What the post-90s generation learned by watching The Last Dance

The true story behind the “Flu Game”

For years, it’s been theorized that Jordan’s gritty performance in Game 5 of the 1998 Finals might have originated from food poising and not the flu, and on Sunday night, MJ (and his trainer, Tim Grover) confirmed the loud speculation.

A peckish Jordan ordered a late-night pizza that was bizarrely delivered by five separate individuals. What ensued was a miserable 12-hour stretch for the five-time MVP. As told by MJ and Grover, the former was curled up in the fetal position and vomiting all night. In the morning, the Bulls superstar laid in bed until it was time to report to the Delta Center.

Hearing Jordan and his entourage speak about his showing in Game 5 made the performance all the more special. The 10-time scoring champ struggled tremendously early on but overcame his sickly condition to post 38 points, seven rebounds and five assists while shooting 48.1 percent from the floor. The photo of Jordan sweating profusely with a towel on his head and Pippen holding him upright still gives us the chills.

To think that Jordan was upchucking and could hardly move just hours earlier because of a phony pizza is almost impossible to fathom. Without The Last Dance, today’s generation would have never appreciated this narrative the way it deserves to be.