And it was no surprise.
Jordan was "in the zone" that night at the now-defunct Richfield Coliseum in Ohio. Just 27 years old at the time, his ethereal basketball talents were on full display as he registered career-highs with 69 points and 18 rebounds. His brilliance was second to none as he repeatedly hit pull-up jumpers and attacked the basket with searing impunity. For good measure, he dished off 6 assists and had 4 steals.
And his Chicago Bulls won, 117-113 in overtime.
MJ's ire had been drawn after he was fouled hard by the Cavs' John "Hot Rod" Williams in the first quarter. That is when Cleveland fans cheered the nasty takedown of Jordan, to which he took exception because he could have been seriously hurt. He responded by netting 31 points by halftime and continued to dominate all over the court as the game progressed. With the Cavs and Bulls being not only Eastern Conference rivals, but also Central Division ones, the game had added significance.
The phenomenal outburst was anything but a surprise given the fact that Jordan was always extra special when facing the Cavs. He led the Bulls to playoff series victories over them in both 1988 and 1989 and the '89 defeat featured the legendary "The Shot" game, which took place just 10 months prior to the 69-point game. Furthermore, Michael laid a giant 54-point statement on the Cavs to open the 1989-90 season and had several more high-scoring games against them leading up to 69. Add all that up, and it was anything but surprising that he did what he did on March 28, 1990.
He was in his prime, but still in his pre-championship days that season. But Jordan was always a marvel to behold and that game will forever stand as perhaps his grandest statement as an individual juggernaut.
Long live Air Jordan.
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