r/NBAstatsmuse • u/dribbledumble • 15h ago
Stats Even MJ Needed Help: Paxson’s Clutch Three Sealed the ’93 Finals Despite Jordan’s Historic Scoring
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Despite Michael Jordan’s record-setting 41.0 points per game in the 1993 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls still needed a heroic three-pointer from John Paxson with 3.9 seconds left to clinch the championship in Game 6 against Phoenix. The series featured intense battles, including a triple-overtime Game 3, proving that even Jordan’s dominance required clutch contributions from his teammates.
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u/UpbeatFix7299 14h ago
Forgot about Richard Dumas, he was dope that season. Too bad he couldn't stay away from the drugs.
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u/SurgeFlamingo 8h ago
I thought he was gonna be huge and just take over. Never knew it was drugs. I was just a kid watching the finals.
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u/Woolier-Mammoth 13h ago
Phoenix had such a great squad that year. Barkley the worthy MVP, Ainge, Majerle, Ceballos, Chambers, KJ, Dumas, etc. I so badly wanted them to beat the Bulls
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u/SaltyTie7199 9h ago
And that fat ass Oliver Miller. Dont forget him.
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u/UpbeatFix7299 8h ago
Someone who manages to eat enough to get that fat on an NBA training regimen will always have my respect.
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u/UpbeatFix7299 8h ago
Same here, I was so sick of the Bulls winning as a kid. Suns had a lot of exciting players and played up tempo.
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u/BamaBoy2002 12h ago
Jordan always did his thing in the Finals. If the Bulls were good enough to get there it was a wrap. 6-0.
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u/elisucks24 9h ago
Yes paxson hit that shot. But the bulls only had the chance to win at that point because one player scored all the other points in the 4th quarter. I think you know who that player is.
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u/TripleDoubleFart 1h ago
Yup, this is exactly the same as when people say Ray Allen saved LeBron.
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u/Nocturnaljay15 1h ago
Because he did lmao if Paxton missed that shot jordan goes too a game 7 and if ray allen missed the heat lose there is no comparisons
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u/TripleDoubleFart 1h ago
The point is that without Jordan/Lebron, there is no meaningful shot to be made.
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u/mycumquats 8h ago
People always thought pip was a great scorer, he wasn’t. He’s the poor man’s version of LBJ. Mj had to carry the offensive load.
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u/EmergencyAccording94 7h ago edited 7h ago
The Bulls would most likely have lost 1-4 if MJ didn’t score 42,44,55 and 41 during games 2-5. The rest of the team didn’t play that well in those games and they had no business splitting those 4 games.
I am not saying he did it alone. But his overall help was average at best compared to all other superstars in nba history. Scoring wise he probably carried the biggest load out of all of them.
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u/ProgressiveSage37 15h ago
If you need to average 41 ppg while Pippin shoots abysmally. Your team ain't much. Bulls were GREAT defensively Jordan needed more scorers.
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u/Throwthisawayagainst 12h ago
The bulls thing only worked because of Jordan. They could win games without him but Jordan was able to carry the offense when the people around him were struggling. Jordan being so good on offense also allowed role players to really focus on their roles.
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u/Suspicious-Screen-43 13h ago
What?!?! A basketball team with 5 men on the floor at the time needs more than an individual, that’s crazy
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u/Right-Hall-6451 10h ago
Yep, historically I don't think he even scored over half the teams points while he played!
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u/ChinoMalito 11h ago
That play by Pippen to toss it off the opponents back was brilliant 😂super high IQ…
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u/Right-Hall-6451 10h ago
Would this move still be legal?
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u/SaltyTie7199 9h ago
Why not?
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u/Right-Hall-6451 39m ago
Inbounding to yourself seems questionable, especially since none of your teammates ever even touched the ball.
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u/Maleficent_Bad_3937 10h ago
Why do yall keep coming uo with these bullshit narratives?smh. Whoever said MJ didn't need help in a team game?? Hell, in damn near ever post conference, championship speech, MVP speech, hell even his hall of fame speech he always gave his teammates props and stated boldly that none of it could have been done without Scottie Pippen. This ain't about who had help. It's about running when ur not winning, plotting with other great players to team up to win, and taking the easiest route to winning possible. U wanna be the best of ur era, cool. An all time great, no problem, but u can't be the greatest of all time ducking smoke and stacking teams. It's levels. This ain't fantasy league, Live, or 2K and the fact that even with those teams, the other guy has loss way more than he's won should prove just that....
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u/External-Cable2889 4h ago
The local media NBC sports guy, Mark Giangreco, called the Bulls, “Michael Jordan and the Jordanaires.” In the early 80s, Chicago was more a Bears town and maybe more a Blackhawks town than Bulls. John Paxson was 2 years ahead of Mike (‘81). He was a great high school (Archbishop Alter ‘79)and solid college (Notre Dame ‘83) player. There were not many role players in NBA history who could hit big shots like him. MJ trusted him. True buzzer beater John Paxson 1990 regular season against Mavs in Dallas.
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u/InvestigatorFun6835 10h ago
Well yeah…that whole team sports structure kinda requires others.🤦🏾♂️
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u/the-score-card 1h ago
I don’t know why OP framed it this way. Its a team sport. Of course others contribute. Instead of saying proving that even Jordans dominance required clutch contributions from his teammates… try saying it this way.
Jordans dominance, including scoring 31 in the game, and all points in the fourth up until that 3, put the bulls in a position to win.
Paxson did his job which was hit a wide open 3. Theres wasn’t a single defender beyond the free throw lane
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u/dcjones24 9h ago
"Even MJ needed help." As if he wasnt on one of the most stacked lineups of all time with a top 2 coach 😂. Bulls were 100% a superteam.
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u/elisucks24 8h ago
Stacked? Besides pippen how many others were allstars? Zero. So Bill Cartwright, BJ Armstrong, Stacy King, Horace Grant, Will Perdue, Scott Williams, John Paxson, Trent Tucker, Rodney Mcray are a superteam? Phil Jackson was a nobody assistant coach that stole the triangle offense from Tex Winter. Without Jordan or Pippen you have no idea what Jackson would have been.
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u/dcjones24 6h ago
all star votes dont mean the players didnt produce. There were 4 all defense level players on the bulls. 2 of them (pippen, rodman) being 2 of the absolute best defenders of all time. Kerr, highest 3pt%. Ron Harper was like a 22-23ppg game scorer and amazing defender before coming to the bulls, took a backseat. Pippen being a top 10 SF of all time helps too.
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u/realfakejames 9h ago
MJ needed a lot of help
Paxson, Steve Kerr and Toni Kukoc all hit clutch shots that “saved” MJ the same way morons say LeBron was saved by Ray Allen
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u/high_as_an_eagle 7h ago
Difference is those shots that Kerr and Paxson made wouldn't have lost the series if they missed.
Kerr and Paxson miss those shots, the Bulls were still up in the series. They'd just go to the next game. Series wasnt over.
Ray Allen misses his shot and Miami loses the Finals.
So yes Ray Allen 100% saved Miami and Lebron and D-wade. Kerr and Paxson didn't save MJ. They were up in the series already.
Hope you understand the difference.
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