#MJMondays

Respect.

MJ vs. Kobe?

In his upcoming 339-page memoir “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success” Phil Jackson writes about how Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant measure up against each other.

On basketball mindsets:

“Michael was more likely to break through his attackers with power and strength, while Kobe often tries to finesse his way through mass pileups,” Jackson wrote. “Michael was stronger, with bigger shoulders and a sturdier frame. He also had large hands that allowed him to control the ball better and make subtle fakes.

“Jordan was also more naturally inclined to let the game come to him and not overplay his hand, whereas Kobe tends to force the action, especially when the game isn’t going his way. When his shot is off, Kobe will pound away relentlessly until his luck turns. Michael, on the other hand, would shift his attention to defense or passing or setting screens to help the team win the game.”

On defense:

“No question, Michael was a tougher, more intimidating defender. He could break through virtually any screen and shut down almost any player with his intense, laser-focused style of defense.

“Kobe has learned a lot from studying Michael’s tricks, and we often used him as our secret weapon on defense when we needed to turn the direction of a game. In general, Kobe tends to rely more heavily on his flexibility and craftiness, but he takes a lot of gambles on defense and sometimes pays the price.”

On leadership:

“One of the biggest differences between the two stars from my perspective was Michael’s superior skills as a leader,” Jackson said. “Though at times he could be hard on his teammates, Michael was masterful at controlling the emotional climate of the team with the power of his presence. Kobe had a long way to go before he could make that claim. He talked a good game, but he’d yet to experience the cold truth of leadership in his bones, as Michael had.”

Bryant gradually evolved during the 2008-09 championship season, when the Lakers successfully retooled with a more finessed look with Pau Gasol instead of the brute force of the Shaquille O’Neal teams.

If Bryant talked to teammates in his earlier Lakers years, it was usually, “Give me the damn ball,” Jackson wrote. “But then Kobe started to shift. He embraced the team and his teammates, calling them up when we were on the road and inviting them out to dinner. It was as if the other players were now his partners, not his personal spear-carriers.”

Apr. 21, 1996 – Chicago Bulls end the season with NBA record 72-10

The only team in NBA history to win 70 games or more in a single season.

With a lineup of Ron Harper, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Luke Longley, and perhaps the league’s best bench in Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc, Bill Wennington, Jud Buechler, and guard Randy Brown the Bulls posted one of the best single-season improvements in league history and the best single-season record, moving from 47–35 to 72–10, which remains the best record in NBA history. Jordan won his eighth scoring title, and Rodman his fifth straight rebounding title, while Kerr finished second in the league in three-point shooting percentage. Jordan garnered the elusive triple crown with the regular season MVP, All-star Game MVP, and Finals MVP. Krause was named Executive of the Year, Jackson Coach of the Year, and Kukoc the Sixth Man of the Year. Both Pippen and Jordan made the All-NBA First Team, and Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman made the All-Defensive First Team, making the Bulls the only team in history with three players on the All-Defensive First Team.

In addition, the 1995–96 squad holds several other records, including the best road record in a standard 41-road-game season (33–8), the all-time best start by a team (41–3), the longest home winning streak (44 games, 7 from previous season), and the best start at home (37–0). The Bulls also posted the second-best home record in history (39–2), behind only the 1985–86 Celtics 40–1 home mark, and the second-best point differential in history, trailing the 1972 Lakers by 3 points over the course of an entire season. The team triumphed over Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and the Seattle SuperSonics for their fourth title. The 1995–96 Chicago Bulls are widely regarded as one of the greatest teams in the history of basketball.

In the 1996–97 season, the Bulls narrowly missed out on a second consecutive 70-win season by losing their final two games to finish 69–13. They repeated their home dominance, going 39–2 at the United Center. The Bulls capped the season by winning their fifth NBA championship over John Stockton, Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz. Jordan earned his second straight and ninth career scoring title, while Rodman earned his sixth straight rebounding title.

“Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.” – Phil Jackson

Vintage Sundays.

Pat Riley backs down Phil Jackson during a 1972 game between the Lakers and Knicks. The two would win a combined 16 championships as coaches.

via Sports Illustrated vault

Jan. 22, 2006 – Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors

It was the second highest point total in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain had scored 100 points in a single game in 1962. With no footage of Wilt’s performance around, Kobe’s night was something that the NBA had never seen before.

“I’ve seen some remarkable games but I’ve never seen anything like that before,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who played against Chamberlain and coached Jordan.

NBA single-game scorers
100 — Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia vs. New York at Hershey, Pa., March 2, 1962.
81 — Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers vs. Toronto, Jan. 22, 2006.
78 — Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia vs. L.A. Lakers, Dec. 8, 1961 (3 OT).
73 — David Thompson, Denver at Detroit, April 9, 1978.
73 — Wilt Chamberlain, San Francisco at New York, Nov. 16, 1962.
73 — Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia vs. Chicago, Jan. 13, 1962.
72 — Wilt Chamberlain, San Francisco at L.A. Lakers, Nov. 3, 1962.
71 — David Robinson, San Antonio at L.A. Clippers, April 24, 1994.
71 — Elgin Baylor, L.A. Lakers at New York, Nov. 15, 1960.
70 — Wilt Chamberlain, San Francisco vs. Syracuse, March 10, 1963.
69 — Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers, March 28, 1990 (OT).

“Approach the game with no preset agendas and you’ll probably come away surprised at your overall efforts.” – Phil Jackson

“If you meet the Buddha in the lane, feed him the ball.” – Phil Jackson

siphotos:

June 19, 2000 – On this day in 2000, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to their first of three consecutive championships with a 116-111 victory over Indiana in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. O’Neal would win MVP honors after averaging 38 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks during the series. (John Biever/SI)

GALLERY: Rare Photos of Shaquille O’Neal | Kobe Bryant