Michael Jordan, a name that is known to basketball fans, has made him a superstar in the eyes of the world. Although he has been retired for more than 20 years, his personal documentary ratings data still set a record, a "net celebrity" who can hit the whole network with tears, and a capital giant who relies on repeated reproduction of sneakers but is still crazy snapped up by shoe fans. Of course, these "one by one" titles all start with Michael Jordan as the GOAT of basketball, who sees scoring as a scoop and leading the team to the Finals and championships six times, an achievement that is difficult for latecomers to surpass.
Back on April 27, 1997, it was the second game of the first round of the high-profile playoffs. Chris Webb led the Washington Bullets (the predecessor of the Washington Wizards) to the Chicago Bulls on the road, only to leave the Windy City sadly.
At that time, the Bullets were strong and had a group of excellent players such as Chris Webb and Juwan Howard. The interior configuration is even more luxurious, with a 2.31-meter giant center Muresan sitting. This team has shown strong competitiveness in the playoffs. By comparison, the Bulls' Big Three are all over 30 years old, but they still struggled to win over the Bullets by five points 109-104.
The most dazzling performance of this game is Michael Jordan's outstanding performance. He made no secret of his prowess, slashing 55 points to tie his record for his highest score since his comeback in 1995. This breathtaking performance does not have too many flashy moves and dazzling statistics, he does not deliberately pursue high scores, nor does he blindly fight with his opponents for foul opportunities. He hit a solid three-pointer and hit ten free throws, but scored 42 points with two-pointers.
This is a schematic diagram of Jordan's shooting data produced by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) at the time, and we can see that the red dots inside the three-point line are densely distributed, and these red dots represent the number of shots Jordan made within the three-point line in the game:
In a 2013 interview, Webb recalled that before the game, Jordan confidently visited the locker room of the Bullets (the predecessor of the Washington Wizards) with a cigar in his mouth, and asked "domineeringly": "Which of you will defend me tonight?" "Against such a formidable opponent, the Bullets' players gave their all, but it was still difficult to stop Jordan's excellent performance. That game, Jordan showed amazing scoring ability. He shot 22 of 35 shots and contributed 55 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, an efficiency that can be described as a "battle of gods" for a 34-year-old veteran.
That season, Jordan used his outstanding performance to win the title of NBA scoring champion for the ninth time, lift the O'Brien Cup for the fifth time, and reach the top of the basketball world. It was also that season that the NBA initiated the use of heatmaps to record where players shot in general. That's why we know that Jordan, the scoring champion in 1996-1997, ranked 57th in the league (tie) in Paint District that season, and only 54th in 3-point shooting per game. It was just like his G2 against the Bullets, dominating the game from mid-range.
During the Bulls' second three-game winning streak, Michael Jordan achieved a feat like no other to achieve – being the scoring champion for three consecutive seasons. This dynastic Jordan showed a unique offensive style that was different from the breathtaking flying dunks of his early career, and he began to use more of those smooth and precise, flashy and efficient mid-range jump shots, that is, those shots from 8 feet (about 2.4 meters) from the basket to within the three-point line.
Although "Mid-Distance Jordan" has to face the league's top defenders every game and make tough shots under their close watch, Jordan still dominates the mid-range scoring table with the third-highest efficiency value in the league, and his outstanding performance and efficient scoring ability are amazing.
After winning his second triple, in NBA history, if only in terms of back-to-back singles technique, it is no exaggeration to say that Jordan almost dominates. Observe Jordan's jump shot positions between '96-'98 and you'll see that he frequently chooses to attack the basket on the left and right sides of the box.
Jordan is known as "Wiper," a nickname that aptly describes his favorite back-up jumper: first swinging with one shoulder as if to turn from that side, then suddenly turning to the other shoulder to take a jump shot. Most low-post defenders focus too much on defending one side, and Jordan took advantage of that weakness by designing a unique "shoulder-dangling" back-up jumper.
In Game 6 of the 1998 Finals, Jordan completed the famous "last shot", which pierced the heart and completely broke the fighting spirit of the Jazz. At the time, Bob Kostas (then NBC commentator) made an impressive comment: "If this is the 'last shot' of Jordan's career, what gorgeous words should we use to describe this hero?" ”
Long before the 1984 NBA Draft, 16 of the last 20 regular-season MVPs were centers, but none were shooting guards. However, the appearance of Jordan completely changed this situation, his appearance surprised everyone, redefined the perception of basketball, reshaped the meaning of basketball, and raised it to a new level.
Because of Jordan, we realized that jumpers could not only break up an opponent's big man defense, but also dominate the highest level of basketball. Being the "Jordan Successor" isn't just about winning 10 scoring titles, wearing six championship rings, hugging five MVP trophies, or selling millions of pairs of signature shoes. To be a true "Jordan successor," you must have the ability to change the nature and rules of the sport forever.
So, with the NBA entering the small-ball era, who is the most powerful scorer in your mind?