[tk13]

That Cowherd clip isn't really that great. I don't think we're romanticizing Jordan at all here. I've watched all of these games... I just remember. I think that's a bigger issue than romanticizing... people legit forget things. It happens. The same thing happens every time we argue about Priest Holmes. I provide specific examples every time we have this argument. It's not that that difficult.

Like in that clip... Reggie Miller didn't hardly guard Jordan the whole time... the Pacers rotated guys on him. But when it counted, Derrick McKey would get the assignment. He was 6'9" and an excellent defender.

But as always, these arguments are tough because it's different eras. Jordan played when the hand check was legal. Take that away, and he's not putting up some of those shooting numbers listed in that clip. You didn't have to be able to guard him one on one. You could hand check him, and it wasn't a foul. Then if you played him tight and he drove by you... you had some combination of Smits, Davis or Davis waiting in the lane. The Knicks had Ewing, Oakley, Mason, etc. The Pistons had Rodman, Laimbeer, etc. Guys who would just beat the crap out of you. Just like Jordan didn't have to play in a league with the type of athleticism and length we have now... LeBron never played in a league with the rim protectors or physical inside players that Jordan did. It's a different game. Both players evolved to take advantage of the way the game was structured.