Top 10 Michael Jordan Moments Countdown

Posted on May 31, 2011 in Top-10's | 15 comments

With the NBA Finals underway, people are asking, “Is LeBron James the greatest basketball player ever?” Some claim he’s even better than Michael Jordan. What do you think? In the interest of spurring debate, here are the Top 10 Moments of MJ’s basketball career.
 

1982 NCAA Championship Game

This game was between the North Carolina Tar Heels and Georgetown. Tar Heels coach Dean Smith was seeking his first NCAA championship. In the final seconds the Tar Heels were behind Georgetown by one point. Then Jordan struck, sinking a 17 foot jump shot that gave the Tar Heels a one point win over Georgetown.

Jordan said afterwards, “I think that one shot really put me on the map.”
 
 
 
 
 

1984 Draft Of Michael Jordan By Chicago Bulls

In 1984 it was not Michael Jordan who was the most desired trophy for the NBA draft. Instead it was Akeem Olajuwon out of the University of Houston. Olajuwon was the first pick draft choice of the Houston Rockets. The second was the infamous pick of Sam Bowie by the Portland Trailblazer.

Bulls GM Rod Thorn counseled with North Carolina’s Head Coach Dean Smith and related that Smith felt that Jordan was an extraordinary competitor whose destiny was to get even better. Smith revealed to Thorn that he believed Michael would be even better as a professional than he was as a college pro. Thorn said, “Coach Smith was all for him coming out.” Smith only encouraged his players to go in the NBA draft if he felt they would be a top-five pick. Recognizing that Michael fell into this category he encouraged Jordan and highly recommended him to Thorn. Jordan was the Bulls’ first pick and was quickly recognized their best Bulls player. Bulls fans were elated. Soon after so were all NBA fans.
 
 

1986 First Round NBA Playoffs

Early in the season Michael broke his foot and missed 64 games. Wanting to protect their star from the potential re-injuring of his foot, many Bulls officials didn’t want him to play at all that season. Jordan had other plans and worked his way back to take part in the ‘86 playoffs. During game 2 of the playoff series against the Boston Celtics (who were considered one of the greatest in NBA history) with the game in Boston, Jordan scored an incredible 63 points. Although the Celtics won in a double over-time, 135 to 131, Jordan’s performance that evening provided half of all Bulls points scored. Michael was unstoppable. After the game Larry Bird of the Celtics remarked. “I think it’s just God disguised as Michael Jordan.”
 
 
 

1989 Playoffs, First Round Game 5

The series was between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls. The Cavaliers were the series favorite but Craig Ehlo, a Cavalier guard, was a player that Jordan loved to play against as scoring with Ehlo guarding him was not difficult for Jordan. With three seconds left in the game playing to a Cleveland home crowd, the Bulls were behind by one point. Jordan took possession of the ball following an in-bounds play, dribbles left twice, reached the foul line and jumped up (after pushing Ehlo out of the way) and scored the game winning point. Ehlo fell to his knees as the Cleveland arena became silent; Jordan pumped his arm three times and was then mobbed by his teammates.
 
 

1991 NBA Championship Game 2

Marv Albert called it a “spectacular move” that became known as “The Move”. Jordan was going in for a dunk and saw that Lakers player Sam Perkins would block the shot. Going up for a dunk with the ball in his right hand, in mid-air he switches the ball to his left hand and sinks it. The Bulls went on to win the Championship by beating Magic Johnson’s Lakers in a five games. When the Bulls won the trophy Jordan wept. It is his first NBA championship.
 
 
 
 
 

1992 NBA Championship Game 1

In 1992, after the run-up to the Championship series between the Portland Trailblazers and the Chicago Bulls there was debate among sports pundits, as well as sports fans, as to whether or not Portland’s Clyde Drexel was equal to Michael Jordan. The debate ended during this game when Jordan, in the first half of the game scored 35 points – including six three pointers. Magic Johnson, then a commentator for NBC, relates that after the first half ended, Jordan glanced at Magic, shrugged and said that he even surprised himself with how hot he was that first half. The Bulls went on to win the title in six games.
 

1996 Triple MVP

During the 1996 NBA season Michael won the Most Value Player award for the regular season. He also won Most Valuable Player for the All-Star game. Post-season, he again won the Most Valuable Player award in the Finals. The Bulls had 72-10 regular season record and lost only three post-season games on their way to another NBA championship.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1997 NBA Championship Game 5 (“The Flu Game”)

The series was between the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls. Following game 4 played in Utah and with the series tied at 2 apiece, Michael was feeling ill. The Bulls’ medical staff told him that he would not play in game 5 as he was too sick. They believed he had the flu or food poisoning. There was a down day between games and rather than practice, Michael rested in his room. On the day of the game he missed practice again, feeling feverish and nauseous. However, as game time drew near, Jordan dragged himself to the Delta Center and suited up. At first, he displayed no energy whatsoever.
But, he came on fire during the second quarter and scored 17 points.

During halftime, he was given a great deal of fluids. But, during the third quarter he felt fatigued and nauseous again. He might as well not have been on the court.

The Bulls were down 8 points early in the fourth quarter. Jordan somehow recovers and begins a Bulls streak of ten points, making the score 79-77 Bulls. With more than three minutes left, the Jazz nail a three pointer – the score is now 83-81 Utah. Jordan quickly hits a return shot and the Bulls are down by one. Then Utah’s John Stockton fouls Jordan. He hits one for two and the game ties at 85. The missed ball gets tipped by Utah and some deft playing by Jordan gives him an opportunity for a three-point shot that he makes. The Bulls win the game 90-88. Sick and weak Michael scored 38 points for the Bulls that night and with only a few seconds left in the game he collapsed into Scottie Pippen’s arms.
 

1998 NBA Championship Game 6

With only 5.2 seconds of the game left, the Chicago Bulls are losing to the Utah Jazz. Moments before the game ends Jordan steals the ball from Utah’s Karl Malone and places a game winning 20-foot jump shot over Utah’s Bryon Russell. It is the Bulls’ sixth championship in eight seasons. After scoring 45 points in his last game for the Bulls Michael retired from the NBA for the second time.

Phil Jackson, then the Bulls coach recalls, “He wouldn’t let us lose. If this is to be his last game, he left us all with a performance to remember. He’s the greatest player ever, and this proves it.”
 
 
 

1992 Summer Olympics: Barcelona, Spain

Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, eight other NBA All-Stars and the top college player joined forces in what many consider the best sports team ever assembled. They were the “Dream Team.” The 1992 Summer Olympics was the first time that NBA players were allowed to compete.

“It was special for me to be there with (Jordan), because I always wanted to be a part of the Olympics growing up as a kid,” said Dream Teammate Scottie Pippen. “For me to go in and play with Michael and be a part of that historical team that was put together for the first time was great.”

Jordan led the Dream Team’s domination of the tournament with 37 steals. He was the second leading scorer with an average of 14.9 points per game. In the gold medal contest against Croatia, Jordan led the team to victory scoring 22 points. The team won the gold with a final score of 117-85.

Off the court, Jordan was a public sensation.

“Michael’s ability to move crowds like a famous rock star was incredible,” Pippen said. “Even though Larry and Magic were great stars in the game, there were never able to move a crowd like Michael could off the court.”