2. Jordan puts together back-to-back 40-point games in Games 3 and 4 of 1990 Eastern Conference Finals
Following that 4-2 loss to the Pistons in the 1989 Eastern Conference finals, Jordan and the Bulls were hoping to take the next step in 1989-90 behind newly-promoted head coach Phil Jackson. The Bulls finished that season with a 55-27 record.
The Bulls knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks in four games and eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers in five games in the conference semifinals, pitting them against their nemesis once again. Unlike the past two encounters, the Pistons took the first two games of the series.
If the Bulls had any hopes of knocking off the defending champions, they would have to win the next two games at the Chicago Stadium. Jordan made sure that the Bulls would not go down without a fight.
In Game 3, he finished with a stat line of 47 points, 10 boards, and four assists. He followed that up with another strong outing in Game 4, contributing 42 points, nine assists, four rebounds, four steals, and three blocks.
The two teams battled to a seventh and final game. But with Scottie Pippen nursing a migraine headache and John Paxson sidelined with an injury, the Bulls were no match for the Bad Boys in this one. The Pistons defeated the Bulls 93-74 and went on to beat the Portland Trail Blazers in five games to capture their second NBA title in as many years.