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NBA: Each team’s greatest comeback from injury in franchise history

By Jerran Anderson

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan
Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan (Photo by Nury Hernandez/New York Post Archives /(c) NYP Holdings, Inc. via Getty Images) /

Greatest injury comeback in Chicago Bulls history: Michael Jordan

Broken left foot 

Before there was greatness, there was a huge obstacle in the road for Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan.

Jordan made an impact right away during his rookie season, 1984-85, taking home Rookie of the Year honors by averaging 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game. He appeared in just 18 games during his second year in the league, however, after suffering a broken left foot.

Jordan managed to return that same season and despite getting swept in the first round of the 1986 NBA Playoffs by the Boston Celtics, he put up a career-high 63 points on 22-of-41 shooting from the floor in a double-overtime loss on April 20, 1986.

He would go on to lead the league in scoring (37.1 points per game) the following season (1986-87, while still putting up 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.9 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.

During that year, he put up 61 points, then a career-best twice, against the Detroit Pistons on the road and the Atlanta Hawks. He made 22 field goals apiece in both games.

In his return season from his foot injury, he put up two games with 60 points or more, six with 50 points or more, 29 games with 40 points or more and 30 games with 30 points or more. While most players would have slowed down, Jordan upped the ante a bit and it showed as he would go on to win six NBA titles and six NBA Finals MVP awards.