25 Years Later: Jordan's Re-Defining Moment

CLEVELAND - In 2009, Michael Jordan, at age 46 stood at a podium on a stage at his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Speaking with a cocksure wit, he revealed the lifelong forces that drove him to become the greatest basketball player in history as well as a beloved cultural icon.

In 1999, a 36-year MJ sat at his 2nd retirement press conference and reflected on not only the championship winning shot that he hit just 7 months prior, but also his amazing 13-year NBA career that re-defined sports and the business of sports thanks to his pioneering presence.

But it was a full decade before that press conference that Jordan went from being known as a super high-flying scoring machine, to a game-changing champion-in-the-making.

The Shot.

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the moment that catapulted Jordan to a new level of greatness and re-defined his career. It also put him on an entirely new path, which would ultimately lead to a treasure trove of NBA championships and a lofty status as the gold standard of basketball excellence.

That famous shot took place in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round series between Jordan's Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The series was tied 2-2 heading into the fateful deciding game. MJ, at age 26 was in the midst of his 5th NBA season and had led the league in scoring for the 3rd consecutive campaign. Going into the series with the Cavs, the Bulls were heavy underdogs thanks in large part to an 0-6 record against their division rivals during the regular season. Jordan, however was undaunted and continually claimed that Chicago would win the series.

MJ's unpopular prediction seemed like a genius move when the Bulls found themselves up by 20 points in Game 1. Going into Game 4 in Chicago, the Bulls held a 2-1 series lead and the team got a gigantic performance from Michael, as he scored a sizzling 50 points. Ironically, this effort seemed to play right into Cleveland's hands and before they knew it, they had won the game in overtime heading back to their home-court to decide who would move on to Round 2.

Sunday, May 7, 1989 was the date. Richfield Coliseum was the location and Jordan was seething with fury after he missed a couple key free throws in the closing moments of the previous game. He could care less about his 50 points. He felt as though he let his team down.

He couldn't wait for the chance to be in that position again.

The game was as highly competitive as one would expect a deciding playoff game to be. The lead changed hands 9 times in the final three minutes and with every Cavs basket, Jordan answered. He beat Cavs guard Craig Ehlo off the dribble and drilled a 10-foot pull up jumper with 6 seconds left to give the Bulls a 99-98 lead. After a Cleveland timeout, Ehlo inbounded the ball, then took a return pass from forward Larry Nance and scored on a driving layup to the basket with 3 seconds left to put the Cavs up, 100-99. The arena went wild and started celebrating the apparent victory.

But MJ still had 3 seconds to work with.

Bulls forward Brad Sellers went to inbound to Jordan, who was heavily guarded by a Nance-Ehlo double-team. MJ broke free and cut to an open area to receive the pass, then went hard left with a couple dribbles and raised up for the shot inside the foul circle. He was met by Ehlo who got a hand up and would have blocked the shot if it were not for Jordan hanging a split second longer in the air to double clutch the ball before releasing it.

The ball dropped through the hoop just as the horn sounded giving the Bulls a stunning 101-100 victory. Jordan jumped high into the air and fist pumped several times before being mobbed by teammates and coach Doug Collins in an absolutely shell shocked arena. His final tally: 44 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.

The legacy of Jordan's classic moment is two-fold. It sent both franchises in opposite directions. The Cavs had been contenders for the NBA crown that season and had an outstanding core of young star players in Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Nance and Ron Harper. They also had key players beyond the stars such as John "Hot Rod" Williams and Ehlo. But after just a few games at the start of the '89-'90 season, they surprisingly traded star Harper to the L.A. Clippers for the rights to college star Danny Ferry.

Also, during the next four seasons, the team was hit hard with major injuries, especially to Price. Along with Harper's exit, Daugherty missed half of the '89-'90 season and Price missed 66 games in '90-'91. They were back on a roll for the '91-'92 season, but lost in the Eastern Conference Finals. In '92-'93, they lost in the semifinals. Both times, the Bulls knocked them out while en route to their second and third NBA championships.

MJ's historic shot infused the Bulls with tons of confidence and momentum and they enjoyed a much longer than expected playoff ride in '89. They got past the New York Knicks in Round 2, then took the eventual defending champion Detroit Pistons to 6 games before losing in the East finals.

With new coach Phil Jackson's guidance for the '89-'90 season, the Bulls gained a new dedication to defense and Jordan grew leaps and bounds as a leader. They took defending champion Detroit to Game 7 in the East finals before losing. They bounced back in a huge way in 1991 as Jordan led them to their first ever NBA championship in a 4-1 series victory over Magic Johnson's L.A. Lakers.

Fast forward back to Jordan's 1999 retirement press conference. By then, he had been long revered as the greatest ever and had amassed an unbelievable 10 NBA scoring titles, 6 NBA titles, 6 NBA finals MVPs, 5 NBA MVPs and innumerable heroic moments in several championship series. He capped his Bulls career in 1998 with a dramatic title clinching shot with 5.2 seconds left.

The decade between Jordan's shot over Ehlo and his retirement just after the '98-'99 lockout was a period filled with great success for him and the Bulls, but the Cavs became a perennial laughing stock. After Jordan eliminated them AGAIN with a buzzer jumper in the 1993 semifinals, coach Lenny Wilkens left the organization and nothing was ever the same. Daugherty was forced into an early retirement after a horrible back injury shelved him in 1994. Price was sent away to Orlando in 1995 and Danny Ferry remained a constant and untradeable disappointment with a huge contract year after year.

It wasn't until 2003 that the Cavs finally gained some real hope of turning their long path of bad luck and non-contending teams around. That was when their miserable, 17-65 record earned them the number 1 pick in the draft, which they used to draft LeBron James, who held enormous potential to become one of the all-time great NBA players. Ironically, '03 was also the year that Jordan left the NBA as a player for good. He had returned for the '01-'02 season to play at a very advanced age for Washington, then retired for the 3rd time about a month and a half before James was drafted.

What a coincidence!

In my final estimation, I look back on Michael Jordan's legendary shot, 25 years later with continued awe and humility. For a man as driven and competitive as him, that moment now seems like it was destined to take place. But greatness has a lot of points of despair which is usually needed to propel us beyond what we were originally capable of doing.

That is a big part of Jordan's iconography.

15 Years Later: Remembering Jordan's Final Flight Out of Chicago

CLEVELAND - With a face filled with tears, I watched on television as the greatest basketball player in history walked away from the game that made him an international icon. This same exact event had also taken place nearly five and a half years before (he returned to pro hoops 17 months later) and both times, it was simply too much to bear.

Michael Jordan was retiring.

Today marks the 15th anniversary of Jordan's historic press conference which announced this horrible decision. At the time, the NBA had just resolved a contentious lockout which wiped out the first two months of the 1998-99 season. What resulted was a truncated, laughable 50-game schedule that featured a heavily dismantled Chicago Bulls team, who were the three-time defending champions for the second time in the decade, with MJ leading the way every time.

The lockout was finally lifted on Jan. 7, and tons of rumors had been swirling about the fate of Jordan as a player, since he had repeatedly mentioned the season before that he was strongly considering retirement. Then, on January 13, 1999, MJ showed up in a black suit with his wife to the United Center in Chicago to declare that, just one month from his 36th birthday, he was done with NBA hoops as its pre-eminent star.

This shook me to my core, and it sent the league into a tailspin of unparalleled parity. Almost immediately, the Bulls' two other star players, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman were gone too. This left the team with Toni Kukoc as its best player and they stumbled to a putrid 13-37 record.

Yuck.

After having witnessed Jordan, just 7 months prior dominate the final minute of the 1998 NBA Finals, hit the championship winning jumper with 5.2 seconds left and walk off with his 6th NBA title and 6th NBA Finals MVP award, it was especially difficult seeing him leave all of that greatness on the floor once again -- the same way that he had done in the autumn of 1993, just three and a half months after Chicago's first 3-peat.

Jordan stayed retired for a little over two and a half years, then decided to come out of retirement just 5 months before his 39th birthday to play with the horrible Washington Wizards. He had become VP of basketball operations in January 2000, but by October 2001, he was back on the court as a much older version of himself.

But to many people, Jordan's two-year Wizards "experiment" was a mere footnote to a dazzling career that re-defined sports and marketing and made Michael Jordan a filthy rich cultural icon.

I will never forget that sad day in early 1999. Jordan's words felt even colder than they did in his '93 farewell speech, yet somehow...even though I had long known it was a strong possibility he would leave again, I was still shattered by the reality of it.

Looking back with the huge perspective of 15 years, I can appreciate Michael even more than I did then...and that is saying a whole lot because my appreciation for him was always enormous.

I am just happy that I got to witness the great Michael Jordan during his legendary career!

15 Years Ago Today: Jordan's Golden Moment

CLEVELAND - It remains one of the most seminal moments in the history of the NBA Finals; Michael Jordan punctuating another virtuoso performance with a cold blooded jump shot with 5.2 seconds remaining on the game clock to propel his Chicago Bulls to their sixth NBA championship title in eight years.

Call him "the ultimate legend."

Crazy how time flies, but that event took place 15 years ago today as the then-two-time defending NBA champion Bulls played Game 6 of the finals at the Delta Center, the home court of their opponent, the Utah Jazz. Jordan was forced to carry a larger-than-normal load for his team after his superstar teammate Scottie Pippen strained his back in the opening moments of the game. Even though he managed to play 26 minutes, Pippen was greatly reduced in his effectiveness, meaning MJ had to find another gear.

Boy did he ever.

With Jordan being in the twilight of a truly historic, spectacular career at age 35, his athleticism and stamina were far below what they had been in his glorious prime. Even still, he remained a transcendent player capable of anything when the stakes were highest. This is why he was able to score 16 huge points in the fourth quarter of a very tight game and deliver three breathtaking and game-changing plays in the game's final 42 seconds.

After Jazz star John Stockton drilled a three-pointer with 41.9 seconds remaining, Utah led, 86-83. After a Bulls timeout, Jordan, running on fumes during an exhaustive fourth period took the ball and drove hard to the right baseline and scored majestically over Antoine Carr to pull his team to within one with 37.1 seconds left.

Back in possession, the Jazz went to their bread and butter play; their superstar Karl Malone with the ball in the post. Malone began to make his move on Dennis Rodman as Jordan came out of nowhere and stripped the ball from Malone before he could ever get a shot off. The steal happened with around 18 seconds left in the game. Instead of calling a timeout to set up a play, Jordan brought the ball upcourt as he faced Jazz swingman Bryon Russell. Even though Russell and Jordan were now matched up one-on-one, it was actually Jordan matched up one-on-one with history and the legacy of indelible greatness.

He won.

Jordan drove to his right with Russell defending, then (with a very surreptitious nudge) crossed over to his left and rose up for a cocky jumper from 18 feet out with an unobstructed view of the hoop.

All net.

Jordan, as the Jazz called a timeout while the entire building of thousands of fans sat in stunned disbelief, held his follow through pose for a shot worthy of such theatrics.

Moments later, it was all over. Jordan scored 45 points, the Bulls won the game 87-86 along with championship number 6 and MJ's status as the greatest basketball player in history was locked in place.

Just like that great moment.

As Michael Jordan Turns 50, I Reflect On What He Has Meant to Me

CLEVELAND - With today marking the 50th birthday of the great Michael Jordan, I could not help but reflect on the stunning excellence of his historic sports career and how watching him for many years forever affected my life. I also marvel at his continuing popularity, enormous, looming presence in today's NBA and the audacity of fans and media members, who seem over-eager to place LeBron James and Kobe Bryant anywhere near MJ's orbit of achievement and impact.

Wow!

For a decade, I allowed Chicago Bulls basketball games to become a sacred event for me, all because of Jordan. Whenever the Bulls played, I either watched on television or went to extensive lengths to try and pick up WMAQ on my radio. That was the Chicago radio station that aired Bulls games, and the quality of the radio reception was mostly awful, given the fact that it was a local broadcast and I lived some 350 miles from the Windy City. It didn't matter, though. Any faint sound I could hear of the action on the court was heaven for me. Neil Funk, who called the games, was always a delight to listen to as he described Jordan on offense.

"Michael with the dribble...wheels into the lane, dumps off to Scottie...Pip, throws back into Michael. MJ with three on the shot clock...hangs, falls, fires....SCORES!" Oh my! Michael with 40!"

Watching Jordan perform his artistry on television was even more breathtaking. I would always pump my fist whenever he made a basket, whether it be a 20-foot jumper, a post-up fadeaway J, or a spectacular, reverse layup in traffic. Jordan was not only the premier entertainment draw in the game, he was also a vicious assassin with a relentless level of focus, drive and killer instinct. His poetic style of play ran contrary to what the man was actually made of, which actually carried him to the stunning heights that he reached.

I remember vividly just how nervous I was whenever a Bulls game would get close in the final minutes, or if they were far behind their opponent. I would feel sick to my stomach because I always wanted Jordan to succeed and win. Thankfully, I didn't become aware of him until 1990, just a year prior to when he and the Bulls began their championship dominance. When he won his first title in 1991, I cried along with him and even got sick from the high emotional I felt for his most coveted accomplishment.

When he retired (for the first of three times) that awful day in October 1993, I was absolutely miserable. People came up to my locker at school and offered their support because they knew how strongly I felt for him. I avoided phone calls for days from my best friend because the moment was too painful. But when he suddenly returned to the game in March 1995, I was king of happy smiles! Let's be honest, everyone was a Jordan fan, but I was the one that went above and beyond and became obsessive about him.

I figured out a way to make small Air Jordan shoes out of paper and wore them as a necklace!

I will never forget the 1997-98 NBA season; Jordan's final one in Chicago. I was blessed with the opportunity to see him play in person for the first and only time ever. It was November 11, 1997 and the Bulls came to Gund Arena to play the Cleveland Cavs. I was totally blown away when I saw Jordan run onto the court from the locker room with his teammates right before game time. At the time, MJ was 34 years of age and was almost the only thing keeping the Bulls afloat in the early season. Scottie Pippen would be out injured until January '98 and Chicago struggled mightily in his absence.

They wound up losing this game in a rout, 101-80 with Michael getting a pedestrian 19 points in defeat. It was fascinating watching him in real life, real time without the sound of television announcers. On one play, Jordan caught a quick pass from Bulls center Luc Longley, drove down the lane and layed the ball in the basket dramatically. On another play, he went down the lane and dunked, and the entire arena oooh and ahhed.

As MJ neared the end of his reign in Chicago, I began developing a stronger appreciation for the man and what he ultimately stood for. People can say anything they want about him; call him arrogant, an asshole, egotistical, petty, cheap...compulsive. Whatever. All I know is, he is a sterling example of astounding determination and will, and those are the attributes that got him to where he is now. A man without action (and ego) will never fail enough to succeed repeatedly.

Salute Jordan.

I will also never forget how Michael ended his Bulls career, June 14, 1998 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals vs Utah. I was watching the nail biter game with my best friend at a sports bar and when MJ's legendary, final moment began to unfold (Jordan had just stolen the ball from Jazz star Karl Malone with Chicago down by a point), my friend lowered his head and said, "I KNOW [he's going to] make this shot."

Sure enough, MJ knocked in the championship winning basket with 5.2 seconds left and posed for posterity after the ball went through the net to give the Bulls a one point lead that held up. I could not have been more ecstatic than I was at that moment, arguably his crowning achievement on the court.

When Michael retired a second time in 1999, I was once again covered in tears and couldn't contain my constant sobbing. It may seem crazy, but I truly had an emotional connection to this man for a number of years. I was invested in him and his successes, which always made my days better. I was on the fence about him coming back in late 2001 to play for the horrific Washington Wizards. On the one hand, I was overjoyed at getting to see him play again after over 3 years away. On the flip side, I knew he was close to 39 years old and that is an age in pro hoops that may as well be 80 in the regular world. During his frustrating, two season stint as a member of the Wizards, MJ exhibited many moments of marvel, especially for a man inching towards and beyond 40 years of age. Mostly, his tenure in Washington was critically panned as Jordan faltered on things that he used to dominate in. Nonetheless, I knew that Michael showed something amazing in coming to such a lowly team; a willingness to put himself in a possible path of failure because effort is its own reward.

To me, he succeeded even as the Wizards failed.

When he retired for the final time, April 16, 2003, I was more at peace with his exit, though I still cried and cried. It was a depressing moment, but I was so grateful for having witnessed this remarkable man perform his special brand of magic night in and night out.

In the decade since Jordan's last NBA game, an entirely new crop of basketball megastars have evolved and made the league their own. From Bryant and James, to Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony, today's stars are awesome in their own right. But none of them will ever measure up to the seismic impact, cultural significance and unbelievable drive that was authored by and defined Michael Jordan.

Happy birthday, MJ, and many more to come. God bless you!

20 Years Later, 1992 Dream Team Still Gold Standard

CLEVELAND - During the past several months, much has been made about the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men's basketball team and the historic confluence of talent which it was comprised of. Since today marks the 20th anniversary of their gold medal victory over Croatia, I will simply add to the discussion.

That group remains the greatest team ever assembled.

When I make that statement, I am not necessarily suggesting that the iconic team could "mop the floor" with any hypothetical opponent it could face. However, I'm not exactly saying they couldn't, either. Since this year's Olympic Men's basketball team is populated by the likes of such present day megastars as Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant, the current debate has centered heavily on whether or not the '92 team could maintain its legendary reputation against the new guys, or if the '12 team could outdo them.

The opinions are divided, predictably, along generational lines. Bryant, the new millennium's version of Michael Jordan in both competitiveness and hoops skill, stirred the pot a few weeks ago when he opined that he and his mates could "beat [the Dream Team] one time." Newly crowned NBA champion James echoed those sentiments days later. Naturally, Jordan scoffed at the very concept of such a thing when he was asked his opinion. Fellow Dream Teamers Charles Barkley and Earvin "Magic" Johnson also articulated their support for their 1992 selves in a fictional match-up with this year's squad.

Far as I'm concerned, the 1992 team was one of absolute royalty; it doesn't matter that both Johnson and Bird were beyond their prime. What matters is that Jordan was 29 and clearly the most dominant and devastating player on the planet. Pippen was 25 and was at his best as an all-around defensive stopper/versatile athlete and triple-double threat. Barkley was 29 and in full "beast mode" in the low-post. Clyde Drexler was coming off the best season of his career and was a 30-year old "poor man's version" of MJ. David Robinson was a 25-year old, 7'1 center who was quick, athletic and highly skilled on both offense and defense. Patrick Ewing was still in the midst of his best NBA years as was the incomparable scoring/rebounding/passing/defending duo of John Stockton and Karl Malone. Chris Mullin was about as good as it gets as a sharpshooter and the team's curious choice, Christian Laettner, had just come off one of the most celebrated college careers in recent memory.

I bring all that up to extol the awesomeness of those players and their then-current resumes. A collection of stars as accomplished and highly skilled as those men hasn't been seen since, not even with this current team. Bryant, as outstanding as his 16 years and counting NBA career has been, still isn't as historically significant as Jordan was in half as long (MJ had just completed his 8th NBA season prior to the '92 Olympics), nor has his game ever been as dynamic and brazen. Johnson and Bird, though past their prime still possessed an aura and reputation that trumps anything any other later team possessed. In other words, it was about more than just great skill and talent on that '92 team. It was also about the privilege of watching these indelible, mythical hardwood heroes join forces and witness their transcendence and artistry take over.

I know I sound a little too magnanimous in my praise of those guys, but they left an impression on me, one of reality and fantasy, that I won't soon forget.

And they remain the "gold standard" in the history of team basketball.

15 Years Later, Jordan's Drive Still Standard of Excellence

CLEVELAND - More than ever, it seems, questions get raised about NBA superstars and their "performance in the clutch." This past season alone, ESPN.com launched a comprehensive analysis of both Kobe Bryant and LeBron James and assessed their reliability in crunch time. The studies revealed Bryant to be a horrible crunch-time shooter, despite his reputation to the contrary. As for James, he has long been the subject of ridicule for his passivity and non-attacking style of play in the final minutes of close games. All of this can be blamed on Michael Jordan.

True story.

It was 15 years ago today that the basketball legend authored arguably the gutsiest performance of his illustrious career. It was Game 5 of the 1997 NBA finals, a tough match up between Jordan's Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz, who were still in their John Stockton-to-Karl Malone glory days. As a matter of fact, the Jazz had spent the previous two games squaring a series that had threatened to turn into a Bulls cakewalk. Stockton himself highlighted his team's Game 4 victory with a steal from Jordan on a spin move into the lane, then threw a long outlet pass to Malone for a dunk on the other end. That play energized Utah the previous game and deadlocked the Finals at 2-2.

Game 5 of any series is usually seen as the pivotal game, especially if that series is tied at two going in. The Bulls were looking to get back on track and regain control of the series, and the Jazz were aiming to put the Bulls in a hole that seemed all but impossible just a few days prior. Raising the degree of difficulty for Chicago was Jordan's health status prior to the game. It was first disclosed on the NBC pregame telecast that the legendary hoopster had taken ill; the victim of a violent stomach flu (though initially reported as a case of food poisoning) and had been vomiting consistently since the early morning hours. Even still, Jordan's insatiable competitiveness and unmatched will to win guaranteed that he would be in the starting line-up for this ultra-important game.

Utah got off to a roaring start in the game, running up a 29-16 lead after one quarter. Jordan, meanwhile, had a very sickly tint to his skin and looked miserable. During timeouts, his body language was very slouchy while he wore agony on his face and often covered his head with a towel. However, with the Jazz off to such a great start and threatening to put the game out of reach in the second period, MJ shook off the debilitating effects of his illness and rallied the Bulls by scoring 17 audacious points to pull Chicago to within just four points at halftime.

The uneventful third quarter gave way to another offensive burst from Jordan in the fourth. Pulling loads of energy and resilience from the most distant areas of his inner soul, the 34-year old headliner poured in another 15 points in the final frame. Included in Michael's closing flourish was a backbreaking three point jumper that put the Bulls ahead with just 25 seconds left in the game. Even though they were only up by the slimmest of margins, the cold-blooded shot infused Chicago with a psychological edge over the pesky Jazz. Utah's precise execution and ever increasing confidence needed to be curtailed if the Bulls were going to win this game, and with the reality of MJ's pivotal basket, the tables had turned Chicago's way once again.

When the buzzer sounded and the scoreboard publicized a Bulls 90-88 triumph, Michael Jordan was near collapse and famously crumpled into teammate Scottie Pippen's arms from utter exhaustion. A simple and brief on-court interview with Ahmad Rashad was about all MJ had to say about this game in its immediate aftermath, but none of that mattered. He'd already said it all during his excruciating 44 minutes in battle; his transcendence was never more obvious, especially when Jazz star Karl Malone's lackluster performance is taken into account. Malone had just 19 points and 7 rebounds--pitiful numbers for a superstar (and that season's joke of an MVP) of his caliber in a home game of this magnitude. In spite of Malone's marginal numbers, there is no need for an excoriation of the man. Instead, we should salute the heroic and phenomenal excellence of Jordan, who once again proved himself to be the master of the crunch-time moment. Just a week and a half prior to this game, MJ knocked down the game-winning, buzzer beating jumper to lead Chicago to a Game 1 victory. Two days after this Herculean effort in Game 5, he drew a double-team from John Stockton in the closing seconds of Game 6 and passed to sharpshooting specialist Steve Kerr for the championship clinching jumper.

Defending champion Chicago won the 5th of their eventual six NBA titles after that shot.

Looking back on Michael Jordan's classic Game 5 effort against all odds in the '97 finals, we all have the benefit of 15 years worth of perspective. However, nothing changes the fact that MJ epitomized basketball genius to the highest degree; he was a singularly gifted megastar with the white hot confidence of a rising sun. Not to mention the fact that he also possessed the indelible leadership qualities that augmented each of his teammates' contributions. Can Kobe and LeBron lay claim to those attributes? So, far they haven't...but that's fine.

Jordan was always in a class by himself.

Three Points To Prove: Jordan's '92 Finals Opener, 20 Years Later

CLEVELAND - Michael Jordan first crafted his astounding hoops reputation from his breathtaking ability to expertly penetrate defenses and finish spectacularly at the rim. It's what earned him the nickname "Air Jordan," since his forays to the basket were of the high altitude variety. But on a single evening in the final weeks of spring in 1992, the then 29-year old basketball demigod dramatically added another chapter to his iconography.

Long distance shooting.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Game One of the 1992 NBA Finals, the indelible game that showcased Jordan at his brazen and coolly electrifying best. MJ drilled six consecutive three-point baskets in a 9:22 span of the first half which ended with the MVP having scored 35 mind-boggling points. When taken at face value, the game, a match-up between the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trailblazers, was incredible enough as it were. But when context is added to the discussion, it immediately becomes clear that Jordan authored a singularly historic moment in the annals of basketball history that proved definitively his unassailability as a basketball mind-game master.

Going into the ballyhooed series, the media relentlessly played up the aerial match-up between MJ and his Western conference counterpart, Portland's Clyde Drexler. During the 1991-92 NBA regular season, Drexler's brilliance led some in the media to label him as the possible league MVP. He certainly enjoyed a spectacular season as he averaged 25.0 points per game along with 6.6 rpg and 6.7 apg. He was a high-scoring, high-flying shooting guard with highlight reel ability and outstanding defensive prowess. Because all of these attributes defined Chicago's Jordan as well, the match-up was seen as an eye-popping showdown between the two best all-around players in the game.

It had become a popular opinion in some NBA circles to label Drexler as "the best player outside of Chicago." There was also the famous opinion that Jordan was better at everything than Drexler, except three point shooting. For the hyper-competitive Jordan, this was seen as a subtle indictment of his perimeter shooting ability. Statistical evidence proved that neither player was a great three-point shooter; Drexler shot about 34% from the arc that season and Jordan stood at a meager 27%. Perception may have been inspired by the huge difference in makes that Drexler had over Jordan. The Portland star made 87 more threes than MJ that season, largely because he shot 4.4 per game to Jordan's 1.3.

"[Drexler's] a better three-point shooter than I choose to be," said a calculating and quietly seething Jordan, prior to the series opener. Since the Bulls were the defending NBA champions, and the prohibitive favorites to repeat in this series (after a dominant 67-15 season), and Jordan was the recently crowned league MVP for the second consecutive season, Chicago and its megastar were loaded with swagger and devoid of humility.

Anyone that knew what Jordan's offense game entailed immediately noticed that the man was clearly on a mission as the first quarter of Game One got underway. He uncharacteristically spotted up behind the three-point line as either Scottie Pippen or John Paxson brought the ball upcourt. He fired off two attempts from long range in the first few minutes and missed them both. Portland though, ran up a 15-5 lead and seemed poised to extend it further.

Until Jordan laid down his rules.

Soon, MJ's masterful offense was firing on all cylinders. Pull up mid-range j's and post up fadeaways were all falling for the 6-time NBA scoring champion when he suddenly rose up from the arc and nailed his first trey in three attempts. This was at a point in his career where he was still young, energetic and athletic enough to physically overpower other teams and bend them to his will psychologically. As Jordan's offense went into overdrive, so did the Bulls' trademark suffocating defense. Soon, the Blazers had lost all poise and focus and ended the first half staring at a 15-point deficit. Jordan had rang up a transcendent half, nailing 14 of his 21 attempts for his silky smooth 35 points. The second half was a mere formality, but featured two jaw dropping plays from the legendary MJ. He mostly dished off to teammates in that half and wound up with a 39 point, 11 assist slice of excellence to add to his overflowing basketball resume. The Bulls won in a rout, 122-89 and Drexler never looked as inferior to MJ as he did on this night. He wound up with a pedestrian 16 points on 5 of 14 shooting.

By time the 1992 finals ended 11 days later in a 4-2 series victory and a 2nd straight Bulls championship, MJ had proven without any doubt the level of superiority he possessed over Clyde the Glide. He would later reveal that he wanted people to understand the difference between him and Drexler and he felt that he accomplished it in that series. "Coming into this series, I thought [Jordan] had 2,000 moves," said Drexler. "I was wrong. He has 3,000."

For Jordan, his transcendence was never questioned again.

30 Years Later: Recalling Jordan's First Big Hoops Moment

CLEVELAND - Nearly six weeks after his 19th birthday, Michael Jordan caught a basketball pass and without hesitation, rose up and shot the ball towards the hoop as effortlessly as if it were merely a shot in practice. In actuality, he and his North Carolina Tarheels were knee deep in a pressure cooker; the 1982 NCAA championship game v.s. the Georgetown Hoyas in the New Orleans Superdome.

Of course, the wunderkind made the shot with about 15 seconds remaining.

Jordan's shot erased a Carolina deficit and ended up being the final points in the Tarheels' 63-62 victory over Georgetown. Today (March 29) marks the 30th anniversary of that shot, that game and of course, that moment that the lanky freshman from Wilmington, NC became a household name. The magnitude wasn't known at the time, but that shot from MJ would be the first national moment of basketball glory for the man who would eventually author the most iconic pro basketball career in history. The incredible confidence and remarkable ability to deliver under the bright lights of the biggest game were all elements of excellence for Michael that night. He took all of those attributes and expanded on them in the NBA where he amassed 10 league scoring titles, 5 MVPs and led the Chicago Bulls to 6 NBA championships.

But that game in the Spring of 1982 was the birth of a legend.

Carolina's coach Dean Smith had taken the unusual step that season of allowing Jordan to be a starter. Up until then, Smith's policy was that no freshman player would start for the Tarheels. Jordan had joined the team in late 1981 as he started his collegiate career and was an immediate sensation. By the time the championship game came around that Spring, Michael had turned many heads with his dazzling athletic prowess. His big game proficiency, however, was less known but would eventually become a hallmark of his reputation on the court.

North Carolina won their first title in 25 years that night and Jordan went on to win the College Player of the Year award in both 1983 and 1984 before skipping his senior season to join the NBA. Of course, the world knows very well what he accomplished there en route to becoming the greatest player in league history.

But the beginning remains a major thrill and a cultural flash point in the history of basketball. Salute MJ!

How I Overcame The Scary Horror of September 11th

CLEVELAND - With today being the 10th anniversary of arguably the most seminal catastrophe in U.S. history, I feel it's the perfect time for me to re-live the great things that diverted my attention from that epic tragedy.

September 11, 2001.

That fateful morning, which began very peacefully but ended in calamity was one of great anticipation for me. I went to sleep the previous night with three major things on my mind; the new Jay-Z album that was set for release that day, the pending return to pro hoops of Michael Jordan and the forthcoming, new Michael Jackson album.

Those things delighted me during an otherwise nerve-wrecking day and beyond.

By noon on 9/11, the U.S. was in full panic mode. The terrorist attacks and the cowardly masterminds behind them had successfully shattered the nation's collective morale and feeling of safety. The 8-month old Bush Administration did its best to assuage any lingering fears us civilians may have had, but it was still a very tension-filled day, mostly because none of us knew what would happen next. Seeing two seemingly unassailable giants like the World Trade Center destroyed by hijacked airliners was enough to frighten anyone into thinking that the terror could soon reach all parts of the country.

But that morning, I had the new LP, The Blueprint, the aforementioned sixth album from Jay-Z. I took the bus to a record store to purchase the highly anticipated opus and couldn't wait to hear a track on the album that I'd heard was on it. "Renegade" featuring Eminem, who was nearing the apex of his colossal popularity and as a meticulous lyricist, he was never better during the three year period from 2000 to 2002. Of course, any fan of that genre of music now knows that The Blueprint went on to attain legendary status. Some even consider it to be Jay-Z's master work.

Also on my mind that day and in the healing months after was Jordan, who just the day before announced that he would be returning to pro basketball as a player (for the lowly Washington Wizards) after being retired for the past 3 years. With me being the biggest of MJ fans, I was totally enthralled and excited, even as questions of his potential effectiveness floated around the media and the general public. With him being 38-years old (ancient in pro sports), there was major questions and doubts that he'd be able to dominate the basketball court the way he had during 13 brilliant seasons for the Chicago Bulls. When news of the terrorist attacks filled television and newspapers the following day, Jordan decided to postpone his official press conference announcing his return for a couple weeks out of respect for the thousands of lives lost that day.

Of course, Jordan's rock star status in basketball gave the country a much needed diversion, even though he struggled often to play up to the glittering heights of his Bulls days. I was a kid in a candy store having him back in the game, and 9/11 felt less depressing (though still quite tragic) to me because of him.

Finally, the other MJ, the man I admired since the age of 5 dominated my September 11th thoughts too. The great Michael Jackson had given two concerts, one on Sept. 7 and the other on Sept. 10. Both were held, ironically in New York City, site of the most destructive attacks. He was celebrating 30 years as a solo artist with those concerts, which were not shown live, but were instead filmed for televised broadcast two months later. Jackson, 43 at the time was also just several weeks away from releasing his first album of all new material in 10 years, and my eagerness was heavy.

Invincible, Jackson's new LP was released on Oct. 30, 2001 while the nation was still shell-shocked with grief and disbelief. As a double delight to me, Jordan made his regular season debut that day as well...a double MJ return that prompted me to label that day "National Michael Day." Unfortunately, both MJ returns fell far below critical and fans' expectations. For me personally, I was just excited to have my heroes back in the saddle. The ethereal nature of both men's historic careers was unprecedented. And it's safe to say that their impact on sports, entertainment and culture will forever influence and inspire.

On an impossible day and during an impossible time, these men gave me and millions of people something rare in a time of evil.

A reason to smile.

LeBron James Doesn't Deserve His Own Talent

CLEVELAND - When LeBron James was drafted straight out of high school in the summer of 2003, I was asked by several people if I believed he would live up to the unprecedented hype he was receiving once he turned pro. I said constantly, "if he never believes the hype and instead works on his game as if he were a constant work in progress, he will indeed meet expectations and even exceed them."

Eight years later, he continues to do just the opposite. He believes his own hype.

James, 26 is at the most heavily criticized crossroads a pro sports superstar has ever experienced. Two days ago, his Miami Heat lost the NBA championship to the Dallas Mavericks on their own court. The loss was stunning in the way it took place. First, the Heat dominated Game 1 at home leading many to label Dallas as severely overmatched. Secondly, after the Mavs tied up the series, they immediately surrendered their momentum by losing the first game in Dallas, allowing Miami a 2-1 series lead. Over the ensuing three games, Dallas used poise, savvy, and brilliant crunch time execution to emerge victorious in each game to win the series, 4-2. But in spite of it all, LeBron's stunning vanishing act in each of the last three games stands as the single biggest shocker of the series' outcome.

The world's most talented basketball player played like an overwhelmed role player.

In all my years of watching pro basketball, I have NEVER...EVER seen a superstar, in his prime play as uninspired, listless and cowardly as LeBron James played in this series. I don't believe it is a stretch to say it, but LeBron disgraced the sacred club of superstardom. His performance was flagrant, empty and utterly embarrassing. Making it all the worse, LeBron is in the unusual position of being both an experienced veteran as well as a young-but-in-his-prime force of nature physically. Arguably, no one has ever been as gifted physically as him. Being 6'8," 265 pounds and breathtakingly strong, quick, agile and athletic as well as being a dominant scorer and expert playmaker is a little like a person being wise, good looking, charming and rich while still just 18 years old.

It's just not fair.

Yet in spite of those colossal attributes at his constant disposal, LeBron is flawed beyond belief. He spent seven seasons as the Cleveland Cavaliers' homegrown legend-in-the-making. Then in a selfish and classless act of arrogance, he humiliated the team and city by announcing his plans on national television to bolt the team in favor of joining Miami and its megastar, Dwyane Wade and new addition, all-star Chris Bosh. That was the start of the figurative evisceration of the previously fawned over James. Ever since he joined the Heat, he has displayed a stunning amount of immaturity and self-centeredness.

Just prior to the start of the 2011 NBA Finals, Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen ignited what amounted to sports blasphemy when he suggested that James is a greater player than Pippen's legendary former teammate Michael Jordan. He pointed to LeBron's playmaking style of basketball and seemed to insinuate that it was preferable to MJ's score-first mentality. If nothing else, Pippen's assessment proves that a person doesn't have to be a senior citizen to become senile. Before LeBron's watered down Finals performance ever happened, it was a ridiculous comment. After the dismantling by the Mavs and James' refusal to step up, the comment deserves to go into the comedy hall of fame and earn Pippen a one-way ticket into the most remote crazy farm on Earth.

Seriously.

Again, LeBron might be the most talented player in NBA history. But talent is just a fraction of what makes a player great, especially Jordan. The way MJ made teams bend to his will, even while his Chicago Bulls were losing in the playoffs before their 1990s dominance puts him on another plateau altogether from James. Jordan owned crunch-time, even if he was having a bad game--he never shrunk from high stakes or pressure; he embraced it and cultivated a gigantic reputation of tenacity and relentlessness. LeBron played in these Finals as if he forgot who he is. During the 2010 NBA playoffs, he did the same thing playing for the Cavs but forever denied widespread opinion that he "gave up." He often blamed the Cavs' postseason failures on the lack of formidable talent around him and when he submitted a shockingly uninspired and nonchalant effort in the infamous Game 5 of the 2010 Celtics series, he refused to take blame. Instead, he claimed that people had gotten "spoiled" by his repeatedly great play so they never gave him the right to have "one bad game in a seven year career."

Um, yeah.

With LeBron taking the easy road to a championship (or so he seemed to think it would be easy) by joining with super mega-star Wade and all-star Bosh in Miami, formidable talent was no longer going to be an issue, according to the way his mind works. In effect, LeBron put himself in a position where he couldn't win no matter what. He's the man who encourages people to call him "King James." He's the one that got "Chosen 1" tattooed across his back. He's the one that declared he'd be "taking [his] talents to South Beach." And with years of breathtaking, often superhuman highlights on the court, he set an enormously high standard for himself. And when he and Bosh, along with Wade were introduced together last July at that over-the-top celebration of their new partnership, LeBron famously declared that the Heat would now win more than half a dozen league titles.

Failure is all his.

Wade was brilliant many times in the 2011 NBA Finals. Bosh hit countless jumpers to frustrate Dallas. Even non-star Mario Chalmers had several huge moments. In other words, no one on Miami underperformed with the exception of James; the guy who is supposed to be using his unguardable abilities to dominate. When he drives hard to the basket, he is so unstoppable that it should almost be illegal. Yet in spite of this, he chooses all too often to shoot long jumpers which is a relief for whomever is defending him. When LeBron ignores his own dominant abilities, it's like a person having a Ferrari and a Ford Focus in their garage, but choosing to drive the Focus in a drag race.

LeBron averaged a putrid 17.8 points per game in the championship series. He averaged 3.0 points per game in the 4th quarter. Again, he's a super charged, springy-legged 26 year old at the outset of his prime. Meanwhile, Jordan in the 1997 NBA Finals averaged over 32 points per game at the far more physically disadvantaged age of 34. In that series, he had a game winning shot at the buzzer, another game of 38 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists, another game where he dominated the 4th quarter with 15 points and the game changing 3-pointer with less than a minute to play. Lastly, he made the game winning assist to Steve Kerr in the finale en route to 39 points and 11 assists. The following year at age 35, he scored 16 of his 45 points in the 4th quarter and made his famous, title winning jumper in the Bulls' 6th championship clincher. What's more impressive than MJ leading the Bulls to six titles was the fact that the Bulls were a perfect 6-0 in the league title series. And remember, a superstar at the past prime age of 35 is in decline, whereas a superstar nearly a decade younger is at the peak of his youthful athleticism. Yet MJ reigned supreme and Lebron stunk up the joint.

How can LeBron be declared as ANYWHERE NEAR Jordan's level?

I'm very happy Dallas won the title. Dirk Nowitzki has been an awesome player for over a decade and with his performance in the entire 2011 playoffs, he proved that he was great enough to deserve it. The Mavs as a team totally impressed me with their resilience above all else as they repeatedly rallied from huge deficits to win pivotal games in every series. That was almost unprecedented. But I won't deny that I'm most happy with the Finals outcome because of the way it denied and then humiliated LeBron James. His talent is undeniable, but so is his immaturity and yes, his unmitigated arrogance. This man needs discipline and polish in the worst way, because until he gets those things--IF he gets those things, he'll be the most unimpressive and underachieving figure in basketball history. He already doesn't deserve the talent that he has, and with his misguided and annoying sense of entitlement, he won't deserve any championship he wins either.

Unless he finally gets a clue and grows up.

20 Years Ago Today: Jordan Clears 'Final' Challenge

CLEVELAND - Funny to see LeBron James in a position to win the first ever NBA title of his career, provided his Miami Heat win the final two games over the Dallas Mavericks (they better not). It's funny because the greatest basketball player in history won his very first championship 20 years ago today.

The one and only Michael Jordan.

Hard to believe but the young Chicago Bulls put the heavily experienced L.A. Lakers to rest on the Lakers' home court with a stirring 108-101 victory in Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals. Jordan, just 28 years of age at the time dominated the series in the most amazing of ways. He averaged his usual unstoppable high number of points; 31.2 ppg in the series, but his astounding 11.4 assists per game was unreal. For good measure, he also chipped in huge with 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals and shot a searing 55% from the floor.

Easy choice for his first ever Finals MVP award.

The game will forever be remembered for sharpshooting role player John Paxson's dead-eye shooting in the closing minutes of the game. But what I delightfully remember is how Jordan, the ultimate crunch time player and finisher continually drove into the lane, drew heavy defensive attention and kicked the ball out to Paxson for those huge 4th quarter baskets. MJ finished with 30 points, 10 assists and 5 steals.

Equally memorable was Jordan's post-game showing in the locker room. Flanked by his father and wife, the iconic hoopster was overcome with the emotion of his greatest professional moment. Through persistent tears, he remarked that it had been a "seven year struggle" and was very happy to be over the "stigma of not winning a title." What many forget now is that Michael had been a stupefyingly brilliant basketball maestro his entire career to that point. Illustrious accomplishments abounded, but he could never manage to lead his Bulls to a league title. He seemed destined to end his career someday with gigantic stats and breathtaking highlights, but no titles.

That never happened.

Instead, Jordan's immense mastery of the '91 NBA Finals became a springboard for a total of six NBA titles he would lead Chicago to by the summer of 1998. Though Earvin "Magic" Johnson submitted an awesome series performance (16 points, 20 assists in the final loss), Jordan proved that he was not only heads and shoulders above the rest of the game's stars, but he was also a winner.

20 years later, LeBron has yet to prove that.

20 Years Ago Today: Jordan Finally Defeats Pistons

CLEVELAND - The Chicago Bulls were eliminated last night by the Miami Heat, denying them their first trip to the NBA Finals in 13 years. But there was a time when the Bulls couldn't be kept out of the championship series no matter who they were playing.

That was when Michael Jordan roamed the skies.

It was 20 years ago today that Jordan, at age 28 led his Bulls to a 115-94 victory, and a 4-0 Eastern Conference Finals series sweep over the Detroit Pistons (on Detroit's home court), who were the two-time defending NBA champions. The Pistons had eliminated the Bulls in each of the previous three seasons, but were no match for the upstart Windy City boys in this series. Jordan, who had a smooth 29 points in the clincher was particularly overjoyed because he was headed to his first ever championship series after years of dominating the league with his offense and defense. Now, he was headed to the one place where his singular brilliance could be validated as being among the best hoopsters in history.

The league finals.

The Pistons displayed defiance, immaturity and cowardice in the closing minute of the rout. Led by Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer, the team walked off the court in anger, unwilling to congratulate the new Conference champions. It was behavior that seemed in-line with their own unsportsmanlike reputation across the league. For the past few years, they used a litany of cheap shot tactics to defend teams and star players, Jordan in particular and thusly, were given the moniker The Bad Boys.

In this series, the Bulls were badder.

The victory served as a coming of age for Chicago and MJ, as they were finally playing phenomenal basketball on both ends of the floor. I remember vividly watching every game in this series, knowing full well that Detroit served as the Bulls' Achilles' Heel, and praying that Chicago could finally rise up and oust the Motor City knuckleheads. Towards the end of Game 3 in Detroit, I remember seeing Jordan at the foul line, knocking down a free throw with a huge look of gratification and satisfaction at the realization that his team was headed for a virtually insurmountable 3-0 series stranglehold. Some folks predicted the Bulls would beat the Pistons, but no one ever dreamed it would be done in a dominating sweep.

Within days, Chicago was back on their home court playing the vaunted L.A. Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. It was a dream matchup of Jordan and Magic Johnson and was heavily hyped. But that historic series became possible because of the Detroit demon that Michael and the guys slayed so thoroughly.

Great memories, even 20 years later.

The Complicated Legacies Of Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson

CLEVELAND - After the supposedly mighty L.A. Lakers went down in embarrassing fashion yesterday to the suddenly amazing Dallas Mavericks, a pressing but unspoken question begged to be answered. What now are the legacies of Kobe Bryant and retiring coach Phil Jackson?

The short answer: they're both quite complicated.

Yes, the Mavs swept away the 2-time defending NBA champions, 4-0 in the Western Conference Semifinals. It goes without saying that no one expected a sweep and most people expected the boys from Hollywood to at least advance to the championship series. Instead, the uber successful Jackson ends a 20 season coaching career in the most unexpected of ways; indeed, his teams have never before been swept. For a man coaching since 1989 (except for two seasons), that is an astonishing accomplishment. In Bryant's case, he ends his 15th NBA season in the worst of ways; a humiliating and uninspired end to a chase for the sixth league title of his career while scoring just 34 points combined in the final two games of the Dallas series. Given his historical stature in the game, those are damning realities that need to be considered when the inevitable (and annual) comparisons to Michael Jordan are made.

But, this is not an epitaph or condemnation. Instead, it is an appraisal of both men.

For Jackson, he has often been accused of being the beneficiary of superior talent on the teams he has coached to numerous championships. From 1991 to 1998, he coached Jordan and Scottie Pippen to six NBA titles. Then, he took a year off and returned to coach Shaquille O'Neal and Bryant to a trifecta of titles from 2000 to 2002. A long drought followed before Jackson again coached Bryant (as the team's top star) to two more titles in 2009 and 2010. Each of those superstars were either the best player in the league at the time or in the top 5. In Jordan's case, he was (and still is) considered to be the best in history. So Jackson's unbelievable 11 coaching championship rings have been said to be the result of a sizable talent advantage on his teams. There's a lot of truth to that, but he also deserves extensive credit for his esoteric coaching philosophies and knack for turning clashing and sometimes difficult stars into a cohesive, flourishing unit.

Everyone knows about the complex "triangle offense" that he used with the Bulls and then Lakers. But it was also his insistence on elite and dedicated defense that produced such endless amounts of success. As much as the 1995-96 Bulls dominated because of Jordan's killer ability and drive, Pippen's stunning versatility and Dennis Rodman's mammoth rebounding, they also marched to a league record 72-10 mark because of Jackson's intricate system and guiding hand.

For Bryant, he has long been regarded as the heir to Jordan's status as the most gifted, competitive megastar in the game. With eerily similar skill sets and demeanor, he has come closer than anyone ever has of embodying MJ in both style and substance. What has dogged him in the comparisons is the fact that he played as the second star to a still-in-his-prime O'Neal for eight NBA seasons and won three of his five titles with the 7'1 giant leading the way. The story has always been that Jordan may have had Pippen, but never a low post force of nature like Shaq to rely on like Kobe had.

It's a fair caveat.

Even still, Kobe's legacy is impressive and sizable without being equal to MJ's. He's been a great offensive and defensive player for a decade and is, at least since his game matured after the '05-'06 season, a dependable leader. He also has a long standing reputation as a crunch time master, though in the Mavs series that proved not to be the case. Now at an advanced pro sports age, Bryant isn't the same high-flying, boundless energy player he was even three seasons ago, let alone seven. But, much like Jordan, he has a lot of details in his game and is intelligent and savvy as a player. Those attributes continue to make him a still-elite player in spite of his obvious fade.

Let's acknowledge Jackson's good fortune of having the best players in the league to coach while also crediting him with simply being a brilliant and legendary coach as well. After all, the man managed to make talented misfits Rodman and Ron Artest submerge their menacing ways in favor of delivering their special talents to title winning teams. Also, let's acknowledge Bryant's deficiencies when evaluated against the epic career of Jordan while also commending him on evolving tremendously from a talented high school project to become one of the top 10 players in basketball history.

Even as the Lakers lost, Jackson and Bryant reign forever victorious.

25 Years Later, Jordan's Playoff Feat Still A Marvel

CLEVELAND - Michael Jordan went down in NBA history as the greatest basketball star ever. Fueled by an iconic career of stunning milestones and groundbreaking impact, Jordan's status in the pantheon of great hoopsters remains mythological.

And his epic display of brilliance 25 years ago today truly began his legend.

That's right. A quarter century ago today, Jordan put on the most searing exhibition of indomitable will mixed with unmatched talent and athleticism the game had ever known. He scored a still unsurpassed postseason record of 63 points in Game 2 of the Chicago Bulls' first round match-up with the Boston Celtics.

What was truly special about MJ's effort were three key facts; one, he was just a 23-year old 2nd year player. Two, he'd missed 64 games that regular season due to a stress fracture in his foot and three, he laid this dominant offensive assault on the vaunted 1985-86 Boston Celtics. That team not only finished 37 games better than Chicago, but they also notched a record 40-1 mark on their homecourt. The location of this Sunday afternoon game?

Boston Garden.

Jordan played as if he were possessed by some weird hyperactive basketball potion. He whirled and spun for spectacular drives and layups. He threw down emphatic slam dunks in traffic. He hit feathery jumpers and crunchtime free throws and almost always scored in, through and around a crowd of defenders. This would've been impressive against any pro team, but against these Celtics (the eventual league champions), it was tantamount to an earth shattering flash point in sports history. And with the legendary status that Celtics team has attained to this day, MJ's feat stands as even more unbelievable.

Of course, the Celtics won the game in double OT and swept the series 3-0. But Jordan's burgeoning legacy was immeasurably augmented with this superlative performance, which also happened to be broadcast on national TV. He had been a superstar player in his rookie season, but with this showing in the '86 NBA Playoffs, he had the look of an icon in the making.

Which he became.

I'll always be fascinated by that young man's dominance that afternoon. No NBA player since then has managed to be so stupefyingly brilliant and determined against a more gigantic foe as those Larry Bird-in-his-prime Celtics. It's just one of many Michael masterpieces that he (and we) can forever look back on and say "Wow...I (he) did that!"

Happy anniversary, MJ.

15 Years Ago Today: Bulls Win 70

CLEVELAND - The Chicago Bulls enter today's NBA Playoffs as major contenders for the title for the first time in 13 years. That fact was more than enough to remind me of the days when they truly were the most unstoppable force in sports.

That is, when Michael Jordan roamed the skies in a red uniform.

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the Bulls' record breaking 70th victory. The grind-it-out ugly win came in Milwaukee at the expense of the Bucks with megastar Jordan knocking in a sub-par 22 points on a horrid 9-of-27 shooting. That was an example of just how unassailable the team was during the 1995-96 NBA season; MJ could struggle, but the team could still emerge victorious.

Mostly.

The Bulls went on to finish with a stunning 72-10 record and capture the 4th of their 6 NBA titles in a match-up with the Seattle Supersonics. Michael, at age 33 earned his 4th league MVP award not just because he was once again incandescent (30.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg and his record 8th scoring title). But the man had also successfully returned to the legendary form that was his trademark prior to his 17 month retirement.

Today's Bulls team is led by a fantastic guard named Derrick Rose. But as wonderful as he is and as impressive as the 2010-11 Bulls may be, they will always have a gigantic mountain to climb to even approach those Bulls of the 1990s.

After all, Jordan doesn't wear red uniforms anymore.

Debating Kobe Bryant's Legacy

CLEVELAND - I am a Kobe Bryant fan. He is a truly amazing basketball player with an unbelievable will to succeed and his enormous cache of skills make him nearly impossible to defend on the court. Where he started at the beginning of his career and where he is now is one of the biggest phenomenons in sports history.

But his place in NBA history remains complicated.

Yes, even after Bryant led his L.A. Lakers to their second straight (16th overall) NBA championship Thursday night, discussing his legacy is far from simple. In fact, it's nearly impossible. The 14-year superstar is now a member of five NBA title teams of the past 11 seasons and his Lakers seem poised to challenge for more during the next year or two.

But, let's not get too far ahead.

Comparisons in sports are inevitable. The most difficult ones to make are the ones that compare players across different eras and with different circumstances. For years, Bryant has been compared very favorably to the great Michael Jordan (my all-time hoops hero). And now that Bryant is just one championship behind MJ, the comparisons are as heated as ever. Many have even placed Kobe above Earvin "Magic" Johnson as the greatest Laker in history. It's entirely possible that Bryant is Johnson's superior, but he is still miles behind Jordan.

Here's why:

To be fair to both men, I'm only going to consider Bryant's last 11 seasons, since his first three were spent learning the NBA after jumping straight from high school. His productivity was far below what it came to be. For Jordan, I won't consider his two year stint with Washington, when he was a very advanced-in-age 39 and 40 and it's also pointless to consider his 18-game second season and his 17-game comeback season in 1995. In other words, I'm comparing Kobe's best 11 years with Michael's best 11 years.

In Kobe's 11 seasons, the Lakers have won the title 5 times. In each of those seasons, he not only didn't win a league MVP award, but the consensus opinion was that he was no higher than the second best player in the NBA. Not the best. His role on the Lakers' 2000-02 title teams was as the killer wing player. Shaquille O'Neal was the best, most dominant player on the floor and the league and his ability to virtually guarantee a Lakers basket every time down the court was their strongest asset. He was more physically imposing than anyone and had a litany of post skills that made him the focal point of opposing defenses. Bryant, with his myriad skills was the beneficiary of Shaq's paint presence. Though Kobe seemed to resent having to share the ball with O'Neal at the time, he still prospered from being the best one-on-one player in the game who was hardly ever required to go one-on-one.

So even though Kobe played a very pivotal role in those first three titles, he played with a very unfair advantage. Let's also not forget about the rest of the talent that L.A. had during those years. When Kobe became the team's leading scorer for the first time in his career during the 2002-03 season (30.0 ppg), the Lakers lost in Round 2 of the playoffs. It was the first time Bryant's thirst for glory impeded the team's goal; he had a 13 game stretch at midseason where he averaged more than 42 points per game. That type of monopoly on the ball is inexcusable when a guy like O'Neal (just 31 at the time) is around.

In the 2004 season, the Lakers lost again, this time in the NBA Finals to upstart Detroit. By then, O'Neal and Bryant's rift was at an all-time high in the animosity category. It was the last time they played together as O'Neal wound up in Miami the following season. With Bryant as the team's Number 1 star for the 2004-05 season, the Lakers were a mess and stunningly missed the playoffs. In '06, Bryant unleashed the full capacity of his brilliant offense and averaged a career high 35.4 ppg. He even dropped 81 points in a game v.s. Toronto, but come playoff time, his Lakers got bounced by Phoenix, an occurrence that repeated itself in 2007. It was during that off-season that Kobe fumed in the media and disparaged his teammates while mentioning that he wanted a trade. Of course, the ensuing 2007-08 season saw the shocking trade (steal) for all-star Pau Gasol. This move, along with the great improvement of the Lakers' Andrew Bynum put L.A. in the NBA Finals for the first time in four seasons.

Even though Bryant won the 2008 MVP, his Lakers lost the title to Boston. The following season, L.A. steamrolled Orlando en route to capturing the 2009 NBA title, Bryant's 4th overall, but first as the team's best player. They repeated the feat two days ago when they won in a delayed rematch with the Celtics. Bryant won Finals MVP for the 2nd straight season, but he never had a standout game.

For Michael Jordan, his path was very different. After six seasons of awesome accolades, breathtaking highlights and endless praise, his Chicago Bulls still possessed no championships. When they finally broke through in 1991, Jordan loomed very large. He averaged 31.2 ppg, 11.4 apg and 6.6 rpg! He dominated in the '92 Finals as well as he outshone his supposed equal Clyde Drexler with a 35.8 scoring average. For the Finals in 1993, he set a record with a 41 ppg series average against Phoenix. He stunningly retired nearly four months later, then returned two years after that. He led Chicago to another trilogy of championships in 1996, '97 and '98 before riding off into the sunset. The major difference between Jordan's showings in the championship series v.s. Bryant's is simple. Jordan had games so great that they remain some of the most transcendent moments in league history.

Bryant, in seven different Finals, never had a masterpiece game like that.

In the regular season, MJ won 10 NBA scoring titles, 9 NBA 1st team all-defense, 6 Finals MVP's, 6 NBA titles, 5 league MVP's and a Defensive Player of the Year award. He was always the best player on his team and though he had an awesome sidekick in Scottie Pippen, he always played with one-dimensional role players and had lousy centers and point guards on his team. His regular season resume is filled with 60, 50 and 40 point games but his playoff resume is filled with series winning performances that impact basketball history greatly. In his final two Finals series alone, MJ authored two of the greatest single game performances the championship series has ever seen. He was always the focal point of his team's offense as well as the other team's defense.

Kobe meanwhile, has had awesome regular season games but almost no playoff games that jump out at you. Even when he went on a one-quarter scoring explosion in Game 4 of this year's Finals, the Celtics still won. He has one MVP, which he earned during the same season his team lost in the Finals. Jordan won 4 of his 5 in seasons that ended in championships.

I agree that Kobe has skills that are virtually equal to Michael's which is amazing in and of itself. But this nonsense about Bryant being a better shooter than MJ is ridiculous. Yes, Bryant became a good shooter earlier than Jordan did, but once Michael perfected his mid-range jumper, he was automatic. MJ, even by Phil Jackson's admission was a better finisher at the rim than Kobe (since Jackson coached both men, I give added weight to his evaluations of them) Michael was also a superior post-up player even though Kobe is excellent in that category. Kobe has been an outstanding defender, Jordan was better. On the ball, he was more ferocious. Off the ball, he played the passing lanes with better anticipation. Both players have shown reluctance to pass the ball, but they are very effective when they do. Michael saw the floor better mostly because he was trained in college by Dean Smith to play as a team before playing as the hero. Even though Jordan was known as a ball hog, he still displayed that fundamental skill to look for the open man.

Bryant shoots the 3-pointer better than MJ, but takes far too many shots from that distance. Jordan was an inconsistent 3-point shooter, but he was a very good "situational" 3-point shooter. He also had the sense and discipline to take higher percentage shots instead of "the home run ball" which has a tendency to take a team out of their game. Both men were brilliant in crunch time, Jordan made a habit out of drilling last second shots and breaking the hearts of many teams. Bryant nailed several game winners this season alone.

All in all, Kobe Bryant is awesome. Granted, I can't be as big a fan of his as I'd like to be because my allegiance to Jordan won't allow it. With that being said, I make these arguments in MJ's favor with complete objectivity. I presented facts and opinions based on facts and I gave each man the benefit of the doubt. Kobe is not as great as Michael, and that is just fine.

He's a legend already. That ain't too shabby.

20 Years Ago Today: Jordan Learns Hard Lesson From Pistons

CLEVELAND - In a seminal career of breathtaking excellence, Michael Jordan authored one historic moment after another. His genius was so expansive and his drive so tenacious, that he became the best basketball player in history by the time he reached age 30. But before he led the Chicago Bulls to a half-dozen NBA championships in less than a decade, he served a hard knocks apprenticeship that reinforced his ruthlessness.

Thank the Detroit Pistons.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Detroit Pistons' Game 7 trouncing of Jordan's Bulls in the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals. It was the third consecutive season that saw Detroit end Chicago's season. Jordan, then 27 years of age and in his 6th NBA season had been beyond brilliant all season and series. With the Pistons' ultra physical play and defensive focus on MJ, the Bulls as a team struggled mightily in spurts and went down 0-2 in the series. Then, ferocious as ever, Jordan responded with back to back 47 and 42 point games to tie the series at 2-2. The final game, played at The Palace of Auburn Hills, saw Chicago lose handily, 93-74. This was the infamous "Scottie Pippen migraine game" which rendered the 3rd year upstart ineffective and left Michael alone to fight against Detroit's suffocating defense. Jordan miraculously managed 31 points in the game, but no one else did anything of note.

It was with this Game 7 loss that Jordan broke down in tears at the reality of losing yet again. Each season, he  was the ultimate megastar standout, yet he was hearing growing criticisms that he would never lead his team to a championship. His career was so phenomenal up to that point, yet he would never be thought of as an all-time great without a league title. Naturally, he went into the summer with an even higher level of focus than normal. The result?

Chicago won three consecutive NBA titles twice during the remainder of the decade!

It may have been the sharpest, cruelest pain at the time. But that Game 7 loss was the exact fuel that Michael Jordan needed to power his space shuttle of excellence into the stratosphere.

LeBron As Quitter Is Unforgivable

CLEVELAND - I began watching last night's Cavaliers-Celtics game with the assumption that the newly crowned MVP LeBron James would put his fingerprints all over it. You know, by dominating from the opening tip and forcing Boston to beg for mercy by the time it was all over.

How foolish was I?

It wasn't so much that James had a very uncharacteristic 15 points on a putrid 3-of-14 shooting performance from the floor. It wasn't even the stunning numbers which read across the scoreboard at night's end; Celtics 120, Cavs 88. It was far bigger than all of that.

LeBron James was a coward and a quitter. Period.

I absolutely never figured I would see that from him, let alone write those words. But his listless performance, during which he seemed to be totally detached from the massacre that was happening to his team was as jaw dropping as one of his scintillating drives to the basket. His body language sagged and he seemed to avoid getting involved in the offense. Instead, he focused on setting his mis-firing teammates up which is fine on most nights, but is absolutely idiotic in a Game 5 at home with a series tied at 2-2. What's worse is the fact that Boston was clearly on a roll, Ray Allen was dropping 3-point bombs like a raging alcoholic drops shots of free whiskey in a bar. None of that forced LeBron's hand and given his colossal status in the league and larger-than-life basketball brilliance, it did not add up in any way, shape or form.

I understand that even icons have bad games. I was a student of Michael Jordan's career and even he had nightmare games. But Jordan NEVER quit, nor did he ever look disinterested. Put Jordan in the same position as LeBron was in last night, and MJ would've at worst shot the ball 25 or 30 times and even if he was way off on his shot, he would've gotten to the free throw line a good 20 times. LeBron wasn't anywhere near aggressive enough to do that. In fact, he showed zero leadership and let his team and city down.

He quit before he even began.

There has been an incredible amount of speculation as to whether James will stay in Cleveland or bolt to another team in free agency this summer. All I know is, if he does leave the Cavs, the respect that I have had for him all these years will drop precipitously. For a man so phenomenal in the game of basketball, his character would be equally disgusting. This city made him, not the other way around. If he leaves, it couldn't be justified by saying he's frustrated at not winning. It will make him look like a petulant brat who just happens to be an outstanding hoopster.

I hope I'm as wrong about him on this as I was about last night's game.

Remembering Jordan's Historic Cavs Killer

CLEVELAND -  Michael Jordan used a crossover dribble to get open for a most critical inbounds pass, then deftly split two eager defenders as he dribbled urgently to his left. He stopped at the foul circle, jumped and aimed the basketball at the hoop. He hung, double pumped and shot the ball over the valiant, yet futile defense of Craig Ehlo.

Buzzer sounds. All net.

It was a hard-to-believe 21 years ago today that the aforementioned events took place in the space of just a few seconds on a basketball court 30 miles south of Downtown Cleveland. Jordan, a 26-year old basketball juggernaut famously authored what is still succinctly known as "The Shot," and the impact of that game and that moment had been felt for many years afterwards. It changed the fortunes of the two franchises involved; Cleveland's Cavaliers and Chicago's Bulls. For the Bulls, it infused a great surge of confidence and catapulted them to a second round ouster of the New York Knicks and a very courageous stand against the eventual champion Detroit Pistons. Within two years, Chicago evolved into NBA champions themselves and dominated the 1990's with six titles in eight years.

The Cavs, meanwhile were never as imposing or outstanding as they were during the 1988-89 NBA season. Jordan's demoralizing shot seemed to deflate their air of excellence. Cleveland had a couple good seasons in the early part of the '90's, but mostly, they fell apart and became bland and very beatable. Their fortunes seemed to be looking up in 1997 when they acquired all-star Shawn Kemp, but his one good season was followed by more team mediocrity.

It all hit bottom in 2002-03 when the Cavs finished with a horrible 17-65 record. That season's awful showing had a silver lining, though. Highly coveted prep star LeBron James was the top prize in the 2003 NBA draft and the Cavs, through pure luck earned the first pick. Of course, they drafted James and four years later, they advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time ever. They wound up losing to the Spurs in a 4-0 sweep, but they are currently among the favorites to capture the 2010 NBA title.

Even though a generation has passed since MJ's heroics, the after effects still amaze me. It was the first, truly clutch moment of his career, and it can be argued that it set the table for the path to LeBron.

I know that thinking is out of this world, but so was The Shot.

Day Of Killers: Air Jordan and Columbine

CLEVELAND - Today is one of the most historical days in American history. As far as I'm concerned, one horrible tragedy and one incredible triumph will forever define this day of winners and losers, victims and assailants.

It is a day of killers.

It was 24 years ago today that a young NBA hotshot named Michael Jordan took the floor with his woefully overmatched Chicago Bulls to compete against the imposing Boston Celtics at their very best and put on a seminal, groundbreaking performance worthy of an Academy Award. Also, it was 11 years ago that two twisted teens went on a shooting spree at their own high school in Littleton, Colorado and killed more than a dozen people including themselves.

Jordan murdered the Celtics with a playoff record 63 points. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, the Columbine High School whack jobs, murdered innocent students and one teacher. Though the Bulls lost that Sunday afternoon classic in double OT, 135-131, it was clear that MJ was the assailant. Despite missing a whopping 64 games with a broken foot in his 2nd pro season, Jordan dazzled, slithered, soared and scored with impunity against the seemingly invincible Celtics in their nearly impervious building, who were 40-1 at home and boasted the iconic Larry Bird in his prime along with superstars Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.

For the Columbine killers, they were assailants as well...just far more ominous and sinister. They were cast as social mis-fits after the fact and information came to light about just how calculated the April 20, 1999 shootings really were. Going back to 1997 and 1998, Klebold and Harris (pictured at right) had studied how to make bombs at home and also acquired themselves an extensive collection of rifles and other high powered weaponry. Apparently upset with the way they were ridiculed and outcast in school, they ignored their otherwise privileged lives and masterminded an evil crime that still stings.

I joke when I put Michael Jordan into the same category as Klebold and Harris. But the sad part is, Jordan simply played a phenomenal game. The Columbine boys considered their heinous actions to be a game as well.

What did the rest of us learn?