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Youtuber JxmyHighroller tracked and then compared Jordan's left hand points per iso efficiency against the league's best iso scorers today while using either hand. Turns out Jordan's iso efficiency with only his left hand is far superior to any player in the league even removing Jordan's dominant hand in the comparison. Jordan's ability to finish with his left hand was basically unparalleled in the history of basketball for a wing iso finsher.



For those who want to watch the video breakdown and analysis. Analysis of Jordan's iso scoring numbers starts at 19m mark for those who do not want to watch whole video.

ALL TIME GOAT - enough said

Just a side note....You see Derozan up there at the top. That was hard work that got him there. For the offeason one year, he did everything left handed from shooting/dribbling to writing, brushing his teeth, eating, etc. until his offhand felt as comfortable.

Then you have Harden beside him that's left-handed and you wonder why he's on it.

I still think he's the greatest ever but there was also so many things that allowed players in the 90's to ISO to their heart's content. I mean illegal defenses where guys like Bill Wennington and Luc Longley could stand opposite side of the court and force their defender to stay near, pre 5 second rule where a dude could just size up his defender for basically ever 1 on 1 and that's before even getting into soft doubles being straight up illegal.

You'd have to compare to iso efficiency of the time since iso was easier back then generally.

And Jordan going left was just about him being weaker their than his right. Defenders would push him left and he'd still only go left 50% of the time, usually when he was very open on that side. However by the 90s he was dangerous enough on both.

The crazy thing is defence is non existent nowadays too, efficiency should be way up. Just speaks to Jordan’s greatness.

Kobe187 wrote:The crazy thing is defence is non existent nowadays too, efficiency should be way up. Just speaks to Jordan’s greatness.

That's the correct answer. Iso players of the 90's had more resistance to what they were doing therefore more strength. Being culturally restricted from shooting too many threes is a resistance itself.

zimpy27 wrote:You'd have to compare to iso efficiency of the time since iso was more efficient back then generally.

Based on what?

Johnny Bball wrote:Just a side note....You see Derozan up there at the top. That was hard work that got him there. For the offeason one year, he did everything left handed from shooting/dribbling to writing, brushing his teeth, eating, etc. until his offhand felt as comfortable.

Then you have Harden beside him that's left-handed and you wonder why he's on it.

Broke my dominant hand at 14. Put a lot of work in with my weaker hand until that damn plaster came off…

For someone who watched the video: Did he compare Jordan going left to other players going to their non-dominant hand? That comparison is necessary before we can assign value to this one. We also need to know the rate at which everyone in the comparison went to their dominant vs non-dominant hand. Surprising a defender by doing the opposite of what you expect them to, so if you don't go left or right very often it gives you an advantage when you do.

For example, I'm assuming Jordan was more efficient going to his left on iso's than he was going right, but that doesn't mean he was better going left than right.


I'm sure a lot of this was covered by the creator and I'm sure it's a good video, but 25 minutes. TLDW please.

Yet another thing I used to tell Kobe fans proven true. But all you need to do is watch… even just highlights, to see how ridiculous he was with the left hand.

It’s those mitts.

NO-KG-AI wrote:

zimpy27 wrote:You'd have to compare to iso efficiency of the time since iso was more efficient back then generally.

Based on what?

Based on it being a more regular move and much less help defense and no zone either.

More suited to isolation play than 00s or later.

zimpy27 wrote:

NO-KG-AI wrote:

zimpy27 wrote:You'd have to compare to iso efficiency of the time since iso was more efficient back then generally.

Based on what?

Based on it being a more regular move and much less help defense and no zone either.

More suited to isolation play than 00s or later.

More teams iso’d in the post Jordan era from a volume standing, but I’ve never seen anything suggesting that iso’s are less efficient now than they were, considering how easy it is to draw fouls and the space.

I’d love to see the efficiency numbers on isos, I’d guess they are more efficient now.

NO-KG-AI wrote:

zimpy27 wrote:

NO-KG-AI wrote:
Based on what?

Based on it being a more regular move and much less help defense and no zone either.

More suited to isolation play than 00s or later.

More teams iso’d in the post Jordan era from a volume standing, but I’ve never seen anything suggesting that iso’s are less efficient now than they were, considering how easy it is to draw fouls and the space.

I’d love to see the efficiency numbers on isos, I’d guess they are more efficient now.

Well put it this way, the data in OP video says Jordan shot 61% FG from what they saw in isolation over many games.

Jordan was around 53% over that 3 year period from 2. So he was far more efficient in iso scoring than a catch and shoot or pass based scoring opportunity.

zimpy27 wrote:

NO-KG-AI wrote:

zimpy27 wrote:
Based on it being a more regular move and much less help defense and no zone either.

More suited to isolation play than 00s or later.

More teams iso’d in the post Jordan era from a volume standing, but I’ve never seen anything suggesting that iso’s are less efficient now than they were, considering how easy it is to draw fouls and the space.

I’d love to see the efficiency numbers on isos, I’d guess they are more efficient now.

Well put it this way, the data in OP video says Jordan shot 61% FG from what they saw in isolation over many games.

Jordan was around 53% over that 3 year period from 2. So he was far more efficient in iso scoring than a catch and shoot or pass based scoring opportunity.

Jordan is the greatest slasher to ever play the game. I want to see evidence that isolation efficiency overall was higher in Jordan’s era. Jordan’s being higher than the guys that aren’t as good as him now isn’t proof that it was easier overall. It’s just easier for Jordan…

NO-KG-AI wrote:

zimpy27 wrote:

NO-KG-AI wrote:
More teams iso’d in the post Jordan era from a volume standing, but I’ve never seen anything suggesting that iso’s are less efficient now than they were, considering how easy it is to draw fouls and the space.

I’d love to see the efficiency numbers on isos, I’d guess they are more efficient now.

Well put it this way, the data in OP video says Jordan shot 61% FG from what they saw in isolation over many games.

Jordan was around 53% over that 3 year period from 2. So he was far more efficient in iso scoring than a catch and shoot or pass based scoring opportunity.

Jordan is the greatest slasher to ever play the game. I want to see evidence that isolation efficiency overall was higher in Jordan’s era. Jordan’s being higher than the guys that aren’t as good as him now isn’t proof that it was easier overall. It’s just easier for Jordan…

Agreed, that is exactly what I want to, data from Barkley and Shaq for example. The era has many reasons to be easier offensively for isolation scoring as I pointed out. But OP is comparing Jordan to recent players only.

What stats are you basing Jordan being the greatest slasher of all time?

Not comparable. Isolation is a different beast with and without illegal defense.

ForeverTFC wrote:Not comparable. Isolation is a different beast with and without illegal defense.

But it was isolation with no good spacing and with no 3 defensive second.

All and all, it was a different game back then.

And MJ play style was just two-three dribbles and then he makes a shot or a pass. He was always quick with his decision making.

So basically to some

"Players nowadays are way better , better skilled, more offensive weapon , greater shooting , stronger , faster , way more efficient "

Data showed Jordan with better ISO efficiency

"Doesn't mean anything, is easier to ISO in the past"

Yeah make sense, is easier for player with lesser skills, poorer shooting to beat defender

Snake3 wrote:

ForeverTFC wrote:Not comparable. Isolation is a different beast with and without illegal defense.

But it was isolation with no good spacing and with no 3 defensive second.

All and all, it was a different game back then.

And MJ play style was just two-three dribbles and then he makes a shot or a pass. He was always quick with his decision making.

No defensive 3 second doesn’t really matter in an era of illegal defense because you have to be near a man and guard them. If you move your center out the paint, the other center can’t sit there. 3 seconds was introduced after illegal defense was taken out the game.