At first, the Wizards 2001/02 season started off very poorly, as they went 2-9. Eventually, however, the Wizards found their chemistry and turned it around. Even with this slow start, the Wizards made it to 26-21 by the All-star break, and 26-20 in the games that Jordan played before the injury happened. The Wizards also achieved the 26-21 record even with Rip Hamilton missing 5 weeks in that stretch due to a groin injury.
A healthy Jordan and Rip Hamilton
throughout the season realistically
could have competed for
the East's number 1 seed.
When Rip and Jordan both played, the Wizards were 15-1 in the last 16 games that both of them played before the injury happened. Considering that the Wizards were on a 45-win pace (46-47 wins if you consider the 26-20 record when Jordan played) at the All-star break with Rip missing time, they would easily crack 50 wins had both Jordan and Hamilton stayed healthy throughout the season, even with a slow 2-9 start.
In the 46 games that Jordan played in 01/02 before the injury, he averaged
25.1 points - rebounds 6.2 - assists 5.3 - steals 1.5 -blocks 0.5 on 42%
Jordan's numbers were also improving as the season went on.
In his last 20 games up to the injury he averaged
27.5 - 6.4 - 5.2 - 1.3 - 0.5 on 44%
In his last 10 games up to the injury he averaged
29.7 - 6.6 - 6.1 - 1.2 - 0.3 on 47%
Jordan went through obstacles, even at 38. What happened after he didn't make the playoffs in 01-02 at age 38/39? He went into the next season to compete against the best, not stacking his squad... at age 39/40! He also played all 82 games.
In the mid 90's for championships, he had to get passed the Ewing led Knicks, the Shaq and Penny Magic, the Tim Hardaway, Mashburn and Mourning Heat, the Reggie Miller and Rik Smits Pacers, etc. Yes, the Pacers, you really think this Raptors team is better than the Pacers of the mid/late 90's? All of those teams could be #1 in the east in todays NBA. There was far more competition.
LeBron goes around obstacles to get accolades. The competitiveness alone of LeBron can make a man not support him.
I will give him credit for his 06-07 and 08-09 seasons, as he brought a team to the 06-07 finals that should not have gotten there, I felt that was impressive. in 08-09, they lost in the East Finals, that team did not have much either.
Durant will forever be looked at for the decision he made. He had just lost a 7 game series, with his team up 3-1, and he joins the team that beat him in the same conference, and that team was the best team in the West. That is going around obstacles, instead of through them. He didn't say to himself "We will get them next year, we had that series", he most likey thought "I want to get to the highest stage without the unknown, here I come Golden State". I will forever look at Durant differently.
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