If Michael Jordan doesn t retire, can he win eight NBA titles in a row with the Bulls?

Arguing about who is the NBA's GOAT—specifically, arguing about who is better or Jordan or LeBron—is one of the most intense debates among basketball fans. The US Sports News explores their respective cases and their position in NBA legends and culture.

The Chicago Bulls won six NBA titles in two three consecutive championships in 1991-93 and 1996-98, but what really sparked discussion was the NBA championship team between those two three consecutive championships. How will the fantasy showdown between the Bulls led by Michael Jordan and the "Dream Team" unfold?

The Houston Rockets won the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1995 under Hakeem Olajuwon - during the past two years, Jordan retired from basketball and re-played 17 games in the regular season of the 1994-95 season. The Rockets and Bulls have never played in the NBA Finals.

NBA analyst Kenny Smith, who served as a guard for the Houston Rockets from 1990-96, was unambiguous when asked about the winner of the series in those two years. Even if Jordan is involved in the game, he can tell the result accurately.

"We could have beaten them," Smith said in the podcast.

The hypothetical debate is divided into levels. The Bulls' roster looks different when they're their first three-game winning streak and their second three-game winning streak. Can Chicago slow down Olajuwon? What will those showdowns in the 1993-94 season and the 1994-95 season look like?

Bulls vs. Rockets: If Michael Jordan does not retire, who will win the 1994 NBA Finals?

Any assumptions assume that Jordan did not retire after his father's death on July 23, 1993. Jordan then worked as a baseball career before the 1994-95 season, and then returned to basketball in the 1994-95 season. Pete Myers took Jordan's place that season and averaged 7.9 points in 82 games. Here is Jordan's starting lineup on the court in the 1993-94 season:

Position

Bulls

Rockets

PG

B.J. Armstrong

Kenny Smith

Singapore

Michael Jordan

Vernon Maxwell

SF Express

Scottie Pi Ponte Robert Holly Input: PF

Horace Grant

Otis Thorpe

Input: C

Bill Cartwright

Hakim Olajuwon

Houston achieved a 58-24 record in the 1993-94 season and defeated the Knicks in seven games in the 1994 NBA Finals. Olajuwon was the NBA's Most Valuable Player that season. He averaged 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and 3.6 assists per game. Olajuwon performed best that season.

"You can make up any scene and try to emphasize it, but the Bulls have never met a team with a great center in the finals," Bob Costas told Sports News. "The Bulls themselves have never had great centers. They have functional centers like Luke Longley, Bill Vennington, Will Peddou and Bill Carter White. They are all good players, but not Olajuwon." The Rockets have a united starting five. All five starters played 73 or more games, with Mario Elli and Sam Cassel being super substitutes on the bench. Houston ranked first in the NBA's three-point shooting (429) and shots (1285) that season. The Bulls ended with 55 wins and 27 losses in the 1993-94 season and lost to the New York Knicks in a seven-game series without Jordan. Tony Kukocchi and Steve Cole were valuable additions to the bench, with the Bulls having a revolving door at the center position, starting in turn by Catrite, Luc Longley, Stacey King, Scott Williams and Bill Vennington. How many of these starters are still active against the Rockets?

In the 1993-94 season, the Bulls ranked third in the NBA in scoring defense, scoring 94.9 points per game. Without Jordan, the Bulls' defense was still excellent, with Jordan being selected for the NBA's best defensive team for nine times. Sports Illustrated's Jack McCullom will be interested to see how the Rockets' three-point defense faces the Bulls - Jordan is looking for a fourth straight title win.

"They are likely one of the first teams to use 3-pointers heavily, with Kenny Smith and Mario Eli both being members of that team," McCallum said. "However, Jordan and (Scotty) Pippen as defensive players? That won't happen." The Rockets beat the Chicago Bulls 100-93 on November 23 in the 1993-94 season. In the second confrontation on January 25, 1994, the Bulls defeated the Rockets 82-76. Olajuwon averaged 28.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in these games. How will Jordan perform in this game with an average of 29.1 points per game in six games against the Rockets during the Bulls’ first three-game title in 1991-93? But in these games, the Houston Rockets have the upper hand with 5 wins and 1 losses.

This feels like it will play in a seven-game series, and the Bulls will be the slightly dominant side.

Bulls vs. Rockets: In the 1994-95 NBA Finals, who would win with the addition of Clyde Drexler?

Smith points out the most important difference in this hypothetical series.

"No Horace Grant," Smith said on the "Stack 5 Podcast." "They're too small."

Costas knows another variable in this series.

"It would be interesting if Jordan hadn't played baseball and hadn't faced the Rockets with Drexler in 1995," Costas said.

Position

Bulls

Rockets

PG

B.J. Armstrong

Kenny Smith

Singapore

Michael Jordan

Mario Ellie

SF Express

Scotty Pippen

Clyde Drexler

Input: PF

Tony Kukoc

Robert Holly

Input: C

Luke Longley

Hakeem Olajuwon

Rockets did trade Clyde Drexler, Olajuwon's college teammate before the 1994-95 season trading deadline. Otis Top was traded to Portland, while Vinson Maxwell — who was suspended for 10 games after injured a fan in Portland on February 6, 1995 — was suspended indefinitely later that season. Houston was too young at that time. After the Drexler trade, the Rockets ranked last in the regular season with 17 wins and 18 losses. The Rockets achieved 47 wins and 35 losses. The Houston Rockets swept the Orlando Magic 4-0 to win a second NBA title, but they didn't quite dominate. Chicago also scored 47 wins and 35 losses in the regular season, but lost to the Magic in six games in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Houston defeated Chicago 106-83 on November 11, 1994. Olajuwon scored 29 points. The Bulls defeated the Rockets 100-81 on January 22, 1995. B.J. Armstrong scored 20 points, and Olajuwon shot only 2/18 from the field in the game. Jordan did not appear on the Bulls, and Drexler did not appear on the Rockets' squad.

As Smith said, Pippen contributed 8.1 rebounds per game for the Bulls that season, and Jordan ranked second with 6.9 rebounds. Willie Perdue started 78 games in the regular season, but in the playoffs, Luc Langley became the starting center. The Bulls have a small roster, but Jordan has performed better in the regular season. Perhaps under the assumption, Chicago pursued power forwards like Dennis Rodman earlier a year — who averaged 16.8 rebounds per game in 26 starts that season — so the Bulls would be stronger.

"When they got Rodman, I don't know if we could get them," Smith said.

McLeod still believes that the combination of Jordan and Pippen on defense will be the biggest difference in the potential series.

"What everyone generally mentioned is that Jordan and Pipen defend together," McLeod told SN. "It fascinates other Dream Team members. They're so awesome. Michael used to make poor Clyde embarrassed. I feel sad about it. They'll drown Kenny Smith. They'll be hard to deal with Hakeem because they really never had a great center."

With Michael Jordan, would Chicago win eight consecutive championships?

After playing for Jordan's full season and signing Rodman (the player averaged 15.3 rebounds per game in those three seasons), the Bulls won the championship for three consecutive years from 1996-98. The Rockets reached the Western Conference Finals after introducing Charles Barkley in 1996-97 but lost to the Utah Jazz in six games (led by Carriel Malone and John Stockton).

No one denies this. However, in the two years of the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons, Jordan was on the court, and those two seasons could have had seven series. Chicago has never played Game 7 in the NBA Finals during the six championships. How important is

Home field advantage? The Rockets had a high home winning rate in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons, reaching 30 wins and 11 losses. However, Houston only scored 15 wins and 7 losses in the playoffs. Chicago had a home win rate of 31 wins and 10 losses in the 1993-94 season and 28 wins and 13 losses in the 1994-95 season, but they only scored 7 wins and 1 losses at home in the season when Jordan returned. The Bulls won 8 wins and 2 home games in those two seasons.

However, McCullom believes there is a factor that is good for the Bulls, even in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons, the Bulls ranked third and fifth in scoring defenses, respectively. The Rockets ranked fifth in the 1993-94 season and 14th in the 1994-95 season. Will Jordan have a bigger impact on that side of the floor in those two seasons?

These two series will likely be a tough battle, led by Olajuwon and Jordan (1st and 3rd picks in the 1984 NBA Draft). In such hypothesis debate, McMillan will lead the Bulls to win fourth and fifth consecutive championships.

"It would be hard to believe they didn't win those two games," McCallum said. "That would be a lot of champion."

However, Smith's view on this issue will not change.

"Michael is the best player in the world I've ever met," Smith said. "He won't win eight times in a row. He won't. In the modern era, no one has done it. He won't."