In the 1998 Finals G6, Jordan shook russell after stealing Malone, completed a legendary mid-range jump shot, helped the Bulls complete the second triple crown, and won the sixth championship himself, pushing the last dance of the gods to the climax. And the 35-year-old Jordan announced his second retirement at the end of that legendary season, while ending his 14-year bull career, The last shot, a classic and timeless picture, should have become God's most perfect final performance. In 2001, the 38-year-old Jordan announced his second comeback at the Wizards, and this time, Jordan was no longer the one who flew to the sky and could do everything, but Jordan still averaged 20+ per game in the Wizards' two seasons.
There are many people who think that Jordan's second comeback is a mistake, think that the last shot in 98 was a perfect ending and should not be destroyed, and that Jordan's second comeback is to walk off the altar. Jordan played for two years at the Wizards, starting his first game at the end of October 2001 after Jordan's comeback, when jordan was 38 years old, and then until the first game of his first injury in February of the following year, he averaged 36 minutes, 24.6 points, 6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks and 41.1% shooting percentage in those 52 games. Four of them played less than 30 minutes, and two less than 20 minutes, and if you remove these four games, Jordan averaged 25.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 41.4% shooting.
If you look at the entire season, Jordan averaged 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. At the end of the season, Jordan was ranked 10th on the scoring list. At that time, the NBA was no slower pace than now, the defensive intensity was high, and that season, in addition to the peak Iverson riding a no-brainer, the second highest peak O'Neal scored early 27 points. If Jordan's performance later this season is roughly the same as before his death, and finally maintains an average of 25.4+6+5 per game, then he is probably just a little higher than Kobe Bryant in the sixth place in the scoring list, and he is the only three 25+5+5 players in the league, the other two are peak Maddy and kobe bryant who is on the rise. But what we need to know is that Jordan was going to run for four at the time, and it is worth mentioning that in the 2002 season, scoring champion Iverson had 9 games and 40+, Maddy 6, O'Neal 7, and Jordan also had 5.
On December 29, 2001, Jordan scored 51 points in the game against the Hornets, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to score 50+ points in a single game, when he was about to turn 39 years old, and it should be known that Jordan had dunked one at the All-Star Game this season. A great uncle who has been out of the professional arena for three years, has another rib injury when he returns, but has just returned to the league and is still one of the top players. The 03 season coach wanted to reduce Jordan's playing time, but the team's performance than last year's struggle made Jordan have no respite, Jordan's 82 games throughout the season, a 40-year-old flyer, averaging 37 minutes per game, he stood on the court for far more time than the previous year, but the Wizards' record was getting worse and worse.
That year's NBA All-Star, Carter gave jordan the starting position of the Eastern Conference All-Star, and Maria Carey sang a song "Hero" for Jordan surrounded by stars. Jordan, who was never good at showing emotion, said: "I took the fire of basketball from the hands of the great Julius Owen, magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Now, I pass that light on to these young talents on the sidelines and all the players in the league. "Finally, the god of basketball has stepped off the stage of history. Jordan, who turns 40 at the end of the season, still averaged 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists per game, and he is still one of the best players in the league.
After winning the 1998 Finals, he did not play professionally for three years, and coupled with injuries and weight, Jordan's overall athletic ability was undoubtedly seriously reduced. As mentioned earlier, Jordan once missed a dunk, which was incredible for Jordan, who had once been flying. Jordan's evaluation of a player who was sparring before the season in the past two years is that "the ball is playing well, but it is no longer able to play above the basket." "So what did Jordan rely on to average more than 20 points per game? There is no doubt about the technology, you can see jordan simply playing the defender like a marionette, the offensive action is extremely clean and clean, what he does, how the other party will react, everything is in his control. Jordan is called a god not only because of his first-rate physical talent, but also because of his unparalleled skill, competitiveness and attitude towards the game.
Jordan had a noticeable change in his playing as a Wizard, his center of gravity was not too low, and he didn't jump too high. Even if Jordan in the bull period is 35 years old, a bowed head accelerates, shoulder and arm grab position can break through. During the Wizards period, his center of gravity could not go down, and the pace of grabbing the position became smaller. Jordan in the Wizards period is a high center of gravity, more direction change, less breakthroughs, more by fake action and shaking in the middle distance score. Jordan made only 12 percent of his shots in the 2002 season from the basket, 11 percent from 3-10 feet, 33 percent from the 10-16 foot mid-range, 40 percent from the long two-point range from the free throw line to the three-point line, 62 percent from the field, 42 percent from the field, 42 percent from 10-16 feet, and 41 percent from the 16 foot to three-point line. Kobe Bryant was 66 percent, 45 percent, and 39 percent that year. Maddy, who will win the top scorer next year, is 62%, 41% and 36%.
So Jordan can't get to the basket, there's no room to pull away, and there's no good teammate passing, but his mid-range is still accurate. Jordan is really a superfluous and inefficient action is not, the intention of each action, we can see clearly across the screen, always with the least amount of time and space and physical energy to complete the end. In particular, it is Jordan's jump shot, if jordan's back jump shot as of 98 years is the best space and it doesn't matter, wait for the defender to fall down and then shoot without delay to eat the physical talent, then the Wizards period Jordan's jump shot is the best interpretation of how to use technology to make up for the body to score, there is no one.
Specifically, it is extremely fast, the arc is just right, the action is extremely stable, and the shot is fast and not because of the forced push up the rhythm. But because the movements are concise and effective to the extreme, because they are smooth and fast, although the time is short, the starting time to the shot is clear, the most representative is the 2003 All-Star Game overtime, facing Marion's pair of unanimous victories. At the same time, Jordan's back pace is still perfect, although the starting height and explosive force are not as good as that year, he uses more lateral movements and more front-facing false movements to open up the space. Therefore, Jordan in the wizarding period is showing his magic in another way, God is still a god, but in the end he can't escape the troubles of years and injuries, and he has to rely on technology and experience, rather than solving problems as simple and rude as before. When Jordan can no longer fly in the sky, relying more on technology and consciousness to play, but let the fans feel the greatness of the god of basketball more.
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