In the early years of his career, Jordan simply couldn't get past Larry Bird.
During the mid-career, Jordan indeed led the Bulls to be thrashed repeatedly by the Detroit Pistons.
But when has Jordan ever been as despair-inducing as he is now?
Facing Bird, Jordan's later impressive offensive skills were already taking form.
The high scores he chalked up against the Celtics, and the content he displayed on the court, only led people to think...
Every team other than the Bulls must be cautious, for once Jordan matures, he will be unstoppable.
As for being thrashed by the Pistons time and again?
On the court, Jordan had long used his continuously evolving offensive skills and progressively perfected mid-range shots and fadeaways to make Bulls fans feel the championship drawing near, and convinced them that Windy City Chicago would eventually witness the blooming of roses.
If this were James' first professional year.
Then Cavaliers fans would not feel as desperate as they do now.
