Using the “Jordan Rules” on Dwight
G.O.A.T. (photo. Jordan)In the ’80’s, Chuck Daly coined the term “Jordan Rules” when he issued an edict to his Pistons to blitz MJ with traps and double-teams to get the ball out of his hands. Ideally, by the time the ball swung back to him, he’d be rushed to get a shot off before 24 seconds were up.
“We played Jordan differently everywhere he went on the floor,” said Daly. “We used everything physical and psychological to throw him off his game.”
As CBS Sportsline’s Lesley Visser writes, the Pistons are employing a modern version of the rules on Dwight Howard. Much in the same way that Daly spoke of Jordan twenty years ago, Flip Saunders talked about trying to keep Howard in check.
“You’ve got to change it up against Dwight,” said Saunders. “You can’t guard him the same way every time.”
And so the Pistons attacked Howard with help defense whenever Orlando looked to get him going offensively last night. After going off for 22 points and 18 boards in game one, Detroit slowed Dwight down a bit – limiting to him to 20 points and 12 boards. But in doing so, they were exposed by Orlando’s shooters, who sunk 11 triples.
The “Jordan Rules” worked against His Airness – the “Bad Boys” sent the Bulls packing in ‘88, ‘89, and ‘90. But if Dwight’s supporting cast can make Detroit pay for their Howard-heavy strategy, he’ll break into the Eastern Conference Finals years before Jordan did.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Logan Light says:
Jordan rules? I think this is called double teaming…
Oh, and first.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
GEE...Met Clint Eastwood and slapped his momma! says:
Depending on score and how your offense is doing really. If you are up guard Dwight 1 on 1 and just keep the others at bay.
If you are down double Dwight and force the other inconsistents to beat you. They are not on all the time anyway so you more-than-likely have a good chance at catching up.
It’s all in the predicament?
May 8th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
fallinup says:
The game before yesterday’s game…Nelson 22pts…lewis 20…Hedo 12….Dwight 22. Orlando loses.
Yesterday’s “Dwight Rules” game…Nelson 18pts…Lewis 33…Hedo 18….Dwight 20. Orlando kills em.
Um, seems we’ve just seen yet another example of the defensive genius of Flip Saunders.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
evan says:
@LL : Double teaming and help defense are different. He isn’t seeing the same defender or defensive setup on a regular basis and this allows the Pistons to throw a variety of defensive configs against Dwight.
It only works when the shooters aren’t hitting theirs because Dwight can pass back out over the top as opposed to Jordan being more likely on the wing. Also, the Bulls did not have the array of gunners like the Magic have, either. Really would have been Pax, Pippen and Hodges being the best options outside for MJ at that time.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Bobby stew says:
The Jordan Rules are better known today as Flagrant Fouls #2
May 8th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Jim says:
I think Bobby Stew got the point across better. Daly’s explanation of the Jordan Rules aren’t quite how they carried it out.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
tealish says:
Cosign, Bobby stew.
If you weren’t watching MJ in the late 80’s and early 90’s and just looked at the statlines, you’d be amazed. But watch those old tapes and see the abuse he takes, and you’ll understand how ridiculously silly it is for people to even think about comparing the GOAT with Kobe Bryant – as talented as Kobe is in his own right.
May 9th, 2008 at 5:19 am
the_don_mega says:
@LL…
are you a dumbass or sumthin’???
is this the 1st time you’ve heard of “the jordan rules”???
its not bout the defense specifically..
its about the physicality…
im out like LL’s common sense…
May 9th, 2008 at 8:59 am
yourdribbleizcookiez says:
Ok so here’s my question: since when was it cool to start throwing around the word ‘physicality’? Is that alrite with everyone now? I have never heard it being used more than I have this season: its corny and it sounds like a Mortal Kombat move…
Next, the Pistons are gonna pay dearly with their playoff lives if they continue to dip down and double team the Centaur; the Magic have refound their outside stroke since the end of Game 3 and continuing into Game 4, and the Man in the Middle perpetuates the club’s inside-outside game. Combined with the slashing n kickouts by Nelson, Hedo n Rashard to the open man on the wings (i.e. Maurice or Bogans usually) the Magic very well have a good chance of taking the Pistons the distance.
Im out like tellin Jordan that your ‘physicality’ is gonna stop him from gettin buckets on you…
May 9th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Celts Fan says:
Bobby Stew, I agree w/ everything except let’s just call them hard fouls. The NBA’s gotten way too liberal with flagrants. You can’t have a hard foul w/out it being a flagrant now. Some were flagrant, sure, but not all.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:18 am
the_don_mega says:
@yourdribbleizcookiez…
ur a dumbass as well…
everyone knows u aint stoppin’ the G.O.A.T.
u get physical with him to give u an edge…
change his whole gameplan…
he’d still get buckets on u…
but he’ll bleed and think twice before attackin’ the rim again…
im out like yourdribbleizcookiez’s basketball IQ…
May 9th, 2008 at 11:54 am
alex says:
The pistons should double hard on Dwight, just like the Hornets are doing to TD. Howard’s not a good passer / decision maker out of a double and he gets frustrated easy that he usually uses his free arm to flick out the extra defender
May 9th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
tealish says:
These “I’m out like… whatever” signoffs are getting lame. Just way overdone and tacky.
With that said, I’m out like the originality on this board.
Damn, I caught it.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
yourdribbleizcookiez says:
@ the don mega:
you’re a duck. Michael Jordan was getting buckets regardless of the measures every team in the nba was throwing his way, and that includes the token defenses you decided to attack him with or whatever token edge u Thought u had on him. Ok, yea, the Pistons ran bodies at him and roughed him up more than he was used to, but even then MJ was still getting his NUMBERS; go follow soccer or something don mega….
May 10th, 2008 at 3:51 am
the_don_mega says:
@yourdribbleizcookiez…
just as i thought…
ur a dumbass…
how many times did it take for the G.O.A.T. to figure out the bad boys d???
the wway they one it was by sharing the rock…
the jorda rukes was designed to make MJ frustrated and score some more buckets…
u need to learn ur history, man…
i OWN u now…
im out like yourdribbleizcookiez’s nuts…
May 10th, 2008 at 3:51 am
the_don_mega says:
@yourdribbleizcookiez…
just as i thought…
ur a dumbass…
how many times did it take for the G.O.A.T. to figure out the bad boys d???
the wway they one it was by sharing the rock…
the jordan rukes was designed to make MJ frustrated and score some more buckets…
u need to learn ur history, man…
i OWN u now…
im out like yourdribbleizcookiez’s nuts…