What made the 90's Bulls great, MJ maturing as a player OR Pippen joining the team?

Sorry MJ haters, it's MJ maturing as a player. Watch how they record gets better.

1985: 38-44 (rookie season-playoffs)

1986: 30-52 (played 18 games-playoffs)

1987: 40-42 (1st scoring title-playoffs)

1988: 50-32 (nba mvp, defensive player of the year, all-star mvp, steal champ, scoring champ, Pippen's rookie year-playoffs)

MJ haters like to credit Pippen for the 88 season being the Bulls first winning season. But as you can see by all them awards that MJ won it was MJ maturing. Those other 3 seasons MJ didn't have them awards. Anyways, check out Pippen's 1988 stats and explain how was he the difference.

SP-1988: 7.9 ppg, 2.1 apg, 3.80 rpg, 20.9 mpg, 79 games, 46.3fg%, 1.15 spg, 57.6 ft%, and he wasn't a starter. That's not much to turn a team around. Now look at the 89 season.

1989: 47-35 (scoring champ, 1st defensive team, Pippen 2nd season)

Now what's the difference between 88 %26amp; 89?

MJ lost those awards, they dropped 3 games, %26amp; Pippen was better. Now explain that MJ haters!

What made the 90's Bulls great, MJ maturing as a player OR Pippen joining the team?nba power rankings

Michael Jordan's maturity, gracefulness, classiness, physcial abilities, competitiveness, and unparallel winning mentality made not just the Bulls or the NBA, but the sports world much more pleasant.

What made the 90's Bulls great, MJ maturing as a player OR Pippen joining the team?nba ballers ,nba teams

I normally love to add details to my answer, but this one is way to easy and can be summed up in two letters....

....MJ
bottom line... Losing seasons with just Rusty. Winning seasons with Scottie (even when Rusty wasn't there).

Also, the NBA was watered down by expansion.

I didn't use too many big words, did I? You should be able to understand this.

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btw, don't you think that Rusty should bring Pippen into the front office? Maybe then, his team will start winning some games... after all, we all know that Rusty became a winner as soon as Scottie joined him!

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James, Your question was "what made the NINETIES Bulls so great?", not "how did Pippen do as a rookie in 1988".

The greatest players of all time have an IMMEDIATE impact on their teams...it doesn't take any of 'em THREE YEARS to "develop"... did it take Magic 3 years to "develop"? Did it take Bird 3 years to "develop"? Chamberlain? Russell? Jabbar? No, it didn't.

If Michael took all this time to "develop", how can he be the greatest player of all time? Three years was 20% of his career that he spent 'developing'.

The truly greatest players of all time had an IMMEDIATE and EXTREMELY positive effect on their teams as ROOKIES. Magic won a title as a rookie. So did Russell... Bird won a title in his 2nd year. Jabbar won a title in his 2nd year. Chamberlain didn't win right away because of Russell, but Wilt's team improved by 17 games their first year with him.
as good as MJ was, we cant dismiss Pippen's presence out there. sure it had a lot to do with Jordan learning how the game is played, and how the players defend him, and how he can manipulate his man into letting Jordan have his way with his sheer athleticism.

all great players need that right side kick though. how many nba championships have been won by a team with just one star? Pippen's presence meant that players also had to pick up the swingman on the perimeter. in addition to that, it was Pippens defence that also helped the bulls stop oppsing teams.

Jordan as he always does, picked up his players on his back and carried them over the line. as the years passed, Pippen was there helping too. Pippen's development and maturity as a player - much like jordans - helped the team become the dominant force it was during the 90's
A combo of the both
I actually think it is both. Jordan was able to do so much better because of the presence of Pippen. With the addition of Scottie, Jordan could mature and become a better passer as well as continue his great scoring. I am definitely not a MJ hater but i think the greatness came from both MJ's maturing and Pippen joining.
Since you already asked this question ...here's the answer....

FROM...HOOPFAN!!!!!!!!

Best Answer - Chosen By Voters

Hello again James W.........let's examine Jordan's career, shall we:

His first season with Chicago, he led them to a 38-44 record, losing in the first round of the playoffs.

His second season, another losing record (30-52), swept by the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs

His third season, MJ's Bulls posted their third consecutive losing record 40-42, and once again were swept by the Celtics in the first round.

In his fourth season, the Bulls draft Scottie Pippen, and FINALLY win more games than they lose, 50-32. They also FINALLY make it to the second round of the playoffs, losing to Detroit 4-1.

In his fifth season, they finish in 5th place (out of six teams), but make it to the eastern conference finals, losing again to Detroit 4-2.

In his 6th season (Phil Jackson's first), they finish in second place, but lose the eastern conference finals in seven games to Detroit.

In his 7th season, the Bulls win their first of three championships in a row. The Bulls finish the 1993 season at 57-25, then Jordan retires to play baseball.

In 1994, the first season without Jordan, everyone predicted the Bulls would fall apart. So what happened???

The Bulls finish with a 55-27 record, only winning two games less than with Jordan. Pippen had his best year WITHOUT JORDAN , as did everyone else on the team. Pippen, Horace Grant, and BJ Armstrong all made the all-star team. And had it not been for a blown call by the refs in the playoffs, the Bulls would have made it to the finals that year. All of this WITHOUT Michael Jordan there to "make them better players." LOL

How could the Bulls' only slip 2 games without Jordan, considering "he was the sole reason for them winning?"

How about the next year (1995). Pippen becomes only the second player in history to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. All without Jordan there to "make him a better player."

Jordan probably see's that the Bulls are winning without him, and decides to return (he wasn't having any luck in baseball either). He plays in the final 18 games, and the Bulls make the playoffs. They end up losing in the second round to Orlando 4-2. (What happened to Jordan "willing his team to victory?")

Then the Bulls win 3 more titles, and Jordan retires for a second time. He returns a couple of years later to lead the Wizards to two consecutive losing seasons (without Pippen), failing to make the playoffs either time, and then retires for good.

Jordan played five seasons without Pippen. In those five seasons, he posted five losing records, missed the playoffs twice, and was 1-9 in the playoffs.

Pippen went on to play for Houston and Portland, making the playoffs every year. He returned to Chicago, but was limited to 25 games due to injuries. That was his only losing season in the NBA.

Let's recap: Jordan joins the Bulls and posts 3 consecutive losing records until they draft Pippen. They then get their first winning season. They keep adding players and getting better, until they finally win a title. Then Jordan leaves, and the Bulls only slip two games. Jordan returns and the Bulls do worse than the year before. They get Rodman, win three more titles, and then they disband the team.

Pippen goes on to succes with two other teams, without Jordan. Michael Jordan goes to Washington, and posts two more losing records, then retires permanantly.

So to answer your question, no Jordan didn't make Pippen. PIPPEN, and the rest of the Bulls MADE JORDAN . Any more questions, IDIOT?!?
It's a combination of both. I don't think it's any question that Jordan woudn't of won six championships without Scottie Pippen, but Michael Jordan's maturity as a player and his desire to win put the Bulls over the hump. Nobody wanted to win more than him while he was playing.
Totally MJ! As he got better, the Bull's won more. Plus, (don't hate me people) why else would they put him in the movie Space Jam!