"Jordan Would Average 40 Points A Game In Today's NBA" -Mike Greenberg | Pat McAfee Show 

I love how GREENY calls it how it is! One of the last great OGs of the sports media

I had the pleasure of seeing him ONCE live in the regular season, and it's still the single best sports moment I have seen and I have attended championship games. The ovation he got when they simply announced him was insane. I would pay $1000 to go back and see him play one more game.

Imagine telling Jordan he’s being put on load management

MJ average 41 ppg in the 93 finals and he took 25 3s that whole series. A record that still stands today despite the league making it easier for offensive players. Curry in the 2022 finals took 71 3pa.

Notice how Pat scrunches his eyebrows at 0:43 after Greeny takes his earbud out of the charging case. For a split moment Pat definitely thought that Greeny was about to light up a cigarette before realizing what it was. His subsequent exaggerated and unnecessary body language acknowledgement says it all. Love them both 😄

He was already averaging 35+ in his era when games ended with 150 combined points on a regular basis. He would probably average closer to 50 if he wanted to.

Remember watching the '98 finals with antenna TV when I was 7 years old. Absolutely magical

Jordan would average whatever he wanted. If he heard someone say he’d score 30 he’d score 30 in the first half just to prove a point

Greenie droppin the knowledge.

Can you imagine MJ being a 3 point threat? How lethal would he be? How in the world can you guard him?🤦🏽‍♂️

The thing about MJ that a ton of people don't understand is MJ was a tenacious defender. He never took plays or games off. Watch some old interviews of players asked if MJ could or did play defense. Lebron and Steph ignore defensive ball in all but a few plays a game.

Excluding his last 2 old man years…Jordan lead the league in scoring every yr he played a full season with expectation to his ROOKIE yr when he averaged 28ppg. Insanity.

Wow, I never realized how low scoring it was back then compared to today. Greeny is 1000% right. I knew MJ was the GOAT (everybody does) but this is just more evidence.

MJ, you can't shoot 3's. "And I took that personally"

Pacman is a great addition. I like the 80s/90s gear.

Jordan would DOMINATE THIS NBA vs LeBron. Like there wouldn’t be any question to it. Not to mention, Jordan and pull up game would CRUSH people even worse that what it did in his prime.

I remember when I was 10 watching the 1998 finals at the apartment complex we lived at I can still see the bedroom and the TV on during that game... Such an iconic time in sports. And my whole bedroom at that time was Chicago Bulls everything I had the Chicago Bulls logo stenciled on the wall everywhere and then Chicago Bulls wallpaper border at the top of the wall big Chicago Bulls rug and to top it off Chicago Bulls sheets lol I was by far the biggest Chicago Bulls fan growing up!

He averaged 37ppg in the 80s, he may average closer to 50 than 40 in todays era

The 3 Point shot Jordan would have developed if it were an actual part of the game at that time. Oh Man.

Todays NBA they don’t allow you to play tough physical defense any little thing is a foul. MJ will have a field day score at will definitely 40 plus a game.

Have not even watched the clip but imma say maybe 50+ based off his scoring prowess, tenacity, the fact that players were allowed to essentially maul their opponents defensively, and there was one more reason but I forgot.Oh he averaged 37 one year(darn near 40) and that was coming off a horrendous ankle injury that sat him down 17 games into the previous year I believe? So yeah don’t sell him short 😂❤🏀

Michael Jordan was like this baseball player Rogers Hornsby- he was ALL IN. Lived and breathed the sport not a cliche. Hornsby once said I never watch movies because my eyes are only focused on hitting balls.

40 a game, haha he was scoring 40 a game back in the hand checking era, more like 60 or 70 a game lol

The downside of a missed 3 pointer is almost like a turnover; long unpredictable rebounds lead to fewer 2nd shots, your rebounders get lazy, and the defense takes a possession off. Many players struggle to make mid range jumpers because they rarely shoot them. It's even worse in college where every great team plays suffocation defense. Watching a team come down and put up a quick missed 3 just reeks of laziness and lack of strategy. BO-ring.

The athletic prime Jordan with the lightning cat like reflexes and first step would be blowing by everyone.

AJ-Austin Reeves 😂😂😂

It's funny that everyone assumes that Jordan could adapt to the three-ball but no one else could adapt to a more physical style of play. Lol.

I'd take it a step further and say he'd average at least 40.

mike was dropping 40 practically every other game from when he was drafted until they got scottie 😂

There you go greeny!! Tell them sir!

How about Tim Duncan not getting the accolades … during the Kobe era.

I'm normally not the hugets greeny Dan but that was an awesome lil soliloquy

Love It Pat The Pat McAfee Show Bro

Jordan averaged 30.1 PPG for his career when they used to play defense in the league. With 2 seasons where he averaged 37.1 and 35.0 PPG. And the 30.1 career PPG would be slightly higher if it wasn't for his 2 years with the Wizards.

Well the crazy thing is my all time line up. I would take Magic at PG, Jordan at SG, Bird at SF, Rodman at PF, and Hakeem at C. My backups would be Stockton at PG, Kobe at SG, Lebron at SF, Dirk at PF, and Kareem at C. Although I do think Charles at PF would be an interesting option. The only reason I put Hakeem over Kareem is defensively Hakeem is slightly better. The only reason for Dirk is his 3 point ability makes him a great asset when you need some additional 3 point abilities by having him sub out rodman.

Ya Got that right 👍!!!

100% truth right there

Mcafee said he wished they would of innovated basketball quicker? Go watch those old Bulls games in the 90’s. They were ten times more entertaining than todays game! A lot more variety going on and more drama. Not just unguarded guys jacking threes all game.

AJ's Austin Reeves drop is very underrated

Man..Prime Jordan, AI, Kobe nowadays

🔥

I thought this debate was squashed we all know who the goat is and will always be. In the future there will be robots playing basketball and THEN MJ will have an equivalent.

40 might be a few too low

Also MJ never let a finals series even GET to a game 7… nuff said🐐

solid

Steph wins more titles during the "Lebron Era" that will mean something. Well, he's actually right with MJ, guys score a lot due to the amount of threes shot, jordan didn't. To average what he did was amazing. Even Lebron shoots more threes than he should, he should penetrate every time like MJ, he's stronger, his weakness of FT shooting would show more tho, unlike MJ. The hand checking back then was big too, anyone who played back then knows how much that means. I don't know about 40, but it would be close. Plus his competitiveness and his want to improve and adapt, folks forget MJ's ability to adapt. That's why he developed his 3 pt shot late in his career.

The games were low scoring back then not because there was less skill but because players had to play defense on offense. The physicality demanded it. Watch any 80's or 90's era games and count how many times you see the point guard position dribbling with their back to the basket the second they cross half court. Defenders were typically playing on ball defense the moment the half court line was crossed and there was a TON of full court presses ran during these era's. Nowadays the players bring the ball up the court at free will and dribble like the ball is on some kind of string. You take the physicality away and you can do that. It's not a knock against modern basketball its just different era's. Basketball of earlier decades was more strategic and fundamental because of players playing both sides of the ball and doing so willingly.

"Austin Reeves" - Legend

100%

The three pointer back then was considered much more of a dagger

Jordan would definitely average 45+ a game had he played in this era

UH OH.. Jordan Haters Assemble!!

In his best season he put up 37.1. Add about three 3-pointers and he has 40

amen

We watched derozan go on a run dropping 30 a game….when I seen that I knew Jordan could average 40 at the minimum in this era

He averaged 30 in a league where he’d get mugged by the defense. Defense is almost nonexistent today compared to the 90’s. His midrange pull-up game would be unstoppable. ALL DAY OF THE GLASS!

Tim Duncan is always being disrespected. He was the best between Jordan and LeBron.

8:20 Wilt Chamberlain had many years where he played every minute of every game. So, hey. 5.o

People still not understanding that he would take this personally.

Lebron and Steph, the 2010s, was their era of basketball, just like Magic and Bird in the 80s.

Todays weak Af game Jordan might average 60 No jokes this games sad af

40 would be a slow night, c'mon no hand checking with the greatest indefensible move, the fade away he'd have 30 by half on the reg

Even if Giannis takes over league when lbj leaves and wins stays in Milwaukee could be one of best all time. I'd like see Dame play with Him Football has changed as well its not the same,headshots,physicality has dropped off and other rules have made it safer but past players would thrive more today.

People also were able to actually play defense and contend shots back then too. Thats why scores were lower. Todays NBA looks like a pick up game, fast transition no defense and laziness. Breath on a guy and you foul out

He changed the game more than anyone besides wilt

Everyone in the comment section misses the #1 reason Jordan would go nuts today: Mid range shots. Jordan was better at mid range shots than Steph is at 3s and by a very wide margin. It’s a shot he PREFERS to shoot and he can access it anytime he would want today. He probably shoots 6 more a game today, plus more 3s.

I feel Lebron could have still scored 30 plus bc he could have used his size as more of a weapon. Jordan would get 40 today

I just don’t see how MJ could even get off the bench in this era dude was good but he wasn’t better than Fred Van Fleet

Hail yea brutha

We love our Penguins but Pittsburgh is most definitely a football city

GOAT.

This LIE about nobody was shooting 3s during era is not only a lie but disrespectful to Reggie Miller, Dennis Scott, Dale Curry, Glen Rice, Scottie Pippen& others who was in that era..💯

“aUstIn rEEvez”

I see highlights from Jordan and they wow me. Lebron has wowed me maybe 2-3 times

Players load manage. Would Jordan ever do that? No. He would destroy these softies in todays NBA. Curry is more impactful than Lebron has been. Lebron has hurt the NBA.

Played 15 seasons…6 chips….what about the other 11. Y’all glorify getting bounced in the early rounds more than making it to the dance….don’t get how losing in the finals is more of a detriment to your legacy than not making it at all…

I mean his career average is 30 in a slower era and he’d attempt way more free throws. Yeah 40 isn’t a stretch lol

If a time machine is ever invented first priority needs to bring prime MJ to the present day lmao

Why would he shoot 3's in today's game? Whose protecting the rim? No Ewing, Mourning, etc. to contest his layup package or even his rebounding. Why shoot 40% from deep when you can convert 65% plus down low? I say 45 points - until opposing coaches change their entire defensive schemes. BTW, look at MJ's top 15 scoring games and check his shooting percentages. Some as high as 70%. Why? Took the ball inside - against the Big Dawgs. Imagine now....

By the time I'm old people are gonna talk about jordan like babe Ruth, basically a myth

How many seasons would LBJ make with that physicality, fewer 3s and no load management of MJ’ era ?

Who has ever scored more than 32ppg and won a title?

Here’s the thing: back in MJ’s day going to the paint was the name of the game. It was all about challenging them up front at the rim. Michael honed in his game to become the best at taking it to the rim and physically paid the price. If he played in todays game, do you not think he would take that same level of dedication to 3-point shooting? In which he’d be the best at? THEN on top of all that you know he’d still be bringing it to the paint. His dedication to the franchise and perfecting his game, he’d outshine Lebron hands down. He’s be like taking Steph’s 3-pointers then adding Lebron’s skill at the rim. He’s physically the perfect mix between the two. Also, Steph deserves to be in the “greatest of all time” talk just as much as Lebron. Lebron is only in the convo because his physical stature. Any smaller and he wouldn’t be able to take it to the rim like he does. Any bigger and he’d have the same problem because his mobility would be sacrificed. He has no commitment to a team or organization. Steph is gonna break Lebron’s total scoring, he’s more efficient, more ex in the playoffs, more efficient in the finals, I just don’t see how Lebron is over these others. MJ surpasses him in everything and if it was today’s game, he’d be beyond lethal. He’d be a guarantee of which Lebron has proven time and time again that he’s far from that. Jump as many teams as you want, try to create as many “super teams” as you want, all that and you still couldn’t even average above 50% in your finals records. You brought a championship to Cleveland 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 there’s your cookies Lebron. You’re great, one of the greats, but far from the GREATEST. And not just second or third, you’re barely in top five really.

People trying to give KD props for his 50/40/90 split. On 47 games lol.

If a player averages 40 in this league then the team is 11-71

Jordan = GOAT confirmed

Imagine that bulls team now. No more tall centers to deal with Shaq. Starting lineup Harper, Jordan, Pippen, Kukoc, and Rodman. I think Jordan would not need to average 40 cause Harper and Kukoc would be averaging almost 20 with Pippen mid 20s. 35 would make 100. Then 20 off bench. That would be easy.

He would average what he wanted. 40 is selling himself short.

I don't know if I would consider the modern game "innovating". It's more lazy than anything.

Saying Jordan would average 40 a game today isn't a hot take as there was a season Jordan averaged 37. Prime Jordan could average at least 45.

Never saw Jordan play but everyone who did says Jordan is the goat.

Please do not sign with ESPN pat , I see greeny every week I hope this doesn’t mean your taking ur show to ESPN

Laughable they beat the jazz 96-54 that just means Jordans teams were vastly better not just because of him. Rodman, Horace Grant, Craig Hodges and others were very dominant role players of the era

Never be another MJ

OG anunoby would lock MJ up

Yeah the guy who cried about zone defense, definitely scoring 40 a game 😂💀

Stop comparing different era's of basketball. It's a fools riddle. The real answer is you can't compare era's.

Lebron was never dominant like jordan and steph were

If MJ played in today’s NBA, social media would destroy him. Gambling the night before a game, he’d be 💩 on.

This may be true, but he also wouldn’t have been the same defender also this is assuming he became a good 3pt shooter