1:15
The potential storybook ending in 1998 by the hands of MJ himself. His last shot in his last game in his last final... タグ:michaeljordanmjbullsnbafinals 投稿日: March 25, 2006, 3:20 am 閲覧数: 1436228 投票: 4.80(５点満点) 1993 人の平均
this is how we do it
3:57
Montell Jordan タグ:musicr&bmontelljordanhip-hop 投稿日: March 5, 2006, 7:01 am 閲覧数: 977929 投票: 4.90(５点満点) 2329 人の平均
bulls @ knicks - 1995. jordan's 55 point comeback
10:56
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."
===================== タグ:michaeljordanbullsknicks1995chicago 投稿日: July 25, 2007, 3:57 am 閲覧数: 155658 投票: 4.80(５点満点) 366 人の平均
knicks vs bulls - 1998 (jordan's last game at msg as a bull)
9:26
Jordan's first game at Madison Square Garden was on December 9, 1981. He was a North Carolina freshman playing against the Rutgers. From that point on, he repeatedly said that he loved to play in this arena. He even called it the "Mecca of Basketball".
On March 8, 1998 he played his last game in a Bulls uniform at Madison Square Garden. He wore his Air Jordans from 1984 as a tribute to the fans. In the end, it was another Jordan special.
He finished with 42pts (17-33), 8rb, 6 asts, 3stls and 1 blk.
Here are some post game notes and quotes
=======================
NEW YORK From his shoes to his shots, it was vintage Michael Jordan in what may have been his last game at Madison Square Garden.
Jordan, wearing an original pair of red, white and black Air Jordan sneakers from his rookie season, scored 42 points yesterday with a dazzling display of shooting as the Chicago Bulls beat the New York Knicks, 102-89.
"I kinda went retroactive today with the shoes," he said. "Some of the moves seemed to be coming from 1984. It brought back a lot of memories and certainly brought some excitement to the crowd."
Jordan claims to have been cleaning his home with his wife, Juanita, and noticed the sneakers. Even though they are a full size smaller than his normal 131/2 (yes, his feet have grown with his legend), Jordan wanted to make a fashion statement. "I have six pairs of each and every shoe that we put out," he said. "I found some at home so they're originals, not remakes."
Jordan hit 17 of 33 shots, with some of his baskets coming on moves as outlandish as his signature line of shoes were considered back in 1984 when they first came out of the box.
"I played up in the air a lot today, but there was a need to," Jordan said. "Since the all-star game, this was probably the best game we've played over the course of 48 minutes."
''Nothing he does surprised me anymore,'' Starks said of Jordan's amazing display. ''I'm immune. When he gets on a roll he can't be stopped."
As he walked off the floor with 1:03 remaining, the crowd which included the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Wayne Gretzky rose to its feet and applauded.
"It was a coronation for him out there," Jeff Van Gundy said. "I don't know what else you can say. The guy is great."
"The shoes were a big topic of conversation in the locker room," guard Steve Kerr said. "It was the theme of coming full circle. It was on his mind ... I was betting guys he'd take them off at some point. Then, he hit his first four shots."
Actually, Jordan hit four of his first six, but 20 years from now, it will be remembered as a perfect game by the millions who were there. "I couldn't believe it," Kerr said, suggesting Jordan was risking a foot injury. "I thought, 'Is he nuts?' Did you see those things? They looked like pieces of cardboard put together. It's amazing how far the shoe industry has come."
Jordan warmed up with a 17-point first half, but the Bulls trailed 46-43. In his 12-point third quarter, Jordan went into his bag of tricks for a drive on which he got hammered, turned his back to the basket and threw the ball backward over his head and in.
In the fourth quarter, Jordan polished the Knicks off with 13 more points, punctuated by still another drive on which he turned his back and flipped the ball over his head into a basket he couldn't see. That one made Kerr just throw his arms over his head and laugh crazily at the wonder of it all.
"It's so much fun to be a part of this team," Kerr said. "You take the total performance, 42 points, for granted. We see that all the time. But those moves that he does are just so amazing that I find myself cheering just like everybody else does in the stands."
"He is the best player to ever play the game and he proved it again today," said Larry Johnson, who scored 20 points.
''We have this argument within our coaching staff: What is Jordan's greatest talent -- being able to shoot a pull-up jumper with his back horizontal to the floor, or his competitive desire to win?'' Van Gundy said. ''When you put those together, that makes you the best player in the game.''
========================== タグ:michaeljordanknicksbullsmagicbird 投稿日: July 2, 2007, 8:11 am 閲覧数: 60802 投票: 4.90(５点満点) 179 人の平均
jordan's first college game - n. carolina vs. kansas. 1981
9:19
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." タグ:michaeljordannorthcarolinancaadebut 投稿日: July 15, 2007, 12:35 am 閲覧数: 62031 投票: 4.90(５点満点) 102 人の平均
i wanna be like mike - michael jordan's top 10 dunks
3:23
Michael Jordan's Top Ten Dunks
Music = Be Like Mike
Mixed by MC2 タグ:michaeljordanbelikemiketop 投稿日: November 10, 2006, 12:02 pm 閲覧数: 154698 投票: 4.80(５点満点) 241 人の平均
jordan's early birthday gift
8:51
We gave Jordan his birthday present early because if we waited another month, he wouldn't get much use out of it. As you can see, he likes to help. He said he needed corn to put in his wagon. Instead we trimmed the hedges & let him haul those around. He also gave his buddy Hunter Kollasch a ride for a bit. タグ:johndeeretractor 投稿日: September 6, 2006, 11:29 am 閲覧数: 10908 投票: 5.00(５点満点) 3 人の平均
jordan's most replayed dunk -original broadcast (vs knicks)
4:46
Jordan's most replayed dunk -original broadcast (vs Knicks)
1991 - playoffs - round 1, game 3 タグ:nba1991michaeljordanpatrickewing 投稿日: May 5, 2007, 8:16 am 閲覧数: 122029 投票: 4.90(５点満点) 157 人の平均
kobe drops 42 in a half against jordan's wizards
5:18
Kobe drops 42 in a half against Jordan's Wizards タグ:kobebryantmichaeljordannbamix 投稿日: February 15, 2006, 2:31 pm 閲覧数: 46454 投票: 4.60(５点満点) 130 人の平均
heat vs. bulls 1996-1997. jordan's 50 point statement
10:56
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.
=============================== タグ:michaeljordanheatmiamichicagobulls 投稿日: July 12, 2007, 11:39 pm 閲覧数: 39047 投票: 4.80(５点満点) 96 人の平均
