Michael Jordan’s Career Record vs. NBA Legends And Superstars

Widely considered the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan owns a considerable amount of NBA records. He is a 10-time scoring champion, a 6-time NBA champion, and a 6-time Finals MVP. He won 5 MVP awards as well as he led the Chicago Bulls to prominence during the 1980s and 1990s. Not only was he a megastar on the basketball court, but he became a global icon as the game rose to popularity we hadn’t seen since the NBA was founded during the 1950s.

Over his 15 seasons in the NBA, every opponent Jordan faced came with their best effort when they went up against the Bulls. Well-documented rivalries with the likes of Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird were the storylines that fueled Michael Jordan’s career. As well all know, Jordan took some lumps and bruises from these NBA legends before learning how to win. Once he got his first taste of victory, the NBA was never the same again. Today, we will look at Michael Jordan’s career head-to-head record with some of the biggest names he ever faced off against. Head-to-head records are not the end-all-be-all but with context added, it paints a pretty decent picture.

Here is Micahel Jordan’s career record against some of the biggest names in NBA history.

Scottie Pippen – 1 Game, 0-1 (0.0%)

Regular Season: 14.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 60.0 FG%, 0.0 3-PT%, 0-1

Playoffs: None

For part of the 80s and most of the 90s, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan shared the court together as the most dominant duo in basketball. The pair won 6 NBA championships together which included 2 separate three-peats in the 1990s. The camaraderie between the two has obviously fizzled out as of late with Pippen taking to the press pleading for more credit for their success. After their 6th title in 1998, Pippen moved on to a different team while Jordan retired from the game once more.

In 2002, Jordan returned to basketball and joined the Washington Wizards. Pippen was now a member of the Portland Trail Blazers and both were well past the prime days they shared together in Chicago. On December 10, 2002, Pippen and Jordan became on-court rivals for the only time in their career. Each player logged over 26 minutes of play and each player scored 14 points. Pippen was 6-7 from the field shooting while Jordan shot 6-10. The Trail Blazers emerged victorious with a 98-79 victory.

Julius Erving – 8 Games, 2-6 (25.0%)

Regular Season: 27.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 44.4 FG%, 0.0 3-PT%, 2-6

Playoffs: None

Julius Erving was Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan arrived in the NBA. His high-flying and electric style wowed audiences for years before Jordan was even a thought to NBA fans. The end of Erving’s career and the beginning of Jordan’s coincided with each other after Jordan’s debut in 1984. The 2 players met 8 times between 1984 and 1987 as the Bulls and Sixers battled for the Eastern Conference crown. The pair never faced off in playoff situations and Erving’s Sixers were far too much for the Bulls during this time.

Erving and the Sixers started their matchups against Jordan’s Bulls on a 5-game winning streak. In 1987, Jordan and the Bulls finally got the upper hand in a matchup when Jordan erupted for 47 points and 10 rebounds. The Bulls would win once again in their next matchup with Jordan scoring 29 and Erving going for 30. In their final matchup, Erving’s Sixers were victorious once again despite 34 points and 10 assists from Jordan.

Larry Bird – 34 Games, 11-23 (32.4%)

Regular Season: 33.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.8 APG, 2.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 50.6 FG%, 30.6 3-PT%, 11-17

Playoffs: 39.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.8 APG, 2.2 SPG, 1.8 BPG, 46.4 FG%, 50.0 3-PT%, 0-6

Michael Jordan and Larry Bird will forever be linked together for numerous reasons. They were fierce rivals on the court during the 1980s and teammates on the 1992 Olympic Dream Team. Bird’s Celtics were a powerhouse in the 1980s, winning 3 NBA championships in the decade. Robert Parish and Kevin McHale presented enormous mismatches against Chicago throughout their regular season and playoff dominance over Jordan. Regardless of how magnificent Jordan was, it was never really enough to conquer the Celtics.

No matter the outcome, Jordan was usually considered to be the best player on the floor even when they faced off in Larry Bird’s MVP and championship seasons. In 28 regular season games, Jordan was masterful on both ends of the floor averaging over 33.0 PPG on over 50.0% shooting from the floor. In the playoffs, Jordan made history in the postseason against Larry Bird and the Celtics. In 1986, Jordan had a 63-point performance against Boston in the postseason. After the game, Bird proclaimed that it was “God disguised as Michael Jordan”. Bird’s Celtics, along with the Lakers, were a powerhouse that could not be stopped in the 80s.

Kevin McHale – 38 Games – 14-24 (36.8%)

Regular Season: 33.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.7 APG, 2.9 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 51.0 FG%, 23.9 3-PT%, 14-19

Playoffs: 41.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.2 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 49.7 FG%, 60.0 3-PT%, 0-5

Kevin McHale was also a large part of the Boston Celtics powerhouse during the 1980s. McHale was one of the better power forwards in basketball and thrived alongside Robert Parish and Larry Bird as a three-headed monster in Boston. McHale and Jordan squared off at the peak of McHale’s career as Jordan was ascending to the top in the late 80s and early 90s. In matchups against Jordan, McHale averaged 20.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 1.7 BPG and finished with a winning record of 19-14.

The Celtics absolutely owned the Bulls in the playoffs when they met in the late 80s. Jordan never recorded a win over the Celtics in the postseason and McHale was a big reason why. In 5 playoff games against Jordan’s Bulls, McHale averaged 25.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 2.2 BPG. Jordan’s poor record against the Celtics is one of the very few blemishes he has on his superstar resume.

Kobe Bryant – 8 Games, 3-5 (37.5%)

Regular Season: 24.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 43.6 FG%, 30.0 3-PT%, 3-5

Playoffs: None

If any NBA player ever emulated Michael Jordan’s game perfectly, it was Kobe Bryant. From their signature fadeaways to the unrelenting desire to win and be the best, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s careers mirrored each other in an eerily similar way. Bryant was a rookie during the 1996 season when they first met on the court as Jordan was just coming back from his retirement and leading the Bulls to another three-peat as NBA champions. They also met In Bryant’s prime as he and the Lakers were wrapping up their own three-peat and Jordan was with the Wizards.

Bryant was barely on the court in the earlier meetings between him and Jordan. Jordan on the other hand was dominant as ever with multiple 30-point games and wins. With the Wizards, Jordan wasn’t nearly as dominant while Bryant was budding into a superstar. In their final meeting with one another in 2003, Bryant erupted against his idol for 55 points and a massive victory.

Hakeem Olajuwon – 23 Games, 10-13 (43.5%)

Regular Season: 30.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.4 APG, 3.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 46.8 FG%, 33.3 3-PT%, 10-13

Playoffs: None

Hakeem Olajuwon was the best big man of the 90d and it is not particularly close. While Jordan took his reprieve from basketball in 1994 and most of 1995, Olajuwon was ascending to greatness with MVP awards and NBA championships. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995. Hakeem was one of the best defenders in basketball for the majority of the decade and nearly an unstoppable force on offense.

The biggest what-if of the 1990s has to be what could have happened if Hakeem’s Rockets had met Jordan’s Bulls in the 1994 and 1995 Finals. We only ever got to see these 2 stars go head-to-head in the regular season with Hakeem holding a slight advantage. Jordan had multiple 40-point games against the Rockets during the 80s but did not pick up his first victory until 1987. Olajuwon and Jordan met 7 times after Jordan’s return to the NBA in 1995 with Jordan scoring a 5-2 record.

Dennis Rodman – 59 Games, 26-33 (44.1%)

31.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.7 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 47.8 FG%, 23.9 3-PT%, 16-21

Playoffs: 30.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 48.1 FG%, 30.4 3-PT%, 10-12

Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman won 3 NBA championships together from 1996 through 1998. As a matter of fact, it was Michael Jordan who went to Bulls management when Rodman had nowhere to go and said to get him Rodman for the Bulls. Jordan and Rodman were also fierce rivals during the days of the heated battles between Rodman’s Bad Boy Pistons and the beatdowns they put on Jordan’s Bulls. Rodman was an elite defender and ferocious rebounder and Jordan knew from first-hand experience.

The only games that Jordan and Rodman ever faced off were when Rodman was in Detroit. Rodman punished Jordan on the defensive end along with all 4 other Pistons starters. That is, until the 1991 playoffs when Jordan and the Bulls finally got the upper hand. At this time, Rodman was winning Defensive Player of the Year awards and dominating opponents into oblivion. Jordan’s record against the Pistons wasn’t great but when he finally got over the playoff hump, it was an iconic moment in NBA history.

Kevin Garnett – 9 Games, 4-5 (44.4%)

Regular Season: 28.9 PPG,6.2 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 46.8 FG%, 42.3 3-PT%, 4-5

Playoffs: None

Unfortunately for NBA fans, we never got to see the 2 of these greats go head-to-head when they were in their prime. They met briefly while Garnett was a young up-and-comer in the NBA during the late 90s. Then, the next time they saw each other on the court was when Jordan was much older with the Washington Wizards. Garnett would go on to become an MVP and NBA champion after Jordan was long gone from the league. Garnett could change the game and take over on both sides of the ball any time he wanted to.

With the Bulls, Jordan led Chicago to a record of 4-1 over Garnett’s Timberwolves. It would be when Jordan was with the Wizards that Garnett would flip the odds in his favor. Garnett never lost to Jordan after he left Chicago. Overall in 9 games against Jordan, Garnett averaged 20.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.7 SPG, and 1.2 BPG.

Isiah Thomas – 65 Games, 29-36 (44.6%)

Regular Season: 31.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 47.6 FG%, 22.9 3-PT%, 19-24

Playoffs: 30.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 48.1 FG%, 30.43-PT%, 10-12

Even 30 years later, the rivalry between Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan is alive and well. Whether it be the All-StarGame that Thomas froze Jordan out or the Dream Team sub in 1992 that saw Thomas left off the Olympic Team, there is no love lost between these 2. This rivalry spilled onto the court into a physical and verbal confrontation which was imminent whenever these 2 were set to meet. Early on, this rivalry belonged to Thomas and the Bad Boy Pistons. In the end, it was Michael Jordan who had the last laugh.

Thomas and the Pistons put their dominance over Jordan on full display in the playoffs. From 1987 through 1991, the Pistons and Jordan’s Bulls squared off in the playoffs 5 times. Thomas and the Pistons took the upper hand over Jordan’s Bulls in 4 straight playoff series’ from 1987 through 1990 with the Pistons adopting a physically abusive approach to slowing down MJ. In 1991, Jordan and the Bulls finally climbed the mountain that was the Pistons and annihilated them with a 4-game sweep en route to their first NBA championship. The Bulls and Pistons never met in the playoffs again with Thomas and Jordan as adversaries but the feud is alive and well as its ever been.

Jason Kidd – 11 Games, 5-6 (45.5%)

Regular Season: 26.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 44.9 FG%, 40.0 3-PT%, 5-6

Playoffs: None

Jason Kidd is widely regarded as one of the best point guards in NBA history. He was the ultimate team basketball player and an elaborate playmaker. Kidd was an elite passer in his prime who led the New Jersey Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in the 2000s. When Jordan and Kidd first met on an NBA court, Kidd was still early in his career with the Mavericks and Phoenix Suns.

During these early days, Jordan and Kidd met 4 out of the 11 times they met in their careers. Jordan had 4 30-point games and a 3-1 record in these matchups. The next time these 2 players met on the court was when Jordan returned in 2001 with the Wizards and Kidd was in his prime with the New Jersey Nets. In his first game back against Kidd, Jordan recorded 45 points and 10 rebounds in a victory. Kidd and the Nets would win their next 5 games against Jordan’s Wizards with some of the worst stat lines of Jordan’s career coming in defeat. In his final game against Kidd and the Nets in 2003, Jordan exploded for 43 points and 10 rebounds to get the last laugh and notch a victory on his belt.

John Stockton – 38 Games, 19-19 (50.0%)

Regular Season: 32.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.7 APG, 2.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 47.4 FG%, 25.9 3-PT%, 11-15

Playoffs: 32.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 44.1 FG%, 31.6 3-PT%, 8-4

The rivalry between the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls really came to fruition during the late 90s. The Bulls led by Michael Jordan met the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals in both 1997 and 1998. The Jazz were led by the duo of John Stockton and MVP Karl Malone against the dynasty that was Michael Jordan and the Bulls. During the regular season, Stockton and the Jazz had the upper hand with the Jazz holding a 15–11 overall record.

It was the games that truly mattered that Jordan stood above the rest much as it had been for the majority of his career. In the 1997 and 1998 Finals, Jordan stole the show in consecutive years by winning his 5th and 6th career NBA championship along with his 5th and 6th Finals MVP awards. The overall record and numbers do not tell the entire story when it comes to Stockton and Jordan as MJ won when it mattered most.

David Robinson – 14 Games, 7-7 (50.0%)

Regular Season: 31.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 4.8 APG, 2.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 44.2 FG%, 40.9 3-PT%, 7-7

Playoffs: None

David Robinson is another big man from the 1990s that benefited from Jordan’s short retirement. Robinson was a Top 10 overall player in the 90s, winning an MVP in 1995 and a Defensive Player of the Year in 1992. These 2 NBA stars met at the absolute peak of their careers during the late 80s and early 90s. Although Robinson never led his Spurs to an NBA championship, he still gave Jordan’s Bulls a run for their money every time they matched up.

In the 14 games that Robinson played against Jordan, he averaged 22.6 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.7 SPG, and 3.4 BPG. Robinson had 4 separate 30-point games in his career against the Bulls and Jordan recorded 7 such games. The 2 stars of the 90s also met 3 times towards the end of their careers in the early 200s. With Jordan on the Wizards and Robinson near the end with the Spurs, Jordan lost 2 out of 3 matchups with the Spurs.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 8 Games, 4-4 (50.0%)

Regular Season: 31.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 46.2 FG%, 28.6 3-PT%, 4-4

Playoffs: None

In many ways, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar passed the torch to Michael Jordan. At the time of retirement, Kareem was considered to be the greatest player in NBA history. Today, Michael Jordan still holds that title among a majority of fans and experts. The matchup between these two G.O.A.T.s was never really able to be seen when either player was at their best. The case was either Kareem was toward the end of his rope or Jordan was young and still adjusting to the NBA. Although, Jordan was spectacular against Kareem’s Lakers in his career.

Jordan and the Bulls only won 1 of their first 5 matchups with Kareem during the 1980s. Jordan was still spectacular for the Bulls during this time but Kareem was still starting and putting up MVP-like numbers as well. Jordan took the last 3 games of the matchup between him and Kareem which included back-to-back performances of 38 points and 42 points. By the time Jordan faced the Lakers in the 1991 Finals, Kareem had stepped away from basketball for good.

Vince Carter – 4 Games, 2-2 (50.0%)

Regular Season: 14.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 39.3 FG%, 0.0 3-PT%, 2-2

Playoffs: None

How many times have you heard the comparisons between Vince Carter, and Michael Jordan, and their dunking skills? Both of these players in their prime rocked rims like no one else had in NBA history and put on a show nightly for fans around the world. Unfortunately for fans, the 2 athletic phenoms were separated by a few too many years and only met up once Jordan was well past his prime with the Washington Wizards.

Vince Carter dominated the matchups between him and Jordan statistically. Carter was at his peak with the Toronto Raptors and averaged 23.5 PPG and 2.0 SPG in the 4 matchups against Jordan’s Wizards. The first 2 matchups went to Jordan at ages 37 and 38 years old but by the time he was 39 and 40, he had folded to Father Time. Carter took the final 2 matchups with stinkers from MJ as he went for 8 points and 4 points respectively.

Steve Nash – 8 Games, 4-4 (50.0%)

Regular Season: 24.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 46.0 FG%, 40.0 3-PT%, 4-4

Playoffs: None

By the end of his career, Steve Nash was considered one of the greatest point guards of all time. He led some of the NBA’s most potent offenses during the 2000s and was an annual league leader in assists. He won 2 MVP awards as a member of the Phoenix Suns and always felt just shy of an NBA championship. As far as the matchups we are speaking about today, Nash only saw MJ in battle when he was a young rookie with the Suns in 1996and when Jordan was with the Wizards in the early 2000s.

With the Bulls, Jordan won 3 out of 4 contests against a young Nash and the Suns. In those 3 victories, Jordan had performances of 26, 37, and 31 points. He also had 30 points in the lone loss in 1997. With the Wizards, however, Jordan went 1-3 against Nash and the Dallas Mavericks who were also armed with a young Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley. Nash got the better of Jordan across the board in those matchups although Jordan did record a 30-point game in a loss in 2003.

Moses Malone – 38 Games, 20-18 (52.6%)

Regular Season: 29.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6.3 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 52.9 FG%, 26.7 3-PT%, 20-18

Playoffs: None

Moses Malone is still one of the most underappreciated superstars in NBA history. He was a 3-time MVP who in 1983, led the Philadelphia 76ers to an NBA title and won the Finals MVP award. During his time with the Rockets and Sixers, no one was a better all-around big man than Moses Malone who aptly earned the nickname, “The Chairman Of The Boards. The matchups between him and Jordan were a tale of 2 careers as Malone was still a force to be reckoned with when Jordan made his debut in 1984.

The 2 stars traded big games with each other every time they met when Malone was with the Sixers and Bullets from 1984 through 1987. From there, Moses Malone began to reach the end of his career while Jordan was winning his first MVP and scoring title. From that point on, Malone and Jordan met often while Malone was bouncing from the Hawks to the Bucks. Jordan dominated the matchups later in their careers but early on was a back-and-forth battle between the two.

Karl Malone – 36 Games, 19-17 (52.8%)

Regular Season: 33.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.7 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 47.9 FG%, 24.5 3-PT%, 11-13

Playoffs: 32.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 44.1 FG%, 31.6 3-PT%, 8-4

The rivalry between Michael Jordan and Karl Malone is one that much like Isiah Thomas, won’t die. Jordan is probably still upset about the 1997 MVP award going to Malone and Maloneis clearly upset that Jordan took 2 NBA championships from him. The regular season was a different story as the 2 met 24 times from 1986 through 2003. Malone had a 13-11 record against Jordan in the regular season but that wasn’t the end of the story.

Jordan and Malone met in 2 different playoff series during the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals. Jordan and the Bulls dominated both series and dismissed the Jazz in 6 games on both occasions. Jordan won both Finals MVP awards while Malone was left bewildered at how he was going to finally capture an NBA championship. He never did and is widely considered one of the greatest to never do so. Meanwhile, Jordan is widely considered to be the greatest player who ever lived.

Joe Dumars – 70 Games, 37-33 (52.9%)

Regular Season: 31.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 47.3 FG%, 25.8 3-PT%, 27-21

Playoffs: 30.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 48.1 FG%, 30.4 3-PT%, 10-12

One of the more underrated aspects of Jordan’s rivalry with the Bad Boy Pistons was the matchups between him and fellow shooting guard, Joe Dumars. The Detroit Pistons famously abused and punished Jordan whenever they matched up against Chicago and early on, Dumars got the best of MJ because of it. As time went on, Jordan dominated the regular season against Detroit, especially in the 90s.

The story was different in the playoffs. Dumars held a 12-10 game advantage over Jordan in 22 playoff matchups. While Jordan dominated statistically, Dumars’ Pistons were busy winning games and NBA championships. The Pistons took care of Chicago in 4 straight playoff series’ before Jordan and the Bulls were finally victorious in 1991.

Allen Iverson – 13 Games, 7-6 (53.8%)

Regular Season:23.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 45.1 FG%, 32.3 3-PT%, 7-6

Playoffs: None

The admiration of Micahel Jordan from Allen Iverson is almost as famous as the viral clip of him crossing Jordan up as a rookie. Iverson was an MVP and one of the most exciting players in basketball during the 2000s. Standing at just 6’0’’, Iverson went toe-to-toe with giants and showed no fear of anyone on the basketball court. This same mentality was present during his battles with his idol and Iverson never backed down from the challenge.

Iverson was already a prolific scorer in the NBA by the time he and Jordan first met in 1996. Remember, this was Jordan and the Bulls’ second three-peat. Chicago never had any answer for Iverson as he would torch them for 30 and 40point games regularly. Iverson had 5 30-point games against Jordan in the late 90s and a 40-point game as well. Despite Iverson’s outbursts, he only was able to muster 1 win against Chicago with Jordan on the team in his career.

Ron Harper – 33 Games, 18-15 (54.5%)

Regular Season: 32.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.4 APG, 2.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 51.7 FG%, 27.6 3-PT%, 13-11

Playoffs: 41.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 7.0 APG, 3.0 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 53.9 FG%, 40.0 3-PT%, 5-4

Ron Harper and Michael Jordan are best known as teammates with the Chicago Bulls From 1996 through 1998. Jordan and Harper won 3 NBA titles together with the Bulls and Harper added 2 more later on with the Lakers at the end of his career. Both of these stars early on were bitter rivals as Michael Jordan battled the loaded Cavaliers squads that included Harper, Mark Price, and Brad Daugherty.

Jordan had a knack for breaking the hearts of Cleveland fans in the playoffs and that is exactly what happened in 1988. In the 1988 playoffs, the series between them went 7 games. Jordan scored 39 in Game 7 to finish off the Cavaliers that season. In 1989, Jordan and the Bulls took care of Cleveland in 5 games. Jordan averaged 41.7 PPG on 53.9% shooting in the playoffs against Harper and the Cavaliers overall which is one of the greatest stat lines against a single team in playoff history.

Charles Barkley – 55 Games, 31-24 (56.4%)

Regular Season: 34.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.9 APG, 2.9 SPG,1.1 BPG, 54.1 FG%, 25.4 3-PT%, 19-20

Playoffs: 39.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 7.1 APG, 2.4 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 51.5 FG%, 35.6 3-PT%, 12-4

Charles Barkley is another one of the great NBA legends who was held ringless both directly and indirectly due to Michael Jordan. In the regular season, these 2 stars met for the most part when Barkley was with the 76ers. Barkley holds a slight advantage over Jordan in the regular season with a 20-19 record. Barkley averaged 23.1 PPG and 11.7 RPG against Jordan in 39 regular season contests. He also shot 61.1% overall from the field.

The NBA playoffs are where Michael Jordan saved all of his best performances. Jordan holds a dominant 12-4 playoff record over Barkley which includes the dismantling of the Suns in 1993. The same season that Barkley won the MVP award in 1993, he led the Suns to an NBA Finals berth as well. Jordan was ridiculous in the Finals, averaging over 40.0 PPG on over 50.0% shooting. Jordan also holds an 8-2 record over Barkley from when he was with the 76ers, eliminating them in 1990 and 1991.

Shaquille O’Neal – 21 Games, 12-9 (57.1%)

Regular Season: 27.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 41.3 FG%, 26.3 3-PT%, 6-5

Playoffs: 30.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 49.1 FG%, 41.7 3-PT%, 6-4

The battles between a young Shaq and a prime Michael Jordan during the 1990s were legendary. For the most part, Shaq was with the Orlando Magic and more than once, these 2 superstars met in the NBA playoffs. In the regular season, the matchup was nearly dead even as Jordan holds a 6-5 advantage. The playoffs were a similar story as Jordan and The Bulls held a 6-4 advantage over Shaq and the Magic.

Shaq and Jordan only met twice while MJ was with the Wizards. Both games went in favor of prime Shaq and the Lakers with Jordan recording a 33-point game and a 2-point game. In 1995, Jordan returned briefly for the playoff run with the Bulls, Shaq, and the Magic upset them in the Eastern Conference Finals for a surprise bid in the NBA Finals. In 1996, Jordan would not fall twice as he led the 72-10 Bulls to a 4-game dismantling of the Magic and eventually win his 4th NBA championship.

Tim Duncan – 5 Games, 3-2 (60.0%)

Regular Season: 22.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 37.6 FG%, 40.0 3-PT%

Playoffs: None

With 11 championships between them, Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan are 2 of the most accomplished players in NBA history. Their eras only overlapped for a brief time when Duncan first came into the NBA in 1997 and 1998 then again when Jordan was with the Wizards in 2002. Duncan and Jordan met 5 times total in their careers and not once in the NBA Finals. Although Duncan did win an NBA championship the year after Jordan retired in 1999.

In the 2 games that they met when Jordan was on the Bulls, Jordan got the victory for Chicago both times. He had a 29-point game in 1997 and a 30-point game in 1998, both championship seasons for Jordan and the Bulls. Duncan was the far superior player by the time they met once again in 2002 and won 2 out of 3 games against the Wizards. Duncan had outscored Jordan in every head-to-head matchup in 2002 and averaged 21.6 PPG and 13.0 RPG in their 5 total matchups.

Mark Price – 50 Games, 30-20 (60.0%)

Regular Season: 33.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 52.6 FG%, 27.4 3-PT%, 17-14

Playoffs: 37.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 5.9 APG, 2.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 49.8 FG%, 36.8 3-PT%, 13-6

Mark Price is one of the greatest players in Cavaliers history and he made his mark during the 80s and 90s with them. Price was a speedy point guard who could knock down jump shots from anywhere on the floor. Price and Jordan faced off 50 times in their careers with Jordan further expanding on his on-court ownership of Cleveland.

The regular season record between these 2 is far close than the postseason matchups. In the playoffs, Jordan held a 13-6 record over the Cavaliers and broke their proverbial backs more than once in doing so. In 1991 and 1992, Jordan and the Bulls rolled through Cleveland in back-to-back NBA championship runs. Jordan averaged 37.3 PPG on 49.8% shooting against Price in the playoffs.

Clyde Drexler – 23 Games, 14-9 (60.9%)

Regular Season: 34.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 47.9 FG%, 28.3 3-PT%, 10-7

Playoffs: 35.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 52.6 FG%, 42.9 3-PT%, 4-2

For a time during the 80s and 90s, Clyde Drexler was neck and neck with Jordan for the title of best shooting guard in the NBA. They were both high-flyers who racked up points for their respective teams during their careers with Jordan being able to win as the No. 1 guy and Drexler having to join Hakeem Olajuwon in order to get his first ring.

The storyline of the best shooting guard in basketball came to a head in the only postseason meeting between these 2. Jordan didn’t like the comparisons and felt slighted by the fact that analysts even compared them. In Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals, Jordan went crazy, hitting 6 three-pointers in the first ha;f and scoring 39 in the victory. He wrapped up the series in 6 games for the Bulls and put all comparisons to bed forever.

Magic Johnson – 18 Games, 11-7 (61.1%)

Regular Season: 30.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 47.5 FG%, 28.6 3-PT%, 7-6

Playoffs: 31.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 11.4 APG, 2.8 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 55.8 FG%, 50.0 3-PT%, 4-1

As both rivals and teammates, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan are 2 of the best players in NBA history. In the early 90s, we were robbed of more matchups between these 2 superstars when Magic came down with HIV. They met just 13 times in regular season matchups with Jordan holding a slight edge. Magic did average 19.5 PPG and 11.3 APG in head-to-head games with Jordan from 1984 through 1996.

These 2 NBA icons only met once in the NBA playoffs and it was on the grandest stage of them all in the 1991 NBA Finals. It was Michael Jordan’s first trip to the Finals and Magic was seeking his 6th NBA championship. Jordan not only took over offensively scoring 31.2 PPG and dishing out 11.4 APG, but he also drew the primary defensive assignment on Magic. The plan worked as Jordan and the Bulls cruised to their first title in 5 games and Jordan was named Finals MVP for his spectacular performance.

Sidney Moncrief – 26 Games, 16-10 (61.5%)

Regular Season: 31.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.9 APG, 2.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 52.7 FG%, 15.8 3-PT%, 15-7

Playoffs: 29.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 8.5 APG, 2.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 43.6 FG%, 12.5 3-PT%, 1-3

Sidney Moncrief doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves for his play during the 80s and 90s with the Milwaukee Bucks. Moncrief won the first 2 Defensive Player of the Year awards in existence. During the regular season from 1984 through 1911, Moncrief and Jordan met 22 times with Jordan’s Bulls winning a resounding 15 games. Moncrief struggled in these games against Jordan in these matchups averaging just 14.6 PPG on 48.2% shooting.

The Bucks and Bulls did see a matchup in the NBA playoffs once in 1985. The matchup of premier shooting guards went in Milwaukee’s favor with a huge series from Moncrief. In the 3-1 series victory, Moncrief averaged 26.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 4.8 APG to propel the Bucks to victory. Moncrief was never able to deliver an NBA title to Milwaukee but at least he has bragging rights over Jordan in the playoffs.

Dominique Wilkins – 48 Games, 30-18 (62.5%)

Regular Season: 31.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 6.2 APG, 2.6 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 52.0 FG%, 35.7 3-PT%, 27-18

Playoffs: 34.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.7 BPG, 52.6 FG%, 46.2 3-PT%, 3-0

Not only did Dominique soiree off in NBA Slam Dunk contests, but they also went at it quite a bit in regular season action. 45 of their 48 matchups came in the regular season with Jordan and the Bulls winning 27 of those games. Wilkins was always a prolific scorer and if anyone was going to go toe-to-toe with Jordan on that end of the floor, it was him. In 45 games in the regular season, Wilkins averaged 29.8 PPG and 6.8 RPG on 47.8% shooting.

Even though they both spent most of their careers in the Eastern Conference, Wilkins and Jordan only met once in the NBA playoffs. In the first round of the 1993 playoffs, Jordan’s Bulls swept the Hawks behind 34.3 PPG from MJ. Wilkins went neck and neck with him in the series, averaging 30.0 PPG and 5.3 RPG in over 37.0 minutes of play. Jordan and the Bulls would go on to win their 3rd straight NBA championship over the Suns in the Finals.

Chris Webber – 11 Games, 7-4 (63.6%)

Regular Season: 27.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 44.3 FG%, 21.4 3-PT%, 4-4

Playoffs: 37.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 57.1 FG%, 12.5 3-PT%, 3-0

Both as a college player and in the NBA, Chris Webber remains one of the more underrated power forwards in history. He could run the floor and pass the ball like a guard. He could shoot and knock down mid-range shots at a high rate and he was a powerful finisher in the paint. Webber and Jordan met just 8 times in the regular season during their careers and split the matchups 4 games apiece.

Webber is another NBA legend that Jordan saw just once in the NBA playoffs. In the first round of the 1997 playoffs, Michael Jordan and the Bulls had a date with Chris Webber and the Washington Bullets. Jordan and the Bulls swept the Bullets in emphatic fashion as Jordan averaged 37.3 PPG on 57.1% shooting. Webber averaged just 15.7 PPG for the series even though he shot the ball over 60.0% from the field.

Reggie Miller – 56 Games, 36-20 (64.3%)

Regular Season: 29.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.4 APG, 2.6 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 47.6 FG%, 32.2 3-PT%, 32-17

Playoffs: 31.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 46.7 FG%, 40.0 3-PT%, 4-3

The heated rivalry between Reggie Miller and Michael Jordan is well-documents. As Eastern Conference rivals, these 2 battled it out 45 times in the regular season but faced off in just one playoff series. The two star-shooting guards have even come to blows over their rivalry with Reggie playing instigator as he always did. Jordan had the final say across the board in the matchups though, winning over 64.0% of the games between them.

The one time that the Indiana Pacers led by Miller faced off against Jordan in the playoffs was during the 1998 Last Dance season. Miller and the Pacers were poised to finally get over the hump and get to an NBA Finals for the first time during Miller’s tenure. They pushed the Bulls to 7 games in the Eastern Conference Finals but fell just shy in Game 7. Jordan sealed the series in Game 7 with a 28-point performance and a 88-83 victory.

Chris Mullin – 28 Games, 18-10 (64.3%)

Regular Season: 30.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 50.8 FG%, 39.7 3-PT%, 14-7

Playoffs: 31.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 46.7 FG%, 40.0 3-PT%, 4-3

Another underrated small forward of the 1990s was Chris Mullin of the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers. During his career, Mullin was a 5-time All-Star and a 4-time All-NBA Team selection. At his peak, Mullin was a consistent 25.0 PPG scorer and deadly shooter from the outside. Jordan and Mullin squared off 21 times during the regular season with Jordan winning 14 games and Mullin averaging 18.2 PPG.

Mullin was also a part of the 1998 Pacers team that pushed the Bulls to the brink of elimination. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Mullinstarted all 7 games for the Pacers and averaged just 6.4 PPG. It was a different story for Jordan who averaged 31.4 PPG and led the Bulls to victory. Jordan went on to win his 6th NBA championship while Mullin was never fortunate enough to claim even one.

Penny Hardaway – 21 Games, 14-7 (66.7%)

Regular Season: 26.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 43.2 FG%, 45.7 3-PT%, 8-3

Playoffs: 30.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 49.1 FG%, 41.7 3-PT%, 6-4

Penny Hardaway was supposed to be one of the next great stars after Michael Jordan was set to leave the league in 1998. However, injuries derailed those thoughts as Penny was never the same after suffering knee and foot issues. Hardaway held his own in the regular season against Jordan’s Bulls with a 20.1 PPG average to go with 3.4 APG. Jordan averaged over 26.5 PPG and claimed 8 victories while suffering just 3 losses.

Jordan and Penny met twice in their careers during the postseason with 2 completely different outcomes. In 1995, Jordan was coming off of a year-and-a-half hiatus, playing just 17 regular season games that year. Penny and the Magic defeated the Bulls in 6 games to advance to the NBA Finals. The following season, Jordan and the Bulls won 72 games. They once again met the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. Hardaway was coming off an MVP-caliber season but was no match for Chicago as the Bulls steamrolled Orlando in a 4-game sweep behind 30.4 PPG from Jordan.

Paul Pierce – 6 Games, 4-2 (66.7%)

Regular Season: 22.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 4.7 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 42.6 FG%, 28.6 3-PT%, 4-2

Playoffs: None

There is only a faint sample size of the matchup between Michael Jordan and Paul Pierce with Jordan holding a 4-2 advantage in career matchups. Had Pierce been in Jordan’s era during his prime, he may have fallen victim to Jordan’s ridiculous postseason play and never have won an NBA championship. Pierce did get his title in 2008 with the Celtics and claimed a Finals MVP award in the process.

These 2 players met just 6 times in their career and they all came in the regular season. Pierce made all 6 starts and held his own against Jordan and the Wizards with 22.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.2 APG, and 1.8 SPG. He went toe-to-toe with Jordan with no fear but Pierce’s Celtics are one of the rare teams Jordan owned during his Wizards days. Even in older age, Jordan was ready to battle the game’s rising stars valiantly.

Gary Payton – 21 Games, 14-7 (66.7%)

Regular Season: 30.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 47.0 FG%, 16.7 3-PT%, 10-5

Playoffs: 27.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 41.5 FG%, 31.6 3-PT%, 4-2

No matter the circumstance, Michael Jordan kicked into another gear when he went up against Gary Payton and the Seattle SuperSonics. You had to be that way with the way Payton would almost drag the competitor out of his opponent. Payton was a trash-talker and a fierce defender who back down from no challenge and feared no man. This didn’t stop Jordan from grabbing a 10-5 career regular season record against Payton, and it certainly wasn’t easy.

In the NBA playoffs, these 2 competitive personalities clashed just once in the 1996 NBA Finals. In the Finals, Payton did a tremendous job defensively on Jordan coming off a season that saw him win the Defensive Player of the Year award. In the end, it was Jordan and the Bulls winning the Finals in 6 games, completing a historic season that saw them win 72 games. Payton averaged 18.0 PPG and 7.0 APG in the Finals but his efforts came up short.

Alonzo Mourning – 32 Games, 22-10 (68.8%)

Regular Season: 31.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 47.6 FG%, 38.8 3-PT%, 12-8

Playoffs: 30.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 44.9 FG%, 34.1 3-PT%, 10-2

During the late 1990s, there weren’t many defensive big men as good as Alonzo Mourning was. Mourning was a 7-time All-Star and a 2-time Winner of the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award during his career. He helped to put the Miami Heat on the map as an expansion franchise after years of struggling to gain relevancy. Mourning and the Hornets/Heat put up a fight against Jordan in the regular season, although Jordan won 12 out of 20 matchups.

In 3 straight seasons from 1995 through 1997, Jordan and the Bulls eliminated an Alonzo Mourning-led team from the playoffs. They stopped the Hornets in 1995 in a 4-game sweep. In 1996, Jordan and the Bulls eliminated the Miami Heat in a 3-game sweep, and again in 1997 in 5 games. Overall, Jordan defeated Mourning 10 out of 12 games in the NBA playoffs from 1995 through 1997.

Dikembe Mutombo – 23 Games, 16-7 (69.6%)

Regular Season: 31.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 49.9 FG%, 41.0 3-PT%, 12-6

Playoffs: 26.6 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 45.4 FG%, 11.8 3-PT%, 4-1

The rivalry between Michael Jordan and Dikembe Mutombo can be traced back to the viral video of Mutombo telling Jordan that he never dunked on him. Jordan famously did weeks later and wagged his finger in Mutombo’s face as an homage to the big man. Mutombo is one of the greatest defensive centers in NBA history. He won 4 Defensive Player of the Year awards during his 18 seasons.

In the regular season, Jordan took 12 out of 18 contests with Mutombo no matter if he was with the Nuggets, Hawks, or 76ers. In the NBA playoffs, these 2 stars met just one time during the 1997 playoffs. It was the Eastern Conference Semifinals and Mutombo’s Hawks were set to face Jordan’s Bulls. Mutombo helped his own with 12.6 PPG, 11.8 RPG, and 2.6 BPG but it wasn’t enough to stop Jordan and the Bulls’ onslaught. The Bulls won in 5 games and went on to win their 5th NBA championship.

Patrick Ewing – 70 Games, 49-21 (70.0%)

Regular Season: 32.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 49.2 FG%, 37.2 3-PT%, 30-13

Playoffs: 33.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 47.0 FG%, 34.2 3-PT%, 19-8

Perhaps the biggest victim of Michael Jordan’s dominance during the 90s was Patrick Ewing. Jordan and Ewing were the best of friends off the court yet fierce and bitter rivals between the lines. Ewing and the Knicks were poised to win multiple championships during the 90s but Jordan had other plans and left New York stuck in its tracks on too many occasions to count.

Out of 43 games during the regular season, Jordan obliterated Ewing’s Knicks in 30 out of 43 contests. Ewing was still a 22.0 PPG and 10.5 RPG defensive monster during this time but Jordan at his peak was unbeatable. Ewing and Jordan also matched up 23 times in the NBA playoffs. In 5 different series’, Jordan is a perfect 5-0 against Ewing and the Knicksdespite gargantuan efforts from Ewing. Jordan claimed 19 wins in 27 games and left the Knicks in ruin in the process.

Ray Allen – 12 Games, 9-3 (75.0%)

Regular Season: 28.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 50.8 FG%, 42.9 3-PT%, 9-3

Playoffs: None

From 1996 through 2003, Ray Allen and Michael Jordan met 12 times on the NBA hardwood. Aleen is one of the best 3-point shooters in NBA history and held the total 3-pointers made record until 2022. Allen is a former All-Star and All-NBA talent whom people sometimes forget just how good he was early in his career. As a Chicago Bull, Jordan was 8-1 against Allen and the Bucks as Allen was in the very early stages of his career.

Allen and Jordan would meet again in the early 2000s when Jordan was with the Wizards. Allen went 1-1 vs. Jordan with the Bucks and lost the lone matchup he had with him as a member of Seattle in 2003. Jordan and Allen were never given a fair opportunity to cross paths. If they had, we could have been looking at one of the bigger rivalries of the 1990s.

Tim Hardaway – 28 Games, 22-6 (78.6%)

Regular Season: 32.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 4.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 50.4 FG%, 39.2 3-PT%, 15-5

Playoffs: 30.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 42.7 FG%, 25.9 3-PT%, 7-1

No matter which way you slice it, these last couple of opponents stood no chance against Michael Jordan at any point in their careers. Tim Hardaway was known for his Killer Crossover signature move and ability to score at a high level. He helped to make the Miami Heat relevant in the 90s after spending the beginning of his career with the Warriors. Hardaway met Jordan 20 times during the regular season and lost 15 of those matchups.

The playoffs are where Jordan asserted himself as the superior player. Hardaway and the Heat met Jordan in 2 different playoff series in 1996 and 1997. Jordan and the Bulls swept Miami in 3 games in the first round of the 1996 playoffs after winning 72 games in the regular season. The following year, Jordan and the Bulls defeated the Heat in 5 games in the second round of the playoffs. This gave Michael Jordan a 7-1 overall record vs. Tim Hardaway in the playoffs for his career.

Grant Hill – 15 Games, 12-3 (80.0%)

Regular Season: 26.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.8 SPG,0.5 BPG, 44.9 FG%, 27.8 3-PT%, 12-3

Playoffs: None

After coming out of Duke University in 1990s, Grant Hill was dubbed as the next “Chosen One” in the NBA and the guy who would most likely take the torch from Michael Jordan whenever he was set to retire. Hill was well on his way to that plateau as a member of the Detroit Pistons, sporting a pure all-around game that was a work of art on the court. However, Hill would suffer from multiple ankle injuries that would rob him and us of the peak of his career and any hope of obtaining Michael Jordan-esque greatness.

These 2 stars met 15 times during their careers, mostly coming when Hill was just getting started and Jordan was in the midst of his second three-peat. Hill battled and averaged 19.9 PPG,9.1 RPG, and 6.7 APG on 45.5% shooting but it was never enough to take down Jordan at his best. MJ would accumulate multiple scoring outbursts including a 53-point performance in 1996 en route to a 12-3 overall record vs. Hill for his career. 

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