How Good Was Michael Jordan In His BEST Season?

During his legendary 13-year career with the Bulls, Michael Jordan was a basketball god. In 1988, Jordan averaged 35 points and 3.2 steals per game, becoming the first player to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same year. In 1992, he won the MVP and destroyed Clyde Drexler in the NBA Finals, averaging 35 points per game, including the infamous shrug game. In 1993, Jordan averaged 41 points in the finals against Charles Barkley, and in 1996, MJ led the Bulls to a 72-10 record, losing just three playoff games on their way to another NBA title, in what many consider to be the best team of all time. But still, none of those years qualify as the absolute peak of Michael Jordan. MJ was at his best when he won his second MVP award, with the Bulls losing just two playoff games on their way to their first NBA championship, when his It was the 1991 season when Jordan was in his absolute physical and mental prime, and we can confidently say that the 1991 season was MJ's best, because he said so himself. The last time we had dinner, he was talking about my year in 1991 versus your peak year. I would have kicked your ass. I said, Mike, come on. Enjoy the salad. This is the complete recap of Michael Jordan's 91 season, arguably the greatest season in NBA history. The Chicago Bulls pick Michael Jordan of the University of North Carolina. In 1984, when Jordan first came to the league, he was head and shoulders above the competition in terms of athletic ability. With the fastest first step in the league, the ability to palm the ball with those enormous hands, and a 48-inch vertical, Michael was unstoppable when driving to the basket. But despite averaging 28 points per game as a rookie and scoring an NBA playoff record 63 points against the Celtics, which prompted Larry Bird to say he was a god disguised as Michael Jordan, MJ's game wasn't yet complete. Michael was the most dynamic, but he couldn't handle the rock, like, in college. Couldn't handle the rock. So, like, even at times I'll be like, you make me play pickup, like, I got Mike. Because I know I'm like, I'm gonna get up on you. Like, you can't handle the rock. And, uh... What happened? And then? And then, he's the only guy that I know that his weaknesses that he had at the end of his career wasn't strikes. However, by the end of the 80s, Jordan had fixed those flaws. His handles were crisp, his jumper was as pure as spring water, and his game was spotless. In 1987, MJ averaged 37 points per game. And in 1990, he scored a career-high 69 points against the Cavaliers. But despite winning four scoring titles in his first six seasons, leading the league in steals twice, and winning both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in 1988, something was missing. An NBA championship. After getting his butt whooped both physically and metaphorically for three years in a row by the Bad Boy Pistons, Jordan realized he needed to get stronger. So, during the summer of 1990, he hired the now-famous Tim Grover and started lifting weights. I never really lifted weights before, because I was always afraid it would mess up my shot or slow me down. Michael's weight was around 200 pounds during the 80s, but after working with Grover, he bulked up to 218, and was better than ever. MJ was now able to bully smaller guards with his size, without the need to run past them all the time. He could also back down opponents in the post more easily, which made his patented turnaround jumper more effective than ever. And when he drove to the basket, it was much harder to steer him off course. The 1991 season was also the second year with Phil Jackson and Tex Winter on the Chicago bench, who implemented the famous triangle offense. Jordan's biggest weakness used to be his unwillingness to pass the ball out of double teams. But Jackson was the first coach to make Michael pass the ball and trust his teammates. And it paid off. With his newfound strength and muscle, and the system that was designed to put him in the best position to score, Jordan played the most efficient basketball of his career. Even though his scoring average dipped from 33.6 points per game to 31.5, he shot a career high 53.9% from the field, with a career low in turnovers, just 2.5 per game. Michael won another scoring title, while also averaging 6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.7 steals per game, winning his second MVP award, while being named to the All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team. The Bulls finished the season with 61 wins, which led the East and was also a franchise record. Chicago had the best offense in the league and the 7th best defense, at the time the 4th best mark in NBA history. But even though his regular seasons were slightly worse than previous years, that's because he played 37 minutes per game, a career low, and because his usage was down due to the triangle offense. But Michael played the best basketball of his career in the playoffs. The Bulls began filtering into the big barn about an hour and a half ago saying hi to fans. They are ready to rumble. Coach Phil Jackson, along with Michael Jordan, who has a mixture of butterflies and adrenaline. In the first round against the Knicks, Chicago absolutely crushed New York, allowing just 86 points per game, while scoring 106. It was a clean sweep, not one game was close, as Jordan led all scorers with 29 points per game while shooting a lights out 53% from the field, 50% from three, and 96% on free throws. In the second round, the Bulls played Charles Barkley and his Philadelphia 76ers, who proved to be a tougher opponent. The Bulls won the two opening games at home, but in Game 3, the Sixers countered, winning 99-97 despite a 46-point performance from Jordan. In Game 4, the Bulls led by 16 after three quarters, and held on to the lead, which allowed Phil Jackson to rest Michael in the fourth, who still ended up with 25 points and 12 assists. In the fifth game though, the Sixers pushed the Bulls to the brink, as the Bulls only led by one with 40 seconds remaining, but Jordan was simply too good, and he extended the lead with a successful drive to the basket, and then iced the game with two clutch free throws, as the Bulls won 195. Michael finished with 38 points, 7 assists, and a career-high 19 rebounds, and for the series he averaged 33 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds, leading Chicago to the conference finals against their biggest nemesis, the bad boys from Detroit. But this time, Jordan and the Bulls were ready for the Pistons' aggression and cheap fouls. They were younger, hungrier, and better, sweeping Detroit in a dominant fashion, as neither game was particularly close. Before the final game was over, Isaiah Thomas and the Pistons left the bench and walked past the Bulls in silence, not shaking the winner's hands. Their walk-off was considered gangster in the state of Michigan, but was universally hated everywhere else, especially by Jordan, who's essentially hated Isaiah Thomas ever since. For that series, MJ averaged 30 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.8 blocks, again shooting the ball extremely efficiently, hitting 53% from the field and 60% for three. The Bulls then advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, where they played a team that basically lived in the finals, advancing to the championship round for the ninth time in 11 years. And even though the Lakers didn't have Kareem, who retired in 1989, they were still extremely dangerous. Magic was still in his prime, and so was James Worthy, and together with Byron Scott, Sam Perkins, and Center Vlade Divac, their starting five was arguably the best in the league. The Lakers lost just three games on their way to the finals, and Vegas bookmakers viewed them as the favorites, albeit with a small margin. When Game 1 started, Jordan dominated from the opening tip, with 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists in the first quarter alone. However, the Lakers never wavered, being the more experienced team, and by the end of the they had a 7-point lead, with Magic already posting a triple-double. Jordan made a comeback in the fourth quarter with 13 points, but with 14 seconds to go, Perkins hit a 3-pointer, which put the Lakers back in the lead. MJ had a chance to win the game, but his 17-foot jumper missed the target, and the Lakers escaped with a victory, despite Jordan's 36 points and 12 assists. Before Game 2, Phil Jackson made a crucial tactical adjustment by putting Scottie Pippen on Magic Johnson, while Michael Jordan guarded Vlade Divac and also switched to the point guard position for the rest of the series. But in the first half of Game 2, Michael was atypically passive, scoring just 2 points in the opening 20 minutes. However, due to a strong performance by Horace Grant, who scored 14 points, the Bulls had a 5-point lead at the half, and then in the second half, Jordan woke up, making 13 consecutive shots, including the most famous layup of his career. The Bulls crushed the Lakers, winning 107-86, with Jordan posting 33 points on 15-for-18 shooting, along with 13 assists, which tied his playoff career high. When the series moved to Los Angeles, it seemed like the Lakers would grab another win, as they went on an 18-2 run that put them up by 13 points midway through the third quarter. But the Bulls bounced back, and with 14 seconds to go, MJ hit a mid-range jumper to tie the game and force overtime. And in the extra time, Michael outscored the Lakers by himself, as the Bulls won 104-96, with Jordan posting 29 points and 9 assists. In Game 4, the Bulls grabbed the lead early, leading by 16 after three quarters. To add injury to insult, the Lakers lost both James Worthy and Byron Scott, who left the game, which made the Bulls' job easier, and they won by 15, with Jordan once again dishing 13 assists, along with 28 points. And even though the Lakers put up a great fight in Game 5, they couldn't beat the Bulls without Worthy and Scott, and Chicago closed out the series with a 108-101 victory. Jordan was finally a champion, also winning the finals MVP. Averaging 31.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 11.4 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks, he made 56% of his shots, including 50% for three and 85% from the free throw line. It was the most complete series of his career, and MJ proved that he wasn't just a scorer, dominating both as a finisher and as a passer, while simultaneously playing world-class defense. For the playoffs, Michael averaged 31.1 points per game, becoming just the third finals MVP to average 30 for the entire playoff run, after George Mikan and Jerry West. And even though Jordan was even more dominant as a scorer in 92 and 93, he wasn't as efficient as he was in 91. Also, during the 91 playoff run, Michael posted 8.4 assists on just 2.5 turnovers, which is by far the best mark of his career. During the second three-peat, Jordan lost a bit of his speed, which hindered his efficiency and assist numbers, despite still averaging over 30 points per game during each of those championship runs. And that's why the 1991 season was his best. Jordan was as fast as he was when he came to the league, but was now stronger and more willing to trust his teammates. The advanced metrics also confirm this, because in the 91 playoffs, Jordan posted career highs in player efficiency rating, win shares, box plus minus, and value over replacement player. And since the Bulls lost just two playoff games on their way to the championship, we can confidently say that 91 was the best year of MJ's career. Thanks for watching, and if you liked this video, we've got another one for you right here.