There have been numerous legends who went on to break records, set new feats, and dazzle the crowd both in the arena and at home. But none did it better than Michael Jordan. To be in the same discussion as MJ is still considered to be a great achievement. Two players who were constantly brought up along with Mike were Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Even Boston Celtics legend Kevin McHale gave his two cents once.
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In the book, When the Game Was Ours, Kevin McHale everyone went on to draw comparisons between Michael Jordan with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. As per McHale, he saw one distinctive difference in the game between Mike and the two icons.
McHale mentioned that players like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had the ability to dominate the game even after taking as little as 10 or 11 shots. But Michael Jordan on the other hand did not have the same impact on the game in the same amount of shot attempts.
McHale even claimed that if the opposing team was successful in limiting Michael Jordan to 10 or 11 shot attempts, then they’d end up dominating and having the upper hand.
“Larry and Magic are still the only two guys I know who could take ten or eleven shots and still dominate the game,” said Kevin McHale. “That was the major difference between them and Jordan. If you got Michael to take eleven shots, you had dominated him.”: From When the Game Was Ours
A team’s star player usually had the responsibility to generate most of the team’s offense. And in the case of Michael Jordan, that meant chucking up 25-30 shots per game or even more to keep his team within striking distance. However, Kevin McHale’s statement highlighted what Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were able to do even without dominating the ball as much as MJ.
Both Bird and Magic were excellent facilitators of the rock. Both players had a great handle on the ball and ample height to see the entire floor. But most importantly, both players demanded great attention on defense leading to their teammates being wide open for easy shots.
Bird and Magic were known to make their teammates better. Whereas many of Michael Jordan’s teammates feared him and were scared of him. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson trusted the players around them while MJ had a select few he’d consider passing the ball.
Michael Jordan learned from his mistakes and shortcomings
Michael Jordan may not have been the most ideal teammate but he made sure to leave everything he had on the floor every time he stepped on it. Throughout his career, Jordan too has missed numerous shots, game-tying baskets, go-ahead shots, and more.
In a 2006 Nike commercial, Michael Jordan highlighted those very missed opportunities, the game-winning shots that didn’t go in, and all the failures he has had over the course of his career in the league.
But if it weren’t for those very failures, Michael Jordan may not have reached the pedestal he’s at today.
As for Kevin McHale’s take on MJ, if fans know one thing, it is that Air Jordan would always get the job done, despite being limited to a smaller number of shot attempts. Mike always found a way, one way or another.
