Jordan23Forever wrote:I actually made this point a year or so ago. It's not just defense, either. If you combine the best aspects of Kobe/Lebron/Wade (as they were 18 months ago), you would *basically* get Jordan:
- Kobe's one-on-one defensive ability, midrange game, footwork, shooting touch, killer mentality
- Wade's tenacity with penetration, his playmaking, his help defense and defensive playmaking, and his energy
- Lebron's finishing ability, rebounding, and athleticism (minus the bulk)
Jordan would still have things over a combination of these players -- for example, he had a better post game than any of them, was a better decision maker/had a higher bball IQ, and he exerted more energy more consistently than any of them (speaking of MJ from age 26-29).
But yeah, Wade has tremendous defensive insincts and always seems to come up with the big block or steal or forced TO, much like Jordan (Jordan had even better instincts, though; only perimeter guy I've ever seen who's close is Pippen). Lebron has some of that as well. Kobe's individual defense, when he really tries, is about 90% as effective as Jordan's (MJ's edge comes fom slightly better lateral movement, strength, anticipation, and quicker hands that allowed him to pressure the ball). Their combined defense, assuming it was consistently played at a high level, would be a reasonable approximation of Jordan's defense from '88-'93.
you also forgot
MJ could leap over a building in a simple bound like Superman, he also had the wit and quick thinking of Batman, as well as the awareness and agility of Spiderman.
