I have had this discussion with some friends and i find it astounding that many believe that Lebron and wade are a better combo. If you were the GM of an NBA team and you could choose either pair........which would you choose ?
In a two-on-two game or five-on-five? I think LeBron+Wade would win two-on-two because of the size advantage... neither Jordan nor Pippen can check LeBron without help. This doesn't mean that the combo is better, though.
Whoops, I jumped the gun there. I don't think you can answer the post's question for a few more years. If the Heat run off four or five straight, it kind of changes things. Personally, I think LeBron and Wade are more talented than MJ and Pippen, but they are a little more redundant too.
I don't think he could handle LeBron's size. Now, Pippen did do a great job on a larger Magic in '91, but Magic wasn't nearly the athlete LeBron is. You see LeBron bully through Artest (one of the best defenders of the modern era) like he's not there and it's hard to imagine a lighter Pippen doing anything.
not at all, especially in the second three peat. Michael declined dramatically on D but Scottie was even guarding Kobe in Portland uniform after he quit on Houston. He stayed almost at one level throughout his career
Give me Jordan and Pippen. Better duo defensively and offensively (people really forget how good Pip is. He may not have been a great leader but he didn't need to be). Nobody can come remotely close to stopping MJ. And keep in mind, he played during a very physical era of basketball. There was no protecting stars, nowhere near as many touch ticky tack fouls. A flagrant was a flagrant. Isn't like the NBA today where you have princess James barely getting touched and getting to the line.
He was active and smart on D, he had size, active hands and quickness, he was able to change the guy's dribble, force him to make any type of mistakes and he was quick enough to stay close to the guy and force him to the worse shot possible. He was smart, athletic, smooth, pretty strong and extremely skilled. He had everything to force Lebron for shooting some jumpers and for tough and hard penetrations to the rim This is the best you can do. Offensive player would always score on any type of defender. Defensive player needs to make his work as harder as possible and Scottie was able to do so as Payton in his prime
Jordan and Pippen for the accomplishments and winning 6 titles (and having MJ), though I do think Pippen is the weak link among the 4 and a two on two game would favor LeBron and Wade. He could score and was good, versatile offensive player, but he could never score like Wade or LeBron. He's was nowhere as advanced offensively as LeBron. Though, it's funny, I do believe if we sent prime Wade and LeBron back to 1990s (in place of MJ and Pippen), they would put a serious beat down on the league, as well. I can't even think of too many players who could really defend LeBron, back during that period of time. Some of the defenders who had some success against MJ would be way too small to guard a player, like LeBron. He's way too strong to battle down low, too fast out on the wing, and cannot really double him with passing ability. C- Cartwright/Will Perdue PF - Horace Grant/Scott Williams SF - LeBron James SG - Dwyane Wade PG - John Paxson/BJ Armstrong Coach - Phil Jackson C- Luc Longley/Bill Wennington PF - Dennis Rodman/Toni Kukoc SF - LeBron James/ Jud Buechler SG - Dwyane Wade/Randy Brown PG - Ron Harper/Steve Kerr Coach - Phil Jackson Miami Heat ( I see them steamrolling teams as well) C- Joel Anthony/Erick Dampier/Zydranus Illgauskus PF - Chris Bosh/Udonis Haslem SF - Scottie Pippen/Mike Miller SG - Michael Jordan PG - Mario Chalmers/Carlos Arroyo/Mike Bibby
You shouldn't forget that those Artest that you already mentioned declined dramatically on D. His last defensive performance was back in Rockets uniform when he and Shane both destroyed Lebron in TC Even his defense on Durant wasn't an equal
I agree with your overall assessment, but Pippen was nowhere as offensively talented as LeBron, overall. Pippen was a good offensive option, but he did not have the talent to put up Dwyane Wade numbers at any point in his career. He was never that kind of player, he could never carry offensive scoring load like that. It's pure fantasy to even think that, especially if one is watching these games. Wade and LeBron are two players who could play in any era of this league. It was a physical game, but those players are physically weaker than alot of modern day players.
I agree with Pippen being the best perimeter defender, but Lebron James is almost the size of Karl Malone and as quick as just about any perimeter player Pippen covered.
