Michael Jordan‘s name evokes fear. When we talk about NBA records, it is most often always that he is on a list somewhere. The sheer magnitude of his basketball mastery is so great that some things he did probably cannot ever be broken.
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We know all about Wilt Chamberlain’s unbreakable scoring record. But it is important to remember that aside from Wilt, Michael holds the second-highest PPG per season. And that too is quite unbreakable. Allow us to explain.
Jordan’s impressive performance during the 1986-87 season included several historic moments, such as his 58-point game against the New Jersey Nets in December. He even scored 61 against the Atlanta Hawks.
Jordan’s scoring prowess helped lead the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs that season, where they faced off against the Boston Celtics in the first round. Although the Bulls were eventually eliminated, Jordan’s remarkable season established him as one of the most dominant players in the league and solidified his status as a basketball icon.
Jordan was a unique player, with a rare combination of skill, athleticism, and mental toughness that made him a dominant force on the court. While there are many great prospects it looks as though they might never be reached. It is unlikely that anyone will be able to match Jordan’s scoring record in the 1987 season.
But why so? Even Kobe Bryant couldn’t match MJ’s absurd totals.
Even Kobe Bryant couldn’t match MJ’s regular-season totals!
For reference let’s take a look at Kobe Bryant’s numbers during his 2005-06 season. He averaged 35.4 points per game. Remember, he scored 81 in a game!
And yet Kobe only dropped 2832 points. Still more than 20o shy of Michael Jordan’s total during the 1986-87 season. Reaching a point total of 3000 seems impossible.
Both Kobe Bryant and James Harden have come close but it is unlikely that anyone will be able to break it.
Why will no one will be able to match Michael Jordan’s scoring totals?
Today’s game is drastically different from the game during Jordan’s era. There is a greater emphasis on team play, defensive schemes, and three-point shooting. This means that players today have to work harder to get open looks and score points. There might have been an outburst of 50-point games this season and a lot of players did average 30.
However, it is almost a stratospheric level away from Jordan’s achievement. Along with that, the physical demands of the game have increased, with players having to play more games in a shorter amount of time. Players are more prone to injuries and fatigue, which can affect their ability to score at a high level.
There is also the fact that players take load-management breaks. And oh, MJ scored 37 a game just making 12 threes the entire year. Phenomenal.
