MJ's Stats, 1999 & 2000 SEASONS ============================================ Michael Jordan played total of 1072 games during 15 regular seasons, actually it was more like 13 because during 2 of those seasons he barely played. 1072 + 179 playoff games totals 1251 career NBA pro games, not counting about 100 exhibitios. MJ made 10 962 out of 21 686 field goals, giving him after 13 seasons, career average FG % of 50.55%, retiring on top in 1998 at the age of 35. After 15 seasons, in 2003, when he retired for good, he made 12 192 out of 24 537 FG's giving him 49.7% final FG's career average. He should have returned with top team & win 2 more championships. His 2 years with Wizards is a blemish on his amazing career. The 2003 All Stars result should be changed to draw, the three point shot foul in OT on Kobe by Jordan was bogus. MJ made the OT possible in the first place. MJ & Kevin Garnet deserve to share MVP. MJ would have had it alone if it wasn't for that "illegal call." Those 2 seasons with Wizards should be forgotten, but at least he would have had another All Stars MVP. He lost his last game vs 76's on 4.16.2003, he walked away as a loser, scoring only 15 points. If it wasn't for last 2 free throws, his scoring average for 2002/3 season would have been below 20 ppg. He should be grateful to the fans who wanted him to come out for one more minute. Last game should have been played in Washington. Look what Kobe did in his final game, he won it & scored 60 points. Jordan did not care what will happen in his final game. In 2001/2 season he made 551/1324 FG's = 42%, in 2002/3 he made 679/1527 FG's = 44%. When MJ retired in 1998, he had total of 29 277 career points & 31.48 ppg. In 2003, he accumulated total of 32 292 final career points but losing 1.4 ppg from 31.5 to 30.123 ppg. If MJ is to play one final game for the fans as he should, if he scores at least 11 points, his new career ppg would be 32 303 & his ppg remains at 30.11, still NBA's best ever! In 1999 season (no such thing as 1998/1999 season this time, only 1999 season), MJ could have played 50 more games (61%), or arrange for 42 (51% of the regular season), NBA would not have dared refuse him, they were desperate to keep him, their ratings sucked that year because of players' strike. Both owners & NBA's top people were considered (still are) as too egoistic, self centered aka Millionaires vs Billionaires. MJ somewhat destroyed his image playing 2 seasons with Wizards. One season was enough. If MJ played 50/42 games in 1998/99 season & he should had, he would have had total of 980/972 games in the regular seaon. Big mistake he did not play. He & Pippen could have played with Reg Miller's powerful Pacers or Malone's Jazz. MJ'S "hurting finger" (showing it off during retirement speech on 1.13.1999) was just a poor, sorry ass excuse not to play. So even if Jordan was to play in 1999, according to his doctor, he would not be able to play for months. The season started on February 5, so earliest Jordan could have joined the Bulls would have been in early March. One can just imagine Bulls/Pacers-Spurs/Lakers final, old vs new generation, Jordan's excellent chance to win the seven heaven + come back in 2004/05 season as Lebron's team mate to have total of 15 seasons under the belt, register 1062 games (if all 82 games played), play All Stars once more, get its MVP & retire at least with 30.5 instead of borderline 30.1 ppg. Joran should have played 2 more seasons, in 1999 & especially in 2000. Well, wishful thinking, but it easily could have, should have been done! The NBA all stars used to be shown on public TV & as of 2002 it's on TNT & not everyone has cable. That's unfair to the fans. The 1999 All-Stars game should have been played in Philadelphia as scheduled but instead of regular 3 days it should have been 2 days extra-vaganza. NBA MADE BIG MISTAKE THAT THEY DIDNT ARRANGE FOR ONE MEETING BETWEEN ALL THE TEAMS in 1999 SEASON. FOR HIS 14th & FINAL 1999/2000 NBA SEASON, MICHAEL JORDAN COULD HAVE PLAYED WITH PIPPEN'S TRAILBLAZERS & WIN THE SEVEN HEAVEN VS LAKERS. BUT HE DID NOT PLAY & WISHED PIPPEN HE WOULD NOT BEAT THE LAKERS BECAUSE PIPPEN WOULD HAVE WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP & WOULD DEFINITELY BE NAMED MVP! IN 1991, MJ WON AGAINST MAGIC JOHNSON'S LAKERS, IN 2000 HE COULD HAVE WON AGAINST SHAQ'S & KOBE'S LAKERS WHO WERE IN THEIR PRIMES. HIS TOTAL CAREER GAMES WOULD HAVE BEEN 1012! BEING THE CHAMPION OF THE YEAR 2000 IS VERY SPECIAL. AND BEST OF ALL, GO TO 2000 OLYMPICS IN AUSTRALIA & WIN HIS THIRD GOLD OLYMPIC MEDAL! Alternatively: ==28/42/56 games season: 34%, 51%, 68% season of usual 82 games== During the lockout, at NBA meetings the following was proposed: the 1999 season should last 56 games thus each team plays 28 other teams twice or 42 games would mean playing each team twice in eastern and western conference and once against opposite conference[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:San_Antonio_Spurs&diff=988090985&oldid=988075343]. 28 games would mean each team plays each team once. There was no 1998/1999 nba season, just 1999 botched season with too many tiring 3 games in 3 days. Many teams did not even play each other, thus putting an asterisk on the season. The All Star game was cancelled due to a stalemate between the league and the NBA Players Association, robbing Philadelphia of an All Star game with their All Star Allan Iverson. Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls had previously split up after the 'The Last Dance' 1997/1998 season, leaving the door wide open for a new team to take the Larry O'Brien trophy. The 1999 season was all about the money and the 50 games in 90 days were too many [https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/2/14/18222040/lockout-1998-99-season-david-stern-david-falk-billy-hunter-patrick-ewing-michael-jordan-oral-history]. Michael Jordan might have played for new coach Tim Floyd but he injured his middle finger and he was to miss the first month of the season and that would mean losing home advantage in the playoffs. NBA refused to postpone the season. J.P.L. Lubek's Trivia: What NBA players hold the record for most consecutive games played? November 3 1982: Randy Smith played in his 845th consecutive game, passing Johnny Kerr as the NBA's All-time Iron Man. Smith would go on to play in 906 consecutive games, a streak which concluded on March 13 1983. A.C. Green of the Dallas Mavericks broke Smith's record when he played in his 907th consecutive game on November 20 1997. His streak was finished at 1,192 games on 4-18-2001!