3 takeaways from episodes 5 and 6 of The Last Dance, ESPN’s MJ doc
2. Jordan’s motivations could take him to spectacular places.
Michael Jordan wasn’t the type to treat any single game like it was just like the others. If the conditions of a game bred a different stage, you could bet Jordan would turn up his knobs and perform accordingly.
It’s what happened throughout the 1992 NBA Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. Particularly Game 1, where Jordan canned six 3-pointers in the first half, setting the tone for a dominating Finals performance en route to a title and Finals MVP.
The media had been sturring the pot trying to group Jordan and Clyde Drexler together in the NBA’s hierarchy. Some players wouldn’t care to offer up a comment and let the opinions lie where they may. Jordan wanted to turn the subjective into a statement of unequivocal truth.
Michael Jordan vs Clyde Drexler in the 1992 Finals
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 4, 2020
Michael Jordan
35.8 PPG - 52.6% FG - 42.9% 3PT
Clyde Drexler
24.8 PPG - 40.7% FG - 15% 3PT
“Me being compared to him, I took offense to that.” pic.twitter.com/TeNRIUctIL
He was also keen on silencing those who attempted to insinuate a demise or bring his image down, perhaps to the detriment of the New York Knicks in the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks had to be feeling good about their chances of advancing after claiming the first two games of the series. Then media outlets had to start perusing and prodding around Jordan’s personal life a bit too much, prompting a 54-point performance in a Game 4 win.
It never took much to get Jordan riled up for a game. If needed, he could conjure imaginary slights to acccomplish just the same.
That internal desire is what made the times where Jordan had plenty of juice all the more entertaining. An already eternal flame being dosed in kerosene lighting the torch for a supreme talent.