I checked out Jordan's stats against the Rockets during Max's time in Houston. PPG: 29.2 APG: 4.83 TO: 2.67 FG%: .480 The Rockets were 5-1 against the Bulls in that time, but I think it's a bit of stretch to say that Max's defense was the primary, or even secondary reason for that.
I have yet to hear a convincing argument as to why Shane is a more fundamentally sound defensive player one on one. Personalities and volatility are irrelevant in this regard.
we're talking about playing defense, move your feet, keep your eye on your man's waist, he can't go anywhere without it. I hate to come in here and argue against battier after the way he played in the playoffs. the guy's dedication to the defensive end is admirable. but as most coaches will tell you, its about effort. there is nothing complicated this guy is doing.
despite the debate, one thing is for sure is that its sad to hear mad max get into so much trouble...one wonders how much better he would have done if he wasn't such a head case.
You have to watch the games dude and you have to know what it was like that era. You know he was averaging like 32-33 points a game right? Think about 10 years from now, people would just google stats this season and not know the story. I do have the GAME RECAPS for you. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=142418
No one is saying he was the primary reason. That honor goes to Dream, who routinely torched the Bulls. Cartwright, Wennington, et al had zero chance against Hakeem (barring Cartwright going Dikembe on Hakeem's eye socket one game). The thing is, the Rockets wee able to cover Jordan one on one and contain him. That way, the other guys didn't get to blow up. Check Quitten's numbers versus us during that era, or any of the peripheral players on the Bulls. Those guys didn't get the benefit of open shots because we didn't have to double MJ every possession. There are no Paxson or Kerr last second daggers against us. Similarly, there are no Jordan "Double Nickel" explosions against us, like he had against vaunted perimeter defender/team John Starks and the NY Knicks. Max held him slightly below his averages one on one (with a human flyswatter in his back pocket, of course) and it allowed us to beat chicago regularly.
ahh time to pull these videos <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/epPwITy_BMU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/epPwITy_BMU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Vernon Maxwell Jr ( his first son, not the child support son) <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7fQS7hNauGI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7fQS7hNauGI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Give me the guy who contained Jordan any day over the guy who's allowed Kobe's numbers to increase against the Rockets since he's been here.
Dream's presence is the middle had a lot more to do with our containing Jordan than Max did. And if we're talking about Max as an individual defender, I think it's specious to just say "ask Michael Jordan" as proof of his defensive prowess.
but you can also say that rox defensive zones to cut the lanes has contributed to kobe's lack of interior game against the rox.
this is hilarious considering how well documented it is that the rockets team defense coincides with the arrival of a particular center playing currently.
No hand checking on Vernon = <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9vKk5VstnZI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9vKk5VstnZI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
here's the better video of that <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TFEOHStETNk&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TFEOHStETNk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> ps. 6 block shots against those world champion bulls
This is with our backcourt of Avery Johnson and Sleepy Floyd <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bA17EiF3PKs&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bA17EiF3PKs&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
