Chicago Bulls @ Orlando Magic | 1996 Playoffs | ECF Game 4: Jordan seals the sweep

His partners in the ratings game desperately wanted to salvage some pride on their home floor, but Michael Jordan was even more determined to have at least three days off. He was willing to work every angle, possible and impossible, to secure them. The baseline. The wing. Straight on from 15 feet. Off one foot or off the glass, he kept hitting net and he kept fading away — farther and farther — until Anfernee Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal and their once-potent basketball team resembled minuscule blips from high atop the ridge. The Chicago Bulls were much closer to the pinnacle than the Orlando Magic was today because Jordan reached the climax of a yearlong vindication process by backpacking his team to a 106-101 victory in Game 4 and a sweep of the Eastern Conference finals. “Judging from the look in Michael’s eyes, we could have rode him all day today,” forward Scottie Pippen said. “I know I rode him. We all did. What’s new?” With a menacing glare attached to nearly every basket he made, Jordan erupted for 45 points, wagged his tongue, kicked up his left foot ever so slightly and walked out of Orlando Arena with a Cuban cigar tucked snugly in his blazer pocket. He made 16 of 23 shots and 10 of 14 free throws and performed the same riveting theater on the floor that carried Chicago to its last finals, in 1993, the last time the Bulls were this close to a championship. They overcame a 56-47 halftime deficit in the final seconds of the third quarter and then let Jordan do

Comments

  1. RannaDoctor9193 says:

    But him holding back letting? dwade get his time In the light Is another reason why his ego isn’t as big as you think
    you have to check this out if you play basketball “goo.gl / JdHU3″

  2. seanmurray854 says:

    kOrOne79 damm, I increased beyond 16 ins on my jumping ability by completing the workout course located over at “50inch vertical [dot] com”. From now on being being under 6 feet is something I don’t have to worry about on a basketball game haha

    Chicago Bulls @ Orlando Magic | 1996 Playoffs | ECF Game 4: Jordan seals the sweep

  3. Paragon231 says:

    I actually prefer this older post-move addicted version of Jordan over his younger one.

  4. xJoJo24x says:

    Ooow waaah, i want a plaace too say, get yo booty on the floor toonnight, make my day: pump up the jam: pumpit up:why yo feet r stompin:and the jam is pumpin:look at it got the crowd jumpin: pump it up a lil more:get the party goin on the dance floor:see cause thats where the partys at:and ur fine dinin to bad:ooow wahaah!

  5. Xavier1215 says:

    @TheEntertainmentonly i feel you on that..did Parish even play in 97 b/c I thought he was gone by then. Hell he was one lucky guy playing with the 85-86 Celtics (with that 40-1 home record) and part of the Bulls.

  6. TheEntertainmentonly says:

    @Xavier1215 P.S. The early 90′s Bulls (unlike the late 90′s teams/ and not counting Jordan or Pippen) were loaded. They had Bill Cartwright (who was a 20/10 guy in NY), Grant (who was among the best 4-men in the game), Paxson (underrated player) Armstrong, Levingston, Williams, and Hansen in 1992. The only mediocre players were Hodges, Perdue, and King. Now those teams were among the best in league history!!!

  7. TheEntertainmentonly says:

    @Xavier1215 Your winning championships with two mediocre players (Bill Wennington @ Luc Longley at Center). One dimensional Steve Kerr (whose a three point threat), wash-up Ron Harper, @ Randy Brown (very mediocre) at guard!!! Not to mention mediocre Simpkins and Caffey @ Forward. The only player with All-star-like talent off the bench was Kukoc!!! (And if you want to count) Parish and Williams in ’97!! Believe me, without the triangle offense, these guys wouldn’t be in the league!!!

  8. Xavier1215 says:

    @TheEntertainmentonly these bulls were not that mediocre. 72-10, that team had and fulfilled their responsiblity..this was the best team ever!!

  9. TheEntertainmentonly says:

    Only Jordan could carry a mediocre team (aside from Pippen and Rodman) to three straight titles in the mid to late 90′s!!!! Imagine if his teams were stack like the 80′s Lakers or both Celtics dynasty teams.

  10. sheppardtrooper says:

    @ 6:07 Jordan took FLIGHT …. POW !

  11. sportsnut6078 says:

    LOL! Joe Wolf and Jon Koncak on the same team. All the magic needed that year was to replace a. hardaway, n. anderson, and s. o’neal with marty conlan bobby hurley and john crotty and they would have been the washington generals of the NBA

  12. jalfon says:

    G.O.A.T…

  13. arpeeph says:

    Damn that was a nice Rebound to Fast Break from RODMAN……

    I wish there was someone like him in the NBA today…

    A solid Defender, Rebounder and Transision Passer.

  14. bqc20 says:

    MJ = Best Ever

  15. blackadam06 says:

    “stop comparison kobe to MJ”

    I didn’t start it, so how can I stop it?

    “Kobe wouldn’t reach what’s JORDAN done”

    In case U haven’t been paying attention (which appears to be the case), that’s my entire argument. I agree..

  16. 000000MJ2345000000 says:

    @blackadam06 FUCK YOU!!! stop comparison kobe to MJ….Kobe wouldn’t reach what’s JORDAN done….wtf@#$

  17. blackadam06 says:

    “mj got way more (FT attempts) then kobe ever has”

    Oh really? Then please explain to us why kobe scores a HIGHER % of his career pts from the FT line (25.1%) than MJ did (22.9%)?

    I’d love an explanation for that..

  18. JimminyButtfuck says:

    this would be the last time Shaq and Penny were wearing the same uniform at the same time

  19. bulls7123 says:

    lol I notice that they changed the paint configuration at the Orlando arena between 95 and 96 (they made the point primarily blue instead of primarily black).

  20. L92185 says:

    @kOrOne79 kobe does not get freethrow treatment are u serious mj got way more then kobe ever has ur juz a biased person if u dnt see that

  21. RTR9 says:

    i miss 6’7 Point guards.

  22. navy2572 says:

    MICHAEL JORDAN AT HIS BEST!!! Everyone kept on talking about how he chocked in the 95 finals. I remember this game very clearly. WHAT AN A## W##ping. One last thing i have to say is that, Once Michael dominated the game there was no stoping him! NOBODY. I have not seen a player DOMINATE the game like he did.

  23. Domini478 says:

    @ede38 He didn’t kill MJ!

  24. kdoggjr says:

    Honestly I think the reason the Bulls Sonics series went to 6 was cuz the Bulls weren’t really trying hard in those games. The Bulls I think coulda swept their way right through the playoffs if they went 100% every night.

  25. LEE690000 says:

    to the 2010 celtics if going to win the series…watch what this bulls team do

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