1998 NBA Finals - Utah Jazz Vs. Chicago Bulls - Game 6. Michael Jordans game winner, highlights etc

In case you missed it on WGN TV's Instant Replay program, Chicago Bulls & White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf opens up to WGN TV's Rich King on the Sox off-season acquistions and the upcoming 2008 season. As for the Bulls, he discusses why a change was made at the head coaching position and what Scott Skiles said to him the day he left.

97 bulls introduction. no doubt the best introduction ever

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." =====================

The famous Chicago Bulls players' introduction, it's from the legendary 1995-96 season, this is the 6th and final game of the Finals vs Sonics.

September 13th 2008 Buffalo 30 Temple 28 This is why I love NCAA college football Is Drew Willy the next Doug Flutie?

Video mix of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman on the Chicago Bulls during the late 90's. For more downloadable high quality NBA mixes, visit http://www.nbamixes.com

New York Red Bull @ Chicago Fire

The New York Red Bulls fell to FC Barcelona, 6-2, in a friendly at Giants Stadium Wednesday. Jorge Rojas and Seth Stammler scored for the Bulls who were tough in defeat.

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." ===========================

I usually like to leave game recaps up to Hoopsencyclopedia because he's "the man" for it, but I've taken it upon myself to cover a game that on the surface may not mean a lot, but underneath went on to hold it's own high-value for multiple reasons. To many young fans today, this isn't exactly a historical game - and for good reason. In the context of basketball history, not many regular season games are truly memorable, classic, or historical. But many also become classics in their own right, for records made, or for final meetings. This one has a little mix of everything - including Toronto's largest ever crowd of over 36,000 fans at the Sky Dome. In their previous meeting of the '95-'96 season Michael was the acclaimed "Raptor killer", sinking the Raptors and posting 14 fourth quarter points. In this game, he posts 36 points on 63.6% shooting (14-22) with 15 in the fourth quarter. Amazingly, 13 of his 15 fourth quarter points come in the last 4 minutes and 20 seconds of playing time. These were the games of his post-baseball career (seemingly happened a lot in 95-96) that made you wish his team wasn't as great as it was, just so you could see him continue to light it up all game long. Unfortunately, Michael never did anything that wasn't necessary. The expansion team, Toronto Raptors, face off against Michael Jordan and a Bulls team that went on to win an all time NBA record of 72 regular season wins. But what the 36,131 fans that packed the Sky Dome on this night may not realise, is that they were watching a story filled with subplots unfold upon the hardwood of a basketball court. Michael Jordan. Alvin Robertson. Damon Stoudamire. Chicago Bulls. Toronto Raptors. 72. 8. What people don't realise, though, is that the Raptors that year were actually stacked with talent that could do harm in any league of any era had they have had the correct team chemistry, confidence, and playing time required to do so. Damon Stoudamire was a rookie, who, in my opinion is one of the most underrated PG talents of our generation. In the 95-96 season, he went on to win ROY and set multiple records including a then record 133 3PT FG's for a rookie. He was also chasing second place for most assists by a rookie, on the tail of Oscar Robertson. He went on to post 19.0ppg and 9.3apg (something that the top PGs of the league today fail to do), while setting multiple franchise records for the Toronto Raptors that still stand today, including most assists by a player (19). In this game, he seemed to be having a shoot out with Steve Kerr and Michael Jordan. Damon posted 30 points, 11 assists and went 6-8 from three point land. Then there's the subplot of Michael vs. Robertson. Great friends, old team mates ('84 olympics), and fierce competitors. History has it, that this would be the last time either of the old timers would face off against each other in professional competition (Robertson retired after '96). For those of you who don't know much about Alvin