The NBA’s Best Decade? The 1990s
This is the second post in a three-part series we will be running today on the best decade in NBA history. Was it the 1980s? The 1990s? Or the 2000s? Can you make the arguments that one of the earlier decades was even better? Sure. But not likely. Can you make an argument that one of these three was the best ever? Of course. And that’s what we’re doing…
The 1990s. Known for long hair, increasingly long shorts, and some of the best basketball ever seen. The reason? It starts and ends with Michael Jordan. The best basketball player to play the game may have gotten his start in the ’80s, but he hit his prime and won all six of his championships in the ’90s. MJ, for better or worse, owned this decade. But there are other reasons why the ’90s have arguably the greatest collection of NBA players ever. They’re named Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, Reggie Miller, Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson, Chris Webber and Gary Payton.
All hit their prime in the ’90s. Their stats portray sheer star power and numbers that can’t be matched. Sure, you could argue that today’s game is loaded with superstars. And that’s true. But these guys from the ’90s are simply the best. But why? What makes these guys the best? There’s no better word to describe them than domination.
The perfect example: the Dream Team. The team did include ’80′s legends Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Clyde Drexler, along with Chris Mullin and Christian Laettner. But most of the players on the team made their name in one decade — the ’90s. Robinson, Ewing, Pippen, Jordan, Malone, Stockton and Barkley all helped lead the team to the Olympic gold medal in dominating fashion. Every game was won by at least 30 points. The Dream Team set the tone for the decade. The theme of domination would only continue. Why? Jordan.
He is the backbone of the ’90s, without a doubt. If you’re starting a team, you want MJ. As for point guard? It’s hard to argue against Stockton, the No. 1 assist-man of all-time, who averaged 10.5 assists per game during his career. And up front? Olajuwon (11.1 rebounds per game), Robinson (10.6), Mourning (8.5) and Webber (9.8) aren’t too shabby. This roster is a team of pure scorers too. You have Malone (second all-time in career points), Ewing (16th), Barkley (18th) and Pippen (18,940 career points as MJ’s wing man). There’s a shooter extraordinaire in Miller (No. 2 all-time in three-pointers made) and a glove-like defender in Payton (fourth all-time in steals made…Stockton is first and Jordan second). All are Hall-of-Famers or should be inducted in the near future. These players have all-around accolades (arguably the best player ever, No. 1 man in assists, etc.) that are hard to top.
But if there’s one area that some players on this decade team fail in, it is championships. Ewing, Barkley, Stockton and Malone are arguably four of the best players never to get a ring. Webber and Miller never won it all either. Why? To start, Jordan had six of the decade’s 10 titles. So unless you were on the Bulls, chances are your ’90s title hopes were slim. Stockton and Malone found that out firsthand in both ’97 and ’98, losing in the Finals to MJ’s Bulls. Barkley’s Suns lost in the ’93 Finals. Ewing lost to MJ’s Bulls in the playoffs a number of times. Olajuwon probably only won two titles because he benefitted from Jordan’s break from basketball, winning back-to-back championships with the Rockets in ’94 and ’95. Robinson managed to win two (one of which came in the ’00s), while Mourning and Payton finally won it all at the tail end of their careers in ’06.
If you look at today’s great players, nearly all have titles: Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen. And the same can be said of the pre-’90s decades: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Bob Cousy, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas all have rings. The fact that half of the best players of the ’90s went title-less is a direct result of Jordan.
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July 19th, 2011 at 12:48 pm
Dylan Murphy says:
Seinfeld is not just the best TV show of the 90′s. It’s the best TV show ever. I also love lists that have MC Hammer and Seinfeld in them.
July 19th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
CC says:
I can make a strong argument that neither the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s were the best decade of the NBA. The best decade of the NBA…the 1960s. Without the success of the 1960s, no chance the NBA becomes what it is today.
July 19th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
JAY says:
It really depends on your definition of “Best Decade”? What makes it the best?
Does it mean the decade with the best players? Or the decade with the most entertaining basketball?
To me, it’s a tie between the 80s and 90s. But if I had to choose just one I’m going with the 80s, by a whisker. and here’s why. I’m of the mind that the “NBA’s Best decade” means the most entertaining. The 90s saw a flurry of rule changes which changed the game which changed the game entirely. The uniform 22ft 3-point line, later reverted back to the longer distance. Clearpath foul. The removal of the hand-check. The removal of the use of a fore-arm on any player facing the basket. It took some time for players to get used to the “new” game… meaning there was some ugly ball going on.
The 80s brand of basketball stayed pretty much the same except for the implementation of the 3-point line at the beginning of the decade, and the introduction of the illegal defense, or in other words, the removal of zone defenses. Those 2 rule changes in the 80s meant a more exciting wide open game. Personally, I liked the hand-checking and the contact on the perimeter. Maybe these kids today wouldn’t cry all the fuckin time if they felt some contact every now and then.
As a side note, MJ won his first 3-peat before the major rule changes in the 90s. When he came back from retirement, he was playing with the new rules and he still owned those bitches.
July 19th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
NY4L says:
off topic question: if there is no nba season this year, how do the determine the draft order for next year?
July 19th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Ian says:
best show of the 90s 90210 no??
i dont which one to pick the 90s had my fav player everrrrrr by far(the admiral) win every award in the nba and one title.
the 00s had my team with my sec player manu win three titles with my fav team (plus making kobe and fisher cry).
damn i cant choose
best song
tonight tonight
best artist
cant pick
best band
aerosmith or radiohead
nirvana is overrated comon 3 or 4 years isnt enough
show
friends
cartoon
beavis n butthead
best mtv show
again beavis and butthead
news story
release of the super nintendo does it count?
best coach
pop
funniest
van gundy
July 19th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Scott says:
The Sopranos, is the best show of all time. But Seinfeld is good too.
July 19th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Ian says:
scott the sopranos started in 99 i think
July 19th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Doc says:
Mike definitley ran this decade.Hakeem was 2nd best.And Duncan was 3rd because he came and got his ring early.
July 19th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
SWAT says:
“Olajuwon PROBABLY only won two titles because he benefitted from Jordan’s break from basketball, winning back-to-back championships with the Rockets in ’94 and ’95″
@ rachel are u serious? tht argument always pisses me off. People always try to put an asterik on htowns chips because MJ left. you dont know who would hv won-the rockets at those times were a tough squad with the dream and clyde doing work. mr sweeney and i have actually discussed this before as well. look at the stats from the prior regular season-the rox held their own against the bulls. now i kno the finals are a diff beast but you nvr know…but by your assesment had len bias actually played bird and co would hv worn more chips, or had mj been in btr form the magic would not hv beaten them to face the rox in 95, or had jay williams not got in a motorcycle wreck he would be backing up rose rt now?
tht is a world of what if’s or woulda coulda’s…you “probably” could have said we were robbed of a great finals match up bcuz of jordan playing baseball-nuff said.
July 19th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Doc says:
Keem always gonna get belittled like that.Its Mike and people love him.Mike did get over as far as playing dominant centers in they prime for it all.Ewing was always not as good as the best centers.Shaq wasnt in his prime yet.And he missed keem
July 19th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
JAY says:
@SWAT
I understand what you are trying to say, but you know the saying… you gotta BEAT the man to BE the man. Between 1990-1997 nobody beat the Bulls, not even Hakeem. When MJ returned, his team demolished the league and set the mark for regular-season record, and Hakeem’s team acquired the stars (Chuck, and Glyde) but never advanced passed the Jazz.
And other than the Celtics, none of your comparisons fall within the same lines. There are no obvious pattern with your other scenarios. He’s a better scenario….
- I’m holding a Poker party at my house
- I’m killing the table for 3 straight hours
- then i have to leave for a couple of hours to pick up my wife from work, and a beer run
- i get back to my house and find out that my buddy Steve murdered the tabled while I was gone
- for the next 3 hours after returning, I get back to where I was before I left… I’m killing the table and Steve doesn’t win once.
Is it fair to say that my buddy Steve only won his money because I left for 2 hours???
In my opinion, it’s a fair statement.
July 19th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Rainman says:
^^ owned.
July 19th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Ian says:
Doc
Dont know the bulls didnt do great vs the top centers (admiral and hakeem only ewing is overrated). The first threepeat bulls couldnt beat the spurs or rockets they were like 2 and 10 vs those teams. Who knows what happens in the finals. I hate the what ifs and couldas i dont like hakeem but he won his 2 chips.
Another thing jordan nuthuggers need to remember jordan did lose from 91 to 98 remember 95?? He was playin and lost to shaq and the magic.
Other than the 96 season jordan never really beat a super elite center.
July 19th, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Chicagorilla says:
lmao@Jay
Thats a good comparison.
MJ and the Bulls won 6 titles, that means Hakeem had 6 chances to get there and beat him…. he didnt get there once. But as soon as MJ left, Hakeem gets there to win it. It could be a coincidence, but i think not.
i loved the 90s. Its when i first really got into basketball and my teams were winning. But i still think the 80s had a slight edge because of Larry, Zeke, and Magics teams. I would pay big $ to see those teams square off vs Mike’s 96 team or 93 team.
Also, the writer mentions Alonzo and Payton, but never mentions Shaq. Shaq was drafted in 1992 and was an all-star every year. The 90s counts as a large majority of his career. Im sure they were saving him for the 2000s but dude was going against much better comp in the 90s and still putting up great numbers.
July 19th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Chicagorilla says:
another thing Jordan haters need to remember
When Jordan lost in 95 to the Magic, he had been playing baseball for the previous 60 games of the NBA season. Then got himself in just enough shape to play basketball at a high level. Only to lose to a more complete team as Jordan only had Pippen and Kukoc with him. No Horace or Rodman. But when MJ did face that same ORL team a year later, with Rodman on his team, MJ beat the shit outta Shaq and the Magic. I believe it was a SWEEP!!! Yes, he swept a team that had just been in the finals, just like he did in 91 with Detroit
Ian, you always talking that Hakeem and Admiral shit, but Ewing was just as good as Admiral and maybe one notch under Hakeem. Check their stats during the 90s. Also, if Hakeem and David couldnt get to the finals past Seattle, Utah, Portland, L.A. And the Suns….whom all had average centers, then wtf makes you think they would beat Jordan? Use some logic Son.
July 19th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Kevin Zimmerman says:
@JAY … Perfect analysis of the Jordan years.
July 19th, 2011 at 5:16 pm
McSimon says:
best movie titanic? please…
Was Jordan’s dominance during the ’90s good for the NBA? Maybe, maybe not…OR MAYBE YOU’RE JUST MAKING EXCUSES
As said, MJ owned this era, and it was great
Best era for me is this one now
July 19th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
JAY says:
“Best era for me is this one now”
Nice. So the era of players looking outside of their teams before their contracts are over… the era of players not JUST looking but actually publicly demanding trades… the era where players are making the largest salaries, on average, than any other major sport but are still demanding more… the era where we see more complaining and crying to referees than ever before… the era where a height and size advantage in the paint is nullified due to the rule changes… the era of almost NO bigmen… and finally, the era where a lockout currently exists…
^^ that’s your favorite era. Awesome.
July 19th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
JAY says:
And this quote… “Was Jordan’s dominance during the ’90s good for the NBA? Maybe, maybe not…”
i hope you realize without MJs dominance and commercial appeal, the players would not have huge endorsement deals, or the size of contracts, and other opportunities they have today. He, himself, with the help of Nike, brought the league to a whole ‘nother level of marketing. Not Magic. Not Bird. Not David Stern. Jordan did. You honestly think Kevin Martin gets a marketing deal if Michael didn`t open those doors? There’s no question MJ’s influence on the league was a positive one.
July 19th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
Ian says:
chicagorilla
ewing was as good as the admiral?? gtfoh with that shit.
mvp robinson
scoring title robinson
all nba first team from 89-95 robinson 4 ewing 1
defensive player of the year robinson
quadruple double robinson
titles robinson
if the admiral had played for the knicks or lakers who knows how high the man would be alltime.
funny how ewing has a big donut on all the things i mentioned.
http://waitingforgroza.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-did-david-robinson-perform-against.html
and what you just said about jordan is stupid sir yeah he got into shape to get in the nba but he LOST.
July 19th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Ian says:
chicagorilla
use some logic? please kid its all about matchups in the nba. just because you lose in the first round doesnt mean you have 0 chance against a second round team and you are telling me to use logic?
July 19th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Ian says:
oh and only a fool would look at stats to say x player is better (btw you havent seen that the admiral was better at everything)
July 19th, 2011 at 8:06 pm
BRUCE says:
Stupid little monkey! How dare you doubt the GOAT?
July 20th, 2011 at 11:09 am
SWAT says:
@ BRUCE-fuck off as usual…
@jay-like i said during the regular season prior to mj’s retirement htown swept the bulls. i agree to be the man u gotta beat him but we didnt really get a shot, whether thts bcuz of our own fails or just bad luck (stockon hitting tht miracle 3 to beat us during our chuck years). the analogys tht i gave were to show “well wht if this happend…or this” and i tried to use one for each era being discussed. but ur poker one was spot on. lol. honestly tho people make so many damn excuses for our chips (ex. chi-saying MJ lost to a more complete team in 95-thts such a damn cop out. they were beat by the btr team. but thts why i used tht particular line-i knew someone was gonna say it) whn our team was on we didnt get to play the “best”-thru no fault of our own and all im sayin is it’s unfair to automatically say htown would hv lost.
July 20th, 2011 at 11:19 am
sweetv0mit says:
Way to forget about the Reign Man
July 20th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
JAY says:
@SWAT
Regular season is regular season… and that’s just 2 games. Hardly a “sweep”.
There’s two ways to “be the man”. 1) Beat the man… or 2) beat the man who beat “the man”. The Hakeem’s Rockets did neither. The Bulls beat the team who eliminated the Rockets when MJ returned…. the Sonics, who SWEPT the Rockets. In other words, they beat the man who murdered the man.
But we could go back and forth on this all day, the fact remains nobody eliminated the Bulls between 90-97. And never even saw a 7th game in all those years. So because of those facts I can’t disagree with those who say Hakeem won those rings because MJ left. It’s a fair statement.
July 26th, 2011 at 10:17 am
Krayzie says:
Shawn Kemp was the best PF of the 90s, and Penny should be the starting PG on this team.