Why Finding The Next Scottie Pippen May Be Harder Than Finding The Next Jordan
Recently, as I was watching a replay of LeBron James walking off the court following Cleveland's Game 6 loss in Orlando during the 2009 playoffs, the shortcomings of that particular Cavaliers team were not the first thing that crossed my mind. OK. Maybe for a second, only because of this joke I heard:
Q: Why was Lebron the only Cavalier to skip the press conference after the game?
A: He wanted to see if his teammates could provide him any help this series.
It wasn't how this would affect his legacy or if he's running out of chances to equal or surpass Michael Jordan's six rings. Rather, it was how finding the next Scottie Pippen may just be harder than finding the next Michael Jordan.
Many people forget that the same things that are said today about a player like Kobe Bryant were once said about Michael Jordan. He shoots too much. He's selfish. How is a player that monopolizes the ball so much and doesn't think much of his teammates ever going to win a championship? You have to remember that back in the 80s, playing basketball was not only more prevalant, it was recognized as THE way to win. You didn't see championship-caliber teams having 4 teammates standing around while someone went 1 on 5 and ended up taking a long fade away jumper. Only when Jordan started winning did the attacks on him dissipate and his mythic legend was born.
The myth begins by explaining how Jordan changed his game to embrace team play. While that's certainly true to an extent, it's like trying to solely attribute Sammy Sosa being able to hit 60+ home runs in 3 consecutive seasons to all of a sudden taking more batting practice or lifting weights. It simply obscures the larger reason (i.e. Jordan still averaged over 23 shots during many of his seasons in the 90s). So how did Jordan suddenly transform from a perceived selfish player to the ultimate winner?
That reason's name is Scottie Pippen.
Jordan was the rare breed of an uber-talented player who continued to work on his game tirelessly, was a manic competitor, and had an insatiable will to win. But Pippen was the even rarer breed of player who allowed Jordan to play the way he did and still win championships. In this age of me-first glory and 24 hour media coverage, how many players that could be the best player on most other teams in the league would do all the little things to win while allowing Jordan, the ultimate alpha-dog, to take most of the shots and receive most of the glory?
In the '91 Finals, it was him who guarded Magic so Jordan could conserve his energy for offense. With no real point guard, Pippen was the main distributor for the Bulls Triangle Offense, allowing Jordan to receive the ball in spots on the court where he could finish. While his teammates feared Jordan, Scottie was the one they admired and drew confidence from. As athletically imposing as Pippen was, he played the game with an incredibly high basketball IQ, making the Bulls and Jordan that much more efficient.
For those who think he was strictly a complementary player -- you are wrong. I could point to the post-Jordan Bulls team in '94 that won 55 games and was one Hue Hollins call away from the Eastern Conference Finals. That year, Pippen was one of four players in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Or I could point to the fact that he flourished and fitted right in with the original Dream Team, the greatest collection of basketball talent ever. You can always tell when a player doesn't belong with respect to the rest of the talent on the court, like Mo Williams on last year's Eastern All Star team. Perhaps the greatest way Pippen facilitated Jordan's success was that the only time Jordan had to try to score on the best defender in the league was in practice!
Why did I think of Pippen as I watched Lebron saunter off the court that night? It's because as much as we admire Jordan for his greatness, and rightfully so, we continue to underrate one of the truly unique players of the modern era. Jordan does not win 6 championships and is not remembered the same way playing with anybody else in NBA history. The Bulls only won the '98 ECF because Pippen guarded everyone from Mark Jackson and Reggie Miller to Derrick McKey and Jalen Rose. That allowed a weary Jordan to take (and make) all the big shots. In fact, the 90s Bulls are the only dynasty in NBA history which did not have anyone resembling close to a dominant big man. Imagine if Jordan played with a dominant big man? That team would have certainly would rings, but Jordan isn't putting up the statistics we equate towards him with an offense predicated on getting the ball inside first. And how many games before the big man starts to wonder why Jordan is taking most of the shots or why he's not receiving any of the credit for their success.
Now imagine if Lebron played with an even late 80s version of Scottie this year? How many games are they winning? 75? As unbelievable as Lebron is today, how much better would the Cavaliers be if he didn't have to initiate every offensive set in the 4th quarter with 12, 13 dribbles from halfcourt. Or if he had a defensive menace out there who could lock up a Paul Pierce or a Ray Allen and still be quick enough to double down on a Dwight Howard when needed. Or if he had someone he trusted to make decisions down the stretch and who was unselfish enough to deliver him the ball when he was in a good position to score.
Maybe the most interesting thing to think about is a player like Clyde Drexler. We remember him as a good player but don't mention him in an all-time greats conversation because he never won a championship as a lead guy. Let's replace one of the main cogs -- Clifford Robinson or Jerome Kersey -- on those late 80s/ early 90s Blazer teams with Pippen. Is that team not winning at least 2 championships (remember they already reached the finals in '90/'92) with Pippen D'ing up Isiah or Jordan?
As a result, we think of Drexler as a 3-time champion and probably one of the all time greats. But players like Pippen are almost impossible to come across, even harder than finding the next Jordan. And no one is more thankful of that fact than Michael Jordan's legend.
