Heat vs. Bulls 1996-1997. Jordan's 50 point statement
132.8 هزار بار بازدید -
17 سال پیش
-
November 6, 1996 This
November 6, 1996
This was another classic statement game for Jordan.
It was the Bulls' first meeting with the Heat after their sweep in 1996 playoffs. Miami players and Pat Riley were determined to avenge it and make a statement of their own. Heat players were quoted in newspapers saying they had been waiting for this game for a long time, Tim Hardaway saying that he wants to guard Jordan and so on.
96-97 Heat was a tough Riley team anchored by a prime Alonzo Mourning in defense. They were rated second in defense that year and topped the Atlantic division with a 61-21 record.
Jordan silently awaited the tip-off. When the game started he hit 5 of his first 6 shots, scoring all of the first 11 Bulls points. He then made a one-handed alley oop, hit a demoralizing three at the end of first half, a signature circus shot in the third and classic fadeaways in the fourth. Never let the Heat come close and Bulls won 106-100. Jordan finished with 50 points on one of his standard 50+% shooting (18-33) nights.
In addition to all of this, a Chicago Sun-Times article mentions Jordan's talk with a Miami fan who was sitting behind the Bulls bench. I included the whole article below the game notes. You can see him pointing his finger to a fan and saying a few things after his three pointer at the 4:02-4:03 mark of the video.
Post game notes & quotes:
========================
MIAMI It was Tuesday night, moments after the Bulls had defeated Vancouver at the United Center. Michael Jordan was asked about the challenge ahead Wednesday in Miami.
Jordan talked about how the Heat would be looking to avenge last season's playoff loss and how they were sitting at home waiting for the game.
Jordan had a gleam in his eye and ended his comments by saying the Bulls would be ready for the challenge.
The challange was the trash-talking Heat who spoke tough before getting swept by the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs last season. The same Heat whose players were quoted Wednesday in the local papers as saying they were looking to earn the respect of the reigning NBA champions.
If you've followed the Bulls for any length of time, you know what's coming next.
In a vintage performance, Jordan poured in 50 points on 18-for-33 shooting, stunning the Heat and the Miami Arena sellout crowd of 15,200 in the process as the Bulls posted a 106-100 victory.
Challenge? Did someone say challenge?
"We were faced with a challenge. I think those are the fun games," said Jordan, who has scored 50 or more points a remarkable 36 times. "On the road, against a team that's undefeated and you played well against in the past and they're sitting back at home waiting for you.
"The scenario is perfect for a competitor, and that was ideal for me."
It was vintage in every way except for sticking his tongue out while driving to the hole. He hit from the outside, drove to the basket and produced circus shots.
Nothing the Heat did defensively - double- or triple-teaming - seemed to matter. Jordan simply was in the zone.
"He was hitting everything," Heat guard Dan Majerle said.
"You know Michael, he comes for 50," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "When he's 40, he'll want to make a statement."
"This time he was committed to start quick. He was very offensive-minded. Even when we double-teamed him, he scored. He's simply the finest and the greatest."
Jordan got off to a fast start, scoring 15 in the first quarter, but the Heat still was in command and appeared to be headed to victory.
Miami had a 30-19 lead at the end of the first quarter and stretched the advantage to as much as 15 points in the second quarter (the last time being 38-23). Alonzo Mourning (33 points, 19 rebounds) was controlling the inside, and the outside shots also were falling.
The Bulls, though, began inching back and used an 11-2 spurt to pull within four, 49-45, with two minutes left in the first half. Considering the way much of the first half had gone, the Bulls would seem fortunate to be trailing by just single digits. The players had other thoughts.
Scottie Pippen (17 points) hit a three-pointer with two seconds left in the half to put the Bulls back on top, 54-53. The rally to that point was deflating enough for the Heat, but the Bulls weren't quite done. They intercepted the inbounds pass, and Jordan drilled a three-pointer at the buzzer for a 57-53 halftime advantage.
"We were up by 15, and then we look up at halftime and they were up four," Heat point guard Tim Hardaway said. "That's because we made some turnovers and didn't execute in the second quarter. That was hard to take."
The Bulls charged out in the third quarter and stretched the lead to 67-53 by scoring the first 10 points of the period. Ron Harper (10 points) hit a pair of three-pointers, and Jordan then followed with a circus three-point play. He drove to the basket and drew contact from Mourning.
With his back to the basket after drawing the foul, he flipped the ball over his head toward the hoop. It bounced a couple of times, then the ball just dropped through.
It was that kind of quarter for Jordan. On a few occasions in the third, Jordan just shrugged and shook his head and looked at Miami's bench.
Miami closed to 88-83. But Jordan scored 10 points in the final six minutes. He also had the Bulls' first 11 points and 15 of their 19 in the opening period.
***
The 33-year-old Jordan, seeking his ninth scoring title, hiked his average to a league-best 32.3 points through four games.
His incentive may also have been a Miami newspaper story Wednesday under the headline, "Hardaway wants to guard Jordan." In the story, Heat guard Tim Hardaway said he relished the opportunity.
Jordan's reaction? He told teammates he expected to have a big night.
"He saw what was written in the paper," Pippen said. "He came out as a personal challenge to Hardaway, whether he admits it or not."
Jordan acknowledged special motivation, though he didn't specifically mention Hardaway.
``We're the monsters of the East right now, and they have to go over us,'' said Pippen.
===================
===================
Fan-fired MJ turns up Heat in Miami
Chicago Sun-Times by John Jackson. November 7, 1996
MIAMI It's never a good idea to spit into the wind or tug on Superman's cape. And when attending a game between the Bulls and your favorite NBA team, never get Michael Jordan riled up if you hope to see your side win.
One fan sitting in the expensive seats of Miami Arena learned that lesson Wednesday night during the Bulls' 106-100 victory against the Heat.
With the Heat leading by double digits in the first half, the fan decided to do a little trash-talking as the Bulls headed to the bench for a timeout midway through the second quarter.
"This guy sitting behind our bench, he said by halftime the game would be over with like it was last time when we came in here (113-104 loss on Feb. 23)," Jordan said. "I said, `You know, you should just sit back there and enjoy the game. The game is not over with.'
"The next thing you know, three points, three points, four points at half. I think he didn't really enjoy the game."
No, not unless he was looking for a Bulls victory and a vintage performance by Jordan, who had 50 points on 18-for-33 shooting.
After trailing by as many as 15 points, the Bulls quieted the sellout crowd of 15,200 with a furious flurry at the end of the half to take the lead.
Scottie Pippen hit a three-pointer with two seconds left in the half to give the Bulls a 54-53 lead. The Bulls then stole the inbounds pass and Jordan, who had 50 points, drilled a three at the buzzer for a 57-53 halftime lead.
Jordan ran to the Bulls bench and bumped chests with Ron Harper and Randy Brown. He then sought out the fan and had a couple of comments before heading to the locker room.
"I thought that really changed the momentum of the game going into halftime," Jordan said. "To that point, they really had seized the first half. We were climbing back and then we made two big plays down the stretch, and they go into the locker room four points down after a good first half.
"From that point on, I felt we were in control. We came out in the third quarter and jumped on them really quickly. The next thing you know, they're down 13, 14 points."
In a seven-minute stretch from late in the second to early in the third, a 47-34 Heat lead became a 67-53 Bulls lead.
"We as a team work too hard to get ourselves into a situation where we're going to give a gift to the world champions with a seven-minute run," Heat coach Pat Riley said.
"They're too good. They don't need any help. We don't need to turn the ball over and make mindless mistakes."
The Heat also didn't need a fan to get Jordan pumped up.
===============================
This was another classic statement game for Jordan.
It was the Bulls' first meeting with the Heat after their sweep in 1996 playoffs. Miami players and Pat Riley were determined to avenge it and make a statement of their own. Heat players were quoted in newspapers saying they had been waiting for this game for a long time, Tim Hardaway saying that he wants to guard Jordan and so on.
96-97 Heat was a tough Riley team anchored by a prime Alonzo Mourning in defense. They were rated second in defense that year and topped the Atlantic division with a 61-21 record.
Jordan silently awaited the tip-off. When the game started he hit 5 of his first 6 shots, scoring all of the first 11 Bulls points. He then made a one-handed alley oop, hit a demoralizing three at the end of first half, a signature circus shot in the third and classic fadeaways in the fourth. Never let the Heat come close and Bulls won 106-100. Jordan finished with 50 points on one of his standard 50+% shooting (18-33) nights.
In addition to all of this, a Chicago Sun-Times article mentions Jordan's talk with a Miami fan who was sitting behind the Bulls bench. I included the whole article below the game notes. You can see him pointing his finger to a fan and saying a few things after his three pointer at the 4:02-4:03 mark of the video.
Post game notes & quotes:
========================
MIAMI It was Tuesday night, moments after the Bulls had defeated Vancouver at the United Center. Michael Jordan was asked about the challenge ahead Wednesday in Miami.
Jordan talked about how the Heat would be looking to avenge last season's playoff loss and how they were sitting at home waiting for the game.
Jordan had a gleam in his eye and ended his comments by saying the Bulls would be ready for the challenge.
The challange was the trash-talking Heat who spoke tough before getting swept by the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs last season. The same Heat whose players were quoted Wednesday in the local papers as saying they were looking to earn the respect of the reigning NBA champions.
If you've followed the Bulls for any length of time, you know what's coming next.
In a vintage performance, Jordan poured in 50 points on 18-for-33 shooting, stunning the Heat and the Miami Arena sellout crowd of 15,200 in the process as the Bulls posted a 106-100 victory.
Challenge? Did someone say challenge?
"We were faced with a challenge. I think those are the fun games," said Jordan, who has scored 50 or more points a remarkable 36 times. "On the road, against a team that's undefeated and you played well against in the past and they're sitting back at home waiting for you.
"The scenario is perfect for a competitor, and that was ideal for me."
It was vintage in every way except for sticking his tongue out while driving to the hole. He hit from the outside, drove to the basket and produced circus shots.
Nothing the Heat did defensively - double- or triple-teaming - seemed to matter. Jordan simply was in the zone.
"He was hitting everything," Heat guard Dan Majerle said.
"You know Michael, he comes for 50," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "When he's 40, he'll want to make a statement."
"This time he was committed to start quick. He was very offensive-minded. Even when we double-teamed him, he scored. He's simply the finest and the greatest."
Jordan got off to a fast start, scoring 15 in the first quarter, but the Heat still was in command and appeared to be headed to victory.
Miami had a 30-19 lead at the end of the first quarter and stretched the advantage to as much as 15 points in the second quarter (the last time being 38-23). Alonzo Mourning (33 points, 19 rebounds) was controlling the inside, and the outside shots also were falling.
The Bulls, though, began inching back and used an 11-2 spurt to pull within four, 49-45, with two minutes left in the first half. Considering the way much of the first half had gone, the Bulls would seem fortunate to be trailing by just single digits. The players had other thoughts.
Scottie Pippen (17 points) hit a three-pointer with two seconds left in the half to put the Bulls back on top, 54-53. The rally to that point was deflating enough for the Heat, but the Bulls weren't quite done. They intercepted the inbounds pass, and Jordan drilled a three-pointer at the buzzer for a 57-53 halftime advantage.
"We were up by 15, and then we look up at halftime and they were up four," Heat point guard Tim Hardaway said. "That's because we made some turnovers and didn't execute in the second quarter. That was hard to take."
The Bulls charged out in the third quarter and stretched the lead to 67-53 by scoring the first 10 points of the period. Ron Harper (10 points) hit a pair of three-pointers, and Jordan then followed with a circus three-point play. He drove to the basket and drew contact from Mourning.
With his back to the basket after drawing the foul, he flipped the ball over his head toward the hoop. It bounced a couple of times, then the ball just dropped through.
It was that kind of quarter for Jordan. On a few occasions in the third, Jordan just shrugged and shook his head and looked at Miami's bench.
Miami closed to 88-83. But Jordan scored 10 points in the final six minutes. He also had the Bulls' first 11 points and 15 of their 19 in the opening period.
***
The 33-year-old Jordan, seeking his ninth scoring title, hiked his average to a league-best 32.3 points through four games.
His incentive may also have been a Miami newspaper story Wednesday under the headline, "Hardaway wants to guard Jordan." In the story, Heat guard Tim Hardaway said he relished the opportunity.
Jordan's reaction? He told teammates he expected to have a big night.
"He saw what was written in the paper," Pippen said. "He came out as a personal challenge to Hardaway, whether he admits it or not."
Jordan acknowledged special motivation, though he didn't specifically mention Hardaway.
``We're the monsters of the East right now, and they have to go over us,'' said Pippen.
===================
===================
Fan-fired MJ turns up Heat in Miami
Chicago Sun-Times by John Jackson. November 7, 1996
MIAMI It's never a good idea to spit into the wind or tug on Superman's cape. And when attending a game between the Bulls and your favorite NBA team, never get Michael Jordan riled up if you hope to see your side win.
One fan sitting in the expensive seats of Miami Arena learned that lesson Wednesday night during the Bulls' 106-100 victory against the Heat.
With the Heat leading by double digits in the first half, the fan decided to do a little trash-talking as the Bulls headed to the bench for a timeout midway through the second quarter.
"This guy sitting behind our bench, he said by halftime the game would be over with like it was last time when we came in here (113-104 loss on Feb. 23)," Jordan said. "I said, `You know, you should just sit back there and enjoy the game. The game is not over with.'
"The next thing you know, three points, three points, four points at half. I think he didn't really enjoy the game."
No, not unless he was looking for a Bulls victory and a vintage performance by Jordan, who had 50 points on 18-for-33 shooting.
After trailing by as many as 15 points, the Bulls quieted the sellout crowd of 15,200 with a furious flurry at the end of the half to take the lead.
Scottie Pippen hit a three-pointer with two seconds left in the half to give the Bulls a 54-53 lead. The Bulls then stole the inbounds pass and Jordan, who had 50 points, drilled a three at the buzzer for a 57-53 halftime lead.
Jordan ran to the Bulls bench and bumped chests with Ron Harper and Randy Brown. He then sought out the fan and had a couple of comments before heading to the locker room.
"I thought that really changed the momentum of the game going into halftime," Jordan said. "To that point, they really had seized the first half. We were climbing back and then we made two big plays down the stretch, and they go into the locker room four points down after a good first half.
"From that point on, I felt we were in control. We came out in the third quarter and jumped on them really quickly. The next thing you know, they're down 13, 14 points."
In a seven-minute stretch from late in the second to early in the third, a 47-34 Heat lead became a 67-53 Bulls lead.
"We as a team work too hard to get ourselves into a situation where we're going to give a gift to the world champions with a seven-minute run," Heat coach Pat Riley said.
"They're too good. They don't need any help. We don't need to turn the ball over and make mindless mistakes."
The Heat also didn't need a fan to get Jordan pumped up.
===============================
17 سال پیش
در تاریخ 1386/04/21 منتشر شده
است.
132,853
بـار بازدید شده