Search results for riley jordan
17, 
09:54, 
2007-06-29 07:54:38 Description: I really struggled to edit this one because there were so many great plays and sequences that I wanted to fit. Also wanted to include some plays that capture the amazing intensity of the game. The (More) I really struggled to edit this one because there were so many great plays and sequences that I wanted to fit. Also wanted to include some plays that capture the amazing intensity of the game. The ending of the video is a little bit abrupt but that's because of the time limitation. It doesn't mean I cut out something important.
May 17, 1992
In one of the most intense playoff series ever, it was game 7 in Chicago. In game 6, Starks had played the game of his life. Scored a career high of 27 points in 27 minutes while holding Jordan to 9-25 shooting. People were questioning Jordan's strength and stamina after he admitted after the game that he was mentally drained.
After a two days rest, however, he is his old self once again. Jordan finishes with 42pts (15-29), 6rbds, 4 asts. Don't have the definite numbers for his steals and blocks. He starts the game shooting 10-13 from the field and ends the half with 29 points on 10-15 shooting.
Pippen who was really abused by Xavier McDaniel all series long finally comes up big with 17pts, 10rbds, and 11 asts. Grant also plays very solid defense.
This game has some of the most memorable sequences of Jordan's career. The face-off with Xavier and the hustle play in the second half where Magic says "Whose game is it? it's Michael Jordan's game", are really timeless classics.
Despite the great effort by the Bulls, Knicks manages to hold on within 2-10 points until the fourth quarter. Then, the lead gets bigger and they accept the defeat.
Post game notes and quotes:
=================================
CHICAGO (AP) Jordan, who scored 42 points in a memorable effort, hopes the Bulls have been awakened by the scare. "We went through this series kind of sleepwalking, and they definitely woke us up," said the miracle man. "We came in and expected a four-game sweep like everyone else. They got in our face and said, `It's not going to be as easy as you guys think.' "
Perhaps the greatest pressure performer in sports, Jordan dominated from the start and scored 29 first-half points.
"But we responded to the pressure of the seventh game and played more like people expected. I think this has hardened us for the next series and the one after that."
Jordan said.
"It would have been very disappointing not to get to the level we did last year. If I was tired, I didn't feel it. This is the kind of game you want to play."
"I consulted my father, and he's a father, so he said, 'be aggressive. They'll take your lead and feed off what you do,' " Jordan related afterward.
"To be honest," said Riley, "it was the type of defense that I had not seen from them this series. We couldn't drive, or hit the gaps, or do much of anything."
"I wasn't prepared for this kind of game and ending. They flattened us in the third period and throughout the end of the game. They played as what they are - world champions."
"This series was like a slap in the face," Jordan said. "It was mentally draining to get up every morning and know what you were going to be in for. But I think this team learned how to face a physical team and overcome it."
While the Bulls' vulnerabilities were exposed by the Knicks, the test ultimately could prove beneficial. "I think they've made us a more hardened team," coach Phil Jackson said. "From here on, we'll play more aggressively."
Jordan, who was thought to be tiring because of heavy minutes and hard fouls, scored 18
points in the first quarter as the Bulls burst to a 30-25 lead.
"His first 6 minutes of basketball showed me we should have played the game yesterday,"
Riley said. "He had one day too much of rest."
"He's the best skilled player in the league," Knicks guard Gerald Wilkins said. "And when he comes with the strength he had today, there's nothing you can do. His strength was more than all the Bulls players' strength stacked up on each other."
Apart from the swooping, spinning reverse layups and high-rise jumpers, Jordan's best move may have come with 2:53 left in the first period, when he picked up a technical foul coming to the defense of teammate Scottie Pippen.
McDaniel had elbowed Pippen on a move to the basket. Knowing Pippen is a sensitive man of the '90s, Jordan spoke up for him.
"There was an intimidation factor on both sides," said Jordan. "I felt like he was trying to intimidate Scottie. It was very important to come to Scottie's support and
not let one player get inside his head."
========================= (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
7, 06:12, 2007-07-31 07:42:03 Description: Jordan lost track of how many points he had and even he was surprized that he ended up with 64. Jordan did not go out of his way to score points the way today's players do but that is what made (More) Jordan lost track of how many points he had and even he was surprized that he ended up with 64. Jordan did not go out of his way to score points the way today's players do but that is what made him so great. Jordan shouldn't have even been playing but this warrior shows us all why we should all embrace the greatest of all time. Fellow Kobe fans who want to talk about Kobe being better than Jordan, he is not, I love Kobe but no way guys. Pat Riley said there will never be another Jordan. Jerry West said Kobe isn't Michael Jordan. Charles Barkley said Kobe isn't Jordan but he is the closest to him. Kobe fans it is time for all of us to respect Jordan so Jordan fans will respect Kobe. kb42pah and guys like him are spreading propoganda and he is trying to manipulate and misconstrue thoughts in young kids minds. The guy is a kid himself who isn't even old enough to drink and he is telling kids about the 80's when he wasn't even alive. (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
1, 07:49, 2006-09-28 23:09:10 Description: In just the 4th game of the 1997 season, MJ turned it up on his old rival. The peaking Heat went huge that year with 61 wins. But, the Bulls were the champs coming off their record 72 win season and (More) In just the 4th game of the 1997 season, MJ turned it up on his old rival. The peaking Heat went huge that year with 61 wins. But, the Bulls were the champs coming off their record 72 win season and besides, MJ never let his guard down when Pat Riley was in town. Phil Jackson always clashed with Riley as the two were considered the best coaches so MJ had to back up you know who. MJ also loved to play against Alonzo. Riley would always say, the difference wasn't the coaching, but #23. "Screw zen and all that, you have 23 and I don't."
Shooting 55% in this 50 pt game (modest by MJ's standards since he averaged 60.4% in his 39 games going 50+ in his career), the game was in absolute control by MJ's mastery. The heat had no answer for his touches and shot creation. Hitting in-your-face fadeaways left and right, MJ, at age 33, looked like he hadn't left from the first 3-peat. He also reminded us that the greatest player ever was also the greatest ever at making circus shots. But then again, did anyone forget in the first place? (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: Allen Bryant Bulls Carter Dwyane Heat Iverson James Jordan Kobe Lakers Lebron Miami Michael MJ NBA Shaq Tmac Vince Wade
Rate it: Rate:
13, 00:38, 2008-06-12 09:45:39 Description: I suspect that Pat Riley prefers man to man physical contact defense. Marv Alberts also makes fun of how the real shitty teams tried using it that year (1991-1992) and it didn't work in an era of (More) I suspect that Pat Riley prefers man to man physical contact defense. Marv Alberts also makes fun of how the real shitty teams tried using it that year (1991-1992) and it didn't work in an era of so much contact. Man on man pressure was crucial, especially away from the ball. You couldn't allow players space away from the ball, in place of body contact and handchecking. Old school passing teams would eat you alive. Zones work against ballhogs.
Pat Riley took the "Jordan Rules" to another level with the Knicks.
Sports Illustrated, November 1989:
The Jordan Rules
by Jack McCallum
The guiding principle is that a defender is never left to guard Jordan unaided. Jordan's position on the floor dictates whether the Pistons trap him with a second defender or have the second defender play "help and recover" (that is, run at Jordan to stop his dribble, but then scramble back to his own man; Salley is a master at this ploy). The closer Jordan is to the basket, the more the Pistons go with the trap. When he is above the sideline hash mark (28 feet from the baseline), they usually play help and recover.
Even when Jordan is far from the basket, perhaps bringing up the ball as a point guard on a wide-open floor, Detroit runs a second player at him, someone like Salley or Rodman. This reduces the amount of open court that he has to work with and often forces him to give up the ball to a teammate. The Pistons always want someone else to handle the ball. Not sometimes. Always.
When Jordan has the ball on the wing, the Detroit player guarding him forces him toward defensive help. Most often that means turning Jordan to the right when he's on the left side of the floor and to the left when he's on the right side.
If Jordan happens to get isolated with one man and is in a potential scoring position, the Piston defender will try to force him to go left. They think he makes a stronger, more explosive move to his right. So does Jordan.
When Jordan tries to run a pick-and-roll, Detroit traps him. That means that two men, the one guarding Jordan and the one guarding the Bull setting the pick, run at him. The Pistons do this with remarkable efficiency, partly because that second defender is usually the 6 ft. 11 in. Salley or the 6 ft. 11 in. Laimbeer. The tall trappers make it almost impossible for Jordan to deliver the ball to a teammate rolling toward the basket, and their aggressive charge toward Jordan usually forces him to retreat.
When Jordan posts up near the basket, Detroit typically puts three men on him, with Dumars most often behind him, using his strong hips and legs to "body" Jordan away from the basket. When the entry pass comes in from the point guard, Thomas leaves that guard and double-teams Jordan. If that means the point guard is free, so be it. Meanwhile, another defender, perhaps Laimbeer or Salley, will have come over and planted himself in the lane, maybe on the baseline side, maybe toward the middle. Dumars will then turn Jordan toward that help. Jordan loves the baseline. "Even though there's less room down there, I can be more creative," he says. But by and large, the Pistons take it away from him.
When Jordan comes off a screen set near the baseline -- his most frequent maneuver when he's playing shooting guard -- a host of Jordan Rules come into play. Dumars must follow him around the screen -- no matter if he has to go into the bleachers -- to prevent Jordan from making a backdoor cut and receiving an alley-oop pass for an almost certain dunk. The Piston -- usually Laimbeer -- guarding the Bull setting the pick will step out to make Jordan receive the ball farther from the basket. In addition -- and this is important -- that man will guard against Jordan's making a "tight curl" off the top of the screen and suddenly looping back into the middle to take a short pass on the dead run, a circumstance that is almost always disastrous for the defense.
In most cases Jordan will have to step back and take the pass on the wing. Then Thomas will come over, creating a double team, and the process begins all over again. If Jordan puts the ball on the floor, at least two players stay on him, pushing him toward even more help. If he passes, the weakside defenders adjust to play two Pistons against four Bulls or one against three. As long as Jordan is out of the picture, they love those odds.
EVERYTHING the Pistons did, teams like the Knicks, Hornets, Jazz, and many others were employing the Jordan Rules in their strategy when facing Jordan. Teams like the Boston Celtics blatantly ran zones in the 80's, they rarely were called for illegal defense either. Only a lazy defender would be called for illegal defense, even if you ran a zone in the 80's. Zones are for ballhogs. Team passing can take a team out of a zone pretty quick. (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
10, 01:35, 2008-06-13 19:18:07 Description: Michael Jordan was a great passer coming into the NBA. Jordan understood the game like no other and should have been an MVP candidate his rookie year for turning around the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan (More) Michael Jordan was a great passer coming into the NBA. Jordan understood the game like no other and should have been an MVP candidate his rookie year for turning around the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan had an unbelievable, but short run in the playoffs his rookie year.
Greg Anthony on the other hand, he was drafted by a good team, with great players around him already as a rookie, and he gets a lesson here in team basketball from Patrick Ewing, Pat Riley and Mike Fratello.
Damn that shot selection Greg Anthony. Go figure, that's the knock on your favorite player, Kobe Bryant.
No one approaches Jordan's number of Finals MVPs. The legend that Jordan was so dominant that he lost MVP awards because of it is true. The league voters tired of giving the award to the same player every year.
Seeing that Jordan was the future of the NBA and Magic Johnson had only received one MVP in his career, they voted Johnson in 1989 and 1990, not to diminsh Magic's accomplishments. Jordan is #1 all-time in total MVP voting, #1 all-time in MVP award shares, and has by far the most total MVPs (Finals, season, All-Star) with 14. Michael Jordan is the only Defensive Player of the Year in history to lead the league in scoring. Only Karl Malone has more All-NBA First Team honors (with one more). Jordan has the most All-Defensive First Team honors in NBA history. Rookie Michael Jordan led his team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals, making him the only NBA player in history to do that. Jordan was an All-Star every year in which he was eligible, and is #2 all-time in selections behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Jordan recorded the only triple double in All-Star Game history in 1997, but did not receive the MVP. Jordan has more scoring titles than any NBA franchise's entire history. He is the only player aside from Wilt Chamberlain to score 3000 points in a season. Jordan was the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both scoring and steals. He did it three times. Jordan led his team to the best regular season and combined regular and postseason records in NBA history. (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: Anthony comparison ESPN Ewing Fratello Greg hater idiot Jackson Jordan Mark Michael Mike New Pat Patrick Riley vs York
Rate it: Rate:
18, 10:57, 2008-04-21 16:05:55 Description: 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 (More) 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." ============================ (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: 1996 Bird Bulls Chicago Ewing Iverson Jordan Knicks Kobe Lebron Michael New Oakley Playoffs Starks Tmac Wade Wilt York
Rate it: Rate:
1, 06:12, 2008-04-21 21:38:49 Description: Jordan lost track of how many points he had and even he was surprized that he ended up with 64. Jordan did not go out of his way to score points the way today's players do but that is what made (More) Jordan lost track of how many points he had and even he was surprized that he ended up with 64. Jordan did not go out of his way to score points the way today's players do but that is what made him so great. Jordan shouldn't have even been playing but this warrior shows us all why we should all embrace the greatest of all time. Fellow Kobe fans who want to talk about Kobe being better than Jordan, he is not, I love Kobe but no way guys. Pat Riley said there will never be another Jordan. Jerry West said Kobe isn't Michael Jordan. Charles Barkley said Kobe isn't Jordan but he is the closest to him. Kobe fans it is time for all of us to respect Jordan so Jordan fans will respect Kobe. kb42pah and guys like him are spreading propoganda and he is trying to manipulate and misconstrue thoughts in young kids minds. The guy is a kid himself who isn't even old enough to drink and he is telling kids about the 80's when he wasn't even alive. (Less)
Channel: youtube Rate it: Rate:
15, 10:56, 2008-04-22 09:14:43 Description: 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 (More) 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." ===================== (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: 1995 Bird Bulls Chicago Iverson Jordan Kareem Knicks Kobe Lebron Michael New Tmac Wade Wilt York
Rate it: Rate:
11, 10:56, 2007-07-24 11:57:06 Description: 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 (More) 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."
===================== (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: 1995 Bird Bulls Chicago Iverson Jordan Kareem Knicks Kobe Lebron Michael New Tmac Wade Wilt York
Rate it: Rate:
10, 07:37, 2007-07-24 12:19:16 Description: 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 (More) 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."
=========================== (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: 1989 Bird Bulls Chicago Dominique Iverson Jordan Kareem Kobe Lakers Lebron Magic Michael Pippen Tmac Wade Wilt
Rate it: Rate:
7, 10:56, 2007-07-12 07:39:39 Description: 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 (More) 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.
=============================== (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: 1996 Bird Bulls Chicago Heat Iverson Jordan Kareem Kobe Lebron Magic Miami Michael Tmac Wade Wilt
Rate it: Rate:
12, 10:57, 2007-07-16 15:17:16 Description: 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 (More) 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."
============================ (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: 1996 Bird Bulls Chicago Ewing Iverson Jordan Knicks Kobe Lebron Michael New Oakley Playoffs Starks Tmac Wade Wilt York
Rate it: Rate:
0, 08:37, 2008-08-02 20:14:33 Description: Michael Jordan was a man on a mission.
He scored 32 points on 12 of 24 shooting and the Bulls won game three, 94-86.
Scottie Pippen scored 26 for Chicago and Patrick Ewing paced the Knicks with (More) Michael Jordan was a man on a mission.
He scored 32 points on 12 of 24 shooting and the Bulls won game three, 94-86.
Scottie Pippen scored 26 for Chicago and Patrick Ewing paced the Knicks with 27.
The Bulls took a 2-1 lead in this hard-fought, intense series. (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: bulls chicago duncan ewing garnett jackson jordan knicks kobe lebron melo michael NBA pippen playoffs riley shaq wade
Rate it: Rate:
2, 09:38, 2008-04-21 16:12:56 Description: The Bulls were leading the Knicks 2 games to 1 in the 1989 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Jordan played Game 4 with an injured groin but heroically led his team past the Knicks with 47 points, 11 (More) The Bulls were leading the Knicks 2 games to 1 in the 1989 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Jordan played Game 4 with an injured groin but heroically led his team past the Knicks with 47 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists to give them a commanding 3 to 1 series lead. His all-around team game ensured Chicago's victory. He made 23 free throws in this game to go along with his 12 field goals. This game is one of the many examples of Jordan's legendary playoff dominance. His playoff average coming into this game was phenomenal: 34 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals per game. The Bulls went on to defeat the Knicks and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals where they were defeated by the eventual 1989 NBA champions, the Detroit Pistons, in six games. (Less)
Channel: youtubeTags: Bryant Bulls Chicago Dwayne Ewing Jackson James Jordan Kobe LeBron Mark Michael Pat Patrick Pippen Riley Scottie Wade
Rate it: Rate:
0, 00:00, 2008-09-02 09:57:11 Description: Home. Carolyn Riley talks about the success in her previous home businesses pales in comparison to what the Fargo Team has provided her. Listen to her tell how team leaders Jason P Jordan, Cait (More) Home. Carolyn Riley talks about the success in her previous home businesses pales in comparison to what the Fargo Team has provided her. Listen to her tell how team leaders Jason P Jordan, Cait Stanley, Ericka Wilcox, Shawn Gray, and Pat Hintze coached her to earning a comission checks each month she been part of the Fargo Team.
To learn (Less)
Channel: metacafe Rate it: Rate:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 [»] [67]
Recent searches
actress nude photos 2s ago black granny 3s ago bollywood actress nude sex... 0s ago brunette teen fuck 1s ago carrot 3s ago cerita sex mantap 3s ago deepest deepthroat 1s ago fat 3s ago front of stranger 3s ago genki genki porn 4s ago german amateur 1s ago indah 3gp 1s ago indian lovers 0s ago indian scandal 3s ago lactating breast milk 1s ago lauren hays 2s ago lollywood nirma nude 5s ago massage 2s ago masturbation instruction 3s ago mature blow 5s ago nail in tit 1s ago p rod today was a good day 1s ago santabanta 2s ago str8 guys forced 5s ago videos de suingue 3s ago
What is viral today ?
Quicklist (0)
No videos on quicklist
This list is temporary even if You are logged in. You can save it to permanent list.
My video lists
You must be logged to see all your lists. Please log in here.
Bookmark us
Please, link us: