![]() ![]() Tony Parker was the team’s lone All-NBA selection with a second-team honor. With Duncan in the later stages of his career, San Antonio’s perimeter prowess is their best chance against the Bulls.īut despite the dominant Finals performance, it’s difficult to imagine the 2013-14 Spurs taking down Jordan and Co. ![]() Boris Diaw found the fountain of youth in San Antonio. Marco Belinelli, Danny Green and Patty Mills were all marksmen in 2013-14. And the Spurs would have to continue to milk their three-point advantage to take down Jordan and the Bulls. San Antonio exacted its revenge on the Heat with a barrage of threes in the 2014 Finals, with the Spurs’ ball movement mirroring that of the early 70s Knicks. Perhaps Manu Ginobili was a bit long in the tooth by 2013-14, but the addition of Kawhi Leonard vaults this Popovich team over the top. It was frankly hard to choose which Spurs squad would be the best to square off against Jordan and the Bulls, and the 2006-07 team has a case as the top squad of the Gregg Popovich era. Miami falls just short in our potential matchup. A team needs to be deep and versatile to take down Jordan’s Bulls. This isn’t to say Chicago’s rotation was stacked in 1997-98, though its top seven players were as sturdy as any unit in NBA history. Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem were at the end of their runs as rotation players in 2013-14., There’s a bit too much reliance on Norris Cole for my liking. You can count on Miami’s dynamic duo to deliver, though its lack of depth may prove to be the death knell against Chicago. And while this year doesn’t feature the best version of Wade, he still averaged nearly 20 points per game in the Finals. LeBron James was arguably at the peak of his powers in 2012-13, shooting a blistering 60.2% on two-pointers while canning 40.6% of threes. If we’re looking to settle the GOAT conversation once and for all, placing the 2012-13 Heat against the 1997-98 Bulls is probably our best bet. Even Chris Bosh has a worthy opponent given Tony Kukoc’s rise in the final years of the 1990s. Both teams are led by elite wings, and neither team has a notable true center. This is probably the first 2000s team with a legitimate chance against Jordan and the Bulls, and such a matchup would make for a thrilling comparison. Expect another tough battle, but Boston’s roster outside the Big Three will ultimately fall short against MJ. Perhaps Tony Allen sees a big minutes boost given the opponent, but his offensive limitations were severe in his third season, even more so than during his Memphis tenure. The Celtics weren’t exactly long and athletic on the wing in 2007-08, with a hefty share of minutes devoted to James Posey and Eddie House. The Bulls wouldn’t be able to mentally stymie the Ubuntu Celtics, though it’s tough to envision Boston’s defensive personnel stopping Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Don’t expect Garnett and the Celtics to back down, even against the greatest dynasty in the modern era. The Celtics carried themselves with a physicality and swagger unmatched throughout the league in 2007-08, a quality that can largely be attributed to Kevin Garnett. And this matchup would be a true throwback battle. Boston Celtics (2007-08)Ħ6 wins, the NBA’s best defense and a Hall-of-Fame Big Three is a pretty good formula to square off against the Bulls, and Doc Rivers previously matched with with Phil Jackson in the 20 Finals. ![]() At their best, O’Neal’s squad could certainly give the Bulls a run for their money. But a 16–1 playoff record is hard to argue against. 21 in defensive rating in 2000-01, a puzzling figure for one of the best teams in league history. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers in scoring in 2000-01, and Horace Grant, Ron Harper and Robert Horry headlined an impressive supporting cast. Los Angeles’ center was far from a one-man-band, too. Could Jordan have defeated Shaq and the Lakers? Would Steph Curry’s Warriors have dethroned his Airness? Let’s dive into a time machine and examine the matchup between Jordan’s Bulls and the greatest Finals winners of the 2000s (apologies to the 2011 Mavericks and numerous Spurs teams). The Last Dance has spurred no shortage of conversation, including comparisons between Jordan’s Bulls and some of the other greatest champions in NBA history. The next four Sundays will be chock full of Jordan highlights as we roll through April without the playoffs. ESPN’s documentary The Last Dance has transported NBA fans throughout the nation back to the 1990s, with Michael Jordan’s dominance on full display more than two decades after his second retirement. And the throwback obsession reached a fever pitch on Sunday night. We’ve been devoid of live games for over a month now due to the NBA’s coronavirus suspension, and fans have been turning back the clock with classic contests as they wait for the 2019-20 season to resume. ![]()
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