He won the Rookie of the Year award, 1 Defensive Player of the Year award, 5 MVP awards, 6 Finals MVP awards and 6 NBA championships. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. But Bird also liked to roam the lanes for steals to ignite the Boston break, so he rarely was on a primary scorer. But once again, Jordan bounced back strongly, scoring 30 on 12-of-18 shooting in a 109-99 win over the Atlanta Hawks before adding 34 points on 14-of-23 shooting in a 118-100 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. So you thought you knew everything there is to know about the No. Before Jordan, fadeaways were frowned upon by many coaches. 1998 Upper Deck MJx Basketball #127 Michael Jordan/4th Quarter Highlights. If he had a signature shot in the second three-peat, it was his stunning fadeaway. Thats tied with Gary Payton, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett for the most first-team All-Defense selections in NBA history. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. source for the material. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 23) Including the regular season and playoffs, Jordan had five 60-point games. site for a tweet, an article, or for research for a By the second three-peat, Jordan had become maybe the best post-up guard in history. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. He buried the Portland Trail Blazers with a barrage of 3-pointers, a then-record six in the first half, as the Chicago Bulls pulled away. Jordan was on the bench cheering his teammates on before coming back into the contest when the score was 81-78 in favor of the Blazers. In the 1987-88 season, Michael Jordan led the league in scoring with 35 points a game, was named the defensive player of the year, and won MVP. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Post #1 by Bel Thu Aug 1, 2019 1:14 am . The Celtics played Bird against the less mobile Corzine and McHale against Woolridge's quickness to put size on Woolridge. The Bulls started Woolride, Charles Oakley, Corzine, Kyle Macy and Jordan. His rookie season when he finished sixth. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting. He was on top of the basketball world. In todays league he would just be a DeRozen with better defense. The Celtics big guys continued to shade toward Jordan, but the Bulls still held a 91-88 lead going into the fourth quarter. 19) Jordan shot 49.7 percent from the floor for his career. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. "Larry was running over there to help where we were trying to shade him. 1963 No shooting guard had ever won even one MVP award. Players with higher salaries that season included Benoit Benjamin, Brian Shaw, Danny Ferry and Dale Davis. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. There was a cruel intimacy to his domination. Right, Born: Michael Jordan reached 10,000 points for his NBA career on January 25, 1989. Jordan ranked first in midrange scoring and third in efficiency despite his midrange game requiring him to take numerous impossible shots against the league's top defenders on a nightly basis. 1) Going strictly by seeding, Jordan was never upset in the playoffs. Michael Jordan Finals Stats Michael Jordan's numbers in the NBA Finals. Sidney Green, now a Bulls ambassador, was first man off the bench with Gene Banks and Paxson also playing the other significant minutes off the bench. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Bulls coach Stan Albeck decided to go small to open the second half with Oakley, Woolridge and Banks on the front line going against the Boston big three, a move which didn't work well as Woolridge forced numerous off balance shots, finishing nine of 27 with all the other Bulls starters at least 50 percent. International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, View all Jordan high school, amateur, and exhibition games, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles. In the era of the Dirty Harry movies, Sichting said he'd call Clint Eastwood. It didn't happen overnight, but Jordan eventually became the most fearless, most clutch and most terrifying jump-shooter of his era. Emsley A. Laney in Wilmington, North Carolina, Draft: It was primarily his defense in clutch situations that made him such a good closer. Check out all those red dots in the midrange in this vintage NBC shot chart: Jordan scored 20 of the Bulls' 23 points in the fourth quarter of a close game. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He's all soaped up and he says, 'The good news is we beat them. Jordan went into the fourth quarter with 36 points. Just look at this. Still, Jordan managed to pull his team through the postseason gauntlet one last time in the spring of 1998, thanks in large part to his midrange prowess. Steve Kerr played 2 minutes off the bench for Orlando. He was a perfect 3-of-3 on such shots in games when his team faced elimination and 4-of-7 when his team had an opportunity to clinch. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. "There was so much drama," said Dave Corzine, the starting center on that team who now working back at his alma mater DePaul. He played exactly 500 more regular-season games with Chicago. But consider that after missing 64 games that season with a broken foot and with a patchwork team in which you might argue no one but Jordan could even make the Celtics, Jordan set the all-time scoring record against what many regard as the greatest front line ever in Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. James Jordan was a mechanic and Deloris Jordan was a bank teller. Like all transcendent superstars, he created new fundamentals, and in the post-Jordan NBA landscape, the fadeaway jumper became a cornerstone of many of the league's greatest shooters. 12 on a loss to the Magic. To "be like Mike" isn't just to win 10 scoring titles, six rings, five MVPs or to sell millions of signature shoes. Log in for full results. I've lost almost 300 games. "It's the zone you hear some players talk about from time to time, where the basket seems bigger, you almost see the moves before you make them, everything is going in. It's not just that Jordan was statistically incredible. Data Provided By Tools and Resources Used by Real General Managers. You must also recognize that at one point in his career, his jumper was the weakest part of his game. I like separating clutch stats by peak years, there's a nostalgia factor with the still great 96-98 Jordan that ignores how scary he actually was. "He was hitting outside shots, driving to the hole. Moderators: bwgood77, KingDavid, Domejandro, cupcakesnake, Harry Garris, ken6199, infinite11285, zimpy27, bisme37, Dirk, Post#1 by Bel Thu Aug 1, 2019 1:14 am, Post#2 by Carlos_Danger Thu Aug 1, 2019 1:39 am, Post#3 by LKN Thu Aug 1, 2019 1:52 am, Post#4 by Effigy Thu Aug 1, 2019 2:19 am, Post#5 by HEAT33 Thu Aug 1, 2019 2:24 am, Post#6 by thebigbird Thu Aug 1, 2019 2:26 am, Post#7 by SeniorWalker Thu Aug 1, 2019 3:12 am, Post#8 by Anticon Thu Aug 1, 2019 3:25 am, Post#9 by Jables Thu Aug 1, 2019 3:26 am, Post#10 by queridiculo Fri Aug 2, 2019 3:53 pm, Post#11 by LofJ Fri Aug 2, 2019 4:54 pm, Post#12 by Ben Simmons Fri Aug 2, 2019 4:59 pm, Post#13 by MrDollarBills Fri Aug 2, 2019 5:04 pm, Post#14 by Bandit King Fri Aug 2, 2019 5:11 pm. As in: What in the hell did I just do? or What can I say? The Shrug happened when Jordan glanced courtside at Magic Johnson, then an NBC commentator, and it became iconic. He infiltrated the teeth of opposing defenses and destroyed them up close and personal. >> Paxson on Jordan: Never afraid to fail. When he gets like that, you just have to do your best and hope he eventually cools off.". But he also showed us that guards who can shoot can dominate the best basketball league in the world. Michael is never going to have another game like that again. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. It's not a coincidence that players such as Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki rode fadeaways and midrange jumpers all the way to the top of the NBA in the years following Jordan's retirement. You were talking about a different type of talent.". He averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals in 1,072 regular-season games. But the Bulls lost 106-97 and needed to dig in their hooves a bit to make the playoffs after dropping a game. Can Rudy Gobert-less Jazz keep pesky Nuggets off the glass? Michael Jordan scored 246 points (41.0 PPG) in the 6-game 1993 NBA Finals. Obituary Date: Friday 21st October 2022. Countless memorable moments have taken place on the NBAs grandest stage and these are some of the best of all time. 18) Jordan averaged 11.4 assists per game in the 1991 NBA Finals and led the Bulls outright in assists in all five games. Jordan took over when it mattered most, scoring eight . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 10) Jordan had four straight 40-point games during the 1993 NBA Finals. The final margin would be the Celtics' biggest lead of the game. Emsley A. Laney in Wilmington, North Carolina, Draft: Boston got the lead back to 116-114 with 27 seconds left. Questions or suggestions? He still scored 14.3 points in just 15.3 minutes per game, but the struggling Bulls went just 0-4 with their leader back in the mix. The 1990s Bulls weren't hunting mismatches every trip down the floor. MJ, as Jordan is popularly known, played 15 seasons in the . In honor of No. FantasyPros considers the best player values for DraftKings and FanDuel NBA DFS. Stathead: Baseball's Most Powerful Search Tool, Stathead: Basketball's Most Powerful Research Tool, Stathead: Football's Most Powerful Research Tool, Stathead: Hockey's Most Powerful Research Tool. "I remember in the huddle people saying to try to push him one way to the side help," recalled Vincent. Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 17, 1963. "Dennis was a prideful defensive player," recalled Jerry Sichting, who would come off the bench and make what would be the winning shot in the second overtime. Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain are the only players with multiple 60-point games in losses. Those jumpers also allowed the Bulls to run a simple offense, something that came in handy within the brutality of 1990s hoops: Just get MJ the ball in the post. All rights reserved. >> Video: Jordan drops 63 in Boston Garden One interesting thing is that in 179 playoff games, Jordan never scored less than 15 points, and less than 20 only 6 times. 3) On Dec. 29, 2001, Jordan scored 51 points, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to score 50 points (age 38). Michael Jordan played six NBA Finals in his 15-year career. Do you have a sports website? Sights and sounds from Warriors' White House visit, Andr's five thoughts: Domantas Sabonis, Nikola Jokic and more, Waiver wire pickups: Look to Walker Kessler and Harrison Barnes, Victor Wembanyama shows off all-around game in latest win, we have technology that allows us to track the most intricate on-court details in any game, Jordan entered a league that belonged to size and strength, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. But after accessing the NBA's historical shot location data and accounting for the brief use of a 22-foot 3-point line before it moved back to 23.75 feet in 1997-98, we can understand MJ's scoring prowess in fascinating detail. 6 Auburn, Kirk Cousins thriving even when Redskins are not, Lonzo Ball, De'Aaron Fox meet for first time in NBA as Lakers visit Kings. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. His career high is 31.4 points per game, which would be MJ's seventh-best season. That didn't change until 1995-96 when the NBA for three seasons shortened the three point line. ', "Little did he know," Sichting said with a laugh, "what was coming.". Jordan scored with relative ease, stepping by Johnson quickly and showing that hanging ability, though more so for layups as the Celtics big men protected against the big dunks. If you look at Jordan's jump shot locations between 1996 and 1998, you see tons of activity near the left and the right block areas: This is where Jordan would break out the "windshield wiper," his nickname for his favorite fadeaway variation where he faked a turnaround over one shoulder and then sprang back and shot over the other. That occurred after the Bulls lost 100-86 to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Michael Jordan was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Player in 2009 (Full List) Find out more. Most Points Per Game . Jordan wasn't just the most active 2-point jump-shooter in the world, he was arguably the most efficient one, too. Not once over the other 1,061 games of his career did he record back-to-back triple-doubles. The Celtics finally wrestled back the lead on a Bird three with about 11 minutes left as Bird would go on to finish with 36 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. home/away, monthly, etc More Michael Jordan Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, January 18, 4:46AM. In the NBA in 1997, there was Michael Jordan, and then there was everyone else: Still, to fully absorb how special Jordan's late-era Bulls numbers were, you not only have to understand that he put them up in the face of astounding amounts of defensive pressure. February 17, 8) Jordan is the only player to win an NBA title, NCAA title and multiple Olympic gold medals. It was more a circus and then we get into the playoffs against Boston, who was much better than us and Michael is just having great games. It was the Bulls' third straight loss. In multiple period, from 1996-97 to 2022-23, in the regular season, in a quarter, sorted by descending Points. We tried to shade him to help, everything. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The Bulls looked in trouble with about seven minutes left when Paxson got a drive blocked and the Celtics, always looking ahead for fast breaks and runouts, threw ahead to Ainge for an easy layup and 104-100 lead. The force behind Memphis' league-leading defense climbs to the top of the latest ranking. Find out more. Jordan is a 9-time NBA All-Defensive . >> Jordan Hall of Fame content:Part IV: Jordan's sophomore season with a footnote 12) Jordan wore No. And he won them all. Generally, post defenders overplay one side, and Jordan designed his fadeaway to exploit that. I've failed over, and over and over again in my life. This is how many times Michael Jordan scored 50 points in the NBA Regular Season? When Jordan left the NBA, the league belonged to skill and speed. Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, [9] is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. But he was splitting everything and going around and shooting over.". NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, Jordan scores 63, but Bulls fall to Celtics in 2OT, Part IV: Jordan's sophomore season with a footnote. It's not just that he was the most aesthetically magnificent superstar that basketball has ever seen. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Already a subscriber? Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, January 18, 4:46AM. home/away, monthly, etc. But Jordan was now taking it on himself, going against the Celtics help and fouling out Walton on a help play midway through the fourth. His fatigue manifested in reduced efficiency in his favorite spots. McHale complained Jordan stuck his arm into McHale as McHale went by to the side. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. "Early in his career, I always thought he was looking to score every time," said Bird. This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. Jordan transfigured the look and feel of basketball greatness, reshaping and elevating it beyond anyone's expectations. They are a basketball team worth falling in love with. The next highest scorer was Dominque Wilkins with 30 points a game. "McHale scoring over me repeatedly (27 points and 15 rebounds). 1 Alabama and No. Michael Jordan is an American Basketball player, considered by many, as the Greatest Basketball Player of All Time. In fact, since the NBA moved the 3-point line back in 1997, no one has come close to topping Jordan's mark of midrange makes in a season. On April 20, 1986, Michael Jordan scores an NBA-record 63 points in the Bulls' overtime loss to the Celtics at Boston Garden. (Shot Chart) "Boston threw everyone and everything at him. Thats the largest percentage of team points any player has been responsible for in a single NBA Finals. 1995-98 Playoffs. The Bulls went on a 14-2 run to start the fourth quarter. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. It had balance, depth and talent, coaching experience, great leadership, top management with Red (Auerbach), a great legacy as a franchise on top and a legend in Larry Bird.". Jordan scored just 21 points on 9-of-25 shooting. This is mostly a good thing. us, High School: Opponent : G : MPG : FG% 3P% Jordan didn't invent the fadeaway -- post players had used it for years before him -- but nobody moved like Mike, and Jordan turned fadeaways into artwork. You agree that your personal information will be used to send you messages about NBA related products and services, and share your personal information with NBA partners and affiliates so that they can also contact you about products and services that might be of interest to you. James doesn't compare. Mike, Air Jordan, M.J., His Airness, Money, Black Cat, Mr. June, G.O.A.T., Superman, Captain Marvel, Black Jesus are nicknames for Michael Jordan. ET on ESPN and the ESPN App. It was Bird who offered the famous "God disguised as Michael Jordan" quote after that game, after Jordan carried a Bulls team to double overtime before finally yielding 135-131. Shoots: And how many times in the playoffs? Jordan's career scoring mark of 30.12 points per game is the all-time record, and MJ won the per game scoring title 10 times. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. You also must permanently reform the nature of your sport. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. "It was a different time and space in those days. Lowe: How Pippen lifted MJ's Bulls STUDYING JORDAN'S OLD shooting data reveals a couple of fascinating things. This was posted 3 years ago From RealGM poster Dipper 13 so all credit goes to him. Jordan's 37.1 PPG in 1986-87 was highest in a season in NBA since Wilt Chamberlain (44.8 PPG in 1962-63). Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. Here you have his stats in the Finals. But McHale was called for the foul 25 feet away. "He obviously was in a zone. 11) Jordan is the only player to lead the NBA in both points per game and steals per game in the same season three separate times. "He does that against the best team in the league on national TV. James has either been the best or second best in ten of his 17 seasons. Can Thunder's struggling D slow a better-than-ever Warriors offense? Against the transformation of Donovan Mitchell, the Cavs are broadly unsettled. First: MJ was not only the greatest scorer of his era, but he was a hyperefficient shooter, too. A fellow forum user here, Dipper13 (a Wilt fan, for those concerned), compiled Jordan's shot chart along with his clutch +/- for playoff games according to the NBA definition (last 5 minutes in 4th quarter . Bryant would need to make his next 2,496 shots in order to catch Jordan in career field-goal percentage. The 10-part Michael Jordan documentary "The Last Dance" is available on the ESPN App. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? The president also pledges support for California following waves of destructive weather. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. That wasn't the case when Jordan played. Wins: Jordan 6, LeBron 4. inBrooklyn,New York In multiple period, from 1996-97 to 2022-23, in the regular season, in a quarter, sorted by descending Points. By clicking "Submit", you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. For this clutch MJ moment, we'll jump into 1997. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. They loaded up their defense to stop him and he scored on every double and triple team he saw.". Shelburne: Kobe and MJ's friendship $2.00. Jordan's stat line is insane: 69 points on 23-of-37 shooting, 21-of-23 from free throw line, 18 rebounds, six assists, and four steals. No other player in league history has scored 40 or more points in more than two consecutive Finals games. The final game in that stretch was a 123-97 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers that dropped Chicago to 24-48 and on the precipice of missing the playoffs. Jordan showed us that jumpers could quell giants and conquer the sport at the highest level. Going into the second overtime tied at 125, the Celtics began trapping Jordan in the backcourt and he would miss his first four shots of the second overtime. Of note, Jordan turned 40 years old during the 2002-03 campaign but still had his moments. And he did it by shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting consistently.". On Feb. 14, 1990 Jordan scored 49 points wearing No. This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. Of course he did. And that is why I succeed. Find cumulative periods in a season matching criteria, Find cumulative periods in combined seasons matching criteria, Find most periods by a player in a season matching criteria, Find most periods by a player in combined seasons or careers matching criteria. LeBron's mark of 27.15 is fourth all-time, behind Jordan, Wilt . Learn More. He's led the NBA in scoring only once. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Things looked far more dire for the Bulls in 1992. 1993 Michael Jordan 10.3 >> From Elias Sports Bureau MJ averaged 10.6 points in 1998 Finals (which would be 4th on the list).. . This is a fan website, for official NBA information you can visit the NBA's website. Data Provided By Editor's note: This story was first published on April 16, 2020. While MJ acknowledged that in training videos, he countered that with proper practice, the shot could become a reliable weapon. "Kevin with his long arms, Danny with his tenacious ways, Dennis and his great defensive ability and he's chewing up everyone standing in front of him. And in the NBA Finals? Playoff Rebounds Against the New York Knicks in 1989, 1992 and 1993. So the team worked out that awkward, escalating minutes limitation that eventually ended after the regular season with the Bulls 30-52, yet in the playoffs. All rights reserved. "He did not have the talent around him, so he had to be the scorer.". These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. At age 25 years, 343 days. One interesting thing is that in 179 playoff games, Jordan never scored less than 15 points, and less than 20 only 6 times. How to replay the series, "Somebody like Reggie Miller will run you back and forth across the floor through a million picks on every possession," Smith said. In his final season with the Lakers this season, Kobe Bryant has dunked four times. 5) Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon are the only players in NBA history to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. "That team could win any type of game, a speed game, a power game, a shooting game, a defensive game, a physical game, a cerebral game. "NBA Finals 4th Quarter Scoring Stats: LeBron in Games 4,5,6 of the 2011 Finals Vs Mavs: 9 Points FG%: 40% Jordan in Games 4,5,6 of the 1996 Finals Vs Sonics: 4 Points FG%: 16% Yet one gets talked about as an all time meltdown and one hasn't been talked about at all." Against teams seeded the same or lower, Jordan's teams had a perfect 24-0 series record. His usage rate was an absurd 45%, but he was efficient, needing just 35 shots to get his 55 points. But Jordan still had it, posting 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists over his final two years. Michael Jordan shot 44.0% (40/91) overall and 28.6% (4/14) from three in 11 games in the fourth quarter in the NBA Finals in his career. He missed 22 shots from that spot in the regular season which trailed only Horace Grant and Rik Smits. 2020-08-26. His final two seasons in Chicago, Jordan made 997 mid-range shots, over 250 more than any other player. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. A fellow forum user here, Dipper13 (a Wilt fan, for those concerned), compiled Jordan's shot chart along with his clutch +/- for playoff games according to the NBA definition (last 5 minutes in 4th quarter, both teams within +/- 5 points). Do you have a sports website? That's how we know that while Jordan led the league in scoring in 1996-97, he ended up tied for 57th in the NBA in points in the paint and 54th in made 3s per game. The oldest player to ever win a scoring title was Michael Jordan at age 35. He was his teams outright leading scorer in 32 of them with Scottie Pippen (twice) and Toni Kukoc (once) the only others to lead the Bulls in scoring. The season didn't end with a playoff berth, but Jordan was still remarkably impressive in his 15th and final NBA campaign. The Celtics' outlet passing was a thing of beauty. Shooting Guard and Small Forward All rights reserved. NBA.com has +/- for the last two years of Jordan's career. Find out more. "He's in the shower after that Game 1 when Michael has 49. "It was pretty much screen-and-roll the whole game," said Corzine. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. But Jordan came back to tie it at 131 with about a minute left with a jumper over Ainge to tie Baylor's 61 points and then a drive away from McHale's baseline help and a short shot over a helping Parish at the free throw line for the 63rd point and the tie at 131. "He had no pattern," Smith said. Relive Michael Jordan and the Bulls' run to their sixth championship. He drove, he pulled up. That ad came out during the middle of the Bulls' second championship three-peat, a time when Jordan wasn't failing much at all. It was an amazing display, but how he did it was telling. 14) For his career, Jordan was 9-of-18 shooting in the playoffs on potential game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final 24 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Discover short videos related to michael jordan 4th quarter on TikTok. That came after Jordan had blocked a Parish drive. And that is why I succeed.". "He fouled us all out," laughed Walton. He then dropped 49 points in Game 1 of the first playoff round against the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics before adding 63 more in Game 2. When he sensed his defender was leaning too far one way, he could flip the script, glide into a clear shooting pocket and let his old-man jumper do the rest. The Knicks took the first two games, and John Starks punctuated the last one with a baseline dunk over center Bill Cartwright with Jordan in the vicinity. THE CHANGES IN NBA superstar scoring over the past 20 years have been drastic. 20) Jordan's shot over Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 Finals was a 17-footer from the top of the key. Snyder served as the director of the Basketball Africa League Combine in Paris. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. The media coverage wasn't what it is. 14) For his career, Jordan was 9-of-18 shooting in the playoffs on potential game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final 24 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime. The exception? Jordan's penchant for taking his failures and perceived slights (either real or made-up) and turning them into fuel for his success is one of his most notable traits. It was also the last time that Jordan lost three straight games in a single season as a member of the Bulls. We couldn't stop him. Buzzer beater vs. Jazz. During the regular season in 1997-98, Jordan shot 33 percent on shots from 16 to 18 feet at the top of the key which was below the league average of 37 percent. It would be greatly appreciated and would If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. "We were throwing a little bit of everything at him," said Vincent. Jordan didn't dance around the margins of the scoring era. Ainge had joked after Game 1 the way to play Jordan was to "foul him and hope someone else can come in and do the job.". I've failed over, and over and over again in my life. The Pacers have developed an exciting, under-noticed style- they are near the top of the league in both pace and three-point volume, relying on Tyrese Haliburton's control of the machine but also on their considerable armada of shooters.