Would Michael Jordan Have Won 8 STRAIGHT If He Never Retired?

One of the biggest "What Ifs" of NBA history. If Michael Jordan didn't retire in the summer of 1993 to play Baseball, would his Bulls have won the championship in 94 and 95, potentially increasing their streak to 8 straight? This is a breakdown and my thoughts...
-------------------------
Make sure to subscribe for more NBA History!
Follow Me on Instagram!
Instagram: / jonnyarnett
______
The game of Basketball has been my passion since I was 5 years old. I grew up as a kid watching my dad's recorded VHS tapes of playoff games through the 70s and 80s, and collected all the Basketball cards. Something about the game and what it represents just hooked me from a very young age.
My love for the game only continues to grow as time goes on. I love studying and analyzing the game, with an unbiased perspective. Feel free to subscribe, follow me on social media, and celebrate this amazing game and it's rich history with me!
I post videos every week on NBA history, predictions, hypothetical scenarios and current NBA topics.
______
Intro Music: Turn On - RW Smith • Turn On - RW Smith (No...
-----
#NBA #MichaelJordan #Baseball

[@jonnyarnett]

How many championships do the Bulls win if MJ doesn’t retire in 93? Small error: Jordan averaged 26.9 points in the 95 regular season, although the text says 26.1. My bad.

[@jaydentimestwo5350]

10

[@ryanpowers3155]

if he didnt retire he would have lost in 1998 and in another year injuries fatigue motivation and the best teams he would of had to face in his whole career if he didnt retire its almost impossible he could win 8 and rlly unlikely he wins 7 he would have won 5 or 6 plus the fact that he almost got season ending injuries twice but was lucky and with that many games i think its very likely he would of missed a playoffs from injuries and his team mates might be injuierd like lebrons in 2015 its basically impossible he wins 8 plus in 1994 he did lose in 6 games soo idk how you can say mj wins 8

[@allsystemsgo8678]

They wouldn't have won eight straight, lol. No one could put up with the physical and emotional toll. No one in any sport has even won four since the islanders in the early 80's.

[@shadowmyth123]

I believe the Bulls would have split the 1994 and 1995 Finals against the Rockets. Two seven game series it would have been.

[@elijah_coursey_84]

It's a tough call. I say at least 5 or 6, but maybe more. He had different teammates (besides Pippen) on both 3 peats, so even if they win in 1994 and 1995, he may not end up with 8. Another question is if the Bulls beat the Rockets in 1994, do the Rockets make the Finals in 1995? We cannot assume that all the same teams make the Finals the same years. So it could open the door for 7 or 8 titles. Either way, it is one of the most interesting what ifs in NBA history. I agree that Michael Jordan is still the G.O.A.T. with 6 rings in 8 years and all his other accolades. Another great video from my favorite NBA youtuber.

[@sweetfx5706]

imagine averaging 31, 7 and 6 and being called "rusty"

[@IllShivyou]

Rusty for Michael

[@bernarddelossantos8083]

that's on MJ standards lol

[@FuShengAlex]

Orlando beat Jordan and Chicagos asses fair n square in 95. They wouldnt have won it all even if he was there all season

[@gunny-lneck4352]

@@FuShengAlex 😭😭😭yet the bulls steam rolled them the next season ok buddy

[@Aknight292]

@@FuShengAlex the bulls swept that same team the next season

[@VFXPlug17]

We’ll never know, but coming from a rockets fan, I’m glad he didn’t play...........

[@anhell32]

Man those rockets were great too ....is a 50 50 fighr for me

[@TheRaidernation33]

Yeah that would have been a great finals Hakeem and MJ I would give the slight edge to Bulls but then again Rockets were hungry

[@arizonaFIREent]

Houston would of beat Chicago

[@tomc2491]

@@arizonaFIREent how so?

[@georgem3673]

Jordan was back in '95, but Orlando beat them in the playoffs.

[@dameschemin8464]

I doubt he’d win 8 straight, mostly because of mental fatigue is inevitable. Still, the fact he won 3 straight rings, retired, played a different sport, came back, and won 3 straight rings again (FMVP in all of them) and dipped out is the most impressive thing I’ve seen in sports

[@Marcus.the.baller]

Mj is the goat

[@snerdterguson]

Even after he dipped out and decided to come back with the Wizards, he had back to back games with 51 and 46 and at the age of 40 played 82 games.

[@extremeking425]

you dont fucking know that...

[@reimixo]

Jordan is just on another level, nobody comes close... 6-0 6fmvps, 10 scoring titles, 5mvps, dpoy... Kareem has 6 rings but only 2fmvp, 6mvps but One with a loosing Record, to me LeBron is the closest, 4-4-4, dominated the east for a decade almost, All time leader in points, gonna retire 4th in assists, and of the greats had the worst teams, Magic kareem played together with worthy Cooper Scott nixon mcadoo Thompson Wilkes.... Bird DJ parish walton ainge mchale.... Kobe and shaq, Duncan had Manu Parker Robinson kawhi pop as a coach... Russell had All the help lol Wilt west goodrich Baylor... NR 2 atleast in MP regular season and combined, NR 1 in playoffs minutes and games, atleast top 4 in regular season games, top 3 or maybe even 1 on combined games, most seasons played probably... And this dude is 38 in y20 AVG 28/8/6.5+-.... He is NR 2 in my book

[@smoothoperator3739]

Jordan never had mental fatigue ONLY a competitive mindset, NO he definitely would had won 8 straight. There's also no guarantee it would had been the Rockets either in the finals. With Jordan never gone, Rockets might had also lost more games causing them to not rank high in the west and possibly beaten by a different team in the West especially their 94-95 Season being a 6th seed. Jordan may had ruined their record to not even make the playoffs

[@derekbroekhoven5498]

You know, just the fact that it's even possible that Hakeem could've beat the Jordan Bulls in the finals with no other all-stars just speaks to Hakeem's greatness

[@sonnymp1337]

You guys talking like hakeem just played the 2 seasons while jordan was out. Where was hakeem since 84? Where was he?

[@resurrectedpa]

@@sonnymp1337 he made it to the Finals with Ralph Sampson before Jordan did lol while going up against the 80s Lakers and Celtics. Also, the West is really fucking good and Hakeem had barely any help for a deep playoff run in the early 90s.

[@MJIZZEL]

Look at it like this. That 93-94 bulls team without Michael Jordan took the Knicks to 7 games that year. Those same Knicks took the Rockets to 7 games and almost won't a ring. Add a not rusty Jordan to that Bulls team and I doubt that Knicks series goes to 7 and if that same Knicks team gave Houston that much trouble then what would q Jordan led bulls team have done. 94-95 would've been a much tougher matchup without Ho Grant! If he stayed and Jordan is still in basketball shape then it's a great series. Houston swept the same magic team that year that the Bulks swept the next season.

[@cuongquoc5877]

@@sonnymp1337 Hakeem has less help than MJ and dude wasnt into religion up until the 90s. The West was much harder than the East in the 90s tho

[@HectorConCarne23]

@@sonnymp1337 same way you Jordan fan girls act like Jordan only played in the 90s with the whole I would never bet against him in the playoffs but the guys was getting blanked in the first round in the 80ds and wasn’t winning anything but individual awards in the 80s

[@lhart99]

I would have LOVED to have seen a Bulls vs Rockets Finals match up with a non retired MJ. All we can do is speculate, but it would have been one hell of a series. :-)

[@davidmartinez52420]

I have it at 50/50. If any team from the West was gonna beat the Bulls, it was Houston. The Bulls had no answer for Hakeem on either end of the floor, plus he had good perimeter shooters to support him. That would've been an awesome series to watch. I think it would go the full 7 games, with the winner being the team that made the least mistakes down the stretch. Sorry that that sounds cliche....lol

[@Ninjersey1]

Houston went 7 with the knicks game 7 in overtime.I think the bulls win.

[@Ninjersey1]

Especially that first year the rockets didn’t have Clyde Drexler

[@davidmartinez52420]

@@Ninjersey1 The Knocks had a quality center to match up against Hakeem. The Bulls didn't. A Bulls team with Jordan will have a hard time. A Bulls team without Jordan doesn't stand a chance.

[@oldschoolhiphop2275]

Jordan damn near single handedly beat the Knicks by himself every season. The Knicks were more physical than the Rockets. Oakley, & Mason where big physical guys. Along with John Starks & Ewing. If the Bulls could find a way to disrupt Hakeem & pressure him the rest of the Rockets were too soft in comparison to the Knicks. The Rockets supporting cast was good but not as big & physical as NY. I believe Jordan ,& Scottie carries the defensive load with Hakeem & try to contain him. Jordan & Scottie won't allow Hakeem to match up 1 on 1. They take their chances with the rest of the Rockets trying to win down the stretch in critical game decisions. The The Rockets didnt have the same experience they just had the talent. Chicago had 3 previous championships. Jordan Scottie they would spread Houston out on offense with Kukoc help running the floor . Chicago had Luke Longley, Will Purdue, Bill Wennington all 7 footers to disrupt the lane & get defensive rebounds. Although they were no match for Hakeem they would make a difference in the paint. The Bulls 7 footers could aggravate Hakeem with their size & jam up the paint. It wouldn't have been easy for Houston.

[@jamesdesch3201]

I wouldn't bet against MJ. A healthy and motivated MJ is tough to beat. Motivation wouldn't be a problem... When MJ trotted on the court, he was all business. This coming from a Larry Bird fan.

[@allsystemsgo8678]

Um part of the reason he retired was because of motivation after the first three peat. Regardless, it's ridiculous to think either him or Scottie don't get a significant injury for eight straight years and miss playoff games.

[@jamesdesch3201]

@@allsystemsgo8678 I get it! Good point -- MJ's central reason for retirement. All I'm saying is if MJ shows up he's not going to give half measures in terms of motivation -- he will be true to himself, ergo he walked away for a bit. In terms of injury, you never know what can happen. Good possibility MJ would have some troubles. It's no slam dunk MJ wins eight in a row, and to think otherwise is reductive. Personally I think MJ would have worn down if he didn't retire, but if MJ shows up during that time he would be hard to bet against. During Bird's era I would bet against him.

[@DPH1301]

@@allsystemsgo8678 You are correct, a big part of the reason Michael Jordan left was because of losing motivation, he also knew in his head that there was no one in the nba that can beat him, yes there were other major factors around the reason he left, like his dad being killed, but for a psychotic competitor like Jordan, competition and motivation are extremely major factors for him wanting or not wanting to compete against other players in basketball

[@MrMuaythai84]

when i go to the bathroom i am all bussiness

[@FuShengAlex]

No matter how motivated he was or wasn't....Hakeem was his daddy. And in losing to Orlando who Houston swept 0 chance at 8peating because of that. Faxx!

[@davidmartinez52420]

Big Jordan fan here. He's the GOAT to me, hands down. With that said, I don't think they would've won 8 straight for a few different reasons: 1) It would've been hard to keep most of the core together for that long due to free agency. Some of the better role players would've likely been offered star money from other teams. 2) The roster for the 2nd 3 peat may not have formed like we know it did if Jordan had never retired. They were building that team around Pippen at the time, so it's reasonable to think that some of them(hard to say who for sure) wouldn't have come to the Bulls if Jordan had never retired. 3) If any team from the Western Conference had a chance to beat Jordan's Bulls, it was Olajuwan and the Houston Rockets. He would've had his way on both ends and would've made it extremely difficult for the Bulls to win. Plus he had good outside shooting to support his down low dominance. I give it a 50/50 chance that the Bulls would've beat Houston in '94, and maybe 30/70 in '95 after Houston acquired Clyde Drexler.

[@tdvu]

It's no surprise Jordan chose Hakeem to be in his dream starting 5.

[@grantl7062]

Smartest take here

[@Jamedia66]

david martinez Good take. I see as a 50/50 also. I grew up a Rockets fan of the 80’s and 90’s and I can tell you how resilient a group they were. Were they as all around talented as the Bulls? No, but they had a nucleus, chemistry, and a very special will to not die that many weren’t able to witness. That was a very special group and you have to consider who they played against day in and day out during that time. The Sonics, Suns, Spurs, Jazz, and Blazers were unbelievable teams and they actually had their way with Chicago in their reg season head to heads. I think it was a record of around 11-3 during a 6 year span, which is down right remarkable. Those Rockets were so often ignored by the main stream media outlets too, because Hakeem didn’t have a big brand shoe contract and didn’t represent the American culture that they were all on board for, though he absolutely dominated guys like Karl Malone, Barkley, Ewing, Morning, Shaq, Kemp, Robinson, and so on. If you look at the Rockets record against these powerhouse playoff teams from the West and those they faced from the East, over the years, it’s just incredible how high the win percentage was. Olajuwon had the same mental fortitude that Jordan did, in his insatiable desire to compete and win at all costs, and he was even more regarded as a leader of men in the way that he made his supporting staff poor their hearts out completely for him. With all this being said, I like your 50/50 because it’s a fair assessment, but that 94 season was a moot point of exhaustion and overwhelming stress for MJ, while Hakeem was having one of the greatest 2 year stretches of any player in the history of the game. I’m going to stick with that Houston pulls out the victory over Chicago though, if they had met that year. When watching “The Last Dance” MJ openly expresses that he was very beatable by great teams if he wasn’t 100% in passionate go mode, and be that the case with him being emotionally drained, he would have faced a team with the greatest big of the modern era during the pinnacle of his prime. He’s also stated several times how Hakeem was the one player he crossed his fingers to not have to face out of the West in his championship seasons, whereas every other superstar that he did face(Drexler, Jabar, Malone, Barkley, and Kemp), were all dominated over their careers by Hakeem so it would have been a completely different monster. The Rockets supporting staff was a group of perfectly fit complements to Hakeems skill set also, so don’t seek them short, and Vernon Maxwell was the leagues best defender of Jordan over the years as well. Take the 96 or 92 Bulls teams, and then it would have been a much tougher feat for the Rockets to overcome...

[@davidmartinez52420]

@@Jamedia66 Even emotionally drained, Jordan still would've fought tooth and nail. I'm sure becoming the first time since the Celtics to win 4 straight would've been the perfect motivation. The simple fact Jordan is on that team is why I can't 100% count them out even if there more factors going against them than there were that favored them. That's why I settled on 50/50 because it is basically a coin flip. I love Hakeem and he's in my top 10 all time and is the 2nd best center all time right behind Kareem. The sad thing though is he's not in a lot of people's top 10, so he kinda falls in the underrated category. I don't think people really understand how good he was. He didn't start playing basketball at all until he was 16 or 17. He played soccer, that's why he had amazing footwork for a center. He was so good that not a soul on Earth has ever criticized Houston for taking him ahead of Michael Jordan. No one. The Bulls notoriously struggled against teams that had both a big time center and good perimeter shooting, both of which Houston had. Robert Horry, Kenny Smith, and Mario Elie were all good outside shooters. Even Hakeem hit 8 of the 19 3s he took in '93-'94. It's really too hard to say for sure, but as I said if any team back then was gonna beat Chicago it would've been Hakeem and the Rockets.

[@davidmartinez52420]

@@Jamedia66 One thing's for sure.......I totally wish that series could've happened

[@dr.corneliusq.cadbury6984]

Ron Harper was another key piece to the second three peat team, especially on defense. Harper, Jordan, and Pippen have to be the best group of perimeter defenders ever assembled. Harper usually guarded the point position and defended well against Payton and Stockton. Toni Kukuc coming in with the scoring punch off the bench was another key piece.

[@sex6cult9revolution]

So true. That team was so deep. If an injury cut Jordan's minutes by 5-10 minutes per game, I believe it's still possible they could have won. They would just have had to rely on Harper, Kukoc and Steve Kerr more and I think all three could have risen to the challenge and put up, while not the same numbers as Jordan, still the numbers of a winning team.

[@pinkney928]

You are so right bulls win 8

[@nathansalinas1669]

This is why the Warriors would have had a difficult time against the bulls. Pippen and Rodman could rotate against KD, Harper and MJ guarding Steph and Klay. People forget how suffocating that defense was.

[@daneosborn3476]

@@nathansalinas1669 absolutely. The bulls were built to defend anything on the court. As far as physically gifted people ,mj, pippen and rodman are 3 of the most physically gifted athletes assembled on one team. They were versatile on who they could guard. Rodman though highly rated as a defender is still underrated because because i dont believe anyone thats ever played the game could guard as many different type of player.

[@somregularguy]

Dr. Cornelius Q. Cadbury that’s not true at all, their last championship in 98 was a miracle that I commend Jordan for being able to pull off, it was clear that if they stayed together they where done, there’s a reason why everyone tapped out at the same time, big dominant big men is where they’re weakness was and when you realize that every championship from 1990-2000 that wasn’t won by Jordan was won by teams that had their big men win FMVP like Hakeem, Shaq and Duncan and it would’ve especially been overkill with the fact of the spurs “twin towers” I think Jordan is the goat and everything but you have to realize his 6-0 record had to do a lot with being at the right place and right time

[@mingw2304]

God I would LOVED to have seen that Bulls/Rockets Finals

[@tsahicarmona5877]

OMG! MJ was playing baseball for a season and half, when returned, still rusty, he averaged like Miami Heat's Lebron!!! There's no question he could have won 8.

[@nathansalinas1669]

@ettie cohen Hakeem's team beat the Bulls pretty easily in almost all regular season matchups. MJ has even stated that Hakeem was his toughest competition.

[@bcjclj]

Nathan Salinas what the fuck does regular season games have to do with the finals?! Utah beat the Bulls both regular season games in 97-98, and they still got their asses handed to them by Mike. Cleveland beat the Bulls in 6 regular season games during the 88-89 season, and Mike beat them in the playoffs. Regular season has shit to do with post season. Hell, LeBron swept a 60 win Hawks team that beat the Cavs 3 out of 4 games in the regular season. That don’t mean shit.

[@nathansalinas1669]

@TerrorTown7575 The Magic that beat Chicago lost against the Rockets, so I don't think that logic would still apply

[@maviebaby]

Heat Lebron was 54% from the field, tho. Put some respect on his name.

[@somregularguy]

Tsahi Carmona “still rusty” lmao stop it he’s great but stop it who was gonna guard Hakeem, he was unstoppable

[@aramsarkisyan8061]

An important factor not brought up is the statistics of Bulls vs Rockets games from '90-'91 to '92-' 93 seasons. Rockets won 5 ot of 6 games during that period. Rockets were the worst match-up for Bulls back in those days, so it would be really tough for them to win finals in 94 and 95 against Hoiston.

[@kingpete3160]

You can’t count that because playoffs bulls a different team

[@crystalizedExposed]

@@kingpete3160 true, but rim protection and opposing centers were the biggest weaknesses in the bulls dynasty. even in 1996, shaq still had a good series, just others couldn't step up. 1992, they got taken to 7 by Ewing's knicks. add on to that the added fatigue, even if the bulls could have 4 or 5 peated, he would have lost maybe in the later 90's just because of fatigue. In the last dance they talk about him and the team being worn down from 3 in a row, now imagine 7 and trying to make it 8 while having to go against the jazz and indiana.

[@kingpete3160]

@@crystalizedExposed Yeah that’s true

[@Mattulaak]

I recently found your channel and I quite like it. I especially love that you don't peddle the bullshit a lot of NBA fans and 'analysts' do.

[@jonnyarnett]

Thanks friend, I appreciate you supporting the channel more than you know, seriously.

[@thedjyoyo6136]

I agree 100% with this, and also there’s an interview of Michael Jordan where he says that at the championship in 93 he didn’t felt the same hunger to go once again to fight for the top, he felt like people already expected them to win so it wasn’t fun or challenging anymore, but when he came back from retirement all that hunger and passion for winning were back, so I guess if Jordan doesn’t retire maybe he and the bulls would have lost their motivation to win

[@TheRaidernation33]

YOVANI JOSUE SEANEZ CHAVEZ your right he did say that at his retirement interview, he also lost his dad which is a big reason why his love and joy of the game was lost

[@louiejordan6933]

I agree. Everything happened the way it should have.

[@Budd631]

YOVANI JOSUE SEANEZ CHAVEZ he was caught gambling and owed the Gods something and was told to step down. The official narrative is a farce

[@mr.sinjin-smyth]

Jordan initially retired in 1993 due to the trauma of his father's MURDER and played baseball to HONOR him. He only returned in the late portion of 1994-95 season after finally getting over it. If not for his father's murder, there a good chance Jordan could've led Chicago to 8 straight NBA finals and rings. James Jordan's killer (ironically a Jordan fan) deserves blame for ruining such a possibility.

[@leemcb7297]

There are rumors that MJ gambled on games, and he was secretly suspended for 2 years (played baseball instead)....so no chance of eight titles at all

[@elbowgang9715]

@@leemcb7297 Isiah Thomas actually gambled on games with the Mob hell he might've thrown a few games

[@gilbertsanchez2568]

Trauma my ass,isn't he the goat, I think the NBA intentionally made the bulls avoid hakeem's beast season,don't forget that the rockets have a solid role player bench

[@youretoonosey6334]

Yes MJ would have won 8 straight, only if his teammates showed up to play as well. Dude's act like it was all MJ, and not a stacked team behind him. Bulls had he best Scorer in MJ, the best wing defender in Pippen and a paint beast in Rodman. Not to mention how deep the rotation could go because of their bench.

[@gilbertsanchez2568]

@@youretoonosey6334 mj's team mates were no scrubs

[@big8dog887]

Jordan loved motivating himself with perceived slights, Barkley and Malone winning MVP, for example. He would have loved to play in the finals against the guy that was drafted #1 while he went #3.

[@Coldass]

Never once have I considered that fact in all the hypothetical scenarios of a bulls/rockets matchup

[@lajuan3474]

Loving to play against Hakeem doesn’t mean anything

[@Muttal9348]

@@lajuan3474how does it not mean anything, jordan is the biggest dog in nba history, if something was personal he would make it known in his play

[@awesomereviews1561]

Horace Grant is so underrated. Amazing player. Barkley also said that Grant was better than Rodman because of his versatility and reliability. Rodman was a better defender and rebounder though. Either way both Grant and Rodman are great.

[@ja8ames]

Grant did make a great last-second defensive play in 1993, blocking Kevin Johnson.

[@Rodzilla97]

@@ja8ames true, and KJ is likely to make that shot otherwise. huge play by Grant

[@davidmartinez52420]

It depends on who you're talking to when it comes to whether Horace Grant is underrated or not. I watched those Bulls 3peat teams. Grant was absolutely a vital piece for them. He was a good player, but he was no star player. He fit the system well, but was no star player. I think there's a certain group of fans that actually try to overrate Horace simply because doing so makes a better case for their guy. I'm sure you can figure out who I'm talking about...lol

[@nathansalinas1669]

he's overrated and underrated. He's a solid rotation guy but all he could really do was hit the mid range j

[@davidmartinez52420]

@@nathansalinas1669 He was a good rebounder as well, especially on the offensive end. He was also a solid defender down low.

[@averyce2]

Great points with Horace vs Dennis. But let's not forget the impact of Ron Harper filling the guard position!!

[@danielc3321]

I think one of the reasons MJ retired, along with everything else, was championship fatigue. Stepping away for a bit helped him regain his motivation, which led to the 2nd 3-peat.

[@mrblob5413]

Yeah definitely not that his dad was murdered.

[@somregularguy]

Nah Steve Kerr himself said that they would’ve burned out and lost the motivation, Jordan’s retirement was a blessing in disguise and key for such an accomplishment

[@leerussell8778]

I agree. I was 19 when he retired in 1993. MJ was being scrutinized, and run down by media, gambling, and then his dad got murdered. People foolishly believed his gambling had something to do with it. As focused as MJ was, I don't think he would have made 8 straight without a break.

[@theephraimite]

Possibly ten straight if they didn’t decide to rebuild in 1998.

[@ogloc4478]

9 straight at least a good possibility considering the 99 season was shortened and a deep playoff run would’ve amounted to just the length of a regular season. 91-99 certainly possible and 2000 against Kobe Shaq and la would’ve been great

[@Mektek19]

9 straight my guy. Jordan and Pippen were pretty broken down from the long runs. 99 was the perfect season for them to get one last title because it was a shorten season. I think it was actually 50 games. The old bulls could have snuck in one more title in a shorter season.

[@bGzzzzz]

@@ogloc4478 that 2000 Lakers team wouldn't exist, that team only made it after Phil was their coach. Shaq even said it, that he didn't respect anyone until Phil came along.

[@ethanennis8]

Mektek19 The 99 season would’ve destroyed that bulls team injury wise, back to back to backs, 6 games in 7 nights, etc

[@theephraimite]

T Mitch, you and I are humans too. So, who can say for sure?

[@Northphilly-wu4oq]

That shows how amazing jordan was he beat a prime penny and shaq with a sweep, i hate how shannon sharp like to paint the narrative that jordan folded in that series he was still rusty and still averaged 30

[@awesomenessbrown12345]

North philly 215 he wasn’t as rusty as people claim as he was dropping 40 plus games in those playoffs. He was physically not all the way there, he wasn’t completely out of shape. He did kind of choke and play very poorly during the magic

[@rankarat]

@@awesomenessbrown12345 He was very good, but he was not regular jordan level.

[@awesomenessbrown12345]

Ran Karat oh yeah defo, he wasn’t at his prime status before he retired

[@KnightsofMelvin]

It’s not like the 3peat team was beat. Grant switched sides, tipping the scale. Plus Jordan was obviously rusty. Orlando was also really good.

[@awesomenessbrown12345]

Shanon B yes I legit said he was no where near MJ standards of prime. I also said he still didn’t play well vs magic

[@golddiaries9196]

The meticulousness with which u do your analysis is serious. You’re truly gifted Arnett

[@jonnyarnett]

Thanks Rich :) I appreciate that

[@houstonburnside8985]

The fact people think he could do it is just a testament to his greatness.

[@lajuan3474]

A testament to DELUSION

[@mkfitzge6354]

No, he needed that break. He was beyond exhausted and even after the break, the same fatigue was setting in for the second three peat. He said he wanted to try for a fourth in the documentary though, and I believe him that the challenge of going for 4 would have fueled them through another successful season. But I do think he needed that break in 93.

[@bullydwilliams6785]

He wouldn't have needed a break if his father wasn't murdered.

[@johnnyfive5628]

A short season in 99 would have gave there fresh legs a 9th in a row.

[@Budd631]

Jordan had half a season but somehow wasn’t “fresh”. Averages 32ppg in the playoffs but isn’t “back yet”. It’s a silly conversation. He was back and has excuses. If he won, he was a God. He had nothing to lose even though...he lost in 95.

[@somregularguy]

Budd631 I agree, Jordan is the goat but I hate how people try to remove all the blemishes from his career

[@mixedpleasure4324]

Or at least 4 straight if we still say he retired in 93 but came back and won 96 97 98 and then 99 and then I'll say it would be over after that but they could without any doubt have won in 99 had the team been together

[@flightreacts4603]

Bulls with grant but not rodman may beat 1995 rockets in tough 7 games series . However , they may not beat the sonics in 1996 as the sonics even swept the rockets . Not to mention 1997 and 98 jazz which is even more powerful . Jordan may have 5 straight titles but it still hella inpressive .

[@FuShengAlex]

He wouldn't have even beaten Houston in 95. Nice try Jordan jocker

[@jamaldaniels7402]

Awesome take well done sir.. You are now 1 of my favorite you tubers...no biasness with you. Keep 🆙 the good work

[@ClayShorterSTL]

Those are all great points. The only thing is that I believe that even with Grant, considering that all they gave up was Will Perdue, they make that trade for Rodman. Listed at 6'10" and with his length, I could see Horace sliding over to the center position even with the bigger players. I actually think that would've made them more dangerous and stifling as a defense. With a starting 5 of C Grant, PF Rodman, SF Pippen, SG Jordan and PG Harper, they could smother everyone and not having defensive liabilities in the front court along with a proven 15+ ppg scorer in Grant they would've easily taken it up to 8

[@kingpete3160]

You are so correct on that facts 💯 I said the samething with the same line up u mention for the bulls I see 8 straight championships if that line up had existed

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

Fatigue is the biggest factor to me. No way are they realistically going that strong for 8 straight final appearances until June, then immediately becoming ready for games again in October. Not only would they have to be focused and determined to play Basketball consistently year round during the break, but they’d have to sub in recovery time over training time just to stand a chance. Maybe they could not play as many games in the main season, especially in the start of the season, but that would still affect their overall legacies given regular season play. Only a star studded squad, who had focus only on BB, and who had around 25-30 player in totality who could legitimately play if required, could even attempt to do something like that.

[@DPH1301]

The mistake most people when speaking against Jordan is that they use conclusions mainly based on regular logic, normal reasoning and common sense, but what you all forget is Jordan couldn't really be limited by those measures, he was something that was never seen before and never seen since, you cant conclude or judge Jordan on any normal parameters or anything that makes normal sense, Michael Jordan was not normal...

[@evanclp514]

it's a shame Jordan retired early twice and then came back too late with the Wizards. he probably could have played from '84 to '00 or '01 at a sustained high level and competed for a few more championships before retiring. he's still the GOAT either way by a large margin but would have been nice to see those potential matchups in the finals with Hakeem or maybe vs the Lakers with Shaq & Kobe.

[@sedricgo1563]

One of my favorite youtubers ever.

[@KnightsofMelvin]

It really depends on how they filled out the roster for years 4-8. Also, for how many years after the first 3 was Grant any good? They wouldn’t have got Rodman. Maybe they win 4 or 5 in a row.

[@waynemacgillivary7476]

Thanks for the great video. I've been waiting for years for someone to do this. MJ & his Bulls were on a tear and I'm totally not sure about 8, but I'm thinking a solid 5 maybe 6. The times & #s don't lie. The 90s were all about the Bulls.

[@dumbname939]

In ‘98, the Bulls came dangerously close to losing to the Pacers. If Jordan never retired, he was already mentally fatigued and felt unmotivated, but after making the Finals and even winning the championship for just five or six years, fatigue would have certainly caught up and they would likely fall to the Pacers, Knicks, Heat, or Jazz if they even make it that far.

[@nathanjohnson2382]

Rockets vs Bulls would of been crazy in 94 and 95. Hakeem is a top 5 player in my opinion. Good chance it’s spilt due to fatigue. Bulls had the best team but idk how they’d match up after 4 or 5 straight titles.

[@spindakiwi1127]

I think jordan said in an interview "we are lucky this monster doesnt come out of the west"reffering to olajuwon after getting beaten by the rovkets...

[@dbernardt0681]

I think Houston would've gave Chicago lots of problems and I really think the '95 Rockets may have actually beat them in a 7 game series especially if Clyde Drexler was on the Houston roster. That 95 Houston team was playing near flawless basketball by the time they got very deep into playoffs (Hence why Houston destroyed a 62 win San Antonio Team and Hakeem dominated David Robinson and Houston sweeping the #1 Seeded Orlando Magic with Shaq and Penny in finals). Granted, I think the 94 Bulls with Jordan would've squeeked out a series win vs Houston giving them 4 straight titles but at that point, the grind of having to win 4 straight would've started catching up with Chicago going into the next season (94-95) and The Rockets would've came back even stronger/hungrier in 95 and finally have been the team to dethrone Chicago. The 95-96 Bulls team however, would've came back with a point to prove especially MJ and I really think they still would've won 70 games that year like they did in real life and would've reclaimed the NBA throne against either Houston, Seattle. Utah or whoever would've won the west that year.

[@mixedpleasure4324]

@@dbernardt0681 That sound reasonable but we never know but what we do know is - 6 championship - 6 fmvps - never a game 7 - 10 time scoring champ - 9 time first team defense - 1 dpoy - 3 time steals leader - 2 time dunk champ - 2 olympic gold medals - highest PER in NBA history - Highest scoring average in the regular season - Highest scoring average in the playoff with amazing 33.4 points per game - two season with over 200 steals and 100 blocks as the only player ever - 3 time all star mvp. Greatest and best player in NBA history.

[@TheFadedSpade35]

@@dbernardt0681 I agree, Houston would have won at least one of those matchups

[@l9ikjam]

@@dbernardt0681 rodman on Hakeem with Jordan and pippen helping to defend them like they did against shaq. The bulls would have won in 6 both years

[@TheFadedSpade35]

@@l9ikjam disagree

[@chitownsuperfan]

Great analysis. I've always thought about that Grant-Rodman tradeoff.

[@willhairstonful]

Jonny Arnett: Your You Tube posts are a bazillion times better than what is on FOX Sports 1 and ESPN. Keep up the good work!

[@grantberdell4872]

Another great analysis as always!

[@Gabriela-Acevedo]

Bulls got to game 7 of 94 semifinals with no Jordan. I think they would've beat Pacers in conference finals and Rockets in the finals. Now 95 would've been a little more tough but I think with Jordan playing all year they would of beat Orlando in conference finals and Houston in the finals. To answer question i say yes.

[@ryanpowers3155]

if he didnt retire he would have lost in 1998 and in another year injuries fatigue motivation and the best teams he would of had to face in his whole career if he didnt retire its almost impossible he could win 8 and rlly unlikely he wins 7 he would have won 5 or 6 plus the fact that he almost got season ending injuries twice but was lucky and with that many games i think its very likely he would of missed a playoffs from injuries and his team mates might be injuierd like lebrons in 2015 its basically impossible he wins 8 plus in 1994 he did lose in 6 games soo idk how you can say mj wins 8

[@pickzkickz]

JORDAN DID PLAY AGAINST INDIANA MORON.

[@JudaMetalMaiden]

@@pickzkickz Bulls did not play against Indiana in 94 or 95 playoffs. They only played Indiana in eastern conference finals of 1998 moron.

[@allsystemsgo8678]

@@pickzkickz do you really have to call someone a moron because they may have been wrong?

[@theephraimite]

Ryan Powers, Jordan didn’t play in 94. Besides, what you say is just conjecture.

[@jaybrandriet9381]

You nailed it with your last point. To three-peat twice was amazing enough. The energy and good fortune to win 8 straight is hard to comprehend in the modern day. Houston was an uphill match up for the Bulls during that time. If anyone could do it, it'd be Mike. That said, I've always leaned "65-35" they would not have won 8 straight.

[@DPH1301]

Many people considered Jordan not human, even nba players, some actually questioned there own abilities because of him, some actually thought he was Jesus, Jordan would have won 8 straight, ya'll must have forget who he was and what he accomplished

[@jaybrandriet9381]

@@DPH1301 Jordan of all people deserve the benefit of the doubt? Sure. But look how hard it was to beat Utah. They could barely breath taking out Indiana in game 7 in 1998. With two more title runs in place of where MJ needed to rest mentally in 94 and 95...1997 and 1998 become hard to imagine.and Imagine is all we can do.

[@jaybrandriet9381]

"Who he was and what he accomplished" was well represented by three peating twice. Granted he walked away from the opportunity to win 4 straight, twice. He never won 4 straight. The idea of 8, is just that...an idea.

[@DPH1301]

@@jaybrandriet9381 We shouldn't ask the question would he win 8 straight, the real question should be who would stop Michael Jordan and the championship bulls from winning??? name the team and the players and why, because I don't know any, because of Michael Jordan, many hallnof fame players never won a championship, losing to the bulls is why and Jordan was unquestionably the bulls best player, he's the main reason they have no championships, so tell me who would stop the bulls from getting 8 straight? Probably could have got 10 straight before the natural old age decline

[@DPH1301]

@@jaybrandriet9381 Utah was an amazing team in doubt, they are the type of team that would make you not want to step on the court, their main alpha players being John Stockton and Karl Malone, this is a duo that is a nightmare to face, Karl Malone is the #2 all time scorer all time, John Stockton is the #2 all time point guard if all time, as incredible a nightmare as the Utah Jazz was they lost to the Bulls twice by knockout, both times they never made it to the final round (a game seven), As crazy as the Stockton Malone Utah Jazz was, they were defeated by knockout both times, this even helps my argument about Michael Jordan and the bulls winning 8 straight, everyone they beat for the championship were all beaten by knockout

[@Ae073001]

Great video. Thanks for your balanced analysis.

[@ernestchamblee]

Great analysis. Awesome video.

[@chitweak18]

They could have gone to 10 straight Finals. 90 through 99. I think they would have gone 8-2 maybe 9-1 in the Finals had MJ not retired, the Scottie Pippen Migraine game, and Jerry Krause decided to bring the whole team back for the 1999 season.

[@ChrisTopheRaz]

I think if Jordan had come back for the full year rather than with 17 games left in the season, it could have been 7 total.

[@e-musickvance3581]

Bulls vs Rockets greatest NBA Finals that never happened.

[@dontdoittoyoself6786]

I think Bulls win in 6 both times.

[@joeman425]

You need to get some rest, they would be lucky to win one against the Rockets.

[@tzovlask]

another factor is that 2 more full NBA seasons with deep playoff runs would have had an impact on Jodan's body/health/conditioning. We say MJ running on fumes dueingg the 97 and 98 finals, he was still obviously great but his efficiency had diminished severely.

[@jaydentimestwo5350]

Hey my favorite nba youtuber (honestly tho) very underrated

[@barbearianlando3338]

Jayden TimesTwo second that bro. *lifts glass*

[@brandonhensley4335]

It's amazing to me that no one takes into account the emotional and physical toll winning eight championships in the modern era of the NBA would take on a team. People say no doubt, don't bet against Jordan. But you're not taking into account mounting stress, freak injuries, bad bounces of the ball, and opponents getting tired of always losing. You can't just look at things on paper. That's extremely naive and short-sighted. They would not have won eight in a row. Ridiculous.

[@DPH1301]

@Nancy Pelosi 👍Some people including NBA players were actually questioning themselves that they really believed MJ was Jesus, Larry Bird even called him god, MJ is from some kind if distant planet like krypton or something lol

[@tdvu]

Yep, you also have to factor in many variables that have to change to go for 8 straight. Even if Jordan doesn't retire, does that change Horace leaving the Bulls in 94? And suppose they keep winning and he stays, that means Rodman in a Bulls uniform does not happen. And with Grant against a Karl Malone and Shawn Kemp from 96-98, the Finals' results may have been different. Who knows. Just too much to factor there.

[@bigworm2129]

Exactly. And in 94, the East was even more physical than ever. Those Knicks were at their peak and were even more physical than before. The Bulls might not even make it out of the East in 94. Same in 95, that Magic team had talent coming out their ears and a tired Bulls may have been able to handle them.

[@DPH1301]

@@bigworm2129 The mistake most people when speaking against Jordan is that they use conclusions mainly based on regular logic, normal reasoning and common sense, but what you all forget is Jordan couldn't really be limited by those measures, he was something that was never seen before and never seen since, you cant conclude or judge Jordan on any normal parameters or anything that makes normal sense, Michael Jordan was not normal...

[@bigworm2129]

@@DPH1301 WTF? He's a damn human just live everyone else, man. Settle down. He gets tired, he loses focus, and he has limits, just like everyone else. If he didn't, he'd shoot 1.000% and go 82-0 every season and would still be winning championships today at 50 years old. Some of y'all get carried away...

[@michaelbonhomme3677]

That would be a dream campaign. I feel like if his father lived healthy to this year and beyond, the only problem is Jordan’s teammates. I don’t think Jordan would become soft and complacent, but it’s hard to keep hungry without moving players around

[@johncambridge7181]

I like the rodman argument. Many basketball fans said bulls made a super team when they signed rodman as to counter KD, lebron made/joined super team. When bulls signed rodman it was a huge gamble. No one know what they gonna get from him because he was so unpredictable , old, passed his prime and some say he would ruin the harmony of the organisation. But Phil managed that and resurrected rodman turned him as 1 of the reasons bulls won the second 3peat.

[@danlora5599]

I think this is a fantastic take. My reasoning is a bit different but I share similar view. 1. As much as the Bulls were strong I think Scottie needed that 1 season on his own. To sort of answer the question to himself of how good he actually was. I think with Jordan still playing, Scottie eventually asks to be traded to get his big money. History has shown no matter how in synch guys maybe, if you have two superstars in their prime, 1 eventually feels undervalued and wants out. 2. Jordans toughest finals was against the Sonics. They absolutely beat the crap out of him physically. But mind you this is after time off, a full season and him having been in his best shape in years motivated by loss to Orlando. What's my point? My point is father time is father time. Even if for arguement sake they win both series against Houston, I don't think they beat Seattle if he had played two previous years. Think about it. Jordan didn't believe in load management. So that's 164 regular season games. A minimum of 193 games if you sweep every team in post season BOTH years. Given that highly unlikely case, you are talking an additional 200 plus games before you even play 82 in THAT season plus 10 more games before even getting to Seattle. Thats ALOT of wear and tear. I just think given all that im not saying Bulls weren't good enough but its additional wear and tear that has to be acknowledged. Mind you lets say Jordan is Jordan of old and even sharper. Thats failing to take into account the OTHER guys might be burned out. This to me is an even greater factor than number 1. 3. I feel at some point, a team would have made a trade to try and be on par with Bulls. Again try lol. The fact he was gone for two years had teams saying well we're good enough as is but he is the reason we lost. Now that hes gone our same group can do it. Ala Knicks, Pacers not making any moves and Knicks were sort of right as they made finals. When a guy kicks your ass 6 straight years you have to say we need to do something. Jordan lulled you into basically saying eh hes Jordan so we're not winning anyway. I think 5 straight or 6 was possible but i think at some point, he needed that rest. I also think team itself needed that loss aganist NY to remind them its not a mandate you win the title. It made them find their fire again.

[@robhughes8198]

Olajuwon is the only player I’ve seen make MJ consistently change his inside shots on a regular basis. I think the 94 series would’ve been one of the greatest ever. However Olajuwon was the greatest center to play post 1980 and he the was the Franchise Houston Rockets, they were NOTHING without him. The 94 Bulls went far without MJ and to say the Rockets would’ve won FOR SURE is bullshit. I really wish Jordan didn’t have a gambling addiction and we might’ve seen this series.

[@kingpete3160]

I think jordan and the bulls wins in game 6 vs rockets

[@jayaquille]

I never thought of the Grant-Rodman point. Such I great point and really has me thinking about the certainty of the second 3peat.

[@mitchellkinzie8535]

When are u dropping that video about the best players ever based on their peak? I can't wait to see it.

[@jonnyarnett]

Yeah, sorry for the delay. My friend has to collect the stats for around 10 more players out of 150+ I have on the list, so we're essentially around 95% done with the info I need, which is the really hard part. Then I have to write the script, record the audio, and then edit. Should have it done in the next 2-3 weeks or so is my guess.

[@svantelindqvist4275]

The fact that even Air Jordan could not have won 8-straight is a testament to Bill Russell's greatness

[@cassianandor4103]

Bill Russel won when there was 8 teams in the league lol. And in Russel's era the players were literal plumbers in the offseason so it was quite a different era.

[@Thetruth11033]

Jordan left 2 rings on the table, one when he retired to play baseball and another one when he retired after 1998

[@historiaeesporte]

a video on Wilt Chamberlain's game change after a major injury in late 69. he was on a roll in the fist 9 games, then got injured.

[@damianlebuda2845]

8th in the row would be difficult even to the GOAT Michael Jordan and even more importantly Bulls organization. But, it would have been fantastic finals against Rockets and Hakeem Olajuwon, who is my favourite player of the 1990s. Great video. Looking forward to next.

[@poi2587]

Unless someone incredible comes around. MJ will forever be the goat

[@thengyang5537]

What are u talking about?..The rockets couldn't even get past the Sonics 96 the jazz 97 n 98...Bulls dont need anyone else but the GOAT n hus sidekick.

[@jimkouts3328]

Exactly and they also had for second year (I mean in 1996) Clyde and they still swept by the sonics and in 1997 they have added sir Charles and still failed to pass the Utah in the conference finals

[@MrJohnnyAOA]

Cool story what about 94 95?

[@Budd631]

Theng Yang they didn’t match up well with the Sonics. They would double the post EVERY time va Hakeem. The Bulls NEVER double teamed. Very different match up

[@TheyoungZidane]

COULDNT even get past the sonics as if that’s a big deal. MJ got locked up by Payton. Bulls in 95 lost to the magic, mj couldn’t even win 4 straight.

[@yvans.]

Theng Yang how to discuss with a fan...

[@marcoslaureano5562]

What made Mike truly hungry to win that second three peat was getting blown out by the Magic....and Horace didn't leave because Mike retired. He left because he wasn't happy there. They didn't renew his contract and he hated Mike BECAUSE of how hard Mike would ride his teammates. That trouble had been brewing way before Jordan had retired. And don't forget Mike saw Horace as the main "rat" behind "The Jordan Rules" book. Horace was there for the '94 playoff loss. Whether Mike had retired or not, Horace was leaving. The Bulls declined to re-sign him, you forget that.

[@nythunter_11]

good analysis bro, can you also do 1 if they stayed together for 99 and 2000 to get 8 rings?

[@owenparker6651]

That little Horace Grant - Dennis Rodman nugget is a real chicken bone when it comes to swallowing the bulls winning 8 straight. Helluva point for any such debate...

[@MrFantastic23]

Just want preface this and say I am a huge jordan fan! Huge! I was 13 when he won his first chip and watched pretty much every Bulls game even when he took that baseball hiatus. And I have never thought they would have won 8 straight I feel that overall they may have still won six after winning 4 in a row they would have lost somewhere along that time frame but that loss would reignite the fire and they would win another two not sure back to back but I just think 6 in 8 years seems about right.

[@jrdorman7613]

Great vid brother!! Your right.. peices play a big part of the 8 straight debate. Stealing 1 from or both from Huston might have gave the sonics or jazz one or both...but if anyone could do it, it woulda been number 23! Keep up the good work bro!!

[@iank3924]

Umm no. Just no. You're acting as if they won 5 straight and then Horace fell off that they couldn't replace Horace with the rest of the pieces they had? I love Dennis, but if you don't think they couldn't replace him and still beat Seattle and Utah assuming they beat Houston twice I think you're really reaching.

[@jflack6]

You and only 9 folks

[@torahisgood]

1:25 also the 1947-1949 Minneapolis lakers

[@DJQuan718]

It's great to see Hakeem getting more love. That man was a beast. People talk about Shaq well Hakeem cooked that man 5:34 Making him look stupid

[@troyandres3402]

Cooked, stewed, deep fried... smoked the Admiral.. toasted Ewing... 💯

[@samuelhuggins3173]

I believe 10 straight. I just don't see anyone stopping Mike in the 90's. His drive is something not seen ever before.

[@masterchiefwasdonedirty9705]

They don't win that 96 finals without Rodman and they don't become desperate enough to trade for him if they are not trying to fill the void Horace Grant left when he left in free agency, so no

[@maryakopyan3224]

96' team would've won it with Horace Grant too. It's just that the 95' team had no power forward.

[@WarTheory]

Was a diehard Knick’s fan from 1984 to 2012… Michael Jordan is the greatest player to ever live. If he did not play baseball he would’ve beat the Houston Rockets in 94 and 95. Jordan is the GOAT 🐐

[@steviecritiquenewby7874]

That would have been a good one between the bulls and rocket I think the 95 rockets would have gave the bulls a problem

[@thein-famouselguapo15]

Didn't see the clip, don't need to. Just came straight to the comments to give the obvious answer. Yes, without a doubt. He and the bulls were at their prime when he retired. Nuff said.

[@Zero-ef4sc]

I can't stress this enough, the Rockets picked Hakeem over Jordan in the 1984 NBA draft, but NO ONE criticizes the Rockets for that pick.

[@sonnymp1337]

MJ >>>> Hakeem

[@julios3039]

Nice analysis, but I have a major objection: that Horace Grant would have surely stayed had Jordan not retired. If we were to judge by Sam Smith's very insightful book "Jordan Rules", it is more likely that Grant would have left the Bulls regardless of Jordan (or even because of for that matter). In that case I see the Rockets as the favorites at least for the 1995 title. Generally I am against taking anything away from the Rockets' success during those two seasons by saying that they wouldn't have won had Jordan not retired. They were a fantastic team and they won.

[@muhdewd9727]

Scotty pippen nearly lead the bulls to the finals by himself in '94. That team was pretty good without Jordan.. with him, most certainly four in a row.

[@MISTERO70]

I think that the Bulls would've lost to the 94-95 Rockets because of The Dream and The Glide

[@vincentvader2840]

Sure, because the Glide showed the world before how to deal with MJ...

[@MISTERO70]

@@vincentvader2840 yes sir. It'll went seven games but the Bulls wouldn't be able to to stop Hakeem.

[@FuShengAlex]

@@vincentvader2840 yeah clyde wasnt being led by Hakeem in 92. Oh this how Dream treated that version of him: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqHOkIJsibuDqas

[@sonnymp1337]

@@MISTERO70 where was hakeem 84-94? Where?

[@matsong5134]

I’ve always believed that he wouldn’t win 8 because he said himself that he needed to leave the NBA at the end of 93. “I was at the top for so long, I forgot the steps it took for me to get there.” (MJ) However if he didn’t retire at the end of 98 and went one more year with the same coach and team, they would have won in 99. So in my opinion they would have won 7 titles all up.

[@grantl7062]

Great video, I think it’s fun to speculate for 94 but he was there in 95, he was rested healthy, rusty yes but he had 17 games and playoffs to get the feel back, he is the goat after all (what is the min number of games to eliminate rust?) the Rockets added Drexler and swept the Magic who beat bulls, 95 belongs to Rockets period

[@g-mancollections5264]

As great as mj was, there's no way he takes both of the years he wasn't in the finals. The rockets were too good. He might take one of those years, but a lot of people forget that Olajuwon was playing outside of this galaxy those two years. Vernon Maxwell was also an absolute beast defender that would've beaten mj up all series long. The bulls didn't have a big guy that could've kept up with Hakeem. He dominated the 3 next best big men in the game those years. I will say this, MJ is the absolute best player of all time, head and shoulders above everyone else... But Hakeem was every bit on his level those two championship years. He MIGHT take one of those years, but no way he takes both.

[@Texan45]

Even Jordan said he felt rusty, even tho statistically, he was amazing.

[@FuShengAlex]

Yeah he also said before the playoffs: "Orlando is not a problem".

[@kang6914]

Weak excuse

[@elmerreyes8985]

Bulls vs rockets was a very good matchup back then & it could go either ways. But I think the bulls could have won 1 or 2 more if the team was still intact after the 2nd three-peat but we all know what happened. 🙂

[@whitespacecollective95]

I'm a big MJ stan but no way! 8 straight is insane. He needed those two years off to rest. Also, the Bulls have a winning record against every team except for one. Can you guess which one? The Houston Rockets. Granted, I think he would've won 4 straight, lose, and win 3 more but not 8 straight lol...

[@animeguitarguy]

I think psychologically they may have indeed been burnt out. With MJ in those years though it's always a strong possibility

[@jp3813]

​@Inigo Bantok MJ didn't even sleep much during the Dream Team's tour b/c he played golf & cards in-between basketball games or practices. His teammates talked about his endless energy in the 2012 documentary. The rest of the Bulls is another matter though.

[@animeguitarguy]

Excellent points. The rest of the team probably would have indeed been the deciding factor

[@fireeagle5633]

There is a simple reason why jordan and the bulls would have never won 8 straight title Hakeem was too much even for the bulls

[@michaelthompson9119]

Spot on

[@aazonbrain]

Oooh, a vs between Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman would be amazing. Lots to discuss, at least I think

[@unabdgf]

Yup, Sure would have won 8. But, Vegas wouldn’t like that.

[@ranelgallardo7031]

Pfft...most superteams like MJs 90s Bulls wouldn’t last more than 3 years. There would’ve been mass exodus of some key players due to salary cap (the team can’t afford to them some players since they have good higher paid players).

[@youboob6297]

if Jordan never retired, Horace would of never left Bulls. Horace left because he was Phil Jacksons whipping boy since Phil knew all the Bulls stood up for Horace whenever Phil singled him out and thst built team solidarity (Zen master). Jordan stood up for Horace every time and with Jordan retiring, Horace felt he lost his main supporter. now with Horace secured at power forward, Bulls would still get Rodman. nobody wanted Rodman at the time, nobody. but Rodman for Perdue is still a steal and Spurs were the ones to approach Bills for that deal since they were desperate to get rid of Rodman before he destroyed chemistry on the team and they didnt want trade Rodman within thier conference . Krause would see it as a bargain because Rodman would bring toughness Bulls lacked when they failed to draft Muresan in 2nd round. Krause thought Geirghe would be available then and he wasnt. Rodman would initially start season coming off the bench but eventually earn the starting spot come playoff time. this makes the Bulls bench of Horace/Rodman, Kukoc, Kerr, Wennington, Beuchler, Brown...etc a powerhouse. Kukoc, Rodman, and Grant alone would be starters on other teams. three starters coming off bench expertly handled by a Hall of Fame coach and a superstar who refused to lose at all costs *Bulls win 8 straight, possibly 10*

[@kaialoha]

I agree. MJ wins championships.

[@youboob6297]

@@kaialoha heres a bit of sports history: Jordan was flashy as a rookie but did not get any respect from the stars at the time because every single person in the US thought he was just a scorer and would never win a ring, myself included. Jordan heard that he was just a scorer and took it as a challenge to eventually win DPOY, one of only 5 guards in NBA history to do it Right before Bulls vs Blazers everybody said "Drexler was the same as Jordan but able to shoot threes" and i also believed that at the time. Jordan took this as a challenge and set a record for Most Threes in a Half Finals with 6 threes against Blazers Jordan Rules came about after Jordan scored 59 against Pistons and Chuck Daly realized Jordan could beat his team all by himself (Chuck Dalys words, not mine) . so he devised the Jordan Rules and it worked. the Pistons went to 3 straight Finals. Jordan saw that the Pistons playing as a team were beating his Bulls playing as a one man team and took it as a challenge to whip his team mates into shape to beat the Pistons. the result: 6 rings in 6 attempts and setting the record for most wins with 72 oh about that 72 win season. people today say the Warriors are Greatest Team Ever because they won 73 games. really??? a team that did not win a ring is Greatest Team Ever?? *not logical* you cannot be Greatest Team Ever if you cant manage to win a championship. Dream Team never won a NBA championship and they are better than you Warriors went all out since game 1 or regular season to break Bulls 72 win season. they worked so hard for it they had no gas left in the tank when playoffs came when Bulls broke old record of 69 wins with thier 70th win of the season Phil sat whole team down and said " do you guys want to keep going hard to set a higher record or do you guys want to rest for playoff?" to a man every Bull said they wanted to rest. there were six games left in season, Bulls went 2-4 the rest of the way. i know, i was there HAVE A GOOD DAY!!

[@masterchiefwasdonedirty9705]

Then why was it said that Horace would have left anyway because he didn't like Jordan and didn't receive enough credit for the 3 peat?

[@youboob6297]

@@masterchiefwasdonedirty9705 i gave you a thumbs up because that is an intelligent question. i was there for the whole thing, from watching every ball game on tv, to reading sports sections in newspapers to going to games dozens of times so i have actual experience what really happened, not reading stories other people had. i have first hand knowledge Horace eventually left Bulls because he was Phil Jacksons whipping boy - thats the real story. Phil knew every Bull would rally to Horace side every time Phil unjustly rode him and he berated and yelled at Horace every chance he got to give the Bulls a sense of solidarity and build team unity - chemistry it was unfair to Horace but it worked. great teams need great chemistry and you cant get instant chemistry from putting the five best guys in league together because chemistry needs time to develope. a team of average players who have played together for years will play better than the five best guys in league who have been together for days, thats a guaranteed sure bet. there is no such thing as instant chemistry to get a team chemistry you have to think as a team. to think as a team, you have to stop guys thinking that all they are doing is just a job and all they are in for is the money or fame, and start to get them emotionally invested in playing as a team Horace was well liked on the Bulls by all team mates and Phil used his Zen psychology to make it "us versus them" mentality on the Bulls by playing the bad guy who unfairly rode Horace hard every day instead of "every man for himself" mentality that was what was happening in earlier Bulls teams if you saw a co worker who works just as hard as you being unfairly treated every day by supervisors wouldnt all of your fellow co workers join up to support him? its human nature but by pointing out an unfair treatment of one co worker, all the other co workers start thinking like a *team* with MJ retiring, the one guy on the Bulls who had bigger clout than Phil Jackson was gone, and Jordan was one of the guys who told Phil he was being unfair to Horace, which solidified the Bulls into a *team* there is no more beautiful game of basketball than every member of team knowing every other members tendancy, grit, and perseverance under pressure. its almost magical when five guys play on court like they got one mind. that is *chemistry* and the best at it all time were the 86 Celtics (but i still like Bulls)

[@FuShengAlex]

Couldn't even bear Orlando so no

[@rhettwild]

most NBA greats like Kobe don't die so young a video of the all-time afterlife roster would be cool being a large portion of the all-time greats are still alive being the game isn't that old compared to other major sports in America

[@munoken]

Ultimately it really doesn't matter, like you said 2 3-peats in the same decade = GOAT!

[@kalelwilson8337]

What made Mike different was his mentality.. He would've found ways to win

[@sedricgo1563]

Scenario 3: Jordan would win 6 to 7 because of The Dream and almost no one can stop him. The Rodman trade can still possibly go through. The Sonics can beat MJ in 96. Hakeem can win in either 94 or 95 but that is only a possibility but I would say that Hakeem would win in 95 because he had Clyde Drexler.

[@Jmxd21]

Tough one to call. Mike and Hakeem would be unstoppable. Pippen will be the X-factor for the bulls. Hakeem didn’t have an all-star on his team so someone else would have to step up. Bulls edge rockets. Just a better overall team. This would be too much for Hakeem to handle without another star.

[@carlkash3587]

I really can’t see that happening The bulls weakest Position on that team was definitely the center position and MJ would have definitely met him at least once plus He’s explained how mentally exhausted he was during that final run and it took everything he had left After a 2 year break to physically and mentally recharge I think the timing was just perfect For those 6 rings and left at the perfect time

[@big-l5771]

Yes without a doubt because in 93 Houston wasn't even a thought. To many bug body's to through at Hakeem

[@ryanpowers3155]

if he didnt retire he would have lost in 1998 and in another year injuries fatigue motivation and the best teams he would of had to face in his whole career if he didnt retire its almost impossible he could win 8 and rlly unlikely he wins 7 he would have won 5 or 6 plus the fact that he almost got season ending injuries twice but was lucky and with that many games i think its very likely he would of missed a playoffs from injuries and his team mates might be injuierd like lebrons in 2015 its basically impossible he wins 8 plus in 1994 he did lose in 6 games soo idk how you can say mj wins 8

[@arizonaFIREent]

93 was also the same year the Lakers blew a 2-0 lead in a best of 5 haha

[@FuShengAlex]

How many bodies did they throw at Shaq when he threw them outta Chicago in game 6 in the United Center?

[@picafavo3466]

See, I think he would’ve beat the Rockets in 1994, but in 1995 with the Rockets trading for Clyde Drexler the bulls wouldn’t have won. Without Rodman on the team, they couldn’t guard the paint. Plus Jordan would have to go against star Clyde Drexler. With two dominant scoring players with different skills, the bulls would come close, but wouldn’t win.

[@torhowell5202]

No they'd lose both. 94 in 5 because mad max and 95 in 6. Because no madmax. But if jordan stayed you could convince him to stay.

[@ChrisTopheRaz]

I was just thinking this while watching another Jordan video.

[@historiaeesporte]

Great video. My opinion, no they wouldn't. A topic and a request: a video on Magic Johnson's return, in 1996.