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Followers are involved about Michael Jordans eyes.
Through the Toronto Raptors’ Championship run final season, some in contrast Kawhi Leonard‘s position with the Raptors to Michael Jordan‘s with the Chicago Bulls.
Final yr, Clippers head coach, Doc Rivers said that Leonard was probably the most like Jordan that he’s seen.
“He’s probably the most like him,” Rivers advised ESPN.
“Massive fingers, post-game, can end, nice leaper, nice defender, in-between recreation.”
Some have in contrast Pascal Siakam to Scottie Pippen.
A similarity might be drawn between Siakam changing into the point of interest of the Raptors after Kawhi Leonard’s departure by way of free company to the Los Angeles Clippers and Pippen changing into the point of interest of the Chicago Bulls when MJ retired from basketball to play baseball through the 1993-94 NBA season.
Pippen averaged 22 factors through the 1993-94 season and the Jordan-less Bulls went 55-27 that season.
“We knew we might beat the Knicks with out Michael,” Scottie Pippen advised me final season.
“Our group bonded so nicely with out Michael, so far as how gamers responded. We felt like our offense was made for the Knicks.”
The Bulls misplaced to the Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason and John Starks-led New York Knicks 4-Three within the Japanese Convention Semis in 1994.
This season, Siakam is averaging 23.6 factors, 7.5 rebounds and three.6 assists per recreation this season for the Raptors.
Million Greenback Query: Is a 90s Chicago Bulls akin to the 2019 Toronto Raptors?
Getty PicturesPascal Siakam #43, Kawhi Leonard #2, and Marc Gasol #33 of the Toronto Raptors.
Former Raptors assistant coach, Phil Useful has the reply. Now an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers, Useful stopped by the Scoop B Radio Podcast & gave his evaluation.
Take a look at my notes under:
Phil Useful on comparisons between Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam and Kawhi Leonard to Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen:
“I see a variety of these comparisons and being equal and saying that he’s not Michael and Pascal is Pippen. However once you’re speaking in regards to the roles and the way they had been used and their talent set…Sure. I can see these comparisons as a result of Pascal is a man that dealt with the ball lots for us. He was like a degree ahead. Typically we ran a variety of the offense by way of him as an extra ball handler on the ground. And clearly Kawhi was the go-to-guy after we wanted a bucket; that’s who Nick Nurse tried to get the ball in his fingers so, these comparisons are NOT farfetched in any respect.”
Phil Useful on comparisons between 90’s Chicago Bulls and 2019 Toronto Raptors:
“I imply, you would draw a few of these comparisons. I imply Kyle Lowry is a bona fide level guard. He’s an All-Star. He wasn’t a second fiddle dude. I feel you have a look at Serge [Ibaka], does he remind you of Horace Grant when he was taking pictures that midrange pull up and block photographs, lengthy, athletic. May you have a look at Marc Gasol like a Luc Longley kind of dude; as a result of Luc was a greater passer than individuals gave him credit score for …yeah, you would stress a few of these comparisons, however I actually assume the type of play that we had in Toronto was clearly completely completely different. I feel we performed manner sooner than the Bulls group and once more, the sport has modified, proper? Totally different recreation, completely different period, completely different defensive guidelines, and completely different offensive philosophies. So, I feel individuals can draw some comparisons in that regard however, that group in Toronto; they had been fairly distinctive of their setup with the gamers that that they had.”
Phil Useful on the place Kawhi Leonard made his largest transition in play:
“He took all the pieces he discovered from San Antonio. Pop [Popovich] and that teaching type down there, they did an ideal job of serving to Kawhi flip into an elite participant. And look, he works! He’s a employee and he loves the sport. However I feel he took the basketball that he discovered in San Antonio, “Okay. I understand how to play basketball, now lemme take that and lemme combine this with Kawhi Leonard changing into his personal man”…so to talk. And I feel you noticed him mesh each of these issues collectively and Nick [Nurse] allowed him to be free and Nick allowed him to broaden his recreation, discover and be who he was with none restrictions. And I feel as a result of he had the self-discipline from San Antonio, that helped him not fall flat on his face. As a result of once more, he understood how one can play and it wasn’t about being reckless and taking dangerous photographs. He was nonetheless attempting to be very environment friendly at a excessive degree and make the fitting basketball performs as he expanded his recreation.”