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[br]Mad Max - 10 greatest michael jordan stories #4

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by tinman, Aug 12, 2013.

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  1. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    The folks at that 'other' site made 10 greatest Michael Jordan stories.

    Our beloved hero, Vernon "Mad Max" Maxwell made it to #4!!
    (Sorry no Joe Dumars mentioned, and Reggie Miller was #7)

    Obviously written with a bias, but good to see Maxwell is at #4.
    The author fails to mention how bad the Rockets owned the Bulls too. But it's BLEACHER REPORT for you.

    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...hael-jordan-chicago-bulls-stories-ever/page/8

    [​IMG]

    4. Mad Max


    In our final look at famous Jordan instigators, there’s Rockets guard Vernon Maxwell. Nicknamed “Mad Max” for his erratic, volatile attitude and play (not for his rambling rants during traffic stops like a certain other "Mad Max"), Maxwell saved his greatest head-case moments for confrontations with Jordan.

    He relished trying to demonize Jordan, and although he was largely unsuccessful at it, his effort certainly left an imprint on the Bulls legend. Jordan paid the mercurial shooting guard some props for his maniacal attempts to deny him glory:

    It's true that I wake up every day expecting that sort of challenge, but it's still a challenge. When I feel like a guy is trying to take some of the respect away that I've earned in seven or eight years in the league, then that's a challenge.

    Jordan’s own pathological need to create challenges aside, Maxwell genuinely would go after Jordan. In the 1990-91 season, Maxwell and Jordan swung a series of elbows at one another and in 1993, Maxwell competently held MJ to 12-of-27 shooting with aid from Hakeem Olajwuon. But in the end, Jordan knew the key to getting the best of Mad Max:

    "Against Vernon, you've got to get inside his head. I've got to out-think him when he's guarding me. I've got to use my mental knowledge against him.''
     
    #1 tinman, Aug 12, 2013
  2. tallanvor

    tallanvor Contributing Member

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    Whats the story? Mad Max once held Jordan to 12-27 shooting. The End?
     
    #2 tallanvor, Aug 12, 2013
  3. moose

    moose Member

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    cool story bro.
     
    #3 moose, Aug 12, 2013
  4. chenjy9

    chenjy9 Numbers Don't Lie
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    Which was actually an accomplishment. You didn't stop Jordan. You slow him down and hope that also comes compounded by an off game. Mad Max was able to slow him down 1v1 without real need of assistance. That is a HUGE thing.
     
    #4 chenjy9, Aug 12, 2013
  5. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
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    "He relished trying to demonize Jordan, and although he was largely unsuccessful at it, his effort certainly left an imprint on the Bulls legend."

    Being a kid at the time, I rarely watched the basketball when they played the Rockets. It took me watching the Bulls play against someone besides the Rockets to understand the MJ hype my friends were talking about.
     
    #5 Joe Joe, Aug 12, 2013
  6. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    #6 tinman, Aug 12, 2013
  7. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    this dude's post has the facts

     
    #7 tinman, Aug 12, 2013
  8. IzakDavid13

    IzakDavid13 Contributing Member

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    In the 17 games that Maxwell played against Jordan, Air Jordan averaged 30.6ppg, including two 40 point games. Bulls won 11 of those games.

    If you include 1991 in your stats above, Rockets go 5-1 vs Chicago during that time.
     
    #8 IzakDavid13, Aug 12, 2013
  9. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Dude I pointed out the '40' point games to you on the other thread.

    You seriously counting that Spurs game when Maxwell played 18 minutes and Jordan played 46 minutes?

    I don't know Maxwell on the Spurs but it's really safe to say that Maxwell didn't guard him for 28 minutes.

    Look solely at Rockets vs Bulls. Maxwell post Rockets wasn't the same, and Maxwell pre Rockets was too young of a player with limited minutes.


    <PRE>
    Rk Player Date Tm Opp GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
    1 Michael Jordan 1989-02-09 CHI SAS W 1 43:00 9 20 .450 0 0 5 8 .625 3 3 6 9 2 1 6 2 23
    2 Vernon Maxwell 1989-02-09 SAS CHI L 0 31:00 8 15 .533 1 5 .200 2 2 1.000 1 2 3 1 0 0 1 3 19
    3 Michael Jordan 1989-02-28 CHI SAS W 1 34:00 11 16 .688 0 0 2 2 1.000 4 2 6 8 2 1 4 1 24
    4 Vernon Maxwell 1989-02-28 SAS CHI L 0 22:00 6 13 .462 0 1 .000 2 2 1.000 1 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 14
    5 Michael Jordan 1989-12-29 CHI SAS W 1 42:00 10 26 .385 1 2 .500 13 15 .867 1 4 5 7 3 0 4 4 34
    6 Vernon Maxwell 1989-12-29 SAS CHI L 0 25:00 3 8 .375 1 3 .333 1 2 .500 2 1 3 3 0 0 3 1 8
    7 Michael Jordan 1990-02-03 CHI SAS L 1 46:00 17 32 .531 2 4 .500 8 8 1.000 3 0 3 5 2 0 3 3 44
    8 Vernon Maxwell 1990-02-03 SAS CHI W 0 18:00 2 4 .500 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 0 0 0 1 1 4
    9 Michael Jordan 1991-01-03 CHI HOU L 1 33:00 13 22 .591 0 0 6 7 .857 0 3 3 7 3 1 4 2 32
    10 Vernon Maxwell 1991-01-03 HOU CHI W 1 27:00 6 12 .500 2 5 .400 0 0 0 4 4 2 2 0 2 2 14
    Rk Player Date Tm Opp GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
    11 Michael Jordan 1991-03-25 CHI HOU L 1 37:00 15 25 .600 0 2 .000 4 7 .571 5 2 7 4 3 3 0 3 34
    12 Vernon Maxwell 1991-03-25 HOU CHI W 1 40:00 9 18 .500 1 8 .125 0 0 1 3 4 2 0 0 0 2 19
    13 Michael Jordan 1992-01-25 CHI HOU W 1 41:00 12 27 .444 3 3 1.000 8 10 .800 0 3 3 5 4 1 4 2 35
    14 Vernon Maxwell 1992-01-25 HOU CHI L 1 23:00 5 13 .385 1 5 .200 6 6 1.000 0 1 1 0 2 1 3 6 17
    15 Michael Jordan 1992-01-30 CHI HOU L 1 43:00 9 26 .346 0 1 .000 4 4 1.000 2 3 5 5 3 0 1 3 22
    16 Vernon Maxwell 1992-01-30 HOU CHI W 1 37:00 7 13 .538 1 2 .500 8 11 .727 1 1 2 3 1 0 5 4 23
    17 Michael Jordan 1992-12-11 CHI HOU L 1 40:00 11 23 .478 1 3 .333 3 3 1.000 4 7 11 4 0 1 4 4 26
    18 Vernon Maxwell 1992-12-11 HOU CHI W 1 40:00 8 14 .571 1 5 .200 2 4 .500 0 3 3 3 2 0 2 2 19
    19 Michael Jordan 1993-01-28 CHI HOU L 1 39:00 12 27 .444 1 1 1.000 1 2 .500 0 6 6 4 5 0 3 2 26
    20 Vernon Maxwell 1993-01-28 HOU CHI W 1 42:00 6 11 .545 3 6 .500 3 5 .600 0 2 2 3 0 1 5 2 18
    Rk Player Date Tm Opp GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
    21 Michael Jordan 1996-01-13 CHI PHI W 1 34:00 18 28 .643 5 7 .714 7 7 1.000 3 7 10 2 1 1 2 1 48
    22 Vernon Maxwell 1996-01-13 PHI CHI L 0 14:00 1 8 .125 0 5 .000 2 2 1.000 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 4
    23 Michael Jordan 1996-01-16 CHI PHI W 1 32:00 13 22 .591 2 6 .333 4 6 .667 3 4 7 2 3 0 1 1 32
    24 Vernon Maxwell 1996-01-16 PHI CHI L 0 30:00 6 16 .375 3 8 .375 4 4 1.000 1 3 4 3 0 0 2 3 19
    25 Michael Jordan 1996-03-18 CHI PHI W 1 47:00 15 32 .469 0 5 .000 8 10 .800 2 9 11 4 1 0 2 5 38
    26 Vernon Maxwell 1996-03-18 PHI CHI L 1 29:00 5 13 .385 3 6 .500 5 8 .625 0 1 1 4 0 1 4 4 18
    27 Michael Jordan 1996-04-12 CHI PHI W 1 29:00 10 16 .625 2 4 .500 1 1 1.000 2 1 3 0 4 1 2 2 23
    28 Vernon Maxwell 1996-04-12 PHI CHI L 1 40:00 7 17 .412 1 8 .125 3 7 .429 1 3 4 6 3 0 4 3 18
    29 Michael Jordan 1996-11-30 CHI SAS W 1 38:00 14 35 .400 2 5 .400 5 5 1.000 0 9 9 3 0 0 1 0 35
    30 Vernon Maxwell 1996-11-30 SAS CHI L 0 32:00 3 13 .231 0 4 .000 0 1 .000 0 2 2 0 1 1 2 2 6
    Rk Player Date Tm Opp GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
    31 Michael Jordan 1997-03-05 CHI SAS W 1 23:00 7 17 .412 1 4 .250 1 2 .500 1 1 2 4 2 0 0 1 16
    32 Vernon Maxwell 1997-03-05 SAS CHI L 0 31:00 2 10 .200 0 3 .000 3 4 .750 1 1 2 3 0 0 5 2 7
    33 Michael Jordan 1998-02-11 CHI CHH W 1 41:00 11 22 .500 0 0 7 9 .778 1 3 4 6 0 0 1 2 29
    34 Vernon Maxwell 1998-02-11 CHH CHI L 0 23:00 1 7 .143 0 4 .000 2 2 1.000 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 5 4
    </PRE>
     
    #9 tinman, Aug 12, 2013
  10. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    This the argument amongst Rocket fans that I chimed in, love to hear other's take

    My argument is that no way is Lin a better defender than Maxwell in their respective primes (Lin i don't know has reached his yet). The Rockets let Maxwell go one on one with the very best scorers in the league, Jordan, Drexler, Reggie Miller.

    So if the other poster believes Lin to be of equal or better defensively than Max,

    how would Lin do guarding a 90-93 Michael Jordan who was leading the league in scoring? Yes you can have Dream helping out Lin in the paint.
     
    #10 tinman, Aug 12, 2013
  11. RV6

    RV6 Contributing Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #11 RV6, Aug 12, 2013
    2 people like this.
  12. jbasket

    jbasket Member

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    You cannot reasonably argue that Lin is a better defender than Maxwell. It reminds me of when Sam Fisher tried to argue David Robinson was a more productive player than Hakeem during the peak years. This is when the good old eye test comes into play.
     
    #12 jbasket, Aug 12, 2013
  13. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    http://thesportsagent.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/old-school-player-vernon-maxwell-2/
     
    #13 tinman, Aug 12, 2013
  14. jbasket

    jbasket Member

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    4th link on a basic google search, not impressed :p

    http://www.hoopsaddict.com/articles/hey-whatever-happened-to-vernon-maxwell/

    "Defensively, like Artest, Vernon was a true stalwart, even holding MJ to well below his season averages whenever the two matched up."

    One of the many reasons why the Rockets had a winning record against the Bulls during this period. Lin just is not on the same defensive level.
     
    #14 jbasket, Aug 12, 2013
  15. tehG l i d e

    tehG l i d e Member

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    whoa why did this become a Maxwell vs Lin thread?
     
    #15 tehG l i d e, Aug 12, 2013
  16. madmaxu

    madmaxu Member

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    Tinman, love this thread! Glad to see others including Mj appreciating and recognizing Max for his tenacious defense and unwillingness to back down from anyone.
     
    #16 madmaxu, Aug 12, 2013
  17. glimmertwins

    glimmertwins Member

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    Possibly one of the worst "stories" I have ever read. Amazing that it's the 4th best considering there really isn't a story there.

    ...but I'll say that as a kid watching the Rockets and specifically those Maxwell/Jordan duels, I actually picked up on Maxwell's crazy desire to embarrass Jordan and remember those games very fondly. Maxwell would get really chippy and intentionally annoying just trying to get under Jordan's skin. That being said, there were a few times I remember Jordan outright challenging Vernon and Maxwell turning into a black hole trying to go one on five to beat the Bulls. It was frustrating because Vernon made it a 'me vs him' thing rather than a "my team, vs his team" thing....but if you ask me, Vernon was the template for the Ron Artest brand of psycho defender.
     
    #17 glimmertwins, Aug 12, 2013
    1 person likes this.
  18. Akim523

    Akim523 Member

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    Wth Lin now is a better defender than Maxwell? Might as well claim Aaron Brooks is taller than Yao Ming.
     
    #18 Akim523, Aug 12, 2013
  19. tycoonchip

    tycoonchip Member
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    Lin would be crying on the bench like he did last years playoffs. The article showed just how physical it got between Max and Jordan. They practically traded elbows. One bruise on that pansy Lin and he'd be crying that he couldn't take his shirt off. Give Lin his Midol and trade him please!
     
    #19 tycoonchip, Aug 12, 2013
  20. don grahamleone

    don grahamleone Contributing Member

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    If Jordan played against Vernon Maxwell every game of his career, we would not be calling him the best basketball player to ever live.
     
    #20 don grahamleone, Aug 13, 2013
    1 person likes this.
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