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Bulls vs Rockets. Jordan 45pts Barkley 35 (Thrash talk game) January 18, 1998 "Charles is not Charles with his mouth shut. That's like me playing....with hair." -- Jordan. Rockets were playing without the injured Hakeem and Drexler. Pippen was playing only his 5th game after returning from his long injury. The stage was set for two old friends and they didn't disappoint. They were both 35 years old but their competitive fire was still young. Besides the great performances, there was lots of thrash talking, fun and mutual respect for one another. The only thing missing were the cracked asphalt and chain nets. Enjoy. Post game notes & quotes: ===================== CHICAGO -- They yapped, jawed and traded barbs. They crashed to the floor together after one under-the-basket collision. And after a timeout, they exchanged a lighthearted head butt. It wasn't the playground, just two highly paid NBA stars and two good friends, Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, going at one another on national TV on a Sunday afternoon at Chicago. Maybe for one of the last times. "There was a lot of trash talking today, most done by me and Charles. It just adds to the game," Jordan said after scoring 45 points and leading the Chicago Bulls past Barkley and the Houston Rockets, 106-100. "Charles is not Charles with his mouth shut," Jordan said. "That's like me playing with hair." "You may see us jawing at each other every now and then. I think the fans get an understanding of the competitiveness between us and it's not done in a nasty way. It's done with a lot of smiling," Jordan added. "We're trying to jockey for the referees' preference." Barkley, like Jordan, did more than run his mouth. He scored 35 points - 19 over his average - and had 14 rebounds but still the Rockets lost for the 10th time in 14 games. "It was old-time trash-talking," Barkley said. "These kids today think trash-talking means getting real personal and challenging your manhood. They're missing the point. It's just about trying to get to the other guy a little bit, having fun. "This was like it used to be when (Larry) Bird and Magic (Johnson) went at it. Or when Isiah (Thomas) was doing his thing with the Pistons. "I went by him once and told him, `You're an old man.' He's two days older than me. "He told me, `You got no chance today, and you never will.' It was all stuff like that." "We are tight, very tight. That was just us playing around," Barkley added. "Michael is like a brother to me. We have a great relationship, but we also love competing like cats and dogs when we play each other. He wants it badly, I want it badly. He likes to beat me, I like to beat him. I hate (bleeping) losing, I can tell you that. But our friendship is bigger than basketball and any one game, believe me. " "Me and Michael will carry on as friends forever. He's done so much for me, and I feel I've done some things to help him along the way. After we're done playing this game, we'll be golfing until the day we die." "Every time we have the opportunity to compete, we realize it may be the last," said Jordan. "We're friends, but I don't feel sorry for him. One of us has to lose and I'd rather it be him." It's the law of the playground. No breaks, no sympathy. Especially for your brother. The Rockets played without injured stars Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler and then lost guard Mario Elie with 6:54 left in the first half when he strained his left shoulder after colliding under the basket with Scottie Pippen. But every time it looked like the Bulls would run away, Houston fought back with determined play from Barkley, who made 11-of-14 field goal attempts. Barkley's intensity and aggressiveness made Dennis Rodman (no points, five rebounds in 35 minutes) ineffective, turning the NBA's leading rebounder into a pussycat with leopard-spotted hair. "Charles doesn't take any of the mess that Dennis may try to do to other players to get into their minds," Jordan said. "Actually, I think Charles tries to beat him to the punch early. In Phoenix (two years ago), he threw an elbow at Dennis and more or less held him at bay the rest of the game. Today, he threw Dennis down early. (Barkley) got a foul, but I think it set the precedent to Dennis that he's not going to manhandle (Barkley)." Four points by Othella Harrington and Emanual Davis's three-pointer highlighted an 11-2 fourth-quarter run that got the Rockets within 90-87. Jordan then hit a pair of three-pointers and Scott Burrell added another as Chicago went up 10 with just more than four minutes remaining. Jordan's 45 points marked his seventh game of at least 40 points this season. Tags: Michael Jordan Rockets Barkley 1998 Bulls Magic Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls vs. Knicks 1997. Jordan 51 pts. (Van Gundy 'Con' Game) Here's the game which was removed a while ago. If I recall correctly, this is a different broadcast than Hoops so there shouldn't be a problem. January 21, 1997 ------------------ OK, you know the story. A few days before this game, Jeff Van Gundy says in a radio interview that Jordan sometimes tries to "con" his opponents by befriending them off the court only to torch them on it. Well, Jordan sees Van Gundy's words on Chicago newspapers and... the rest is in the video. That aside, Bulls have some major problems coming into this game. Harper is injured and Rodman is suspended for kicking a cameraman. Randy Brown and Jason Caffey are the Bulls starters along with Jordan, Pippen and Longley. Here are some interesting facts about the game: * Knicks were the #1 defensive team in the NBA in 1996-97, measured by points allowed per 100 possessions. Jordan had another 50 point game this season which was against Miami Heat. Not surprisingly, Miami was the #2 defensive team that year. * In addition to scoring 58% of Bulls points, Jordan also guards Allan Houston in the entire game and totally frustrates him. Houston misses 12 of his first 13 shots. (Finishes with 5-18). * Bulls score 14 points in the 4th quarter. Jordan scores 12 of them and assists on the other two, a dunk by Caffey. * Jordan shoots 18-for-30 (60%) from the floor. The rest of the team are 16-for-46 (35%). * Jordan goes 5-for-8 from 3-point range. The other Bulls are 3-for-17 from beyond the arc. * Pippen scores 15 points on 6-15 shooting. 13 of those points come in the first quarter. * Two Bulls starters, Randy Brown and Longley, each finishes with just two points and four turnovers. * With no Rodman around, Knicks grab 21 offensive rebounds. Post game notes & quotes: ======================== CHICAGO - Jeff Van Gundy picked a fight with the biggest Bully on the NBA block. You know the line, "You don't tug on Superman's cape." Well, in this league you don't knock Michael Jordan and not expect a quick and lethal response. Last night, Jordan reacted to the New York Knick coach's comments the only way he knows how. Jordan scored 51 points - the most by an NBA player this season - including two crucial jumpers in the final 1:08, as the new-look Knicks experienced an old result, the Bulls escaping with an 88-87 victory at the United Center. Where's the rest of the world's greatest team? Dennis Rodman, suspended by the NBA, is in California chilling out. Scottie Pippen and Toni Kukoc are in the midst of shooting slumps. Ron Harper has missed five games with a sore back. And Luc Longley, Steve Kerr, Randy Brown and Jason Caffey have provided little support. So the team has become a one-man operation. "I was prepared to do whatever it took to win," said Jordan, who reached the 50-point mark for the 36th time in his career. "There were times where things were going so well everything seemed to be in slow motion. I didn't rush. I just relaxed and played." Van Gundy, in his first full season as the Knicks' coach, said recently that Jordan tries to "con" fellow NBA players into thinking he's their friend. "His way is to befriend them, soften them up, try to make them feel he cares about them," Van Gundy said. "Then he goes out there and tries to destroy them. The first step as a player is to realize that and don't go for it." The comments resurfaced in Tuesday's Chicago Tribune, where Jordan saw them. "It was probably a tactical mistake by the coach of the Knicks to attack Michael in the press. I thought he went out and played with a vendetta, a score to settle," Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. After Jordan reached the 51-point mark with a 20-foot, fade-away jumper over Allan Houston - giving the Bulls an 88-81 lead with 26.7 seconds left - he yelled at Van Gundy. "Some choice words," Jordan said of his offerings to Van Gundy. "I think he said, `Calm down, you little hockey puck' - or something like that, something to that effect. I think he was talking about the hockey all-star game." said Van Gundy, attempting to downplay the obvious significance. "Guess I didn't make any friends out there tonight," cracked Jordan. "I think those words were more geared to motivating his players. But I don't think, on the court, they have befriended me," said Jordan, who counts New York's Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley as friends. "I don't go on the court expecting to make friends. But when I leave the court, I don't take what happened on the court away from me. We're only playing a game. I don't view it as a war away from the game. If he feels like I take advantage of my friends, that's fine." Van Gundy said after the game that his comments were meant as a compliment. "He uses every weapon to his advantage - some physical, some mental. I respect that," said Van Gundy, whose team has dropped five straight regular-season games to the defending champions and lost to the Bulls in last year's playoffs. "I just say that if you fall into the trap of thinking he's your friend, he'll kill you." In besting his own 50-point performance of Nov. 6, Jordan improved his average to 31 points - 4 1/2 more than anyone else - as he goes for his ninth NBA scoring title. The league's all-time leader in points per game, Jordan was 18-of-30 from the floor, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range, and 10-of-11 from the line. The rest of the Chicago team shot 35 percent from the floor, and Jordan scored 12 of the Bulls' 14 fourth-quarter points. Chris Childs and Jordan each received a technical foul in the first half after arguing on the court. "It had a lot to do with the way Van Gundy has geared his players up to challenge me," Jordan said. "I don't have any ill feelings toward Childs." Jordan does hope to take advantage of some friends - his teammates - when the Bulls play Thursday night at Cleveland. Harper is expected to come off the injured list, and the slumps of Pippen and Kukoc can't last forever. "This team has always been able to bounce back," Jordan said. "That's what has made us great." Tags: Michael Jordan Bulls Knicks 1997 Van Gundy Chicago New York Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls @ Knicks, April 1988. Jordan 47 points April 19, 1988 78 games into the 1987-88 season, the Bulls were 48-30. They needed to win 2 out the final 4 games to reach the 50-win mark for the first time in 15 years. Scoring 47 points on 18-27 (67%) shooting, Jordan made sure they got the first one. He had various great dunks and drives along with the jumpers. This is the game in which he accidentally kicks Ewing in the head after one of his well-known alley-oops. And yes, commentary wasn't English. Enjoy. Post game notes and quotes: ========================= BULLS 121 KNICKS 118 NEW YORK -- Michael Jordan put on a magic dunking show and brilliant all-round scoring performance Tuesday night that had the local media, as well as himself, thinking MVP. He scored a game-high 47 points, including six sensational dunks, to lead the Bulls (49-30), the league's hottest team with six wins in a row, to a 121-118 victory over the Knicks before a sellout Madison Square Garden crowd of 15,591. "Do you think you should win the MVP this year?" a writer asked Jordan. "Sure," Jordan said. "I thought I played well enough to win it last year and didn't. I deserve to win it this year, too, because I'm playing even better. They've said in the past that to win MVP, you must be on a winning team and you must be a good all-round player. Well, if those are the credentials, then I believe I qualify. "Of course, that doesn't mean I'll get it. It depends upon you guys. I would like to get MVP for our fans, our team and myself. But more than anything, I want us to go all the way. And I want us to get 50 wins." Jordan has been fighting a stomach virus for the last four or five days, according to his coach Doug Collins, who simply shook his head in amazement at game's end while trying to describe Jordan's play. "He is just that rare athlete who finds a way to get himself mentally prepared for a game when he's not physically up to par," Collins said. "A mediocre player will use being sick as an excuse not to play well. Michael uses it to make himself better, to psyche himself up to a different level. It's a level a lot of people have never seen before." "I was struggling just trying to get through it," Jordan said after scoring more points than any player the Knicks have faced this season. "I felt bad before the game, but as it went on I just figured why stop now." "I don't know if there's anyone better than Jordan," New York Coach Rick Pitino said. "We tried to stop him, but he's Superman. You can't stop Superman. I don't have any Kryptonite. Several players can dominate a game, but none like him." The Bulls took control of the game with an 11-4 run in the last 3 1/2 minutes of the third quarter and took an 11-point lead going into the final period. Jordan had 12 points in the third period, but the best was yet to come. He had two straight thunder jobs in the mid-fourth. One was on an alley-oop feed from Vincent, capping a fast break and turning into a three-point play. His dunks electrified the Garden crowd that cheered him on. Jordan, hanging on the rim after Mark Jackson fouled him, swung around and added insult to injury when he accidentally kicked Knick center Patrick Ewing smack in the face. "That was the funniest thing I've seen in a while," Paxson said, "and probably the most exciting quarter of the season." On the Bulls' next possession moments later, the 6-6 Jordan drove the baseline and dunked over the seven-foot Ewing, again triggering a roar of cheers. "Jordan was unbelieveable," Collins said. "He broke their press consistently, took it right through their defense and scored." "He was simply amazing," Ewing said. "Nobody could stop him tonight." ''We needed a win and they needed a win,'' said Jordan, who shot 18 for 27 from the field. ''The challenge was there. I tried to disappoint them as much as possible. I really felt good in terms on my game. Once I'm hitting the outside jumper the way I did tonight, it makes me a more deadly player.'' The Knicks came back with a three-point play by Gerald Wilkins, a Trent Tucker layup, Ewing's short hook and another short jumper by Wilkins to get within 119-118 with 47 seconds left. It was Jordan's turn again. Everyone in the rocking arena knew he was getting the ball, and Jackson had no choice but to foul him as he drove to the basket with 12 seconds left. Jordan made both free throws for the final margin, but the Bulls still had to sweat out three final shots. Wilkins fired first from three-point range and Jordan partially blocked it. Tucker got the rebound and forced another shot that was rebounded by Ewing. Immediately, he fired out to Jackson. "The last shot felt real good leaving my hands," Jackson said, "But I kind of rushed it a little. I was real concerned about getting it off before the buzzer. But what can you do, we've won some like that, too." Tags: Michael Jordan Bulls Knicks 1988 Chicago New York Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls vs. Knicks 1988-89. Jordan 37pts/9rbs December 29, 1988 Bulls and Knicks also met in the playoffs later in the season and this game was kind of a warmup for that series. Prior to this game (25 games), Jordan was averaging 35.4 points on an absurd 55.2% shooting. He comes out very aggresive for this game, has 4 dunks, one alleyoop, and numerous great drives and layups. The game is also important because it's Pippen's only the second start in his Bulls career. With the help of some good fortune he manages to make the game-winning shot at the buzzer. There were some minor video problems at the end of the game, but the replay for Pippen's shot was fine. (no Jordan basket or move is missed). Post game notes & quotes: ========================= BULLS 108 KNICKS 106 Scottie Pippen's basket at the buzzer gave the Bulls a 108-106 victory over the New York Knicks last night in Chicago. Jordan, who finished with 37 points, provided the oppportunity for Pippen to play hero when his layup with 44 seconds left tied the score at 106-106. Patrick Ewing, who gave the Knicks the lead 15 seconds earlier on a 3-point play, tried to put his team ahead again before Jordan's basket but missed an off-balance shot. Neither Charles Oakley nor Grant could control the rebound. The Bulls gained possession when the ball went out of bounds off Oakley. Jordan had the first chance at the winner, driving through a defensive maze of Knicks for a twisting bank shot that rimmed out into Grant's hands. "I got the ball and found (Patrick) Ewing right upon me," Grant said. "He bothered my shot and I got it up off balance. It bounced off the rim right toward Scottie." ''It was a sweet shot,'' said Pippen, who also had six rebounds. ''I was looking at the clock when Horace took the shot. There were two seconds left and I knew the ball was going to come out high." "This is probably the most exciting winning shot I've ever made because this was a great, great game from start to finish. This game meant so much to us. And the shot I made was a dream shot, almost a once-in-a-lifetime shot." Jordan was as relieved as anybody. The fate of the game did not rest totally upon his shoulders for a change. The victory snapped the Bulls' two-game losing streak and left their record at 14-12. The Knicks are 18-9 and remain atop the Atlantic Division. "This was justice served because the Knicks beat us at the buzzer just like this two years ago," Jordan said. Rick Pitino was not around to see the Knicks suffer their second 2-point loss in three nights and fall to 6-8 on the road. With 7 minutes 56 seconds remaining, the Knicks' coach was ejected from the game by Ted Bernhardt, one of the 18 new officials hired when the league went to 3 referees this season. Bernhardt charged Pitino with two technical fouls about 10 seconds apart. Craig Hodges converted the two foul shots to put the Bulls ahead, 94-92. Stu Jackson, Pitino's chief assistant, took over the team. ''The first technical foul was well deserved,'' admitted Pitino. ''The second wasn't. It was the ref's first year and it was a rookie mistake on his part.'' ============================ For other Jordan games, check below. http://www.youtube.com/user/hoopsencyclopedia Tags: Michael Jordan Bulls Knicks 1989 Chicago New York Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls vs. Knicks. 1989 Playoffs Game 6. Jordan 40pts/10asts May 19, 1989 The Bulls finished the 1988-89 season with the 6th best record in the Eastern Conference. After eliminating the 2nd seeded Cavaliers in the first round, they faced the Knicks who had the 3rd best record in the conference. Jordan continued his point guard duty in this series. He averaged 35.7pts/9.5rb/8.3ast over 6 games. This includes Game 2 in which he played limited minutes mainly because of foul trouble and finished with 15pts/3asts. In the remaining 5 games he averaged 39.8pts/9.8rbs/9.4ast. Bulls were up 3-2 but since Knicks had the home court, this was a must win situation for them. Knicks were fighting for their lives and Pippen's ejection at the end of 3rd quarter made things even more difficult. Jordan finished with 40pts(14-22), 10asts, 5rbs, 2stls. More importantly, when Knicks hacked him in the last seconds he just didn't miss at the line. Still, Trent Tucker was almost stealing the game with an incredible 4-point play but Jordan came to the rescue one more time. After dealing with Jordan for 6 games, Rick Pitino said Jordan "is the best player to ever put on a uniform". Post game notes & quotes: ------------------------ Air Jordan savior again as Bulls take East semis Houston Chronicle. May 20, 1989 CHICAGO - When all else was falling apart around him, magnificent Michael Jordan put on his Superman cape and rescued the Chicago Bulls. One more time. Eight Jordan free throws without a miss in the closing 78 seconds, including the two game-winners with only four ticks left on the clock, enabled the Bulls to complete their National Basketball Association playoff upset of the New York Knicks. With a dramatic 113-111 victory in Game 6 Friday night at Chicago Stadium, the Bulls, who ranked only fifth in their strong six-team Central Division during the regular season, eliminated Atlantic Division champion New York in a best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series bitterly contested throughout. If not for Michael Jordan, however. Knick Coach Rick Pitino grimaced when Jordan went to the free throw line with four seconds remaining in the game. He had a feeling the Chicago Bulls' guard would sink the two free throws. `Michael Jordan is the best player to ever put on a uniform,' Pitino said. ``He did the same thing against Cleveland at the end when they got him the ball. We played him as well as we could." ``We were trying to pressure the ball and force them to go to someone else,'' Pitino added. ``It just didn't work.'' Jordan won this game not with one of his twisting, impossible-angle reverse hooks, not with a buzzer-beating jump shot, not by leaping high in the air to swat away an opponent's last-gasp effort - all moves that have created his current status as a young legend. Instead, he won it by calmly stepping to the free-throw line time after time, ignoring the stifling pressure and touching only net with every effort. He took two shots with 1:18 remaining and the score tied at 103. He made both. He had two more shots with 23 seconds left and Chicago ahead 107-105. He made both. He shot twice again with nine seconds remaining and the Bulls on top 109-107. He made both. That should have been enough. But when Knicks guard Trent Tucker accomplished a four-point play - yes, a four-point play, improbable as that seems - three seconds later, Superman was needed again. Tucker's remarkable play came when he shot in desperation from three-point range, made the basket and was fouled by Craig Hodges, either a horrible judgment on Hodges' part or an official's mistake. ``I didn't touch him,'' Hodges said. ``I don't think Craig touched him,'' Bulls Coach Collins agreed. ``I think Trent Tucker fell. I think it was a swan dive.'' Others thought they saw Knicks center Patrick Ewing push Hodges into Tucker. Regardless, Tucker made the free throw, the game was tied again at 111 and the Bulls seemed on the brink of losing a game that couldn't be lost. Already, they had committed one critical mistake, starting forward Scottie Pippen challenging Knicks reserve Kenny Walker to a third-quarter fight. Under NBA rules, both players automatically were ejected. At the time, Pippen had 19 points, Walker zero. ``And it hurt us badly because I had to go to a small lineup,'' Collins said. ``Otherwise, we didn't have enough quickness to stay with them.'' "We missed Scottie tremendously both offensively and defensively," Jordan said. "That meant I had to play a little bit at small forward. That created a mismatch at the other two guards - with (Gerald) Wilkins being guarded by (John) Paxson and Craig Hodges. "That meant I had to go to the boards more and we all had to pick the slack for Scottie Pippen. "And I think everybody made a conscious effort to make up for the loss. We felt we still could win and we went out and executed that." And though the Bulls battled gamely to protect what was a 10-point lead, Jordan said, ``We lost our poise on offense. We didn't take care of the basketball. We didn't execute.'' And here they were, four seconds from the end of regulation time, having lost all their lead. Even Superman conceded, ``When they made that four-point play, I thought, `Maybe it wasn't meant for us to win tonight.''' But Jordan wouldn't let the Bulls lose. He accepted the basketball one last time, started up court, dribbled once, twice and was fouled again. ``I was a little nervous at the line,'' he said later, a characteristic Jordan hid well at the time. ``But I had great rhythm on my shot all night. And I had great concentration.'' He sank both shots, his 39th and 40th points. And when Johnny Newman missed a three-point effort at the buzzer for New York, Chicago was ensured a date with Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals beginning Sunday at Auburn Hills, Mich. ``I'm elated,'' said Jordan, who has never before reached this level of playoff competition. ``I may not show my elation, though, because I'm still shocked, still nervous.'' Jordan finished the series with a 35.7-points-per-game scoring average, and in the final four games he tallied 40, 47, 38 and 40 points. Down the stretch this game, he showed, too, yet another dimension of his all-around brilliance. ``With Scottie Pippen out, and three guards in our lineup, I put Michael on Mark Jackson, their point guard, defensively in the final minutes,'' Collins said. ``I felt Jackson would be the man trying to make the big plays. And I wanted Michael guarding him.'' And Jordan handled the task admirably. Jackson, who had sparkled earlier, did finish with 22 points. So did teammates Patrick Ewing and Wilkins. And in a must-win game on the road, the Knicks made 52.8 percent of their shots, outrebounded Chicago 32-27 and could easily have won. Except for Jordan. He was 14 for 22 from the floor. He sparked the Bulls to a 32-31 first-quarter lead, then when they fell eight points in arrears in the second period, he led them back to within 61-59 at halftime. During one third-quarter stretch, Jordan scored seven of 12 Chicago points and assisted on the other five. =============== (commentary wasn't English) Tags: Michael Jordan Knicks Chicago Bulls 1989 Playoffs Magic Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls @ Lakers - March 1989. PG Jordan 16 assists March 21, 1989 Doug Collins decided to move Jordan to the point guard spot against Seattle on March 11, 1989. He finished that game with 15 assists. Two days later, he had a game of 21/14/14 against the Pacers in just 30 minutes of playing time in a 32-point blowout win. He reached the triple double mark in just 21 minutes. Jordan continued to play at the PG spot until the end of the season. In these 24 games he averaged 29.3ppg, 8.9rpg, 10.6 apg, 2.4spg. Between March 24 and April 14, 1989, he recorded a triple double in ten of the eleven games, including seven consecutive ones. In the game he didn't record a TD, he finished with 40 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds. In this game, he has 16 assists against the Lakers and ties his career-high which was set in his rookie year. (Three days later, on March 24, he had 17 assists at Portland which remained as his highest.) In the first 3 quarters of this game he rarely shoots the ball and feeds his teammates. In the 4th, he scores 12 points and leads the Bulls to the victory. I've included a good article about his PG days after the game notes. Post game notes & quotes ==================== INGLEWOOD, CA -- If there wasn't already enough excitement with Michael Jordan in town, the Bulls wrote their own Hollywood ending Tuesday evening at The Forum. The Bulls held Los Angeles without a field goal for 5:22 of the fourth quarter and then had to withstand a furious comeback attempt by the defending NBA champions en route to a 104-103 victory before a sellout crowd of 17,505. Michael Jordan's two free throws with 48 seconds remaining proved to be the winning points for the Bulls (38-26), who evened their record at 1-1 on their five-game road trip following last Saturday's loss at Indiana. The Bulls victory, coupled with Atlanta's loss to Detoit, leaves them tied with the Hawks for fourth place overall in the Eastern Division. The Lakers (45-20) had several chances to avoid their second straight loss at home and fifth overall following Jordan's free throws. But Magic Johnson, the league's second-best free throw shooter, missed one of two attempts with 37 seconds left and following a missed shot by Craig Hodges, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook attempt was short with one second left. Riley's first option was Worthy, but he wasn't open, so Magic and Abdul-Jabbar worked Jordan and Cartwright on the right of the lane. With the clock winding down, Abdul-Jabbar got the ball, but Cartwright had shoved him about three feet farther out than the Lakers' center would have liked. His 18-foot sky hook bounded away. "I did get him a little more away from the basket, but he has made that shot a million times over the years," Cartwright said. "Considering that he missed the shot, I'd say I played good defense." Abdul-Jabbar said his final shot "felt pretty good. I was out far -- I got pushed out that far. I didn't have time to get better position." "The game . . . this was a great win for us tonight," Bulls coach Doug Collins said. "Because we start such an unbelievable road trip. The defense in the second half was superb. This was the first time we have beaten a good club on the road in a long time. That is why this is such a big win for us." Starting his sixth game as point guard -- the Bulls are 4-2 in those games -- Michael Jordan had 10 first-half assists and wound up tying his career high with 16. The Bulls star had double figures in assists in five of six games as the point guard. "Jordan had an excellent game," said Chicago coach Doug Collins. "People don't realize how good his defense is. He makes everyone around him play better." "I am totally mystified with our fourth quarters," Lakers coach Pat Riley said. "A pattern is developing that I don't like. We're just not getting the job done." ======================= ======================= Bulls' Jordan Makes a New Point by Gerry Fraley Atlanta Journal and Constitution. April 9, 1989 Michael Jordan now plays point guard, which means the Chicago Bulls give the ball more often to the NBA's most productive offensive player. How does that strike the rest of the NBA? "I don't like it," Atlanta Hawks guard Doc Rivers said. "I think it's terrible. It's not fair." "He was a nightmare already," Hawks coach Mike Fratello said. "Now, he gets the ball even more." "Everybody wonders why they didn't do it before," Golden State coach Don Nelson said. Chicago general manager Jerry Krause found some humor in his team's switch of Jordan from the shooting guard position. "It's like the old joke about the 2,000-pound gorilla," Krause said. "Where does he sleep? Anywhere he wants. Great players can play different positions." No other NBA player has made a change of more league-altering significance. Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson played center against Philadelphia in the 1980 NBA Finals, but that lasted only one game. In just 16 games at point guard, Jordan has gone from the league's leading scorer the last two seasons to being lumped with Johnson, John Stockton of Utah and Isiah Thomas of Detroit as the elite among NBA point guards. Jordan may already be the best of the group. Entering today's 12:35 p.m. game against the Hawks at The Omni, Jordan has seven triple-doubles (double-figure totals in scoring, rebounding and assists) in the last eight games. His streak of seven consecutive triple-doubles ended Friday in a 114-112 overtime loss to Detroit in which Jordan finished with 40 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Before Jordan's run, the most consecutive triple-doubles in the league this season was two, by Johnson and Portland's Clyde Drexler. Since Oscar Robertson, who averaged double-figure totals in each category over a full season for his first six years in the league, Johnson has the most triple-doubles in a season with 18. Jordan already has 11 triple-doubles while learning the new position. "Everybody has to watch him with the ball," Drexler said. "The other guys are free to roam, and their shooting percentages are going to soar. I think (Jordan) handles the ball better than Magic. (Jordan) just makes everybody else better. When he gets used to that position . . . " The significance of the move can be better measured by the tremors it has sent through the league. Many things have changed. Jordan has changed the Bulls. They are 11-5 since the switch and have created a three-way race with the Hawks and Milwaukee for the fourth playoff spot - and homecourt advantage in the first round - in the Eastern Conference. Jordan has changed the playoff outlook. In four seasons with him at shooting guard, the Bulls are 5-15 in the playoffs and have advanced past the first round just once. They wilted at playoff time because of too much reliance on Jordan and limited contributions elsewhere. Having Jordan as a point guard "certainly makes them a better team," Knicks coach Rick Pitino said. In the playoffs, when the point guard takes pre-eminence, there is "no doubt about them being a force," Pitino said. The move was born of frustration. "It's a challenge, and that basically is what Michael Jordan is all about," Jordan said. "I've been bothered for some time about the Bulls being a one-dimensional team, a Michael Jordan team. The thing I've been harping about all year has come true. The other guys are getting into the game. They now believe in themselves, and that's what we needed. "For the most part, I'm starting to like it. I never dreamed I'd play that position - me, a lifelong (shooting) guard. But it helps. I can call my own plays and get everyone else involved in the offense." The passive reactions of teammates triggered the change. In each of the last two seasons, Jordan outscored the Bulls' second-leading scorer by an average of 22.6 points. Only one other player in NBA history, Wilt Chamberlain, had a greater margin over his team's runner-up in scoring. Given the Bulls' obvious dependence on Jordan, opponents designed defenses to wear him down. The muggings were pronounced in the fourth quarter, when the Bulls' offense was designed to get the ball to Jordan and get out of the way. Playing one-on-five too often, the Bulls languished in fifth place, and Jordan chafed under the growing label of scorer but not winner. Jordan, whose unhappiness at a lack of help in the offense was well known, buckled under the demands. On March 8, his consecutive-game streak ended at 235 because of a pulled groin muscle. Jordan's psyche was of more concern to the Bulls. The next day, coach Doug Collins met with a depressed Jordan for two hours to hash out the situation. The resolution: Jordan would change to point guard to replace the injured Sam Vincent. The purpose: Jordan would become the creator and therefore force the rest of the team to become more involved on offense. The benefit: The Bulls' best player would handle the ball more often but be spared some of the dirty work that was wearing him down. Jordan tried point guard briefly in the exhibition season but did not like it. This time, frustration moved him to accept a major change. "Doug, in talking with Michael and the staff, thought this was the right time to fool with it," Krause said. "The move has definitely helped us in many, many ways. It's gotten Michael into more of a leadership position, which we talked about with him for a long time. It's hard to lead when you're a (shooting) guard. When you're the (point) guard, leadership is easier. "Michael gets a big kick out of getting our players more involved. He likes the position now, and that's a big factor. He's enjoying himself and having a lot more fun." The fun comes from having less pain. For shooting guards, the body goes first because of the hammering that goes with the position. At 6- feet-6 and 195 pounds, the slender Jordan is under-equipped for that part of the game. The physical demands combined with a league-leading total in minutes last season and this season were draining Jordan. For point guards, the legs are more important than the body. Jordan "can run all day," Rivers said, and it is much harder to hit a moving target in the open court. Less physical pounding leaves Jordan fresher at the end, when the Bulls still ask him to do much. The difference now is Jordan has more energy for the final charge. "The beauty of Michael Jordan at point guard is he can walk through the whole game and save himself for the fourth quarter," Nelson said. "Then, he can turn it on or wait on any one point when he feels it's necessary." Jordan has brought young forwards Horace Grant, who complained in February about not getting enough shots, and Scottie Pippen into the offense. With Jordan at point guard, Grant has averaged 11.5 shots and 14.7 points per game while Pippen has averaged 14.5 shots and 19.8 points per game. In the previous alignment, Grant averaged 9.3 shots and 11.5 points and Pippen averaged 12 shots and 13 points. "So many people key on Michael that you're usually going to have one or two guys open all the time," Hawks forward Dominique Wilkins said. "It makes them that much more effective. It depends on how the other players respond to it, and they've responded very well." Jordan's response was also vital to the change. While a shooting guard, he had proven he could perform the essentials of point-guard play: passing, defense and sound judgment. The uncertainty was how Jordan would handle a small decrease in scoring chances. He still leads the league in scoring, but his average has dropped from 34.2 at the All-Star break to 32.3. Jordan has also taken about four fewer shots a game. "What he's done is an incredible sacrifice," said Rivers, who plays both guard spots. "He was already carrying the team. To sacrifice shots and points, I've never seen a sacrifice like that. It's just incredible. That tells you how much he wants to win. He doesn't care who does it. He just wants to win." =========================== Tags: Michael Jordan Lakers Chicago Bulls 1989 Magic Pippen Dominique Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls @ Knicks - 1995. Jordan's 55 point comeback March 28, 1995 Well, everybody knows this game. And I know there are other shorter versions of this game which are also excellent. Considering the circumstances, it is an extraordinary game even for Jordan's standards. Also, it's the game in which he declared he's "really" back. So I wanted to make another version with more replays, more context, a post-game interview with Jordan, quotes, articles and so on. Since almost everything has already been said about this game, I'll just point out a couple of quick things. First off, it should be mentioned that Riley's 94-95 Knicks was the #1 defensive team in the NBA, measured by points allowed per possession. The only player who was able to score 40 or more points against the Knicks that season was young Shaq (41). Other than him, only 3 players managed to score 30 or more points at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks in the entire regular season. And here comes a guy who hasn't played basketball for 18 months, scores 55 points on 21-37 shooting (57%) in just his fifth game, commits only two turnovers, and dishes out the game winning assist. Just too good to be true by any standards. One other thing is that there's a crucial play towards the end of this game which is not included in most of the highlights. Jordan is about to sink another jumper over Starks 1:20 to go in the game. Ewing comes out to double and manages to block the shot with his fingertips. It's very important because after the game Jordan said that play was on the back of his mind and as soon as he saw Ewing coming out to double him in the last play, he knew his man would be wide open. Knowing that provides more context for the final assist and makes it even more special. Post game notes & quotes: ===================== NEW YORK -- Message delivered. Message accepted. Michael Jordan, in only the fifth game of his comeback, used the NBA's biggest stage to offer some irrefutable evidence that he still is the game's best - hands down, no doubt about it. It was a game for the ages. It was a game that at least 100,000 people will probably swear they saw at Madison Square Garden. In the end, it was Jordan who made a remarkable play that gave the Chicago Bulls a victory. Jordan's pass to Bill Wennington for an uncontested dunk with 3.1 seconds to play on Tuesday night lifted the Bulls over the Knicks, 113-111. Jordan scored 55 points on 21-for-37 shooting, but it was his pass that won it. The 55 points also established a new high for points scored in an NBA game this season. The previous high was 53 points by Willie Burton, but Jordan needed only four games and eight practices to beat that total. Some statement, huh? "I just let my game go, let my game come to me," he said. "I forgot how to make a statement." Yeah, right. "It was a statement that Michael Jordan is back to play basketball," said Bulls coach Phil Jackson. "That's one thing we can count on." With the score tied, 111-111, and the final 10 seconds ticking away, Jordan drove into the lane against John Starks, drew New York's defense to him, then spotted Wennington alone underneath the basket. Wennington caught the bullet pass and stuffed the ball through the net. Jordan said he was thinking shoot-first, but couldn't because of the Starks-Ewing double-team. "In the huddle," Bulls guard Steve Kerr said, "we decided to clear out and let Michael go. We put four shooters on the floor in case they tried to double-team Michael. Michael made his move, Ewing double-teamed and he threw it down to Bill. When he caught it, it didn't take a shooter to make that one." "On the play before, I seemed to have Starks beat, Patrick came in to help and made the play," Jordan said. "I knew that. But I'd be lying if I said I came out to pass the ball. I came out to score. This time when Patrick came, I was able to make the pass and he was open." The Knicks still had one last chance to answer, but it slipped away. Anthony Mason inbounded at midcourt to Starks, but as he went to make a spin move around Jordan, Starks slipped and lost control of the ball. It trickled beyond midcourt, and when Starks retrieved it he was called for a backcourt violation with 1.3 seconds to play. "A lot of times when we came in here, I wanted to go out and do well and I was too enthusiastic and I was tense," Jordan said. "This time, I had low expectations for myself." "I knew I wasn't that far away. As much as I practiced, I needed to play games. I guess it took four games to get a rhythm down." It was almost as if Bulls picked up where they left off during the 1993 playoffs, the last time the Knicks had played against Jordan. Patrick Ewing (36 points) carried the Knicks down the stretch and almost carried them back, but just like he has done so many times, Jordan found a way. All the Knicks could do afterward was shake their heads and regroup. None of them was surprised by Jordan's heroics. "That's Michael Jordan. That's why he's the best," Starks said. "I tried. I tried to throw everything I had at him. It was a matter of time before he played one of those games like you just weren't there." Ewing, who had stepped away from Wennington and toward the ball on the winning play, had little to say after the game. Little except praise for Jordan. "He's a great player _ the best in the game. And he proved it tonight," Ewing said. Said Charles Oakley, "Everybody who played against Michael knows what he can do. Nothing's changed." Charles Smith lamented the fact that Jordan, who has now played five games since coming out of retirement, waited until the Knicks game to look like his former superstar self. "Now, he decides to play well?" Smith said. "I think it's all a joke that he's not playing well and he comes to the Garden and drops 50. He carried the whole team." The game was the hottest ticket in town since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals last year. Seats were said to be selling for as much as $1,500. Fans came carrying posters welcoming back Knicks forward Anthony Mason, playing his first game at the Garden since a five-game suspension. But there were plenty of No. 45 Jordan jerseys in the crowd, too, and Jordan drew gasp after gasp once he began raining down jumpers. "It's been a far bigger event than I wanted it to be," Jordan said. "It's been absurd, to an extent. It's almost embarrassing. I mean, I've been treated great, but. . . ." He's been treated as a god. His comeback has been bigger than Elvis', bigger than almost anyone's. "No, I'm not surprised," said Coach Pat Riley, looking out at the hundreds of media members during his post-game news conference. "That's why all of you are here. Some players simply transcend every aspect of the game. No one in the history of this game has had the impact that he has had. He got it started the other night against Atlanta, sort of building up to New York." ==================== ==================== MAD ABOUT MICHAEL // Chicago fans `figure best is yet to come' by Greg Boeck, March 30, 1995. USA TODAY His comeback is only five games and 12 days old, but Michael Jordan already has outdone the original. Yes, the shaved head and wagging tongue are familiar. But "Michael Madness" has lured media from Japan and Australia, put Jordan jerseys on the backs of rival Indiana fans, sparked unheard-of applause from normally cold-shouldered Boston fans, produced a rare sellout in Atlanta and paralyzed Chicago since his NBA return on March 19. Still, who would have expected Jordan's 55-point performance for the Chicago Bulls against the New York Knicks Tuesday - the most by a player in a game this season? Everybody's talking about Jordan: From corporate board rooms to mailrooms, from posh New York eateries like the "21" Club to pizza parlors, from the streets to the subways he was Topic A in New York Wednesday. "He's very charismatic, very positive," says Dee Patton, a systems analyst who bet a New York bagel on the Knicks. "Everyone's happy to see him doing well. It's wonderful to see someone excel to that degree." Adds Courtney Callahan, a free-lance writer: "He's the antithesis of O.J. And maybe that's what people like most - they want a sports hero to come out like a gentleman." They also like the way he shoots, hustles, passes and brings energy and graceful sportsmanship back to the game. "Jordan is unbelievable. He's the best ever," says John Tabert, an electrician from Old Ridge, N.J. In Chicago, where the Bulls play Boston tonight and Philadelphia Saturday, radio station WMAQ asked listeners Wednesday to vote on whether Jordan "should be proclaimed King of the World." Results: 41% said yes. The world is watching. Steven Tick, of Los Angeles-based Murray's Tickets, says the broker has had inquiries about tickets to Bulls games "from everywhere: Vienna, Sweden, Australia." The cost: starting at $200. "People love a comeback," says Tick. Jordan is so hot that tickets to Tuesday's game were said to be fetching up to $1,500 outside Madison Square Garden. And courtside seats were dotted with awestruck celebrities. The Bulls' five remaining road games - New Jersey (April 5), Cleveland (April 9), Detroit (April 12), Miami (April 17) and Milwaukee (April 23) - are sold out. But that doesn't stop fans from calling or stopping by ticket offices searching for admittance. Bruce Trout, the Detroit Pistons' box office manager, says his office gets 50 to 75 calls a day about tickets. People are watching even if they can't get in the arenas. The Bulls-Knicks telecast on Turner Sports was watched in an estimated 3.2 million homes, the most for any regular-season game in Turner's 11-year association with the NBA. Even teammates are caught up in Michaelmania. "We have Superman on our team," says Bulls guard Steve Kerr. It's all taken Jordan by surprise. "This is far bigger an event than I wanted it to be," Jordan says. "Initially it's fun; you feel wanted; you feel respect. Then it became absurd, a little embarrassing for me." The Knicks' John Starks might have felt embarrassed himself, trying to guard Jordan. But he's realistic: "That's Michael Jordan. That's why he's the best. I tried to throw everything I had at him. It was a matter of time before he played one of those games like you're just not there." Jordan clearly felt relieved. Tuesday's game came on the heels of Saturday's 32-point game in Atlanta, where he nailed the game-winning shot. Until then, he had made more news off the court than on the floor - where he looked rusty, at times out of sync with his teammates and often tired. "It's a statement that Michael is back to play basketball," says Bulls coach Phil Jackson of the 55 points. "Statement?" asks Jordan. "I forgot how to make a statement. I'm just trying to get myself back in a rhythm and not chase the game. I guess it took four games to get the rhythm down. I was nervous it'd take longer." For fans, Tuesday's effort comes as a vindication. "We have people here who don't really prefer Michael Jordan," says Rochelle Randall, who works at the Chicago Title and Trust accounting firm. "They think he is arrogant for thinking he could go and play baseball and then come back and play basketball when he wants to. But he backed up his talent with his 55 points." Says fellow accountant Maxine Towers: "Awesome, awesome, awesome. Now, those people are saying, `OK, OK, OK.' " And they pray for more. Andre Spaulding says customers at the candy shop he manages in Chicago's State of Illinois building were abuzz about the future. "It set a very nice tone for the playoffs," he says. "They said he hadn't lost his step. They figure the best is yet to come. Nobody would be surprised now by a 62-, 63-point game." For fans of other teams, that's not an appetizing thought. Patrick Ward, a public relations executive in New York, is concerned if the Bulls meet the Knicks in the playoffs. "He's going to psyche them," says Ward. The Knicks could fall "to the Michael mystique." Personal loyalties are almost secondary, however. "It's nice to see finesse back after watching all these arrogant young guys trying to make up for the talent they lack," says Charles Bollerman, of Flushing, N.Y. While Jordan is uncomfortable with all the hoopla surrounding his return, he's enjoying the hoops. He shoots on off days and is getting to know his new teammates - seven weren't part of Jordan's three title teams - with one-on-one games. "He looks like he's really in the mix," says coach Jackson. "I missed the challenge," said Jordan. "I have a renewed appreciation for getting back to the level I was at. I'm not afraid of the work it'll take. "I knew I could still do it; but when, I couldn't say. . . . I'm starting to get the hang of this," Jordan says, grinning. So, is a repeat performance in store tonight? "I don't know. That's the fun thing about it," says Jordan. "You don't know what I might do." ===================== Tags: Michael Jordan Bulls Knicks 1995 Chicago New York Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls vs. Pistons 1984-85 - Rookie Jordan saves the day March 12, 1985 64 games into the 1984-85 season, Bulls are 30-34. Prior to this game, they lose two straight and this game becomes a must win as every game is crucial to earn a playoff spot. It's a heated game from the start with some hard fouls throughout the first 3 quarters. Then the brawl at the start of the 4th makes the game even more intense. Rookie Jordan comes to the rescue by scoring 14 of his 32 points in the final quarter, including 4 straight clutch free throws when the game is on the line. Bulls snatch the win in a nail-biting finish. Among other things, Jordan tries three no look passes in this game. The first one is unsuccessful, but he doesn't get discouraged as both of his next tries are good. Finishes with 32/8/4. There was no official record for steals but I saw at least 4 some of which are in the video. Kevin Loughery gives permission to broadcast one of his final timeouts and I thought it would be good to include that. Also included Jordan's last free throws unedited. (And yes, I included all Jordan replays that were available in the broadcast.) A couple of things to mention: Broadcasters had technical problems at the start of the game and missed game's first two baskets. Unfortunately, both of them were by Jordan (one dunk, one 18 footer). At halftime, they show the dunk. So, we miss only the 18 footer. They somewhat miss another Jordan basket when they are showing the replays of the brawl. (not replayed) There were minor sound problems with the tape, most noticeable between 7:12 and 7:45. Just turn up the volume and you should be able to hear. It comes back to normal after a while. This was also the night when Bird scored his career-high 60 points against the Hawks. All the articles that I could find focused on that game. Thus, no detailed post-game notes were available for this one. Sorry about that. Tags: Michael Jordan Pistons Bulls 1984 1985 Rookie Magic Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls vs. Heat - 1992 Playoffs Game 2 April 26, 1992 1992 Heat was no match for Jordan and the Bulls, so MJ looks for ways to have some fun. Schools Glen Rice, Grant Long and others, jokes with Steve Smith and even demonstrates the Ali shuffle. This is a great game to show how he can switch between different modes at will. After his 46/11/9 Game 1 performance, MJ wants to involve the others on the offensive end and dominate the game with his rebounding and passing. After a half in which he takes limited shots he has 17pts/8rbs/5asts/3stls. In the 3rd quarter he switches to the scoring mode and pours 14 points to make it a ~30 point Bulls lead at the end of 3rd. Plays only about a minute in the 4th, takes just one shot, then sits down to watch the reserves. Finishes with 33pts(12-23)/13rbs/6asts/3stls. I guess not bad for a playoff game in almost 3 quarters of play. Pippen has a great first half in this game too. This is also Magic's first experience as an announcer. The first game of this series is available here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztlnKZSPtcw The third game is available by Hoops. Make sure to check them if you missed before. They were great too. Post game notes & quotes: =========================== CHICAGO -- Michael Jordan's determination doesn't fade even in the face of what should be an easy opening- round playoff opponent. "I never get bored. I'm enjoying myself," said Jordan, who continued his playoff rampage with 33 points and 13 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls left the Miami Heat within a loss of elimination from their first postseason with a 120-90 victory Sunday. Jordan, who scored 46 points in the Chicago's Game 1 victory Friday night, was backed Sunday by Scottie Pippen's 30 points. The defending NBA champions can oust the Heat, the only of the league's most recent expansion teams ever to qualify for the playoffs, with a victory Wednesday night at Miami. The Bulls' 10 first-half steals also represented a franchise playoff record. The Heat scored 41 points in the first half, 12 fewer than it scored in the first two quarters Friday. Jordan and Pippen combined for 37 points by halftime. "Pippen was sensational, and Michael, well, you can say the same things about him all the time," Heat coach Kevin Loughery said. "Just put the quotes on the board. He's the greatest player in the world." Loughery said Jordan and Pippen are the best tandem in the NBA. "Me and Jordan would be, too," Loughery joked. "Not to take anything away from Pippen because he's a great player. I can't think of a better combination." Together, they put the early pressure on the Heat offensively and defensively, and it never was much of a game. "We pretty much settled down from Friday's game," Jordan said. "This was the kind of effort we needed from everybody. We wanted to dominate, that's what you have to do in the playoffs." Every Bulls player scored. Stacey King, the only member of the Bulls who didn't play in Game 1, got just seven minutes but was the team's third-leading scorer with 12 points, including a three-pointer that ended the game. Cliff Levingston added 11 points off the bench on 5-of-7 shooting. Heat players sounded flattered the Bulls took them seriously enough to send their very best. "They showed us respect by coming out and playing strong from the start," Seikaly said. "I'm not embarrassed, but the Bulls definitely came out and showed us what the playoffs are all about." And what the Bulls are all about. "Everybody was pretty much energized to play them today," Jordan said. "Horace and Scottie were very emotional before the game. They said: `Let's go out and blow these guys out. Let's go out and show these guys we're the champions.' " ============ For other Jordan games, check below. http://www.youtube.com/user/hoopsencyclopedia Tags: Michael Jordan Heat Miami Chicago Bulls 1992 Magic Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls @ Knicks - 1996 Playoffs Game 3. Jordan 46 points May 11, 1996 This one had just about everything. Bulls vs. Knicks, Jordan vs. Starks, Jordan's end game heroics, all kinds of hard physical play, referee Hollins knocking down Jeff Van Gundy and, of course, Charles Oakley... After their historic 72-10 season, Bulls swept Riley's Miami and they were looking absolutely invincible. They beat the Knicks in the first two games of the next round but the victories didn't come easy. The third game became a do-or-die situation for the Knicks. And they played as well as they could throughout the whole game. They were up by 8 points 1:21 to go and even the most optimistic Bulls fans were losing hope. Then it happened again. Jordan took over, scored 8 and sent the game to OT. He carried the team to a 3 point lead but even that wasn't enough in the end. Both Ewing and Starks had terrific games but despite having a bunch of turnovers, I'd say Oakley was at least as important as them. He was just on another level, and I'm not talking about his 13 points and 13 rebounds. He intimidated and frustrated everybody. Just look at the footage and I'll think you'd agree. He would have been ejected in the first quarter under today's rules. Jordan scored 46 on 17/35 (49%) shooting but he didn't get any help on the offensive end. Kukoc didn't play because of injury. Even though he was 3/15 in the first two games, he was still an offensive threat. Pippen, intimidated by Oakley, shot 10/29, Harper was 1/8. Bulls starters other than Jordan shot a combined total of 16/48 (33%). By the way, Oakley really got into Pippen's head that year. Pippen was 29/88 (33%) in this series and his best game was the last one in which he shot just 5/12 (42%). That's how effective Oakley was in his job. Before getting a little bit bored and losing 2 games, Bulls were up by 3-0 against the Sonics in the finals and they were 14-1. Up until that time, this was the only game they lost in the playoffs. Post game quotes and notes: ========================= NEW YORK -- After the Bulls' 102-99 overtime loss to the Knicks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference playoff series, Jordan said he was "dead tired." You can't get more zonked than that unless you're in a casket being lowered into the ground. But the real weariness for Jordan is playing the mind battles that come when his teammates fall by the wayside, as they fell on Saturday. "We're totally out of sync," Jordan summed up postgame. "I've found myself bailing the team out in certain situations, because we're not in sync. And that's more rustrating than anything, that we haven't played the kind of basketball we're capable of playing." The Knicks, with their tenacious, muscular defense, can do that to a frailer, athletic team like the Bulls. At least they do it to everybody but Jordan. In the first half, the Bulls scored just 38 points to New York's 43. Much-needed scorers Scottie Pippen and Ron Harper were a combined 3-for-17 from the floor, largely as a result of being hurried and banged and pressured away from their comfort zones by the Knicks bruisers upfront - Anthony Mason, Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing. Moreover, the Bulls' center trifecta of Luc Longley, Bill Wennington and John Salley had first-half grand totals of three rebounds, two points, one turnover, zero assists, zero steals, zero blocks and six fouls. Jordan, by contrast, had 22 points on 7-for-14 shooting from the floor and eight free throws. He had come to the bench for just one minute in the first half, and admitted he didn't want to come out then. The only fatigue he was feeling was caused by the mental support he had to give to teammates who seemed incapable of hitting barn doors with bulldozers. When the Bulls finally made their run at the end of regulation - coming from 13 down with five minutes to play to snare a last-second tie at 88 - it was Jordan who scored the final 10 points. It was his remarkable three-point basket with 19 seconds left that forced overtime. It was Jordan who scored 16 of the Bulls' final 25 points, en route to a game-high 46 points. 24 of his 46 points came in the final 17 minutes. If he had not done this before, it would seem implausible. And it was Jordan who had to consider how much more he could do with his teammates off their feed and Toni Kukoc off the traveling squad. "Somehow we have to find our rhythm, so we have much more balanced productivity on offense," Jordan said. He added that he was "concerned" by Pippen's tentative and unproductive shot-taking. And then there was the sight of Steve Kerr blowing two layups off steals late in the third quarter. "We had to laugh, we had to hug him, we had to support him," said Jordan, sounding like Mr. Rogers. Before leaving for New York, Jordan talked about the way he begins to focus on a game long before the tipoff. He reads the moods and cycles and confidence levels of his teammates during practices and travel, so he can adjust his own game to benefit the team. Taking a whole bunch of shots - he took 35 Saturday - is not what he wants to do, nor does he want to score almost 50 percent of the points. Not unless he has to. And, if he has to, it means the Bulls, as a team, are in trouble. "In this offense I could average 40 points a game, if I wanted to," Jordan said. "But that wouldn't be good for the team." The specter of MJ carrying everyone on his cape during the playoffs is not a pleasant one. He is 33 and cannot possibly fly without a break the way he did when he was a 25-year-old ball of flame. "I'm dead tired right now," said Jordan. "It's a good thing that we play at 5:30 (New York time). I'm just going to go and try to get rejuvenated, eat food or whatever. "But I'll be ready at 5:30." Indeed. He played 51 minutes and, as he spoke, had less than 24 hours to rest for Game 4. He added that the Knicks played like a desperate team. "They were fighting with their backs to the wall," he said. "They're scratching and fighting and doing everything they can to stay alive." "This is a team we were not intimidated by," Knicks forward Anthony Mason said. "We knew we could beat them." The game, as intense and grueling as any played in this rivalry during the Ewing-Jordan era, even featured a bit of the bizzarre when Referee Hue Hollins inadvertently knocked Van Gundy to the floor as he made a 3-second call against the Bulls with 9:31 left. Like his team, he rose to his feet. Heading into overtime, Ewing said he told his teammates he wanted the ball. Ewing, who had 22 points and 13 rebounds, opened the extra quarter with a block of Luc Longley, which Starks converted into a 16-foot jumper. Starks and Ewing accounted for 18 straight points in the fourth quarter and overtime period. They were the only Knicks to score in overtime. Pippen was wildly erratic after contributing a mediocre 30 points combined in the first two games of the series. He shot just 10 for 29 from the field and barely grazed the rim on an open three- pointer at the buzzer that would have created a second overtime. "They won 72 games," said Knicks guard John Starks, when asked if he thought his team had figured out the Bulls. "The best ever. They're not gonna lay down." ============================ Tags: Michael Jordan Ewing Starks Bulls Knicks 1996 Playoffs Chicago New York Oakley Bird Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls vs. Lakers - 1990-91. Jordan: 33/15/9, Magic: 18/9/14 December 21, 1990 Here's a well-known fact: Both Vince Carter and Jason Kidd had triple doubles in the same game on April 8, 2007. The last teammates to achieve this rare feat were Jordan and Pippen in January 1989. Both of these were overtime games. Here's a not well-known fact: In a game in December 1990, not two but three players were literally on the brink of a triple double. Jordan: 33pts, 15rbs, 9asts, 2stls, 1blk Magic: 18pts, 9rbs, 14asts Pippen: 28pts, 11rbs, 9asts, 3stls Yes, no actual triples doubles there but they're as close as they can get. And since this wasn't even an overtime game, one could argue this is as good as those games, possibly even better because of the third player. Besides, it's really a great game full of amazing assists, drives, offensive rebounds, steals, hustle plays and so on. Jordan not only have some amazing assists but he also goes crazy on the boards. In his career, he has 8 regular-season games with 15+ rebounds and this is one of them. 8 of his 15 rebounds are offensive, Lakers as a team has 10 off. rebounds. As for the game itself, it's a pretty close game until the last 4-5 minutes. Then the Bulls tightens the defense and Lakers finish without a point in the last ~4 minutes. Jordan scores 11 of his points in the 4th, including the Bulls' last 7 points. This is also Magic's last regular season game in Chicago before announcing his retirement in 1991. I'd like to see an English version some day. Until then, here it is. Enjoy... Post game notes & quotes: =========================== CHICAGO -- Michael Jordan did not have to shoulder the scoring burden alone Friday night. And the result was a 114-103 Bulls victory over a tough Los Angeles Lakers team. As usual, Jordan did the lion's share. He scored 33 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, both game-high honors, and had nine assists to send home happy a standing-room Stadium crowd of 18,676. Unlike Wednesday night when Jordan was the only Bull to score double figures in a 105-84 loss to the Detroit Pistons, this time his fellow starters supported him. Scottie Pippen contributed 28 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. He and Jordan each fell one assist shy of a triple double. Bill Cartwright and John Paxson each scored 14 points and Horace Grant 11. The Bulls shot 55.7 percent from the field and enjoyed a 46-33 edge in rebounding. Forwards James Worthy and Sam Perkins paced the Lakers with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Magic Johnson had 18 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds. "Give our team credit for bouncing back," Jordan said. "People played tonight the way we need to play to win. After a tough game and a terrible loss in Detroit, you have to bounce back. We went against a good team and played well." Jordan hopes his team's balance is as good tonight when the Bulls (16-9) play the Indiana Pacers (10-16) at the Stadium. "In the end, poor rebounding killed us," Laker forward Perkins said. "We gave up too many offensive boards and on the transition we turned the ball over too much. That's uncharacteristic of us. And they just capitalized on our mistakes and poor rebounding." The Lakers, despite their worst start in 12 years, were no patsies. They streaked 9-0 to wipe out a 4-0 opener by the Bulls. It wasn't until after they had forced 10 ties and 14 lead changes that the Bulls were able to take command for keeps. That was in the mid-third when they broke a tie at 75 with a 7-2 run for an 82-77 lead. The Lakers hung tough in the third with effective long-range artillery bombing the Bulls' defense with five three-pointers to tie a record for Bulls' opponents in a quarter set by the New York Knicks on March 4, 1989. Perkins hit two of the threes. "We needed a boost," Perkins said, "and I was just trying to give us one. We kept up with them for a while." Those threes were taken because that's pretty much what the Bulls' interior defense was forcing on the Lakers. "We'll take the threes when they are there," Worthy said. "But usually as a last resort. Those threes came from getting into the offense too slow. That was just one of our problems. We had some inconsistency in executing, a problem that happened to us early in the season and I thought we were over it." The key for the Bulls was poise down the stretch as they put the ball in Jordan's hands. He scored 11 of his points in the fourth to hold back a Laker rally that pulled within six at 109-103 on Worthy's free throw with 4:05 to play. The Bulls' defense stiffened and held the Lakers scoreless the rest of the way as Jordan ended scoring with five consecutive free throws. "Michael took over in the end, which you knew eventually would happen," Johnson said. "We play them hard here but just can't seem to get a win." The Lakers haven't won in the Stadium since Nov. 28, 1986. They are last in the NBA in forcing turnovers. First in defensive rebounds. "We tried to make it tough on Jordan," Lakers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We broke our rules on how to cover him and it cost us. The book on the Bulls is to make them shoot from the outside. But we just gave them too many second shots, offensive rebounds and let them get the timely loose balls and jump balls." "Our offense executed well,' Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. "Our people off the bench performed and played well, and we got a lot of distance out of them. It was a good, solid game.' ============================== Tags: Michael Jordan Lakers Chicago Bulls Magic Pippen Dominique Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Jordan's First College Game - N. Carolina vs. Kansas. 1981 November 28, 1981 This is how it all started. North Carolina vs. Kansas. The first ever college game of "Mike Jordan". Jordan picked two quick fouls at the beginning, so he had to sit for some time in the first half. The replays were quite rare but I included all of them along with announcers' comments on Jordan and a couple of James Worthy plays. Jordan scored 12 points on 5-10 shooting. For the most part, his shots were jumpers under Dean Smith's famous four corners offense. He missed his first shot which was eerily similar to the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Final game. He made his next three. The end of the game is especially interesting. Announcers were talking about Kansas fouling Jordan because of his inexperience and they did. Even though it was his first trip to the line in the game, he managed to sink both of them under pressure. Enjoy. Post game notes & quotes: ========================= "UNC tops Jayhawks in opener" by A.J. Carr Raleigh News and Observer November 29, 1981 CHARLOTTE -- When your picture is splashed on magazine covers, you're ranked No. 1 in the polls and on everybody's most-wanted lists, getting your game together can be difficult. But North Carolina pushed aside all the hoopla Saturday, went to the hoop and conquered stubborn, well-prepared Kansas, 74-67, in a season opener witnessed by 11,666 Coliseum fans. The top-rated Tar Heels never had it easy, but they patiently pried open an eight-point spread midway through the second half, then fended off the Jayhawks. "We played well offensively," said Carolina Coach Dean Smith, whose team defeated his alma mater on a 56.8 field-goal percentage. "They were willing to give us 10-footers. But we showed a lot of patience in attacking their zone." Though the Jayhawks were intent on stopping the Tar Heels' inside attack, James Worthy still scored 20 points and Sam Perkins contributed 16. Kansas also discovered that freshman Mike Jordan (12 points in his varsity debut), Matt Doherty (12) and Jimmy Black (9 plus seven assists) could land damaging blows. "They finally realized we had outside shooting too," said Worthy. "That's what did it for us." Carolina was wise in its shot selection, but Smith still spotted a few kinks in the system. The Tar Heel coach was disappointed with rebounding and a shortage of second shots, and he felt that defense, with the exception of Black's work on Tony Guy, was sporadic. "We got a win," said Doherty. "It wasn't great, but it was a good one to get under our belts. Offensively, we hit when we had to. Defensively, it takes a while to get everything working." Kansas, which battled to a 37-37 half-time tie and led by as many as five on one occasion, got a 24-point production from radar-shooting David Magley and 18 points from Guy. The Jayhawks also performed with confidence and skill against Carolina's special tactics, and trailed by only 67-63 with about four minutes remaining. But over the 40-minute haul, the Tar Heels exhibited more depth than Kansas, which used the same five players most of the way and held a field goal, free throw and rebounding advantage. The Tar Heels made their decisive move four minutes into the second half when, down 47-43, they went on a 12-0 tear for a 55-47 advantage. Worthy wheeled for seven points during the stretch but got plenty of help. That was encouraging to the Tar heels, who were playing without Al Wood for the first time in four years. "I felt real comfortable out there," said Jordan, the new kid in the lineup who went five for 10 from the field. " I felt good on my shots. I did throw a bad pass, though, and I need to help out more on defense." Jimmy Black, who skillfully directed the offense, said, "We relied on Al Wood's shooting in the past, but this year several are picking up the slack. I like Jordan's overall game. He's a competitor and a hustler and we need him on the floor." Jordan fits into the Tar Heel mod all right. but there's work for everybody, especially if you're the No. 1 team and No. 1 target in the country. "This was a taste of the hard season to come," said Perkins, who collected nine rebounds and shared the honors with Worthy. "We will not let down in any way. I think we played very well today, and I think we did a good job inside. We got the ball in there at the right times." Perkins, Worthy and associates also were opportunists. Late in the second half, Kansas lost its shooting eye for a spell and Caroline quickly capitalized. "It's way too early to judge who's No. 1 in the country," said Kansas Coach Ted Owens, "But North Carolina is going to be a great club. This was their first game and it takes a while to get going no matter how many veterans you have." Tags: Michael Jordan North Carolina NCAA Debut Chicago Bulls Kansas Magic Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Bulls vs. Blazers: 1986-1987. Jordan 53 points January 8, 1987 86-87 Blazers was an incredible offensive team. Led by Kiki Vandeweghe and Clyde Drexler, a total of seven players averaged in double figures in scoring that year. (This is probably an NBA record shared with the Showtime Lakers and maybe some other teams. But since I didn't have a chance to look it up I can't say I'm 100% sure). Considering the Bulls roster that year it was almost a necessity for Jordan to have a high scoring game in order for Chicago to have a chance. Playing partly on small forward, Jordan started the game with ultra-high intensity. With jumpers and drives he first got Drexler into foul trouble, then Jerome Kersey. Finished with 53 points on 20-34 (59%) shooting. Also assisted big baskets at the end and came up with a clean block to seal the game in the crunch even though a bogus foul was called. 53 was his regular season-career high at that time. There was a small problem in the original broadcast and that is at the beginning of the second half, the announcers faced a technical problem and it was fixed halfway through the 4th quarter. So, in that period there's no commentary but everything is pretty obvious, so it shouldn't be a major problem I think. Enjoy. Post game notes & quotes: =========================== CHICAGO - How long can the Air Jordan fly-and-drive show continue to run? Michael Jordan stepped "forward" last night to show what a bargain he really is, scoring a regular season career-high 53 points in the Bulls' 121-117 victory over Portland. His 53 were the most points scored by a Bulls' player at the Stadium since Chet Walker's 56 on Feb. 6, 1972. It was the 19th time this season Jordan has scored 40 or more. He did it while playing an unusually-high 43 minutes, many at small forward. He did it because he refused to sit for his normal amount of time. It's great theater now, but the season is not yet half over. "A lot of people say to pace yourself, but I'm not a pacer," Jordan said. "If I burn out, I burn out. But when I play, I play hard." Jordan is averaging 40.2 minutes a game, which is a bit more than Collins would like. But Collins also would like his team to win, thus the temptation to over-use Jordan. "I went into the season thinking I'd like to play him 36 to 38 minutes a game, leaning toward 38," Collins said. Jordan sat for only 2 1/2 minutes in the first half, then two minutes at the start of the fourth quarter. Jordan took himself out temporarily with 10 1/2 minutes left. "I just couldn't get my wind," Jordan said. "I like to be rested at the end of the quarter. I was feeling good, but I needed a quick breather." The Bulls led 2-0 and not again until Oakley hit a long shot to make it 98-97 with 8 1/2 minutes left. The first three-point lead was 104-101 - on a Jordan jumper. Taking advantage of being double teamed, Jordan passed to three teammates, resulting in six key points. Including the assists on baskets by Brad Sellers, John Paxson and Charles Oakley. His jump shot was working last night, mostly because he spent so much time at forward. "I was getting the ball in great scoring position," he said. "When I play a lot of forward, I can post up but I got the outside shot a lot. The defense was giving me the outside shot because of my (quick) first step." Collins saw the consequences on Portland. "He got (Jerome) Kersey in foul trouble and (Clyde) Drexler in foul trouble. They had to play Caldwell Jones more than they wanted to." How good was Jordan last night? "I thought it was the best game he's played all season," said Collins. "Naw, I think the first Milwaukee game up at Milwaukee," Jordan said. "I didn't score as many, but as a team we played well." Portland Coach Mike Schuler said Jordan has continued to improve and is tough to defend. "You can't just run at him when you get the ball. He'll just go right around you, but we had no choice except trying to double and triple-team him," "He gives you problems everywhere and the whole league is trying to figure out how to defense him. You ask me the best way to defense him, it's when Doug takes him out." Doug Collins can be forgiven for not wanting to take out Jordan. "Michael's an energetic guy. If he weren't playing basketball, he'd be out running around, shooting pool or something," Collins said. "You have to chain him to the bench." ======================================= For other Jordan games, check below. http://www.youtube.com/user/hoopsencyclopedia Tags: Michael Jordan Blazers Chicago Bulls 1987 Magic Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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North Carolina at Maryland, 1984 (Jordan - Len Bias) January 12, 1984 This was a vintage N. Carolina - Maryland matchup featuring players like Jordan, Len Bias, Sam Perkins, Kenny Smith, Brad Daugherty and more. Bias had a great first half scoring 16 points. Finished with 24pts and 4rbs. (24pts was his career-high at that time). Perkins was with 26/12. Jordan scored 21 and he was a monster on the boards with 12 rbds (7 off). He also had 2 blocks and at least 4 steals that I put in the video but could be even more. He came up with all the big points, rebounds and the steal at the end of the game. And of course, he has his famous dunk at the buzzer. There were also 2-3 questionable calls on Jordan plays which I also included. Post game notes & quotes ======================== Two 'Madmen' in Blue Put Md. in Depression By John Feinstein, Washington Post Staff Writer 13 January 1984 The game was over, Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins had seen to that. But Jordan wasn't quite finished. The ball was loose at center court, then he had it with no one blocking his path to the basket. In about two strides he was past the foul line, his 6-foot-6 body uncoiling, the ball seemingly at his knees as he rose above the rim once again. North Carolina's reserves were on their feet in anticipation. "We knew it was coming," Matt Doherty said. He was right. Jordan, sailing through the air, the ball cupped in his hand, twisted his body, brought the ball from far behind his head and, wham! slammed it through the hoop as the buzzer sounded. "I wasn't really showing off," he pleaded a few minutes later, a guilty grin written all over his face. "I was just trying to cap off the victory." But, he admitted, "It was fun." Most of the game was not that much fun for the top-ranked Tar Heels. With 14,500 spectators in Cole Field House roaring, with Len Bias and Adrian Branch shooting more like demons than turtles, Carolina had its hands full for 34 minutes. "Then those two madmen took over," said Maryland's Mark Fothergill. "Showtime," added Carolina point guard Kenny Smith. "It was their show." The madmen putting on the show were Jordan and Perkins. One year ago in Cole Field House, the Terrapins humiliated the Tar Heels, 106-94, blowing them out on a night when Perkins and Jordan didn't look all-state, much less all-America. Last night, they got even. Perkins did it with 26 points and 12 rebounds, playing with intensity that surprised even his teammates. Jordan, who is intense about a card game in the dorm, was everywhere, with 21 points, 12 rebounds and what will be remembered here as the dunk. "I think Sam's heard the people saying stuff like he's lazy and he's determined to prove how wrong they are," Jordan said. "He's been doing it all year." Doherty agreed. "In the second half, Sam hit a layup and got fouled and he started jumping up and down and shaking his fists in the air. I had to stop for a second and say, 'Is that really Sam Perkins?' I don't know if he's doing that consciously or not, but it sure is working." Perkins has been casual about his new-found intensity. "I'm just trying to work as hard as I can," he said. "Tonight, I thought I did a good job inside, but I want to do more, to dominate in there as much as I can. "They blew us out in the second half in here last year and we know what a good team they have. We wanted to show them that we're pretty good, too." They did. While Perkins was constantly controlling the inside, Jordan seemed to come up with every loose ball. He had a little trouble controlling the ball on the fast break a couple of times and had to come out in the first half to get a sore knee iced. But when it came down to decision time, Jordan soared. "I just felt the momentum building inside me as it got to the end," he said. "I like that time of the game." It was 57-56 when Jordan went to the hoop with 6:06 left and was fouled. He made the first free throw, missed the second but grabbed the rebound. He cut to the base line and sank a reverse layup to make it 60-56. Herman Veal missed for Maryland and Jordan came around a screen, spun to his left and hit an 18-footer. It was 62-56 and the Terrapins never caught up. "They don't think about taking over at that point," Doherty said. "They just do." "How do you stop Jordan?" Bias asked rhetorically. "I don't know, how about putting four guys on him?" "That was just an average Michael Jordan dunk," Fothergill said, rolling his eyes. "I've seen him do more spectacular dunks during summer games. Of course, average Michael Jordan is better than just about anything you'll see anywhere." ========================== ========================== UNC Beats Maryland; By Michael Wilbon Washington Post Staff Writer Those who argue that two great players can't make a team No. 1 in the nation obviously haven't seen enough of North Carolina all-Americas Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins. Jordan had the presence of three players at times last night, shooting, stealing and rebounding in surreal sequences. His 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Perkins' 26 points and 12 rebounds, enabled Carolina to remain undefeated with a 74-62 victory over Maryland in packed Cole Field House. The Tar Heels, all-Americas or not, held no big edge until the final minute. The Terrapins, for the most part, played like a team ranked fifth in the country. Sophomore forward Len Bias, with a career-high 24 points, and Adrian Branch, with 19, at times matched the splendor of Perkins and Jordan. But it was Jordan who scored five straight points to turn a 57-56 lead into a 62-56 margin with five minutes to play. Jordan made the first of two free throws, then hustled incredibly to save his miss on the second shot. After scoring inside for a 60-56 lead, he followed Herman Veal's miss with a twisting, lean-in jumper for a six-point lead. After Maryland (10-2, 1-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) had pulled to 63-62 on a bank shot by Ben Coleman with 2:03 remaining, Perkins made two free throws for 65-52. Bias missed a jumper, Jordan rebounded and the game, essentially, was over. Maryland held a 43-40 lead with 14 minutes to play after a jumper by Branch, who took over the game after intermission. The Terrapins had a chance to move ahead by five when Coleman made a steal, but he tried to dribble downcourt and shoot off the run and missed badly. Perkins dunked at the other end for 43-42. Another big sequence came with eight minutes left, when Branch forced a shot. He missed, and Perkins came down and scored on a three-point play for a 55-52 lead for the Tar Heels (11-0, 2-0). "I thought I was going to draw a foul, but I shouldn't have made the move, anyway," Branch said. "When we had that (three-point) lead," Maryland Coach Lefty Driesell said, "we should have slowed it down and worked for a real good shot. But we made a couple of hurry-up moves that cost us." Or as freshman guard Keith Gatlin said more succinctly, "We did some silly things at a crucial point in the game." As well as Perkins and Jordan were rebounding, every Maryland mistake at either end was magnified. The Tar Heels outrebounded Maryland by seven, and scored on nine of 19 offensive rebounds. Maryland, unofficially, scored on only two of 12 offensive rebounds. Even North Carolina Coach Dean Smith was forced to use a rare superlative. "Perkins and Jordan were great," Smith said. It seemed Jordan and Perkins were there for every important basket and rebound. "They did what the great players do," Driesell said. Jeff Adkins, who shared time with Veal and Bias trying to guard Jordan, had talked Wednesday afternoon about how Jordan beats teams with second effort more than anything else. "You know he's going to the offensive boards," Adkins said last night. "You can block out if you want, and half the time, he still gets the ball." Jordan and Perkins each got seven offensive rebounds. Of the often-unaggressive Perkins, who hasn't played especially well recently against Maryland, Branch said, "I've never seen Perkins play as hard." Also determining the outcome was UNC's defenses -- man-to-man in the first half, zones in the second -- that kept the Terrapins shooting from outside. Center Coleman scored only eight points, and made just three of 10 shots. "When he gets eight points and Perkins gets 26, there's a big void," Driesell said. "I don't know what the problem was, but he didn't have one of his better games." Nine of Bias' 11 baskets came from outside, as did at least half of Branch's eight field goals. "We're usually an inside team and this is the first game we've played predominantly from the outside," Branch said. "It was fine for a while, but it hurt eventually. When you get into a jump-shooting pattern with a team that's going inside, the jump shooters lose nine out of 10 times." Both teams played fairly well defensively, especially in the second half when the Tar Heels shot 49 percent and Maryland 46 percent. Driesell, despite slapping Smith's hand at the end of the game instead of shaking it, seemed to have calmed considerably 15 minutes after Jordan had thrown down a "rock-the-baby" dunk -- one for the ages -- to end the contest. "It was a good, hard-fought game," Driesell said. "I'm looking forward to playing them again (Feb. 19 in Chapel Hill). If we can get some better play out of a couple of people and make some adjustments, we'll be right up there. I don't like losing to North Carolina any time, especially on our home court. But we played the No. 1 team pretty well for 39 minutes." ================================== Tags: Michael Jordan Carolina Maryland Bulls 1984 NCAA Magic Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Heat vs. Bulls 1996-1997. Jordan's 50 point statement November 6, 1996 This was another classic statement game for Jordan. It was the Bulls' first meeting with the Heat after their sweep in 1996 playoffs. Miami players and Pat Riley were determined to avenge it and make a statement of their own. Heat players were quoted in newspapers saying they had been waiting for this game for a long time, Tim Hardaway saying that he wants to guard Jordan and so on. 96-97 Heat was a tough Riley team anchored by a prime Alonzo Mourning in defense. They were rated second in defense that year and topped the Atlantic division with a 61-21 record. Jordan silently awaited the tip-off. When the game started he hit 5 of his first 6 shots, scoring all of the first 11 Bulls points. He then made a one-handed alley oop, hit a demoralizing three at the end of first half, a signature circus shot in the third and classic fadeaways in the fourth. Never let the Heat come close and Bulls won 106-100. Jordan finished with 50 points on one of his standard 50+% shooting (18-33) nights. In addition to all of this, a Chicago Sun-Times article mentions Jordan's talk with a Miami fan who was sitting behind the Bulls bench. I included the whole article below the game notes. You can see him pointing his finger to a fan and saying a few things after his three pointer at the 4:02-4:03 mark of the video. Post game notes & quotes: ======================== MIAMI It was Tuesday night, moments after the Bulls had defeated Vancouver at the United Center. Michael Jordan was asked about the challenge ahead Wednesday in Miami. Jordan talked about how the Heat would be looking to avenge last season's playoff loss and how they were sitting at home waiting for the game. Jordan had a gleam in his eye and ended his comments by saying the Bulls would be ready for the challenge. The challange was the trash-talking Heat who spoke tough before getting swept by the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs last season. The same Heat whose players were quoted Wednesday in the local papers as saying they were looking to earn the respect of the reigning NBA champions. If you've followed the Bulls for any length of time, you know what's coming next. In a vintage performance, Jordan poured in 50 points on 18-for-33 shooting, stunning the Heat and the Miami Arena sellout crowd of 15,200 in the process as the Bulls posted a 106-100 victory. Challenge? Did someone say challenge? "We were faced with a challenge. I think those are the fun games," said Jordan, who has scored 50 or more points a remarkable 36 times. "On the road, against a team that's undefeated and you played well against in the past and they're sitting back at home waiting for you. "The scenario is perfect for a competitor, and that was ideal for me." It was vintage in every way except for sticking his tongue out while driving to the hole. He hit from the outside, drove to the basket and produced circus shots. Nothing the Heat did defensively - double- or triple-teaming - seemed to matter. Jordan simply was in the zone. "He was hitting everything," Heat guard Dan Majerle said. "You know Michael, he comes for 50," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "When he's 40, he'll want to make a statement." "This time he was committed to start quick. He was very offensive-minded. Even when we double-teamed him, he scored. He's simply the finest and the greatest." Jordan got off to a fast start, scoring 15 in the first quarter, but the Heat still was in command and appeared to be headed to victory. Miami had a 30-19 lead at the end of the first quarter and stretched the advantage to as much as 15 points in the second quarter (the last time being 38-23). Alonzo Mourning (33 points, 19 rebounds) was controlling the inside, and the outside shots also were falling. The Bulls, though, began inching back and used an 11-2 spurt to pull within four, 49-45, with two minutes left in the first half. Considering the way much of the first half had gone, the Bulls would seem fortunate to be trailing by just single digits. The players had other thoughts. Scottie Pippen (17 points) hit a three-pointer with two seconds left in the half to put the Bulls back on top, 54-53. The rally to that point was deflating enough for the Heat, but the Bulls weren't quite done. They intercepted the inbounds pass, and Jordan drilled a three-pointer at the buzzer for a 57-53 halftime advantage. "We were up by 15, and then we look up at halftime and they were up four," Heat point guard Tim Hardaway said. "That's because we made some turnovers and didn't execute in the second quarter. That was hard to take." The Bulls charged out in the third quarter and stretched the lead to 67-53 by scoring the first 10 points of the period. Ron Harper (10 points) hit a pair of three-pointers, and Jordan then followed with a circus three-point play. He drove to the basket and drew contact from Mourning. With his back to the basket after drawing the foul, he flipped the ball over his head toward the hoop. It bounced a couple of times, then the ball just dropped through. It was that kind of quarter for Jordan. On a few occasions in the third, Jordan just shrugged and shook his head and looked at Miami's bench. Miami closed to 88-83. But Jordan scored 10 points in the final six minutes. He also had the Bulls' first 11 points and 15 of their 19 in the opening period. *** The 33-year-old Jordan, seeking his ninth scoring title, hiked his average to a league-best 32.3 points through four games. His incentive may also have been a Miami newspaper story Wednesday under the headline, "Hardaway wants to guard Jordan." In the story, Heat guard Tim Hardaway said he relished the opportunity. Jordan's reaction? He told teammates he expected to have a big night. "He saw what was written in the paper," Pippen said. "He came out as a personal challenge to Hardaway, whether he admits it or not." Jordan acknowledged special motivation, though he didn't specifically mention Hardaway. ``We're the monsters of the East right now, and they have to go over us,'' said Pippen. =================== =================== Fan-fired MJ turns up Heat in Miami Chicago Sun-Times by John Jackson. November 7, 1996 MIAMI It's never a good idea to spit into the wind or tug on Superman's cape. And when attending a game between the Bulls and your favorite NBA team, never get Michael Jordan riled up if you hope to see your side win. One fan sitting in the expensive seats of Miami Arena learned that lesson Wednesday night during the Bulls' 106-100 victory against the Heat. With the Heat leading by double digits in the first half, the fan decided to do a little trash-talking as the Bulls headed to the bench for a timeout midway through the second quarter. "This guy sitting behind our bench, he said by halftime the game would be over with like it was last time when we came in here (113-104 loss on Feb. 23)," Jordan said. "I said, `You know, you should just sit back there and enjoy the game. The game is not over with.' "The next thing you know, three points, three points, four points at half. I think he didn't really enjoy the game." No, not unless he was looking for a Bulls victory and a vintage performance by Jordan, who had 50 points on 18-for-33 shooting. After trailing by as many as 15 points, the Bulls quieted the sellout crowd of 15,200 with a furious flurry at the end of the half to take the lead. Scottie Pippen hit a three-pointer with two seconds left in the half to give the Bulls a 54-53 lead. The Bulls then stole the inbounds pass and Jordan, who had 50 points, drilled a three at the buzzer for a 57-53 halftime lead. Jordan ran to the Bulls bench and bumped chests with Ron Harper and Randy Brown. He then sought out the fan and had a couple of comments before heading to the locker room. "I thought that really changed the momentum of the game going into halftime," Jordan said. "To that point, they really had seized the first half. We were climbing back and then we made two big plays down the stretch, and they go into the locker room four points down after a good first half. "From that point on, I felt we were in control. We came out in the third quarter and jumped on them really quickly. The next thing you know, they're down 13, 14 points." In a seven-minute stretch from late in the second to early in the third, a 47-34 Heat lead became a 67-53 Bulls lead. "We as a team work too hard to get ourselves into a situation where we're going to give a gift to the world champions with a seven-minute run," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "They're too good. They don't need any help. We don't need to turn the ball over and make mindless mistakes." The Heat also didn't need a fan to get Jordan pumped up. =============================== Tags: Michael Jordan Heat Miami Chicago Bulls 1996 Magic Bird Kareem Wilt Lebron Wade Kobe Tmac Iverson

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Michael Jordan at McDonald's Open Final - Paris 1997 I think this footage is somewhat rare. In October 1997, Bulls went to Paris to compete in McDonald's Open which featured some of the best clubs from all over the world. The other teams competing were Paris St Germain, the champions of France, Olympiakos of Greece, the European champions, Atenas de Cordoba, the South American champions, Barcelona and Benetton, champions of Spain and Italy, respectively. Jordan playing in Europe was a gigantic event. More than one thousand journalists came from all over the world to witness the tournament. France-Noir, a daily French newspaper, wrote "Michael Jordan is in Paris. That's better than the Pope. It's God in person." Pippen was injured and Rodman was ill, thus they were absent. In the semifinals Bulls beat Paris St. Germain 89-82 in a quite close game. Kukoc was 0-7, Harper 1-9, Kerr 2-7. Jordan finished with 28pts on 11/23 with 6 assists. Longley and Scott Burrell had also good performances. On the other semifinal matchup Olympiakos beat Atenas de Cordoba in the final possession. So the Bulls and Olympiakos met in the finals. This time Bulls were more focused and since it was a 20-25 point blowout early in the fourth quarter Jordan only played for 29 minutes and finished with a game-high 27 points. (if anyone's interested I have the boxscores for both Bulls games. ) The camerawork was great in this game. The commentary wasn't English. Here are the complete results in the tournament. (Bulls entered from the semifinals). 10/16/97 Atenas de Cordoba 87 -- Benetton Treviso 78 PSG Racing 97 -- FC Barcelona 84 10/17/97 (semifinals) Olympiakos 89 - Atenas de Cordoba 86 Chicago Bulls 89 -- PSG Racing 82 10/18/97 (final and classification) Benetton Treviso 106 -- FC Barcelona 103 Atenas de Cordoba 88 -- PSG Racing 78 Chicago Bulls 104 -- Olympiakos 78 Post game quotes & notes ========================== PARIS, Oct.18 -- For most of the 1990's, the Chicago Bulls have been calling themselves ''world champions.'' ''Now, it's official,'' Bulls guard Randy Brown said. Official, but not necessarily emotional. As the Bulls gathered around the trophy at the Palais Omnisports de Paris tonight after their very routine 104-78 victory over Olympiakos Piraeus in the final of the McDonald's Championship, they looked about as overwhelmed as a Nobel laureate would after winning a local poetry contest. ''We didn't really have any doubt we were the best team in the world,'' Michael Jordan said. No one had any doubt that Jordan was the best player in the world, either, and over the last two nights in this six-team international event that advertises itself as a world club championship, he merely underlined the obvious. "I think hopefully the fans were pretty pleased despite the little time I was on the basketball court," said Jordan, who played 29 minutes. On Friday, Jordan scored a game-high 28 points when his supporting cast was abysmal in a surprisingly close 89-82 victory over the French champion PSG-Racing. Tonight, he scored a game-high 27 points, many of them with great panache, against the European and Greek champion Olympiakos when his supporting cast was playing at a far superior level. ''I think the Bulls were much better prepared and concentrated for this game,'' Olympiakos Coach Dussan Ivkovic said. Jordan's finest move came with just more than four minutes left in the first half when he gave the locals what they