Drama loves company. This was one of the few statement games by the older and wiser MJ. With rookie Stackhouse mouthing off to the press about how he held his own against MJ during his summer-UNC warmup sessions, MJ was quietly enraged. To add to that, Vernon ‘Mad’ Maxwell was upset that the Bulls were getting so much press with MJ’s return after retirement that he spewed nonsense to the press as well. It awoke the sleeping giant.
With cool and calm efficiency, MJ destroyed the two in this game as their comments were unacceptable. Toying with Stack the whole game, MJ frustrated him into shooting 4-11 for 13 pts. Smothering Mad Max the other half of the time, MJ ruined him into shooting 1-8 for 4 pts. On the other end, MJ chose to hit 64% with a butter-like J to go 18-28 in 3 quarters for 48 pts and 10 rebounds. With his exploits responsible for a 30 point lead, MJ rested the 4th, iced his knees and asserted his physical and mental mastery of the game while marching his way to a record 72 win season that year.
“You do not look at Michael Jordan in the eye because he’ll take that as a challenge and he’ll dominate you. You do not make him mad. Whenever I played against him, I just looked at the ground.” (Jayson Williams, NJ Nets.)
He is unbelievable to watch when he is toying with his opponents! Noone else can score 40+ points and make it look effortless! And you can always tell when was toying with his opponents coz after making a basket he would slowly trot back down the court and it looked like he was singing to himself! Greatest Of All Time!
June 14th, 2008 | #
Lesson Learn, do not talk shit about MJ.
June 14th, 2008 | #
Jordan was so hot that night, he could have got 70 if he played the whole game!
June 14th, 2008 | #
maybe 5 times out of a 1000 …
June 14th, 2008 | #
anyone remember in 1996 they had the Rodman Rebound Counter for the last few months of the season
June 14th, 2008 | #
2:40
MJ: 14 points
sixers:13 points
June 14th, 2008 | #
I agree with mostly what your saying but I believe ESPN or SI did a top 10 PGs of All-Time list a couple years ago and Payton was number 7 or 8. With that being said I would say he is a legenday PG.
June 14th, 2008 | #
that quote by Jayson Williams is f#%$@ing hilarious…
June 14th, 2008 | #
i will always remember maxwell as the man who stopped jordan….those couple of times
June 14th, 2008 | #
GOLLY WIZZ! “THOSE” people talk funny!
June 14th, 2008 | #
Golly Wizz! hahahaha
June 14th, 2008 | #
best plaer ever
June 14th, 2008 | #
Well out of all the players you mentioned Gary Payton had the most room to talk. He is reconized as a legend in his own right too and is probably the one of the only guys to frustrate Jordan on the defensive side of the ball (along with a couple others Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas).
June 14th, 2008 | #
maxwell has been on a championship team though
June 14th, 2008 | #
Stackhouse and Maxwell mouthing off about Jordan? haha Neither one of these guys will even be remembered in the NBA and they have the balls to bad talk the greatest professional athlete ever, not to mention that season the Bulls making history with a record of 72-10.
June 14th, 2008 | #
my idol
June 14th, 2008 | #
Pippen + Jordan + Rodman + Horace Grant + Kukoc + Steve Kerr + Harper + Paxson + Charles Oakley = TOTAL DOMINATION
June 14th, 2008 | #
fuck jerry crackhouse
June 14th, 2008 | #