Sonics' Defense on Michael Jordan (1996 NBA Finals) 

wow, what brutal physicality MJ had to fight through game in and game out! I've never seen anyone else fight through that kind of defense and still produce at a high level. Not Kobe, not LeBron, not Iverson, not anyone. MJ is the Real King.

I hardly see teams playing defense this intense anymore... actually I've never seen a team play as physical as right here. This is GREAT DEFENSE and Jordan still did awesome...

Kobe never was on Jordan's level. Nobody is nor will ever be

What makes Jordan different from others is his shooting skill when he is falling. That skill is no doubt ever sooooo spectacular.

STAMINA!!! Imagine how consuming it is to fight through this kind of defense just to get the ball. It also shows you how strong Payton was.

Show this video to anyone who thinks lebrons the best ever. Being able to score with The tough brutal defense of the 90's really showed how good mj was. Today's defense is a joke

And they say mj was never double team. Heck, this is triple

I love how michael just took the hit and got back up to play defense. Not even once did I see him complain. Amazing

that Supersonics team had one of the best perimeter defenses ever. my god...

True my man. But most of all, what people don't realize is that MJ strived on this kind of defense. "Allright you're gonna double and triple me, hard foul me and put me on the ground, I'll show you that I will overcome anything you throw my way". That's that killer mentality he had that allowed him to DOMINATE, and that will NEVER EVER be duplicated. He loves that hard defense, he loved competition and didn't want anything to be easy, he wanted to overcome the BIGGEST CHALLENGES. GOAT.

Wow, that was intense. Ive already forgotten how defense could be so intense back then. I get tired watching these guys battle for position..The fact that Jordan could still score against this type of defense is impressive.

This is one the best basketball videos that's been posted, true game film, it settles the GOAT question once and for all, what a man.

Jordan's aggressiveness is amazing to see...Relentless

you never see michael complain in this defense . GOAT

2:16

Good times. This is a real basketball. Tripple Team on def. No Blood no Foul. Also calling travels. good times.

Wasn't old enough to watch him and remember these great games but look at his motor. Yes he is great but I think the greatest thing about him was his stamina to defend and score on these type of defense day in and day out.

Personally, I think this may be the best team defense against a wing player ever. I've seen the Bad Boys and the 90s Knicks play D and of course they were phenomenal, but the thing about 90s Sonics was that they had the combination of 90s physicality and the active switch-rotation of the post-2004 era(handcheck-ban era) Look how they are actively switching the perimeter players so that anyone playing 1 to 3 could be on MJ, and how everyone else is helping out.

Sonics played so hard and very physical on defense, they switched and sent double/triple teams greatly, they even got away playing zones. But lastly they had DPOY Gary Payton.. but guess what MJ still averaged 27 lol

God damn look at the fear Jordan put on the defense they relentlessly sent triple teams just amazing how much damage he can do especially when he was in his prime when is another player like this gonna come along?? ? Never so stop looking.