Dan Majerle Fired at GCU

[05_never_again]

The podcasters (Russillo and Simmons) were saying KJ was just terrible in this series, but he had 3 very good perimeter defenders giving him trouble (Armstrong, Jordan, and Pippen), so running a PnR would have freed him up.

Do you think that in each and every one of those Finals that the Bulls won they were clearly the better team on paper? People engaged in the LeBron/MJ debate are very quick to point out that LeBron's teams were clearly the inferior team in some of his Finals matchups, and that absolutely was the case in some years. But I'm not sure Jordan's Bulls were far and away the best team in each of those, and in some matchups it seemed really even. It has always seemed like a hindsight thing to me when people say "the Bulls were always just so much better than who they were playing" because we know now the icon Jordan became.

Could you plausibly argue that the 1993 Suns and 1998 Jazz were evenly matched with the Bulls? The Suns actually had a better regular season record than the Bulls in 1992-93 and Karl Malone was winning multiple league MVPs in the late 90s. If Phoenix simply running more PnRs could have been the difference in the series, then obviously the teams were evenly matched.

 

[n_huffhines]

Do you think that in each and every one of those Finals that the Bulls won they were clearly the better team on paper? People engaged in the LeBron/MJ debate are very quick to point out that LeBron's teams were clearly the inferior team in some of his Finals matchups, and that absolutely was the case in some years. But I'm not sure Jordan's Bulls were far and away the best team in each of those, and in some matchups it seemed really even. It has always seemed like a hindsight thing to me when people say "the Bulls were always just so much better than who they were playing" because we know now the icon Jordan became.

Could you plausibly argue that the 1993 Suns and 1998 Jazz were evenly matched with the Bulls? The Suns actually had a better regular season record than the Bulls in 1992-93 and Karl Malone was winning multiple league MVPs in the late 90s. If Phoenix simply running more PnRs could have been the difference in the series, then obviously the teams were evenly matched.

I think that on paper you could argue that the Suns were every bit as good as the Bulls, but it wasn't a good matchup for the Suns. The Bulls had defenders to put on KJ and Barkley, but the Suns didn't have anybody to put on Jordan.

The Bulls were a super team in an era where there weren't really any super teams. The Sonics had a big 3, but none of them were top 5 players in the league and they had no bench. The Jazz had a big 3, but Stockton and Hornacek were past their primes. The Bulls were getting old too, so it was a pretty even matchup. The Bulls were favored in every finals, except 1991, which is weird because they were so clearly better than the Lakers (with the benefit of hindsight).

The late 90's were ass. The early 90's were strong, but after the Pistons got old, there was nobody really to challenge the Bulls. They were so f-ing good. I'm convinced the first 3peat was better than the 2nd 3peat, the league was just tougher. Jordan and Pippen were at their peaks, and then Armstrong and Grant were all All-stars in the early 90's. It's not even fair.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

I think that on paper you could argue that the Suns were every bit as good as the Bulls, but it wasn't a good matchup for the Suns. The Bulls had defenders to put on KJ and Barkley, but the Suns didn't really have anybody to put on Pip or Jordan.

The Bulls were a super team in an era where there weren't really any super teams. The Sonics had a big 3, but none of them were top 5 players in the league and they had no bench. The Jazz had a big 3, but Stockton and Hornacek were past their primes. The Bulls were getting old too, so it was a pretty even matchup. The Bulls were favored in every finals, except 1991, which is weird because they were so clearly better than the Lakers (with the benefit of hindsight).

The late 90's were ass. The early 90's were strong, but after the Pistons got old, there was nobody really to challenge the Bulls. They were so f-ing good. I'm convinced the first 3peat was better than the 2nd 3peat, the league was just tougher. Jordan and Pippen were at their peaks, and then Armstrong and Grant were all All-stars in the early 90's. It's not even fair.

I would have loved to see what would’ve happened with a full season Jordan against a Magic team that was rolling with Penny and Shaq, plus the added dimension of the Knicks rivalry, and then what would’ve happened in a Rockets/Bulls Finals. Jordan vs. Drexler again, plus Hakeem couldve been the ultimate X factor.

 

[05_never_again]

I would have loved to see what would’ve happened with a full season Jordan against a Magic team that was rolling with Penny and Shaq, plus the added dimension of the Knicks rivalry, and then what would’ve happened in a Rockets/Bulls Finals. Jordan vs. Drexler again, plus Hakeem couldve been the ultimate X factor.

The Rockets in 1994 and 1995 would've given the Bulls the biggest run for their money, right? And Ewing probably thinks in 1994-95 that this is his window for winning titles because Jordan is gone just to have somebody else beat him. Just crazy how things ended up turning out.

 

[n_huffhines]

I would have loved to see what would’ve happened with a full season Jordan against a Magic team that was rolling with Penny and Shaq, plus the added dimension of the Knicks rivalry, and then what would’ve happened in a Rockets/Bulls Finals. Jordan vs. Drexler again, plus Hakeem couldve been the ultimate X factor.

I just don’t think they had enough firepower to beat the Magic. Jordan was pretty damn good in that series. They lost games where he put up 39 and 40. As good as Jordan was, he never made an ECF without Pippen AND a good PF. When they beat the Magic in '96, they had Rodman and Horace Grant got hurt in game 1 and missed the rest of the series.

And I think they were better than the '94 Rockets but people who remember it better say the Rockets gave them fits...also a 4peat is nearly impossible. The playoffs are so long and 4 b2b finals is so hard on your body.

 

[Hoosier_Vol]

I think I might become a Grand Canyon WBB fan!

 

[Dudleys87]

Home of the Fighting Canyon Antelopes!

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

That’s insanity. I’ve never heard that. I don’t recall anyone ever referring to Westphal as the best coach in the world . If I remember correctly it seemed like every series the Suns had was a pressure cooker, getting down 0-2 to the Lakers, the Spurs were tough, the Sonics went 7, and the Bulls easily could’ve gone 7. I liked PW, but it always felt like he was overmatched X’s and O’s wise.

I'm not using Google, but I think in Magic's first season, the Lakers actually won the NBA championship and they fired Westphal and hired Riley. You have to be doing something wrong to get fired after winning a championship.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

I'm not using Google, but I think in Magic's first season, the Lakers actually won the NBA championship and they fired Westphal and hired Riley. You have to be doing something wrong to get fired after winning a championship.

I think that’s a different Westphal. Paul Westphal was a relatively young coach when he was coaching the Suns . I could be wrong though.

 

[GAVol]

I'm not using Google, but I think in Magic's first season, the Lakers actually won the NBA championship and they fired Westphal and hired Riley. You have to be doing something wrong to get fired after winning a championship.

I think that was Paul WestHEAD. But your point is still solid. Westhead and Phil Jackson are the only two I can think of who left that quickly

 

[volfanbill]

Westhead was fired during his third season. Not after his first year where they did win it all

 

[Boca Vol]

I think I might become a Grand Canyon WBB fan!
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Damn! I just became a fan of GCU women's hoops!