I was at this game! Only time I got to see Jordan. He was player of the game, and had a 5 minute standing ovation before the game started. Tickets were a birthday present. I was 12!
People keeps forgetting that Jordan has a high level of intelligence when it comes to playing basketball, like some one up in here said he is playing chess while everybody else is playing checkers.
This goes to show Jordan would not have any issues regarding Lebron James's physical power. Ron Artest 6'6 250 lbs and was solid as a rock and about 23 years old here. And Jordan being 40 here as well... that is insane.
lebron prime vs jordan prime....lebron wouldn't dominate jordan. sure jordan might not stop every move that lebron would make but lebron wouldn't stop jordan either. lebron would have to be quicker than he is now. and smart wise, it's jordan. during their prime, athletically, they are about the same but jordan had better control and better fundamentals to go with it.
They'd just put Pippen on LeBron and he'd go 8-20 with 6 turnovers. 1-on-1 though. It is NOT possible for anyone to be a better 1-on-1 player than Jordan. He has every move.
saber wolfe IF Pippen wasn't in Jordan's team. Don't get me wrong, Pippen is great player but he was in "Jordan's" team. I'M NOT SAYING HE DIDN'T CONTRIBUTE AND HE IS DEFINITELY HALL OF FAME QUALITY. Try and imagine yourself in Pippen's shoes if he had to 1v1 Jordan. The pressure from the media, the public's opinion. He would have the chance to try and alter it in a way that it wasn't just Jordan's team, but Pippen's and Jordan's team. Then he will ask himself, "Can he?" and that will be his downfall because Jordan was never, "Can he do it?" he was always, "I can." Mental game would go to Jordan, but even though, if both were in primes Jordan would still have an edge. Dude was a freak of nature, try watching his 63 points against the celtics. I can never see Pippen doing the same thing.
Stockton played until 41 and also with great games like this. His average was 12pts and 8assts per game. There are pgs today who cant achieve that. 2003: Jordan retired, Robinson retired and Stockton retired. Just legends.
Jordan is the only NBA great that I can remember that was still very effective in his late 30's and into his 40's. For the greatest player ever to play the game to stil average 20 points per game at that age just proves that He is the best ever. Never mind the fact that the Wizards didn't make the playoffs those two years he played for them. The fact remains is that there was no team behind him.
The wizards actually were on pace to be 4th place in the East in 2001/02 prior to jordans injury Through the first 46 games that jordan played, the Wizards were 26-20 But in games he didn't play or after his injury, they were 11-25 and missed the playoffs
Marcus James "Jordan is the only NBA great that I can remember that was still very effective in his late 30's and into his 40's." You can't remember Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? John Stockton? Dikembe Mutombo?
as a young kid in the 90s, I missed most of Jordan's epic moments with the Bulls. I'm glad he was still able to play in the early 2000s so I could see him dominate live. So awesome.
Kareem is 7'2 center who plays close to the rim and most his scoring was finesse, which was how he was able to increase his longevity. Michael took a lot of poundings over the years(Bad Boy Pistons) and for him to still put up scoring numbers like that at 40 is impressive
Oldest player to score 40 at Age 40. Oldest player to score 50 at Age 40. Oldest player to average over 20pts at Age 40!! It has never been done but by MJ, and it never will be done again!!
Jordan just knows how to change with the game as he changes himself. Once his body took a toll on him for all that contact during his prime of primes years, he started becoming a shooter who finishes with tricky layups. His defense did not waver either, instead he became a smarter player with a fluid jumpshot and fadeaway. A legend that still drops 20 ppg even in his 40s is definitely the greatest of all time.
That hustle at 1:50 though...like if he was fighting for the last possession or basket. The most competitive player of basketball history without a doubt, and one of the best player (if not The Best). Salute!
Make it a even 30, he was still insane great until he hurt his knee in his late 30s. He could've still played a couple more years, take a year off and work on that knee
For a man of 40 Jordan still moved with such ease with hardly no stiffness at all. Amazing athlete one of a kind. While it would of been nice to see him permenatly retired after 1998 with the storybook 'final shot of his career' no better way to go out especially for MJ. But it was a treat to see him play again and show the new school how it's done. He was just as deadly older and wiser as he was younger and faster? Legend!
yes.... there are a lot of those born after 1998 who don't know shit about basketball rules and game intensity in the 90s. they will say someone else who play their entire career with a relaxed rules after 2003 could do a better job in the 90s. Someone...
He just has the best looking J you'll ever see... the way he elevates, his form, release point, the trajectory, and just how fluid he was in every aspect of the game. Never gets old watching him play. LeBron is one of the best ever but he never looks this good when he plays, Jordan is like poetry in motion, LeBron is just a freight train. Amazing as he was at this age on the Wizards if he hadn't played those 2 season all his all time stats would be even more impressive.
This to me shows just why Jordan is the GOAT. To do that at age 40 is insane. I'm pretty sure James won't be able to do that at age 40, Lebron is relying way to much on his physical superiority. While doing this at that age comes down to skill, as you physically you have regressed quite a bit. Even Kobe is struggling to stay injury free these days and is clearly not the player he was a couple of years ago. IMO Jordan > Kobe > Lebron. Lebron wouldn't have come close to being the superstar he is today against the defenses, big men and physicality Jordan played against in the 90's.
umm skill?? Lebron james is hands down the most skillful player to ever play the game of basketball. Its fact lebron is a more allround skillful basketballer then jordan but what makes jordan the best player ever is he will and determination to win and mental strength which would blow kobe and lebron off the court.
freddy slice Most skillful player to ever play? LMAO. No he is regarded as the physically most gifted. In other words, size, strength, speed etc not skills. If he was the most skillful player to ever play, then sagging off and giving him room to shoot wouldn't be the most effective tactic to use against him. If you were to do that to Jordan, you don't even have to come out and play...you'll lose guaranteed. And yes, as far as the mental aspect goes...Lebron is not even top 50 as far as mental aspects goes...I've never seen a superstar disapear so consistently when the game is on the line...not to even mention giving up on his team. Just based on that he can't be considered as the best ever IMO.
are u blind ?? can michael jordan involve his other 4 team mates in a game like lebron can ?? lebrons passing game is probably the best we have ever seen, hes probly the only player ive seen that could start in all 5 posiitons on the court and dominate. Either way micahel jordan is the greatest but please get some perspective.
freddy slice Who cares if he can do everything? Jack of all trades, but master of none? And his passing game is nothing on Magic Johnson's...get of his dick man. Seriously, he can't block like Olajuwon, he can't assist like Stockton or Magic, can't score like Jordan and can't steal to safe his life. Who cares if he can play any position on court...that doesn't make him the GOAT.
freddy slice Lebron's passing game is the best we have ever seen? Yea, maybe if you're 10 years old. He's not even the best passer in the game right now
Listen, when Micheal Jordan was 40 he was still close to his strongest that he could get, as a matter of fact, Jordan at 40 was most likely stronger than an early 20something year old Lebron, I am in my 40's and let me tell you, I am still much stronger than a lot of these 20+ year olds
+Mark Floors Most people don't get stronger with age, men begin losing muscle mass beginning in their early 30's. If you go through your 20's and decide to lift weights in your 30's then you'll probably be stronger in your 30's. Of course everyone is somewhat different.
30 to 32 is the age when you reach your peak, but let me tell you, when you reach 40..if you remain healthy..you will say to yourself.."if I were to fight my 32yo self..he better be careful because I am still VERY capable of laying him out COLD". From 32 to 40, you will not lose much, trust me when I tell you..I promise you LOL, I am 50 now..but still young at heart, I fear my 40yo self then my 32 yo self, because I was smarter at 40 then 32
The thing to watch is how easy Jordan gets his shots. Do you ever see him hold or dribble the ball for more than 2 seconds before he makes his decision? He picks his spot, goes there and shoots.
+Kobe mac jordan was never injured. Kobe was still the best before the first injury. He's had 3 season ending injuries in a row. That will take a toll on your performance.
Honestly can’t imagine which I’d rather have seen live: an early game where he showed what the next 50 yrs of basketball would be compared to or a later game like this one that shows us he never lost his ability to intelligently adapt to any basketball situation. Watching “The Last Dance” clarified for me that this adaptability, and the speed and effectiveness with which he could implement it is the thing that confines his GOAT status. His intelligence is what keeps him ahead of the others. Only other player in that category that I can think of is Bill Russell. I’d listen to every word I could from either of those guys.
I was at this game, Jordan put on a clinic... The Pacers had no answer for him on this night, but he pretty much historically killed them throughout his career.
MJ was putting up 40 point games in his 40s. Imagine what he would do today's league in his prime? A league, mind you, that barely even lets player play D anymore. LOL Jordan would average 50+ easily.
Yep He almost won Mvp the first year he played with the Wizards too, He was the leading candidate, but late season His knees gave out. Jordan was one of a kind.
The thing people just can't comprehend is how good Jordan was as a defender. He may be the best defender ever, Artest was 250 and just 6'6. And he's handling him like a child at age 40. Not to mention today's game would suit Jordan. With the freedom of the midrange shot, and the three ball. He could post up better than any other guard now, he would have a better midrange game than anyone outside of maybe Curry... And he would absorb all of the hits and play the refs... It's just an unreal thought
I watched a bunch of the Jordan led Wizards games back then on TV and while he was no longer at the same level that he was in '98, he was still one of the best players in the NBA. And I bet that if he was willing to take a lesser role like Tim Duncan did he could have played until he was 45 while still starting. If he would have been willing to come off the bench, he probably could have been playing in the NBA until he was 50. That was one thing that he never would have accepted, though. Like Iverson and to a lesser extent Sprewell, it was the number one option or nothing. He rarely got injured - once in '85 and then in '03 in his first seasons with the Wizards. The way he changed his game after his first retirement didn't require him to be as explosive as he was in the 80's and early 90's. He became more of a high post jump shooter and was deadly 10-15 feet from the hoop. Because of the way he played, I think that he could have easily been a productive NBA player at age 50 although by then he might have become a liability on defense when guarding some of the younger faster shooting guards or small forwards.
***** Yeah, he came off the after he was injured. Almost everyone either comes off the bench or at the very least gets their minutes limited when they are recovering from a knee injury that required surgery. If he wanted to be able to walk as a 50 year old, he damn sure better have come off the bench and played as lightly as possible at the beginning of the 2002-03 season (see goo.gl/366gCp). They weren't experimenting with him off the bench because his skill was declining. That is for damn sure. But the fact is, even if he came off the bench and only played 20 minutes a game, he was still the number 1 scoring option for the Wizards no matter who the other 4 Wizards on the court were with him. He NEVER would have accepted being a full time sixth man or that bullshit "utility man" that he was talking about in that 2002 article. That was out of the question. If it wasn't for that knee surgery, he probably would have retired in 2007 or 08 as a 45 year old number 1 option on a last place Wizards team. Tell me I didn't watch those games. I watched pretty much every Wizards game that was on TV those two seasons and there were a bunch of them on national TV thanks solely to MJ. Also, you are going to see something similar this year with the Lakers and Kobe. Unless Kobe insists that he start every game and he doesn't care if he is able to walk 10 years from now, we might see him coming off the bench in a similar way that Jordan did for at least the first few months of the upcoming season. Kobe will still be the "man" in Laker town when he is out there on the court and the offense will go through him, but he will not be that 36 minute, 30 ppg guy who starts all 82 games. This will obviously piss off the younger Lakers and completely throw off their rhythm every time old man Kobe steps on the court but, hey, it is still his team just like the Wizards, and the NBA still belonged to Jordan in 2002.
No question. He is the greatest ever to play the game. So sad what happened, he quit after 3 straight. He came back and another 3 straight. It could have been 10 straight but life got in the way.
That's unbelievable, Michael Jordan at the age of 40 and playing as wonderful as he did in the 90's have to give respect for Jordan. Most NBA players retire at the age of 35-37
Jordan and kobes shot and perimeter game is so damn close Ita crazy ... kobe copied Jordans footwork and moves !! Jordan was a better mid range shooter kobe was a better long range shooter .. jordan us the GOAT no doubt !!! Jordan and kobe are probably the 2 beat offensive players of alltime hands down !!
Michael jordan is by far the best basketball player ever to walk onto an nba court. And he had a good attitude, unlike kobe, who has an ego the size of alaska. Michael jordan was never casual. He was always intense and just an off the charts amazing player all around
Jordan at 40 was better than Kobe at 37, but Kobe had even more mileage. Jordan took 1.5 years off in the early 90s and a few more after 98, and the playoffs were shorter and he played 3 years of short college seasons, where Kobe was playing full 82-game NBA seasons plus deep playoffs since age 18. The NBA season is really too long for mortals, and eventually even his body broke down.
+SniffyPoo Kobe should've called it quits maybe like 2 seasons ago in my opinion. I'm glad Jordan avoided any type of major injuries during his career besides his 2nd year. Either way all athletes after a certain age and many years of playing break down.
I don't understand when it comes to LeBron, how people, many people skip Kareem, Magic, Bird, Kobe, Russell and go straight to Jordan. This is not a real topic for me.
he definitely didn't "abuse" Ron Artest...any time Ron Artest was guarding him in this video, Jordan used a screen to get him off. He definitely had a great game against the PACER defense, not trying to hate on Jordan at all, but the title is definitely a little misleading
Unreal how good Jordan was at that age. Before Kobe got hurt last season he was at the top of the league in scoring at age 37 I believe. Still one of the most dominate scorers in the league
Case and point Jordan in his prime would destroy todays pussy flopping league. Yet Lebron and Kobe would get there asses handed to them if they played in the genre that Jordan did. One series with the bad boy pistons and Lebron/Kobe would be crying to their mommas. Jordad GOAT forever.
Take Kobe out of that Kobe would still be a great player in the Jordan era lebron is the only one who couldn't handle it Kobe has went against guys like Ron artest and Bruce Bowen and plenty more Kobe would strive in the Jordan era
Garrett Kelly Whining over calls doesn't make u less capable of dealing with physical teams. It just means that u are trying to get call. Don't overinterpret.
I always thought that Jordan should have decided to go to the Lakers , after leaving the Bulls , could u imagine ( at that time) Jordan n Kobe in the same back court , a nightmare for any Defence , not to mention Shaq , Phil Jackson was there , Jordan would have picked up another Ring , wishful thinking
True, but Jordan would have thought it would be easy or unfair for anyone else. He likes to be challenged, or just not do it at all. The challenge is what drives him, not the assurance of high success rate. He kept playing for the Wizards without any complaints, and they were horrible lol. It would be something Lebron would definitely do tho, jump ship quick for success.
But didn't he love the ridiculous attention and claims even before coming to the NBA? He was blowing his damn bday cake candles on the bench during a game coz he thought he was THE MAN. Lebron is a kid to you? He was already an adult when he ran to Miami, and Kobe out of highschool didn't fold going through the same situation. To this day Kobe is still getting criticized and it's fueling him to comeback from his injury, not jump ship. Do you realize how many rings MJ and Kobe could've had if they started switching teams? Even Iverson didn't leave sixers and he's a top dawg without a ring. Went to the finals with probably a worse team than Lebron's Cleveland. But they traded him coz he got old.
Killa Catfish The reason Jordan played for the wizards was because he was a part owner of the wizards at the time. The wizards after 2 years said they didnt need him to play anymore and he retired.
infntnub as you get older the best thing for you is also one of the harder things to do due to slower metabolism, and thats curb your diet and increase cardio.
3:25 Back in his twenties, that kind of situation would end with a vicious dunk 8-) If the slowest guy on the court can put them kinda 30 pts, then prime Jordan... 18+ content. But cool fadeaways anyway. MJ always puts a smile on my face :)
when it comes to bball...one of the smartest, craftiest players ever. he seems like a pretty articulate dude, i wouldnt say he isnt smart when it comes to discussing worldly issues
I quit watching the NBA in the early-90's after the majority became black players. The 80's was primarily white, with about 30 to 35% black, but that all changed in the early-90's, so goodbye white man's sport for 50 years, hello black man's sport!
One of the best kept secrets of the modern NBA is how scoring has been artificially inflated due to rule changes and pace of play. Notice how in these older videos, there's no space below the basket? That's why back then, 30 points in a game was a big deal. You had to earn it. Now, with everyone out around the arc, it's basically a one-on-one game. That's why so many people putting up big numbers where they wouldn't have in the past. It's just far easier to score.
gymnastbg1 that is poor, considering Jordan most of the time had a 50% or more fg. and considering Kobe never has a FG at 47% or more. he's also 1st in all time taken shot's, and most missed shot's. he should at least crack a 47%.
Please, give me break. The Lebron James greatness is over. done. history.he is not considered a great basketball player. He lost to the Spurs, which broke up that Bs team= the Heatles. He is not in the same sentence or same conversation with Michael Jordan or even Kobe.
+lovefunkrockmusic lebron is a great player. he should have been MVP against the spurs he was untouchable. everywhere he goes, no matter what team, he rules the east. when he leaves, they suck. greatness personified.
Ron Artest said on twitter that Jordan was his toughest matchup over Lebron, KD and Kobe. Because MJ put up 40 vs Artest in his defensive prime at age 40
The post 1996 Jordan must've been the only Jordan you've seen if you actually think the fade is all he did. He certainly relied on it after 96, but from '84-'93? No way. Prime Jordan was the most exciting, high flying player in NBA history. Check out Michael Jordan - Come Fly With Me or Michael Jordan's Playground for evidence - they're both posted here on YT
0:51 - - 0:55 - This is why Jordan was so effective. Gets the ball and dribbles directly to his spot where he wants to shoot it. He doesn't hesitate, doesn't take extra dribbles, doesn't look around...just is intentional.
every time they critised him about something,he fixed that in the upcoming season and becomes the best at it in the league,thats the factor of the best player ever nobody will be better than him...
This is how i KNOW that MJ is greatest of ALL TIME. Most (old school players) cant really compare to todays athlete. Different time, diff rules, diff types of play... BUT Mike was 40 years old KILLING YOUNG STUDS. Artest was in his prime, ( i think the palace brawl was in 04) he still was playing at a high level against this generations greats. AI, kobe, KG, ray allen, Pierce, Michale Finley, Antonio Mcdyse (you pups prolly dont know who that is) MJ.... Greatest ever.
That must be why his FG% went down so much, because he basically has to shoot all jumpers as opposed to driving. Still, one of the best players in the league even at 40.
I was at that game. It was the only one of the two times I saw him live. The first was during his rookie year when then Bulls played a preseason game against the Pacers in Gary, IN. Even at age 40, he moved so smoothly. Like they said in "Space Jam". You can't teach that!
i did it. as B.J. armnstrong. what michael did was always to help his team mates, never hurt them. of course some times in that level of competition you can make mistakes, but he said michael always apologized.
Thank you! Man, the Lebron/Kobe hype from punks today is ridiculous! MJ in his prime would've ripped them apart, just by getting into their heads mentally he'd get them off their game. Meanwhile he would elevate his already superior game just to prove a point. Just like he used Clyde Drexler as a source of motivation to go out and outplay Clyde in the Finals in '92.
I was talking true shooting percentage, which is different then field goal percentage. It accounts for free throws and also three pointers, so it is a better judge of efficiency then straight field goal %
I was at this game!
Only time I got to see Jordan. He was player of the game, and had a 5 minute standing ovation before the game started. Tickets were a birthday present. I was 12!
People keeps forgetting that Jordan has a high level of intelligence when it comes to playing basketball, like some one up in here said he is playing chess while everybody else is playing checkers.
DAViD That's actually a quote from Kobe.
Damn~ Facts bro!!! He like "Who I'm gone get next~ lol"
@@tylerb325 Ya about MJ
Yep. This is the same reason Larry Bird would excel in any era. Smarts.
40 yr old Michael Jordan = real life Uncle Drew
@Pro Truth :) Still true 6 yrs later lol
Makes no sense....MJ is MJ
This goes to show Jordan would not have any issues regarding Lebron James's physical power. Ron Artest 6'6 250 lbs and was solid as a rock and about 23 years old here. And Jordan being 40 here as well... that is insane.
I think he meant to imply that if a Ron Artest can't stop a 40 year old MJ, then LeBron can't stop a prime MJ.
lebron prime vs jordan prime....lebron wouldn't dominate jordan. sure jordan might not stop every move that lebron would make but lebron wouldn't stop jordan either. lebron would have to be quicker than he is now. and smart wise, it's jordan. during their prime, athletically, they are about the same but jordan had better control and better fundamentals to go with it.
They'd just put Pippen on LeBron and he'd go 8-20 with 6 turnovers. 1-on-1 though. It is NOT possible for anyone to be a better 1-on-1 player than Jordan. He has every move.
Emmanuel Stalling Pippen? vs Jordan would have been a spectacular 1on1 matchup. Not saying Pippen would win, but would be amazing to see that.
saber wolfe IF Pippen wasn't in Jordan's team. Don't get me wrong, Pippen is great player but he was in "Jordan's" team. I'M NOT SAYING HE DIDN'T CONTRIBUTE AND HE IS DEFINITELY HALL OF FAME QUALITY. Try and imagine yourself in Pippen's shoes if he had to 1v1 Jordan. The pressure from the media, the public's opinion. He would have the chance to try and alter it in a way that it wasn't just Jordan's team, but Pippen's and Jordan's team. Then he will ask himself, "Can he?" and that will be his downfall because Jordan was never, "Can he do it?" he was always, "I can."
Mental game would go to Jordan, but even though, if both were in primes Jordan would still have an edge. Dude was a freak of nature, try watching his 63 points against the celtics. I can never see Pippen doing the same thing.
Stockton played until 41 and also with great games like this. His average was 12pts and 8assts per game. There are pgs today who cant achieve that. 2003: Jordan retired, Robinson retired and Stockton retired. Just legends.
Jordan is the only NBA great that I can remember that was still very effective in his late 30's and into his 40's. For the greatest player ever to play the game to stil average 20 points per game at that age just proves that He is the best ever. Never mind the fact that the Wizards didn't make the playoffs those two years he played for them. The fact remains is that there was no team behind him.
The wizards actually were on pace to be 4th place in the East in 2001/02 prior to jordans injury
Through the first 46 games that jordan played, the Wizards were 26-20
But in games he didn't play or after his injury, they were 11-25 and missed the playoffs
👍👍
Marcus James "Jordan is the only NBA great that I can remember that was still very effective in his late 30's and into his 40's." You can't remember Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? John Stockton? Dikembe Mutombo?
👍👍
Joseph Scott They didn't average 20 a game like jordan did in his late 30's and early 40's
as a young kid in the 90s, I missed most of Jordan's epic moments with the Bulls. I'm glad he was still able to play in the early 2000s so I could see him dominate live. So awesome.
Kareem is 7'2 center who plays close to the rim and most his scoring was finesse, which was how he was able to increase his longevity. Michael took a lot of poundings over the years(Bad Boy Pistons) and for him to still put up scoring numbers like that at 40 is impressive
Oldest player to score 40 at Age 40. Oldest player to score 50 at Age 40. Oldest player to average over 20pts at Age 40!! It has never been done but by MJ, and it never will be done again!!
lebron
@@prime5718 have a seat 😆! He's not even close!!!
Watcha think now? Lebron lol
@@1CHOZN7 LeBron will score just as much at 40, if not more. Look at what he is doing right now. He is apparently still in his prime!
@@3-methylindole730 LeBron is in a high-school league that plays high-school defense. That's the difference
Crazy how fluid is still was at 40.
Greatest Athlete ever.
Jordan at 40 with 3 defenders but able to make the shot! GOAT!!!!
Jordan just knows how to change with the game as he changes himself. Once his body took a toll on him for all that contact during his prime of primes years, he started becoming a shooter who finishes with tricky layups. His defense did not waver either, instead he became a smarter player with a fluid jumpshot and fadeaway. A legend that still drops 20 ppg even in his 40s is definitely the greatest of all time.
Reggie hugging MJ in the end... I love moments like this.
4:30 .... "Michael Jordan at the age of 40, right now still the best player on the floor"
Jordan, master of the fade-away, could have played till he was 45 probably.
That hustle at 1:50 though...like if he was fighting for the last possession or basket. The most competitive player of basketball history without a doubt, and one of the best player (if not The Best). Salute!
Imagine a 26 yr old jordan playing todays game
Make it a even 30, he was still insane great until he hurt his knee in his late 30s. He could've still played a couple more years, take a year off and work on that knee
Shiiii…98 MJ would cook too 🔥
Jordan did not give a damn who was open..he shot every ball like it was his last
For a man of 40 Jordan still moved with such ease with hardly no stiffness at all. Amazing athlete one of a kind.
While it would of been nice to see him permenatly retired after 1998 with the storybook 'final shot of his career' no better way to go out especially for MJ. But it was a treat to see him play again and show the new school how it's done.
He was just as deadly older and wiser as he was younger and faster?
Legend!
How can anyone watch this and not be impressed?
bronsexuals
yes.... there are a lot of those born after 1998 who don't know shit about basketball rules and game intensity in the 90s. they will say someone else who play their entire career with a relaxed rules after 2003 could do a better job in the 90s.
Someone...
He just has the best looking J you'll ever see... the way he elevates, his form, release point, the trajectory, and just how fluid he was in every aspect of the game. Never gets old watching him play. LeBron is one of the best ever but he never looks this good when he plays, Jordan is like poetry in motion, LeBron is just a freight train. Amazing as he was at this age on the Wizards if he hadn't played those 2 season all his all time stats would be even more impressive.
Its not only his skills....its his personality also..!!
Respect from Greece....
40 years old and doing amazing, wow
This to me shows just why Jordan is the GOAT. To do that at age 40 is insane. I'm pretty sure James won't be able to do that at age 40, Lebron is relying way to much on his physical superiority. While doing this at that age comes down to skill, as you physically you have regressed quite a bit. Even Kobe is struggling to stay injury free these days and is clearly not the player he was a couple of years ago. IMO Jordan > Kobe > Lebron. Lebron wouldn't have come close to being the superstar he is today against the defenses, big men and physicality Jordan played against in the 90's.
umm skill?? Lebron james is hands down the most skillful player to ever play the game of basketball. Its fact lebron is a more allround skillful basketballer then jordan but what makes jordan the best player ever is he will and determination to win and mental strength which would blow kobe and lebron off the court.
freddy slice
Most skillful player to ever play? LMAO. No he is regarded as the physically most gifted. In other words, size, strength, speed etc not skills. If he was the most skillful player to ever play, then sagging off and giving him room to shoot wouldn't be the most effective tactic to use against him. If you were to do that to Jordan, you don't even have to come out and play...you'll lose guaranteed. And yes, as far as the mental aspect goes...Lebron is not even top 50 as far as mental aspects goes...I've never seen a superstar disapear so consistently when the game is on the line...not to even mention giving up on his team. Just based on that he can't be considered as the best ever IMO.
are u blind ?? can michael jordan involve his other 4 team mates in a game like lebron can ?? lebrons passing game is probably the best we have ever seen, hes probly the only player ive seen that could start in all 5 posiitons on the court and dominate. Either way micahel jordan is the greatest but please get some perspective.
freddy slice
Who cares if he can do everything? Jack of all trades, but master of none? And his passing game is nothing on Magic Johnson's...get of his dick man. Seriously, he can't block like Olajuwon, he can't assist like Stockton or Magic, can't score like Jordan and can't steal to safe his life. Who cares if he can play any position on court...that doesn't make him the GOAT.
freddy slice Lebron's passing game is the best we have ever seen? Yea, maybe if you're 10 years old. He's not even the best passer in the game right now
Artest is on record saying Jordan is harder to guard than Lebron. Artest said he was as strong as Lebron and that was when Jordan was 40!
Listen, when Micheal Jordan was 40 he was still close to his strongest that he could get, as a matter of fact, Jordan at 40 was most likely stronger than an early 20something year old Lebron, I am in my 40's and let me tell you, I am still much stronger than a lot of these 20+ year olds
+Mark Floors Most people don't get stronger with age, men begin losing muscle mass beginning in their early 30's. If you go through your 20's and decide to lift weights in your 30's then you'll probably be stronger in your 30's. Of course everyone is somewhat different.
How old are you?
32
30 to 32 is the age when you reach your peak, but let me tell you, when you reach 40..if you remain healthy..you will say to yourself.."if I were to fight my 32yo self..he better be careful because I am still VERY capable of laying him out COLD". From 32 to 40, you will not lose much, trust me when I tell you..I promise you LOL, I am 50 now..but still young at heart, I fear my 40yo self then my 32 yo self, because I was smarter at 40 then 32
The thing to watch is how easy Jordan gets his shots. Do you ever see him hold or dribble the ball for more than 2 seconds before he makes his decision? He picks his spot, goes there and shoots.
To think he was playing at that level at that age is a testament to how truly great he was.
Jordan is way better at 40 then kobe is at 37
man, Kobe wasn't healthy, Jordan was..
+Luia Angel Cornielle his knees were not
+wistiti93420 nothing on kobes body is healthy at this point..... shoulder blown, leg blown, fingers blown. nose blown. everything is bad for kobe atm
Kobe isnt even trying
+Kobe mac jordan was never injured. Kobe was still the best before the first injury. He's had 3 season ending injuries in a row. That will take a toll on your performance.
Honestly can’t imagine which I’d rather have seen live: an early game where he showed what the next 50 yrs of basketball would be compared to or a later game like this one that shows us he never lost his ability to intelligently adapt to any basketball situation. Watching “The Last Dance” clarified for me that this adaptability, and the speed and effectiveness with which he could implement it is the thing that confines his GOAT status. His intelligence is what keeps him ahead of the others. Only other player in that category that I can think of is Bill Russell. I’d listen to every word I could from either of those guys.
I was at this game, Jordan put on a clinic... The Pacers had no answer for him on this night, but he pretty much historically killed them throughout his career.
This was the last time I made my schedule around watching MJ on TV. :)
MJ was putting up 40 point games in his 40s. Imagine what he would do today's league in his prime? A league, mind you, that barely even lets player play D anymore. LOL Jordan would average 50+ easily.
He was averaging 35 and 37 per year in the 80's. The guy would have shat all over this league today.
MJ is a leader, and the spirit he brings every game is different.. in all of is attempts, full of passion.. that's y, he is the greatest... ever...
Yep He almost won Mvp the first year he played with the Wizards too, He was the leading candidate, but late season His knees gave out. Jordan was one of a kind.
The thing people just can't comprehend is how good Jordan was as a defender. He may be the best defender ever, Artest was 250 and just 6'6. And he's handling him like a child at age 40. Not to mention today's game would suit Jordan. With the freedom of the midrange shot, and the three ball. He could post up better than any other guard now, he would have a better midrange game than anyone outside of maybe Curry... And he would absorb all of the hits and play the refs... It's just an unreal thought
+Ray Petree jordan would score 40 a game today haha they are so soft now
I watched a bunch of the Jordan led Wizards games back then on TV and while he was no longer at the same level that he was in '98, he was still one of the best players in the NBA. And I bet that if he was willing to take a lesser role like Tim Duncan did he could have played until he was 45 while still starting. If he would have been willing to come off the bench, he probably could have been playing in the NBA until he was 50. That was one thing that he never would have accepted, though. Like Iverson and to a lesser extent Sprewell, it was the number one option or nothing. He rarely got injured - once in '85 and then in '03 in his first seasons with the Wizards. The way he changed his game after his first retirement didn't require him to be as explosive as he was in the 80's and early 90's. He became more of a high post jump shooter and was deadly 10-15 feet from the hoop. Because of the way he played, I think that he could have easily been a productive NBA player at age 50 although by then he might have become a liability on defense when guarding some of the younger faster shooting guards or small forwards.
Jay Man
I don't think you watched his Wizards games, Jordan did experiment coming off the bench for a brief while as a Wizards
***** Yeah, he came off the after he was injured. Almost everyone either comes off the bench or at the very least gets their minutes limited when they are recovering from a knee injury that required surgery. If he wanted to be able to walk as a 50 year old, he damn sure better have come off the bench and played as lightly as possible at the beginning of the 2002-03 season (see goo.gl/366gCp). They weren't experimenting with him off the bench because his skill was declining. That is for damn sure. But the fact is, even if he came off the bench and only played 20 minutes a game, he was still the number 1 scoring option for the Wizards no matter who the other 4 Wizards on the court were with him. He NEVER would have accepted being a full time sixth man or that bullshit "utility man" that he was talking about in that 2002 article. That was out of the question. If it wasn't for that knee surgery, he probably would have retired in 2007 or 08 as a 45 year old number 1 option on a last place Wizards team. Tell me I didn't watch those games. I watched pretty much every Wizards game that was on TV those two seasons and there were a bunch of them on national TV thanks solely to MJ.
Also, you are going to see something similar this year with the Lakers and Kobe. Unless Kobe insists that he start every game and he doesn't care if he is able to walk 10 years from now, we might see him coming off the bench in a similar way that Jordan did for at least the first few months of the upcoming season. Kobe will still be the "man" in Laker town when he is out there on the court and the offense will go through him, but he will not be that 36 minute, 30 ppg guy who starts all 82 games. This will obviously piss off the younger Lakers and completely throw off their rhythm every time old man Kobe steps on the court but, hey, it is still his team just like the Wizards, and the NBA still belonged to Jordan in 2002.
haaaiizt..
I nearly cried when I saw Reggie and Michael hug. The music didn't help either. How ironic they each finished with 25.
3:00 triple teamed at age 40!!!
You should check those vids out anyway, just for the enjoyment it provides. His grace was unparalleled. He transformed the game into an art form.
No question. He is the greatest ever to play the game. So sad what happened, he quit after 3 straight. He came back and another 3 straight. It could have been 10 straight but life got in the way.
Jordan did a good job considering his age (40) , compared to Kobe nowadays only 36 but having trouble carrying his team for a win
how df your going to act like coming off a torn achilles is nothing FOH!
Michael Jordan has taken more time off than Kobe though.
And that was against a pretty good pacers team, shows you how well he played
Amazing how he's still this good at 40
Damn that's show how good jordan is even at age 40 against the DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR A YEAR AFTER THIS, WOW
That's unbelievable, Michael Jordan at the age of 40 and playing as wonderful as he did in the 90's have to give respect for Jordan. Most NBA players retire at the age of 35-37
Man He was good!! Made the game look so easy!!
5:32 Legends hugging each other... EPIC MOMENT I STILL REMEMBER IT!!!!
Jordan's shot is sooo much faster than Kobe's.
he jumped higher too
Jordan and kobes shot and perimeter game is so damn close Ita crazy ... kobe copied Jordans footwork and moves !! Jordan was a better mid range shooter kobe was a better long range shooter .. jordan us the GOAT no doubt !!! Jordan and kobe are probably the 2 beat offensive players of alltime hands down !!
Josh Haynes no kobi wasn't
Josh Haynes your just repeating the same line from MJ about Kobe copy his footwork but they make the form work 👍
MJ's mid-range jumper was a thing of beauty.
How you guys compere MJ#23 to those guys please the man is incomparable
Everyone was cheering for him.. Everyone loves him because he is the G.O.A.T.
Amazing , he still had a good Elevation
I think MJ at 50 can properly still make a starting 5 today in the NBA
Lol Ron Artests getting super excited like he did something when he almost stripped the ball from Jordan lol. Jordan is a legend bruh!
Michael jordan is by far the best basketball player ever to walk onto an nba court. And he had a good attitude, unlike kobe, who has an ego the size of alaska. Michael jordan was never casual. He was always intense and just an off the charts amazing player all around
Jordan at 40 was better than Kobe at 37, but Kobe had even more mileage. Jordan took 1.5 years off in the early 90s and a few more after 98, and the playoffs were shorter and he played 3 years of short college seasons, where Kobe was playing full 82-game NBA seasons plus deep playoffs since age 18. The NBA season is really too long for mortals, and eventually even his body broke down.
+SniffyPoo Kobe should've called it quits maybe like 2 seasons ago in my opinion. I'm glad Jordan avoided any type of major injuries during his career besides his 2nd year. Either way all athletes after a certain age and many years of playing break down.
I don't understand when it comes to LeBron, how people, many people skip Kareem, Magic, Bird, Kobe, Russell and go straight to Jordan. This is not a real topic for me.
2:57 "Jordan rapped up by Artest!"
3:01 Don't think so....
I was at this game. Huge Pacers fan, but I cheered for MJ the whole time.
remember this was defensive player of the year artest!!!!
who said he got tired of shutting down players every night
He could of played a few more years for sure!
he definitely didn't "abuse" Ron Artest...any time Ron Artest was guarding him in this video, Jordan used a screen to get him off. He definitely had a great game against the PACER defense, not trying to hate on Jordan at all, but the title is definitely a little misleading
This was false.
How about 1:18, the crap you talking about using a screen LOL
1:18 I don't see a screen.
Hey Jackson I was at that game, don't let the shot percentage fool you he was clearly the best player on the court that night!!!!
Unreal how good Jordan was at that age. Before Kobe got hurt last season he was at the top of the league in scoring at age 37 I believe. Still one of the most dominate scorers in the league
Case and point Jordan in his prime would destroy todays pussy flopping league. Yet Lebron and Kobe would get there asses handed to them if they played in the genre that Jordan did. One series with the bad boy pistons and Lebron/Kobe would be crying to their mommas. Jordad GOAT forever.
Take Kobe out of that Kobe would still be a great player in the Jordan era lebron is the only one who couldn't handle it Kobe has went against guys like Ron artest and Bruce Bowen and plenty more Kobe would strive in the Jordan era
Cause he flops! He acts like he got hit by a truck when he bumps into a point guard.
CS T because you see how he whines about little calls in today's league just imagine him against the bad boy pistons
jconstantine Which means that he will go to extremes to win
Garrett Kelly Whining over calls doesn't make u less capable of dealing with physical teams. It just means that u are trying to get call. Don't overinterpret.
I always thought that Jordan should have decided to go to the Lakers , after leaving the Bulls , could u imagine ( at that time) Jordan n Kobe in the same back court , a nightmare for any Defence , not to mention Shaq , Phil Jackson was there , Jordan would have picked up another Ring , wishful thinking
True, but Jordan would have thought it would be easy or unfair for anyone else. He likes to be challenged, or just not do it at all. The challenge is what drives him, not the assurance of high success rate. He kept playing for the Wizards without any complaints, and they were horrible lol. It would be something Lebron would definitely do tho, jump ship quick for success.
But didn't he love the ridiculous attention and claims even before coming to the NBA? He was blowing his damn bday cake candles on the bench during a game coz he thought he was THE MAN. Lebron is a kid to you? He was already an adult when he ran to Miami, and Kobe out of highschool didn't fold going through the same situation. To this day Kobe is still getting criticized and it's fueling him to comeback from his injury, not jump ship. Do you realize how many rings MJ and Kobe could've had if they started switching teams? Even Iverson didn't leave sixers and he's a top dawg without a ring. Went to the finals with probably a worse team than Lebron's Cleveland. But they traded him coz he got old.
King Gilleonidas good point , Iverson made the finals against the Lakers , played his ass off
Nah, mj and kobe the same position
Killa Catfish The reason Jordan played for the wizards was because he was a part owner of the wizards at the time. The wizards after 2 years said they didnt need him to play anymore and he retired.
If he was about 15 lbs lighter his knees would have been better.
Shaq agrees with this comment. He also would have extended his career had he got his fatass in the gym.
infntnub as you get older the best thing for you is also one of the harder things to do due to slower metabolism, and thats curb your diet and increase cardio.
3:25 Back in his twenties, that kind of situation would end with a vicious dunk 8-) If the slowest guy on the court can put them kinda 30 pts, then prime Jordan... 18+ content. But cool fadeaways anyway. MJ always puts a smile on my face :)
when it comes to bball...one of the smartest, craftiest players ever. he seems like a pretty articulate dude, i wouldnt say he isnt smart when it comes to discussing worldly issues
you have to laugh at the thought of jordan passing to kwame brown
Kwame Brown.
I quit watching the NBA in the early-90's after the majority became black players. The 80's was primarily white, with about 30 to 35% black, but that all changed in the early-90's, so goodbye white man's sport for 50 years, hello black man's sport!
And hello troll!
Fuck you
Jude Law stfu
I was at this game! MJ did not disappoint!
One of the best kept secrets of the modern NBA is how scoring has been artificially inflated due to rule changes and pace of play. Notice how in these older videos, there's no space below the basket? That's why back then, 30 points in a game was a big deal. You had to earn it. Now, with everyone out around the arc, it's basically a one-on-one game. That's why so many people putting up big numbers where they wouldn't have in the past. It's just far easier to score.
LMAOOO Jordan didn't abuse shit he was 11-25 cmon now it's good that he put up 25 at 40 but he shot poorly from the field
Kpbe does that all the time, what's his excuse.
since when is shooting 44% from the field considered "poor"
gymnastbg1 that is poor, considering Jordan most of the time had a 50% or more fg. and considering Kobe never has a FG at 47% or more. he's also 1st in all time taken shot's, and most missed shot's. he should at least crack a 47%.
gymnastbg1 since when is missing 14 shots being praised?
aight, I agree he didn't 'abuse' artest but 44% at his age certainly isn't poor, it's a solid game
Please, give me break. The Lebron James greatness is over. done. history.he is not considered a great basketball player. He lost to the Spurs, which broke up that Bs team= the Heatles. He is not in the same sentence or same conversation with Michael Jordan or even Kobe.
By the way, a high school kid dunked on Lebron James.
+lovefunkrockmusic lebron is a great player. he should have been MVP against the spurs he was untouchable. everywhere he goes, no matter what team, he rules the east. when he leaves, they suck. greatness personified.
MJ still the best.. kobe? nothing but copy cat.. hahahahahaha
+Jong Ampati you are 100% correct Kobe watched 1000s of hours of tape to be just like Mike
Yup sir robert..
Jong Ampatin Kobe stole MJ's moves.
Jong Ampatin You do know Mj also copied some of Dr.J's moves.
Jong Ampatin You do know Mj also copied some of Dr.J's moves.
Ron Artest said on twitter that Jordan was his toughest matchup over Lebron, KD and Kobe. Because MJ put up 40 vs Artest in his defensive prime at age 40
The post 1996 Jordan must've been the only Jordan you've seen if you actually think the fade is all he did. He certainly relied on it after 96, but from '84-'93? No way. Prime Jordan was the most exciting, high flying player in NBA history. Check out Michael Jordan - Come Fly With Me or Michael Jordan's Playground for evidence - they're both posted here on YT
0:51 - - 0:55 - This is why Jordan was so effective. Gets the ball and dribbles directly to his spot where he wants to shoot it. He doesn't hesitate, doesn't take extra dribbles, doesn't look around...just is intentional.
25 shots. 25 points. Terrible
so cool how jordan uses the opposing bigmen as screeners for his jumpers
Aye I’m here after Ron/Metta tells Kenny about MJ giving him 40
I remember trying to find this game live but it wasn't shown here in the DMV for some reason.
THE GREATEST NBA PLAYER OF ALL TYM//
MJ- best midrange shooter and player ever!
Guy was a legitimate threat on the court at age 40. Just blows my mind.
The most amazing part of this video isn't Jordan, it's 2:09 when Kwame Brown actually scores on the jump hook.
every time they critised him about something,he fixed that in the upcoming season and becomes the best at it in the league,thats the factor of the best player ever
nobody will be better than him...
This is how i KNOW that MJ is greatest of ALL TIME. Most (old school players) cant really compare to todays athlete. Different time, diff rules, diff types of play... BUT Mike was 40 years old KILLING YOUNG STUDS. Artest was in his prime, ( i think the palace brawl was in 04) he still was playing at a high level against this generations greats. AI, kobe, KG, ray allen, Pierce, Michale Finley, Antonio Mcdyse (you pups prolly dont know who that is) MJ.... Greatest ever.
That must be why his FG% went down so much, because he basically has to shoot all jumpers as opposed to driving. Still, one of the best players in the league even at 40.
I was at that game. It was the only one of the two times I saw him live. The first was during his rookie year when then Bulls played a preseason game against the Pacers in Gary, IN. Even at age 40, he moved so smoothly. Like they said in "Space Jam". You can't teach that!
i did it.
as B.J. armnstrong. what michael did was always to help his team mates, never hurt them.
of course some times in that level of competition you can make mistakes, but he said michael always apologized.
Everyone knew what he was going to do but no one could do anything to stop him 😂. Somebody please do something about that fade away jumper….
Amazin. Age 40 against 3 defender at 3:00.
Brad Miller/O'Neal/Harrington/Artest/Reggie - that's an underrated all time starting 5 lol
Thank you! Man, the Lebron/Kobe hype from punks today is ridiculous! MJ in his prime would've ripped them apart, just by getting into their heads mentally he'd get them off their game. Meanwhile he would elevate his already superior game just to prove a point. Just like he used Clyde Drexler as a source of motivation to go out and outplay Clyde in the Finals in '92.
I'm not a Kobe hater, i also like Kobe BUT in terms of GREATNESS MJ is the man..
I was talking true shooting percentage, which is different then field goal percentage. It accounts for free throws and also three pointers, so it is a better judge of efficiency then straight field goal %
Michael shoots like he ain’t ever miss before.
M. Jordan and R. Miller used to have confrontations.....
But both still shows sportsmanship...........