Story suggests Jordan’s big defensive numbers in historic 1987–88 season were inflated

By R.L. Bynum

Nothing can taint Michael Jordan’s legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history, if not the greatest.

However, a lengthy analysis and story by Charlotte writer Tom Haberstroh in Yahoo! questions whether Jordan’s defensive statistics during his memorable 1987–88 season were inflated.

That is the season when he pulled off a feat that had never been done before and hasn’t been done since then — winning the NBA scoring title and the Defensive Player of the Year award.

There’s no questioning the league-leading 35.0 points per game, but Haberstroh suggests inflated statistics during home games contributed to Jordan averaging 3.2 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. Those were career highs that Jordan never equaled again.

The story contends that Jordan was incensed that he was left off All-Defensive teams even after becoming the first player in the NBA’s history with at least 200 steals and 100 blocks in a season. The season before, the Lakers’ Michael Cooper was the DPOY with 25 votes, compared to one for Jordan.

Jordan knew one way to get the voters’ attention was to pile up the numbers on steals and blocks, and he got six steals and four blocks in an opening-game home win over Philadelphia.

Haberstroh cites statistical and video evidence that his home game numbers were inflated but writes that it was routine throughout the league for players to get inflated numbers for assists, steals, blocks and rebounds during home games.

Jordan averaged four steals and 2.1 blocks at home but only 2.1 steals and 1.2 blocks on the road, an 182% difference in the combined number. Jordan had 165 steals in home games and only 94 in road games. Nine of the 10 Jordan games with at least four blocks came in Chicago.

The video review showed how common inflated home numbers were for many players. For example, it cites a 23-assist game by Lakers guard Nick Van Exel in which a video review showed he should have had between 15 and 17.

One game that stood out in the analysis was a Bulls home game against the New Jersey Nets, in which Jordan was credited with 10 steals. The highlight video of his 10 steals only shows six.

Not a specific Jordan example, but in a Chicago home game against Atlanta on Feb. 15, 1988, the Hawks had 10 turnovers and the Bulls were credited with 10 steals.

The problem was that Atlanta had three non-live-ball turnovers. There was a shot-clock violation, former N.C. State center Chris Washburn dribbled the ball off his foot and out of bounds, and a pass to Dominique Wilkins went off his hands and into the scorer’s table. A review of five Bulls games showed that the box scores listed 59 steals but video reviews only showed 41 live-ball turnovers.

The story has many more interesting revelations, which you can read here. They don’t diminish Jordan’s greatness but certainly raise questions about his defensive numbers for that 1987–88 season.

Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics