet he never scored out of the 60's, and took overtime and double ot to accomplish his highest totals. Doug Collins is qouted as saying that Jordan "played for stats" so it wasn't from lack of trying that MJ didn't get past the 60's. That's why he has the NBA record for leading the league in "field goal attempts" (9 years).

I don't believe Jordan has a greater ability to get to the basket than Kobe had in his atheletic prime against today's defenses and MJ sucked at 3pt shooting so I just don't see Jordan getting 100. It's more believable to me that Kobe could do it under the rigt circumstances, more so than MJ, with Kobe getting 55 in one half before.

Scoring 100 points in one game has been done only once in history. It was done by a Giant, playing under the basket, with his team, in the 2nd half, immediately fouling the other team in order to get the ball back in Wilts hand. Even with that Wilt barely made it to 100 in regualtion (he had 98 with under a minute to play). That's how hard it is to get 100.

I've said before that MJ was the most selfish/egotistical player in history, I hope he was joking about 100 points, but I doubt it.

If Kobe can get 81 then MJ can do 100.HurricaneHugo

How so?

I think the answer to this question is a "no" but depending on who he plays he could get 70-80 (Raptors and Cavs for instance). If there was anyone in the NBA that would score 100 now, it would be Durant or Melo.No_Hablo_Ingles

But Jordan played against Raptors and Cavs "like" teams in his day and his tops is 69, even with the 3 pt line closer for a time.

[QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"]I think the answer to this question is a "no" but depending on who he plays he could get 70-80 (Raptors and Cavs for instance). If there was anyone in the NBA that would score 100 now, it would be Durant or Melo.mont13

But Jordan played against Raptors and Cavs "like" teams in his day and his tops is 69, even with the 3 pt line closer for a time.

[QUOTE="mont13"]

[QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"]I think the answer to this question is a "no" but depending on who he plays he could get 70-80 (Raptors and Cavs for instance). If there was anyone in the NBA that would score 100 now, it would be Durant or Melo.No_Hablo_Ingles

But Jordan played against Raptors and Cavs "like" teams in his day and his tops is 69, even with the 3 pt line closer for a time.

Jordan was in a similar situation his first few years in the NBA, where he felt he had to carry the load......and tried to. Still didn't crack 70.

[QUOTE="No_Hablo_Ingles"]I think the answer to this question is a "no" but depending on who he plays he could get 70-80 (Raptors and Cavs for instance). If there was anyone in the NBA that would score 100 now, it would be Durant or Melo.mont13

But Jordan played against Raptors and Cavs "like" teams in his day and his tops is 69, even with the 3 pt line closer for a time.

Jordan played against stronger teams

Back then you didn't have players leave high school in droves or come out after one year of college that often.

Jordan's season average would be 8-10 points higher and his steals would probably be over 4 taking advantage of the players, then one night he would just go off and try for 100

I mean think of it, there's nothing like the Bad Boys in the NBA today because players would be suspended left and right and that goes for the Celtics too. Heck, even the Showtime Lakers would have to tone down their D in today's NBA.

Jordan played against stronger teams

Jaysonguy

sorry buddy Jordan played against some bad teams back then too. Not every team was the bad boy pistons or like the 80's Celtics defensive squad. If he couldn't drop 100 in his prime against weak team back then, then he couldn't do it now

[QUOTE="Jaysonguy"]

Jordan played against stronger teams

andyboiii

sorry buddy Jordan played against some bad teams back then too. Not every team was the bad boy pistons or like the 80's Celtics defensive squad. If he couldn't drop 100 in his prime against weak team back then, then he couldn't do it now

[QUOTE="Jaysonguy"]

Jordan played against stronger teams

andyboiii

sorry buddy Jordan played against some bad teams back then too. Not every team was the bad boy pistons or like the 80's Celtics defensive squad. If he couldn't drop 100 in his prime against weak team back then, then he couldn't do it now

More teams and the reasons I pointed out above mean that the bad teams now are worse then the bad teams then.

Also the fact that Jordan wouldn't be worn down during a season by teams like the Bad Boys means that he would be fresher for all of his other games.

Gives Jordan the easy schedule that players get today and he'd put up monster numbers.

Because we know teams right now are beastly on defense. Master_Live

Also the fact that Jordan wouldn't be worn down during a season by teams like the Bad Boys

Jaysonguy

worn out? :lol:

please, there weren't as many defensive squads like the bad boys back then

no one can score 100 points in todays game. Put Wilt against 7 footers and see if he can score 100

Out of an 82 game season MJ didn't play 41 against Detroit and 41 against New York, or any other high combo of great defensive teams. Trust me, he faced plenty of cup cake, bottom feeder, defensive teams.

As said before he led the NBA in fga's 9 times (record) so it wasn't for lack of trying, for 3 years the 3pt line was closer, he had plenty of "revenge games" when he tried to embarass other players by scoring big on them...Jordan had PLENTY of opportunity to get 100, but did'nt get out of the 60's and needed ot and double ot for most of those. 100, no, not in any era.

Oh monty you will do whatever you can to hate on Jordan. ;) Once again i'm here to save the day and make sense of this topic. I don't think ANYONE could score 100 points in a game through the NATURAL FLOW of the offense. Kobe still had 19 to goand that's 2/3 of his normal avg for a game. It won't happen. Now if you take the NATURAL FLOW out of the game and make it a priority to get someone to shoot every possession, forget kobe or michael, ANY prolific scorer would have a shot.

And for those that don't buy that i have one name for you - David Robinson. He scored 71 points in 1994 but nobody ever talks about it. The reason he did that was cause he needed that many points to overtake shaq for the scoring title that year. So the offense went through him as much as humanly possilble. And lets be real here, David Robinson was a SOLID, AT BEST, offensive player. He was better than Ewing but had nowhere near the skill of Hakeem. So you're telling me that someone like Robinson can put up 74 when the team funnels all the plays through him, but a great scorer like MJ can't? It's all in the approach. Kobe, Tmac in his prime, Durant, maybe even Melo could do it if it was the teams primary goal, like it was for Robinson. But to do it through the natural flow of the game, not buying it - from anyone

[QUOTE="Jaysonguy"]

Also the fact that Jordan wouldn't be worn down during a season by teams like the Bad Boys

andyboiii

worn out? :lol:

please, there weren't as many defensive squads like the bad boys back then

no one can score 100 points in todays game. Put Wilt against 7 footers and see if he can score 100

Down actually

And yes, one of the things about the great defensive teams in the era where you could actually come in contact with other players is that when you faced the Pistons or the Celtics they made you feel it for a week. Playing the Pistons just wasn't a one night event, they knocked you around trying to win that game but you dealt with the knocks for the next 3 games you played.

These days what's the biggest thing going? fatigue from flying?

I guess this 6 ringz dude is going to interrupt my sleep tonight. Nah, Gervin and David Thompson had a similar battle both great scorers, when their teams were "trying" to get them the ball to score as many as possible to win the scoring title. Neither cracked 80 let alone 100.

Your in the big leagues now homie ...step up ya game!;) later.

I guess this 6 ringz due is going to interrupt my sleep tonight. Nah, Gervin and David Thompson had a similar battle both great scorers, when their teams were "trying" to get them the ball to score as many as possible to win the scoring title. Neither cracked 80 let alone 100.

Your in the big leagues now homie ...step up ya game!;) later.

mont13

I guess this 6 ringz due is going to interrupt my sleep tonight. Nah, Gervin and David Thompson had a similar battle both great scorers, when their teams were "trying" to get them the ball to score as many as possible to win the scoring title. Neither cracked 80 let alone 100.

Your in the big leagues now homie ...step up ya game!;) later.

mont13

Fact is, I think there are a few players in NBA history who could get 100 points in 48 minutes if they (and their teams) put their minds to it. I wouldn't put it past '01 Shaq, '88 Jordan, '05 Kobe, '62 Wilt & Baylor, '72 Kareem or even other great scorers like Rick Barry, David Thompson, George Gervin, Pete Maravich, etc. You only have to be quite hot, play an especially bad defensive team and have teammates and coaches that would allow you to do it. But it's 99.99999% impossible in the normal flow of the game.

The only time that happened, in March of 62, the opposite team (Knicks) was especially pissed at the Warriors for doing so, and you can bet the reaction would be 100x as violent in today's game.

I think it would be possible, I just don't think common sense (and respect for the game) would allow it.