query: when did michael jordan first play in the nba

pos: Michael Jordan Jordan played three seasons for coach Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina. As a freshman, he was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship team in 1982. Jordan joined the Bulls in 1984 as the third overall draft pick. He quickly emerged as a league star and entertained crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, demonstrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in Slam Dunk Contests, earned him the nicknames Air Jordan and His Airness. He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball. In 1991, he

pos: Hakeem Olajuwon amateur prospect in the summer of 1984 over fellow collegians and future NBA stars Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton, and was selected first overall by the Rockets in the 1984 NBA draft. In his autobiography, "Living the Dream", Olajuwon mentions an intriguing draft trade offered to the Rockets that would have sent Clyde Drexler and the number two pick in the 1984 NBA draft from Portland in exchange for Ralph Sampson. Had the Rockets made the deal, Olajuwon states the Rockets could have selected Michael Jordan with the number two pick to play alongside Olajuwon and Drexler, who

pos: Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry who would pick Derrick Rose with the first selection in 2008 to turn Chicago from a lottery team, to a future contender. Chicago had the third selection in the 1984 NBA Draft, and selected Michael Jordan out of North Carolina. Jordan won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1985 and led the Bulls to a record and the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. As for Cleveland, they had a record, just a single seed under Chicago with the eighth seed. The Cavaliers wouldn't play the Bulls in the playoffs until 1988, which the Bulls would win, 3–2.

pos: 1996 NBA draft game, making him the last player from this draft to play in the NBA. He scored sixty points in the last game as the final player of this draft. Most experts rate it along with the 1984 NBA draft and 2003 NBA draft as one of the best drafts in history. "Sports Illustrated" named it the second-best, behind the 1984 draft, which included a draft class of Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. The following are undrafted players of the 1996 NBA Draft but later played in the NBA. 1996 NBA draft The 1996 NBA draft was

pos: Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry The Bulls–Cavaliers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls. The teams have played each other since the Cavaliers joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1970, but the rivalry didn't begin in earnest until the Bulls drafted Michael Jordan with the third overall pick in 1984. After Jordan would go on to the Washington Wizards and eventually retire, the rivalry died down, but when Cleveland picked LeBron James with the first selection in 2003, the rivalry heated up again. However, the Cavaliers had an edge on the Bulls,

pos: Magic Johnson Century" In 2006, ESPN.com rated Johnson the greatest point guard of all time, stating, "It could be argued that he's the one player in NBA history who was better than Michael Jordan." Several of his achievements in individual games have also been named among the top moments in the NBA. Johnson and Larry Bird were first linked as rivals after Johnson's Michigan State squad defeated Bird's Indiana State team in the 1979 NCAA finals. The rivalry continued in the NBA, and reached its climax when Boston and Los Angeles met in three out of four NBA Finals from 1984 to

pos: Michael Jordan which was led by future NBA rival Patrick Ewing. Jordan later described this shot as the major turning point in his basketball career. During his three seasons at North Carolina, he averaged 17.7 ppg on 54.0% shooting, and added 5.0 rpg. He was selected by consensus to the NCAA All-American First Team in both his sophomore (1983) and junior (1984) seasons. After winning the Naismith and the Wooden College Player of the Year awards in 1984, Jordan left North Carolina one year before his scheduled graduation to enter the 1984 NBA draft. The Chicago Bulls selected Jordan with the third

neg: Bryon Russell he averaged 14.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. From 1997 to 2000, he played in every regular-season game. Russell's alma mater, Long Beach State University, retired his jersey in 2010. Russell is best remembered for guarding Michael Jordan at the end of Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Jordan made the game-winning shot over Russell, although many fans believe Jordan pushed off Russell during the play. The referees did not call a foul on the play, and Russell later remarked, "Whether he pushed off or not, he was making that shot." He and Jordan were teammates when they

neg: 1995 NBA All-Star Game However, Ceballos' name was still kept on the roster even though he did not play in the game. Michael Jordan missed this all-star game because this was his first retirement from basketball since he wanted to pursue a career in professional baseball. Cedric Ceballos did not participate due to injury. <br> 1995 NBA All-Star Game The 1995 NBA All-Star Game was the 45th edition of the All-Star Game. The Western Conference won 139-112. The city of Phoenix hosted the event. Mitch Richmond of the Sacramento Kings was voted MVP of the game. The 1995 NBA All-Star Game was broadcast by

neg: Kyrie Irving career-high 41 points against the New York Knicks. He became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points in Madison Square Garden; he was a year younger than Michael Jordan, who did it in 1985. The coaches selected Irving to play in his first All-Star game. He finished with 15 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds. He also participated in the Rising Stars Challenge again, scoring 32 points for Team Shaq in a losing effort. Irving participated in the NBA NBA Three-Point Shootout and recorded 23 points in the final round to win the event. He ended his

neg: Bulls vs Lakers and the NBA Playoffs were divided into two modes, "Exhibition" or "Playoffs". Players could pick from one of the 16 teams that competed in the 1991 NBA Playoffs (up from 8 in the first game). Rosters featured many top NBA stars of the time, including Michael Jordan. Games could be configured for 2, 5, 8 or 12 minute quarters. New to the series is a star underneath the player to let users easily know which player they are controlling. "MegaTech" said that the game had impressive graphics and atmosphere, but that it did not play as fast as "David Robinson's Supreme Court". Bulls vs

neg: Michael Jordan fifth time in as many Finals appearances, Jordan received the Finals MVP award. During the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, Jordan posted the first triple double in All-Star Game history in a victorious effort; however, he did not receive the MVP award. Jordan and the Bulls compiled a 62–20 record in the 1997–98 season. Jordan led the league with 28.7 points per game, securing his fifth regular-season MVP award, plus honors for All-NBA First Team, First Defensive Team and the All-Star Game MVP. The Bulls won the Eastern Conference Championship for a third straight season, including surviving a seven-game series with

neg: Michael Jordan statue All-NBA Team first team selection, NBA All-Defensive Team first team selection, and the NBA Finals MVP. After Jordan retired following the 1992–93 NBA season, Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf sought a sculptor to honor Jordan and requested that Chicago Bulls Vice President Steve Schanwald seek proposals from artists. Twelve artists made proposals. In January 1994, Schanwald hired Omri and Julie Rotblatt-Amrany of Highland Park, Illinois, who erected a statue at the Bulls' new home for the 1994–95 NBA season, the United Center. Until 1994 when they both moved, the Bulls and Blackhawks had played at Chicago Stadium. While the sculpture

neg: Michael Jordan with the Wizards were comprehensive. He controlled all aspects of the Wizards' basketball operations, and had the final say in all personnel matters. Opinions of Jordan as a basketball executive were mixed. He managed to purge the team of several highly paid, unpopular players (such as forward Juwan Howard and point guard Rod Strickland), but used the first pick in the 2001 NBA draft to select high schooler Kwame Brown, who did not live up to expectations and was traded away after four seasons. Despite his January 1999 claim that he was "99.9% certain" that he would never play another

neg: Toni Kukoč winning the EuroLeague Final Four MVP once again. He was nicknamed "the White Magic", "the Spider from Split", "the Pink Panther", "the Waiter", and "the Croatian Sensation". Throughout the 1990s, he won several European Basketball Player of the Year Awards. After being drafted by the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1990, Kukoč continued to play in Europe, until finally reporting to the Bulls in 1993, when the team had just finished its first three-peat and had lost Michael Jordan to retirement. While disappointed at the time that he could not play with Jordan, Kukoč made his NBA debut on November 5,

neg: Michael Jordan NBA game, in the summer of 2001 Jordan expressed interest in making another comeback, this time with his new team. Inspired by the NHL comeback of his friend Mario Lemieux the previous winter, Jordan spent much of the spring and summer of 2001 in training, holding several invitation-only camps for NBA players in Chicago. In addition, Jordan hired his old Chicago Bulls head coach, Doug Collins, as Washington's coach for the upcoming season, a decision that many saw as foreshadowing another Jordan return. On September 25, 2001, Jordan announced his return to the NBA to play for the Washington Wizards,

neg: NBA 2K16 the game, they will receive the Michael Jordan cover. Copies of "NBA 2K16" in France feature Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs as the lone cover athlete, while Germany's copies feature Dennis Schröder of the Atlanta Hawks, and Spain's version features Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies, and Pau Gasol of the Chicago Bulls. This is the first time multiple covers of an "NBA 2K" game have been available since "NBA 2K12" when Hall of Fame players Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird were one of the three cover athletes. DJ Premier Playlist DJ Khaled Playlist DJ Mustard

neg: James R. Jordan Sr. and in interviews throughout his career, son Michael recounted that it was his father's vision that he become a baseball star. Baseball was in fact the first sport that Jordan Sr. had taught him to play. Michael recounted that this was a major factor in his decision to switch to the sport after his first NBA retirement. On July 23, 1993, while returning home from a funeral, Jordan Sr. pulled over on US Highway 74 just south of Lumberton, North Carolina, to take a nap. Daniel Andre Green and Larry Martin Demery spotted the car Michael had recently purchased for

neg: Michael Jordan were growing up. In addition, commentators have dubbed a number of next-generation players "the next Michael Jordan" upon their entry to the NBA, including Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Vince Carter, and Dwyane Wade. Although Jordan was a well-rounded player, his "Air Jordan" image is also often credited with inadvertently decreasing the jump shooting skills, defense, and fundamentals of young players, a fact Jordan himself has lamented. During his heyday, Jordan did much to increase the status of the game, but the popularity of the NBA in the U.S. appears to have declined since his

neg: 1996–97 Miami Heat season NBA All-Star Game, although Mourning did not play due to a heel injury. Hardaway finished fourth in MVP voting behind Karl Malone, Michael Jordan and Grant Hill. On the defensive side, Mourning and Brown provided leadership, while on the offensive side Jamal Mashburn, who was acquired from the Dallas Mavericks at midseason gave the team a spark. The club also had a group of role players led by newly acquired free agent Isaac Austin, who was honored with the NBA Most Improved Player Award. The Heat won their first Division title with a record of 61 wins and 21 losses,

neg: 1993 NBA All-Star Game be a highlight for many NBA players. This would be 's last NBA All-Star game before leaving the NBA for the first time, although he would return to play in five more. For Isiah Thomas, this would be his last NBA All-Star appearance; however, this will also be the debut of Shaquille O'Neal's first NBA All-Star game and the first time the Hornet's franchise has ever had a player in the NBA All-Stars. Karl Malone and John Stockton were both awarded MVP. The starters for the Eastern Conference included: Michael Jordan as shooting guard, Isiah Thomas as point guard, Scottie

neg: Michael Jordan the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals; it was the first time Jordan had played in a Game 7 since the 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals with the Knicks. After winning, they moved on for a rematch with the Jazz in the Finals. The Bulls returned to the Delta Center for Game 6 on June 14, 1998, leading the series 3–2. Jordan executed a series of plays, considered to be one of the greatest clutch performances in NBA Finals history. With the Bulls trailing 86–83 with 41.9 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Phil Jackson called a timeout. When play

neg: NBA Live 2000 United States, "NBA Live 2000"s computer version alone sold 73,101 copies by April 2000. NBA Live 2000 NBA Live 2000 is the 2000 installment of the "NBA Live" video games series. The cover features Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs. The game was developed by EA Sports and released on October 31, 1999. Don Poier is the play-by-play announcer with Reggie Theus on color commentary. A release of the game for the Game Boy Color was planned, but cancelled. The game features Michael Jordan in his first official appearance in the series. The PC version of the game introduced

neg: Sierra Leone play in the tournament, which was held in Toronto. Basketball is not a very popular sport in Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone national basketball team represents Sierra Leone in international men's basketball competitions and is controlled by the Sierra Leone Basketball Federation. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is popular among a small portion of the youth population. NBA superstars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant are popular among Sierra Leone's youthful population. Former NBA stars, in particular Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson and Magic Johnson are popular in the country. Michael Jordan in particular is the most famous

neg: Michael Jordan minute. After he scored a playoff record 63 points against the Boston Celtics on April 20, 1986, Bird described him as "God disguised as Michael Jordan". Jordan led the NBA in scoring in 10 seasons (NBA record) and tied Wilt Chamberlain's record of seven consecutive scoring titles. He was also a fixture on the NBA All-Defensive First Team, making the roster nine times (NBA record shared with Gary Payton, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant). Jordan also holds the top career regular season and playoff scoring averages of 30.1 and 33.4 points per game, respectively. By 1998, the season of his

neg: Michael Jordan to one, and compiled a 15–2 playoff record along the way. Perhaps the best known moment of the series came in Game 2 when, attempting a dunk, Jordan avoided a potential Sam Perkins block by switching the ball from his right hand to his left in mid-air to lay the shot into the basket. In his first Finals appearance, Jordan posted per game averages of 31.2 points on 56% shooting from the field, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks. Jordan won his first NBA Finals MVP award, and he cried while holding the NBA Finals trophy. Jordan

neg: NBA Live 2000 NBA Live 2000 NBA Live 2000 is the 2000 installment of the "NBA Live" video games series. The cover features Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs. The game was developed by EA Sports and released on October 31, 1999. Don Poier is the play-by-play announcer with Reggie Theus on color commentary. A release of the game for the Game Boy Color was planned, but cancelled. The game features Michael Jordan in his first official appearance in the series. The PC version of the game introduced EA's "Face in the Game" feature, allowing players to use custom facial photographs on

neg: NBA 2K11 Interactive. Michael Jordan is the game's cover athlete. "NBA 2K11" features a soundtrack consisting of 27 songs. According to the review aggregation website Metacritic, the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions of "NBA 2K11" all received "generally favorable" reviews from critics upon release. The PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo Wii versions of the game do not hold an aggregated score on the website, due to a lack of reviews. Matt Bertz of "Game Informer" praised the Michael Jordan-centric mode, calling it "must-play", the realistic presentation, the well-rounded gameplay, the controls, and the soundtrack, describing it as the

neg: Michael Jordan: An American Hero Michael Jordan: An American Hero Michael Jordan: An American Hero is an American television film that aired on Fox Family Channel on April 18, 1999. It stars Michael Jace as Michael Jordan. The opening titles of the film shows footage of Jordan preparing for a game with the Chicago Bulls. The film is mostly based on the life of Michael Jordan from his childhood until when he grew up to be an NBA player. It also highlights the moments of when Michael played baseball as both a child and his short-lived minor league baseball career as well as his knack

neg: Bulls–Pistons rivalry native and basketball legend in the city, is accused of feeling that Jordan was taking the city away from him and getting unearned attention. Thomas was accused of leading a so-called "freeze-out" in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game that involved Thomas and other NBA veterans keeping the ball away from Jordan. In retaliation, when the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team was being formed Isiah was not part of the team, which people attribute to Jordan and Scottie Pippen stating that they did not want to play if Thomas was on the team, with Pippen going as far to

neg: 2008–09 Charlotte Bobcats season appearance in their current incarnation. Michael Jordan fired coach Sam Vincent on April 27, 2008 and subsequently signed legendary coach Larry Brown 2 days later. <nowiki>*</nowiki>Total for entire season including previous team(s) NBA All-Rookie Second Team 2008–09 Charlotte Bobcats season The 2008–09 Charlotte Bobcats season was the 19th season of the NBA basketball in Charlotte in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and their 5th as the Charlotte Bobcats. The previous season, Charlotte finished 32–50 under coach Sam Vincent, and did not qualify for the playoffs. In response to the dismal season, co-owner and basketball operations chief Michael Jordan fired Vincent

neg: 1988 NBA Playoffs until 2001, which included NBA Finals appearances in 1994 and 1999. On the other hand, the Washington Bullets did not return until 1997, and would not win a playoff game again until 2005 as the Wizards. In the first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Michael Jordan scored 50 or more points twice—50 points in Game 1, and 55 points in Game 2—becoming the first player to do so in the same series. Allen Iverson would later equal that feat in the 2001 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors. This was the first time in NBA history that a game other

neg: Jim Durham Jim Durham Jim Durham (February 12, 1947 – November 4, 2012) was an American sportscaster. Durham spent more than 32 years calling NBA games on TV and radio; his previous assignments were with the Chicago Bulls, the Dallas Mavericks, TNT and TBS. With the Bulls, he was the play-by-play announcer when Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and their teammates won the 1991 NBA championship. In 1999, Durham called men's NCAA basketball tournament games for CBS. Early in his career, Durham worked on WJBC radio in Bloomington, Illinois. During his time there, he covered the career of Illinois State University basketball star

neg: Michael Jordan Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials, MJ, is an American former professional basketball player. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time." Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s. He is currently the principal owner and chairman of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets.

neg: Crying Jordan Crying Jordan Crying Jordan, Crying MJ, or Crying Michael Jordan is an Internet meme in which an image of NBA player Michael Jordan crying is superimposed on images of athletes or others who have suffered misfortune. The source photo was taken by Associated Press photographer Stephan Savoia during Jordan's speech at his Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on September 11, 2009. The image was used in 2012, without modification, to comment on Jordan's decision to buy the Charlotte Bobcats NBA franchise. The photoshopped head alone was first used in 2014 by posters on internet message board Boxden.com. "Crying Jordan"

neg: Michael Jordan season, Jordan improved to a career-high 50% in the season. The three-point shot became more of a focus of his game from 1994–95 to 1996–97, when the NBA shortened its three-point line to (from ). His three-point field-goal percentages ranged from 35% to 43% in seasons in which he attempted at least 230 three-pointers between 1989–90 and 1996–97. For a guard, Jordan was also a good rebounder (6.2 per game). In 1988, Jordan was honored with the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award and became the first NBA player to win both the Defensive Player of the Year and

neg: NBA 2K17 the series, the player creates a basketball player and plays through their career. The player customizes their player's appearance and upgrades their attributes as they play through a college career and enter the NBA. The player plays basketball games and participates in off-court activities. "NBA 2K17 Is Doing Something the Franchise Has Never Done Before". "GameSpot". Retrieved August 27, 2016. A storyline, written and directed by "Creed" scriptwriter Aaron Covington, is also present; it features appearances by actors Michael B. Jordan and Hannibal Buress, among others. "NBA 2K17" was officially announced on April 13, 2016; the first trailer was revealed.

neg: NBA 2K11 quick play game modes, several other game modes are present. Association mode allows the player to assume control of an entire NBA organization, simulating through NBA seasons, managing personnel, and participating in off-season activities, such as the draft and free agency. MyPlayer mode returns from "NBA 2K10", in which the player creates their own basketball player. The player customizes the appearance, animations, and other aspects of their player, and plays through their basketball career, upgrading their attributes. One of the game's most-touted features is the "Jordan Challenge" mode. The mode centers on Michael Jordan, and tasks the player with achieving

neg: Jimmy Black (basketball) the pass to Michael Jordan for the game-winning shot. Black was the 59th pick in the 1982 NBA Draft, but he did not play in the NBA. After his playing days, Black worked as a graduate assistant at UNC in the 1983-84 season, and then as an assistant coach at several colleges: Saint Joseph's, South Carolina and Notre Dame. In 1995, Black resigned from his position at Notre Dame and was replaced by Parker Laketa. In 1995, Black was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge for purportedly striking his fiancée on the leg on December 13, 1994. This followed

neg: NBA 2K11 in a variety of game modes with real and customizable players and teams. MyPlayer mode is one of the modes. In it, players create their own player and play through their career in the NBA. A mode called Association is also present, in which the player assumes control of an NBA organization, and simulates through seasons. Two new modes focusing on Michael Jordan are introduced, as are classic NBA teams. Online modes and quick play options among others are also available. "NBA 2K11" received positive reviews from critics upon release. Positive comments were directed at the overall gameplay and presentation,

neg: 1993–94 Chicago Bulls season 1993–94 Chicago Bulls season The 1993–94 NBA season was the Bulls' 28th season in the National Basketball Association. The Bulls entered the season as the three time defending NBA champions, having defeated the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals in six games, winning their third NBA championship, their first of second threepeats in the 1990s. In the offseason, the Bulls signed free agents Steve Kerr, Bill Wennington and Pete Myers. Without star guard Michael Jordan, who retired during the offseason, the Bulls were now led by Scottie Pippen. The team continued to play solid basketball winning ten straight games

neg: 1998 NBA All-Star Game youngest all-star in NBA history at 19 years of age, and rookie Tim Duncan. Bryant had a team-high 18 points. Michael Jordan earned MVP honors, scoring 23 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists despite having the flu. This was Jordan's third MVP award.The Game featured four all-stars from the Los Angeles Lakers. This marks the first All-Star game to feature both Kobe Bryant, who was the youngest player in NBA history to be in the all-star game and Michael Jordan. Jordan came out of retirement one final time in 2001 and played two more seasons (and selected

neg: Air Jordan Retro XII Air Jordan Retro XII Michael Jordan, one of the NBA's most iconic basketball player, has his own shoe line with the brand Nike. His logo is a silhouette of him jumping, also known as the Jumpman. He is one of many Hall of Fame members and is recognized as one of the greatest to play the game of basketball. Many refer to this shoe as the "Flu Game" because of the statistics that Michael Jordan had. He was playing the Utah Jazz for the NBA Finals where he played in the Jordan 12 and with the flu. Since that game,

neg: Scottie Pippen be one of the top players to ever play the game, but Michael Jeffrey Jordan, who we bumped heads at times, is I think, the best basketball player I've ever seen." In a later interview on the radio show "Kap & Haugh" Pippen stated: "No, I did not say I would take LeBron over Michael. The reality is you need to go back and figure out what I said." Pippen was famed for his defensive abilities, having made the NBA All Defensive Team ten consecutive years during his career and leading the league in steals in . Phil Jackson once

neg: Michael Jordan games in the first round of the playoffs. Jordan's second season was cut short when he broke his foot in the third game of the year, causing him to miss 64 games. Despite Jordan's injury and a 30–52 record (at the time it was fifth worst record of any team to qualify for the playoffs in NBA history), the Bulls made the playoffs. Jordan recovered in time to participate in the playoffs and performed well upon his return. Against a 1985–86 Boston Celtics team that is often considered one of the greatest in NBA history, Jordan set the still-unbroken record

neg: Joe Kleine the Kings as well as the Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Portland Trail Blazers. Kleine played on teams with legendary NBA players Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman. He won an NBA championship in 1998, as a center, for a Chicago Bulls team that included Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Steve Kerr. His best season was with the Kings in 1985, when he averaged 9.8 PPG. At the time of his retirement from the NBA, he'd scored 4,666 points, had 3,991 total rebounds,

neg: Air Jordan new colorways including one that is themed after another Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing." There will be more colors of the Air Jordan Spizikes released than of the recent Air Jordan 3 retro re-release. The Air Jordan "Spiz'ikes" take pieces from the following Air Jordans: The first Jordan Sixty Plus was released in August 2009. The Jordan 6ixty Plus (60+) is a hybrid sneaker from Jordan Brand that combines the various sneakers Michael Jordan wore when he scored 60 or more points in an NBA Game. In these games, MJ was wearing the Jordan I, II, V and VII.

neg: 1995 NBA Finals an NBA Finals game with seven. The more experienced Rockets went on to win in overtime and eventually swept the Magic, winning their second consecutive NBA Championship. In achieving this, they earned the distinction of being the only team to win both championships during Michael Jordan's first retirement (although Jordan did return in the closing months of the 1994–95 season), as well as the only one outside Chicago to win multiple championships in the 1990s. The season-ending documentary "Double Clutch" by Hal Douglas, was released by NBA Entertainment to coincide with the Rockets' championship season. The Rockets entered the 1994–95

neg: 1985–86 Chicago Bulls season 1985–86 Chicago Bulls season The Chicago Bulls qualified for the NBA Playoffs. The 1985 NBA Draft took place on June 18, 1985. It was also the first NBA Draft of the "Lottery" era. The lottery was put into place so teams did not have to intentionally lose games to receive the number one pick. At the time, the Bulls had the fifth worst record of any team to qualify for the playoffs in NBA history. Michael Jordan recovered in time to participate in the playoffs and performed well upon his return. Against a Boston Celtics team that is often considered

neg: Milwaukee Bucks the Boston Celtics in a best-of-seven playoff series, being the first team to meet and defeat Michael Jordan in a playoff series (during Jordan's rookie year), and hosting Julius Erving's final NBA game in the 1987 NBA Playoffs, which would see the Bucks advancing with a game five first-round playoff victory. In 1985, Fitzgerald and his partners (one of which was Stuart Shadel) decided to sell the Bucks. He was having health problems and some of his investors wanted to get out. The Bucks were playing in the smallest arena in the NBA and the city did not want to

neg: Michael Jordan playoff appearance for the Wizards, and Jordan was often unsatisfied with the play of those around him. At several points he openly criticized his teammates to the media, citing their lack of focus and intensity, notably that of the number one draft pick in the 2001 NBA draft, Kwame Brown. With the recognition that 2002–03 would be Jordan's final season, tributes were paid to him throughout the NBA. In his final game at the United Center in Chicago, which was his old home court, Jordan received a four-minute standing ovation. The Miami Heat retired the number 23 jersey on April

neg: Michael Jordan of the Bobcats. As February wore on, it became apparent that Jordan and former Houston Rockets president George Postolos were the leading contenders for ownership of the team. On February 27, the Bobcats announced that Johnson had reached an agreement with Jordan and his group, MJ Basketball Holdings, to buy the team pending NBA approval. On March 17, the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved Jordan's purchase, making him the first former player to become the majority owner of an NBA team. It also made him the league's only African-American majority owner of an NBA team. During the 2011 NBA

neg: 1992 NBA Finals later, the 1991–92 NBA season documentary "Untouchabulls" was released. Narrated by Hal Douglas, it recaps the Bulls' championship season. "Jam" by Michael Jackson was used as the theme song for the documentary. That same year, Jordan was featured in Jackson's music video for "Jam". The Bulls won their third straight championship in the season, winning 57 games and defeating the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals. In the offseason that preceded Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen played for the Dream Team that won the gold medal in the Barcelona Olympics, making them the first players to win NBA championship

neg: NBA 2K11 NBA 2K11 NBA 2K11 is a basketball simulation video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released in October 2010 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii. The twelfth installment in the "NBA 2K" series, it is the successor to "NBA 2K10" and the predecessor to "NBA 2K12". Michael Jordan is the cover athlete of the game. The game strives to realistically depict the experience of basketball, and more specifically, the National Basketball Association. And the NBA D League (in association mode) Players mainly play NBA basketball games

neg: 1994–95 Orlando Magic season play in the 1995 NBA All-Star Game along with O'Neal. In the first round of the playoffs, the Magic overwhelmed the Boston Celtics with a 124–77 victory in Game 1. The Magic would eliminate the Celtics at the Boston Garden to win the series 3–1. These matches would be the final 2 basketball games ever played at the Garden. In the second round, the Magic were matched up against the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls were on an emotional high as Michael Jordan had just returned from his baseball career to play basketball. Jordan was now wearing the number 45 for

neg: Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals Flash offered refunds to fans who expected Jordan actually to appear. After Michael Jordan retired, interest in the NBA declined, especially after the 1998–99 NBA lockout. Commenting on how the 1999 NBA Finals had the lowest TV ratings for a Finals series since 1981, Eric Boehlert wrote in "Salon.com": "Viewers stayed away because the season had been shortened; Michael Jordan had just retired; the Spurs and the Knicks faced each other in the Finals." Game 5 of the 2000 NBA Finals had only half as many viewers as Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. However, Game 5 of the

neg: Scottie Pippen player than Michael Jordan. This came only a day after the Heat beat the Bulls 4 games to 1 to advance to the 2011 NBA Finals. Pippen said: "Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to ever play the game. I may go so far as saying LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game." Pippen faced a backlash from Bulls fans after his comments, and even former teammates such as Horace Grant who stated in a radio interview: "Wow, Pippen's my man, and we'll always be close, but I totally disagree. LeBron is going to

neg: Tecmo Super NBA Basketball Tecmo Super NBA Basketball The teams consist of NBA teams from 1992. Players can choose from exhibition games, the 1992 All-Star Game, or the 1993 season. In playing the season, players can choose which teams they want to control; for example, a player can choose to play as two teams, and will play every game those two teams play. In the Super NES version Michael Jordan and Reggie Lewis are selectable players in the Bulls and Celtics rosters, respectively, but in the Sega Genesis version they are replaced for "Guard Bulls" and "Forward Celtics" players. The game is also one

neg: Tecmo Super NBA Basketball of the few ones for 16-bit generation where it is possible to watch every single game instead of playing only with the team you select. Tecmo Super NBA Basketball The teams consist of NBA teams from 1992. Players can choose from exhibition games, the 1992 All-Star Game, or the 1993 season. In playing the season, players can choose which teams they want to control; for example, a player can choose to play as two teams, and will play every game those two teams play. In the Super NES version Michael Jordan and Reggie Lewis are selectable players in the Bulls

neg: NBA in the Zone play both a full season or playoffs to the series. It also featured the National Anthem (American and Canadian). "NBA In The Zone '98" (also known as "NBA Pro 98" in Australia and Europe) featured NBA rosters from the 1997-1998 NBA season. As in previous "In The Zone" games, players such as Michael Jordan are not in the game and likenesses with generic names take their places. The game retains the "Create a Player" and season/playoffs features of "NBA In The Zone 2". "NBA In The Zone 2000" was released in February 2000. The game features 29 NBA teams and

neg: Scottie Pippen game of the season. He finished the game with 10 points, 2 steals, 4 assists and 1 rebound in 23 minutes of play. The Bulls won their season-opening game 104–94. With fellow Bull Michael Jordan as a motivational and instructional mentor, Pippen refined his skills and slowly developed many new ones over his career. Jordan and Pippen frequently played one-on-one outside of team practices simply to hone each other's skills on offense and defense. Pippen claimed the starting small forward position during the 1988 NBA Playoffs, helping the Jordan-led Bulls to reach the conference semifinals for the first time in

neg: Luc Longley Luc Longley Lucien James Longley (born 19 January 1969) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player. He was the first Australian to play in the NBA, where he played for 10 seasons. The first Australian to win an NBA championship in 1996, he went on to win a total of three in his career. Longley, playing under the coaching of Phil Jackson and alongside such players as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoč, Ron Harper, Dennis Rodman and Steve Kerr, stands 7'2" (218 cm) tall and was the starting center during the Chicago Bulls' second "three-peat" championship seasons

neg: Hu Weidong Hu Weidong Hu Weidong (; born January 3, 1970 in Xuzhou, Jiangsu) is a former Chinese professional basketball player. At 6'6" (1.98 m) tall, and 210 lbs. (95 kg), he played as a point guard-shooting guard. In 1985, Hu joined the Jiangsu Dragons' junior teams. He was a two-time MVP (1996 and 1997) in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), and he led the league in scoring three times. Considered to be China's version of National Basketball Association (NBA) megastar Michael Jordan, Hu was offered the chance to play in the NBA league in 1998, but he was injured when the

neg: Air Jordan Designed by Tinker Hatfield, it was the first Air Jordan released on the global market. It had four colorways: White/ Black-Cement Grey, Black/Cement Grey, White/Fire Red-Black, and Off White/Military Blue. Nike featured director and actor Spike Lee in ads for AJ IV. Lee had featured the shoe in his movie "Do The Right Thing". The Air Jordan Bordeaux "Spiz'ike IV" was made to commemorate Lee's friendship with Michael Jordan. The Air Jordan IV was on Jordan's feet when he made "The Shot," a series winner in Game 5 of the 1989 NBA First Round between the Chicago Bulls and the

neg: Crying Jordan alma mater) lost to Villanova in the 2016 National Championship, during which Jordan was in attendance. On November 22nd, 2016, when awarding a Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jordan, President Obama joked that he was "more than just an internet meme". Jordan's spokesperson has told the press that Jordan himself finds the meme funny. Crying Jordan Crying Jordan, Crying MJ, or Crying Michael Jordan is an Internet meme in which an image of NBA player Michael Jordan crying is superimposed on images of athletes or others who have suffered misfortune. The source photo was taken by Associated Press photographer Stephan

neg: NBA 2K16 Harden of the Houston Rockets. A special edition version of the game was also released; it features Michael Jordan on the cover. Additionally, the French version of "NBA 2K16" features Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs as the cover athlete, the German version, Dennis Schröder of the Atlanta Hawks, and the Spanish version, Marc and Pau Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls respectively. NBA 2K16 was succeeded by NBA 2K17. "NBA 2K16" simulates the experience of the National Basketball Association. Players play NBA games with real or created players and teams in various game modes, such as

neg: Michael Jordan won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat". Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball before the beginning of the 1993–94 NBA season, and started a new career in Minor League Baseball, he returned to the Bulls in March 1995 and led them to three additional championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998, as well as a then-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season. Jordan retired for a second time in January 1999, but returned for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member

neg: Air Jordan was one of Nike's most successful advertisement campaigns. These were the first Jordans to feature the ""NIKE AIR"" logo on the back, but later replaced by the Jumpman logo, with the words "AIR" underneath it, similar to the "Air Jordan VI". These were said to be Michael Jordan's favorite shoes, he wore them during the 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest and many other events in his basketball career. The Air Jordan III's had poor sales when first reintroduced in 1994. On their second reintroduction in 2001, they sold well. The "Fire Red" "Air Jordan III" was released in March 2007,

neg: 2012 United States men's Olympic basketball team dominated opponents in points off turnovers (198–77) and fast-break points (175–55). In a game that was close until the final minutes, the USA defeated Spain 107–100. The Americans led the Spanish by only one point after three quarters, but James scored on a dunk and then a three-point basket for a 102–93 lead with 1:59 to play. James had 19 points in the game, joining Michael Jordan as the only players to win the NBA regular-season Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP, and Olympic gold in the same year. Durant added 30 points, the first 30-point

neg: 1995–96 Chicago Bulls season the team. The Bulls became the first NBA team to ever win 70 regular season games, finishing first overall in their division, conference, and the entire NBA. They are also the only team in NBA history to win more than 70 games and an NBA title in the same season. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were both selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game, as Jordan led the league in scoring with 30.4 points per game, while Phil Jackson was named Coach of The Year, and was selected to coach the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game. The Bulls swept

neg: 1991 NBA Playoffs 1991 NBA Playoffs The 1991 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1990–91 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP. After the Pistons had ended their season the last three years, the Bulls got revenge in the Eastern Conference Finals by sweeping the two-time defending NBA champions. It was the first time the Bulls won a playoff series over the Pistons since 1974, when both teams were still part

neg: Chicago Bulls led the eighth-place Bulls against the 67–15 Boston Celtics, led by Larry Bird. At the time, the Bulls had the fifth worst record of any team to qualify for the playoffs in NBA history. Though the Bulls were swept, Jordan recorded a playoff single-game record 63 points in Game 2 (which still stands to this day), prompting Bird to call him 'God disguised as Michael Jordan.' In the 1986–87 NBA season, Jordan continued his assault on the record books, leading the league in scoring with 37.1 points per game and becoming the first Bull named to the All-NBA First Team.

neg: Michael Jordan 1990, and formerly had a Lincoln–Mercury dealership from 1995 until its closure in June 2009. The company also owned a Nissan franchise in Glen Burnie, Maryland. The restaurant industry is another business interest of Jordan's. His restaurants include a steakhouse in New York City's Grand Central Terminal, among others. Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials, MJ, is an American former professional basketball player. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan

neg: Highest-paid NBA players by season Highest-paid NBA players by season The highest-paid NBA players by season over the past twelve seasons have received contracts with salaries noted in the twenty-million-dollar range. In this twelve-year span, Kevin Garnett received $28,000,000, which was the highest salary payment of any NBA player, during the 2003–04 season. Garnett has been the highest-paid NBA player per year in seven of the past twelve NBA seasons. Michael Jordan was the first NBA player to sign a contract worth over thirty million dollars in a season. During the 1997–98 season, Jordan earned $33,140,000, which still stands as the most any NBA player

neg: Derrick Rose the end of the 2010–11 NBA season the Bulls finished with a league leading record of 62–20. Their 60+ wins was the Bulls' first such season since 1997–98 and sixth 60+ win in franchise history. At season's end, Rose became only the third player since the 1972–73 NBA season to record 2,000 points and 600 assists in a single season. The other two players were LeBron James and Michael Jordan. On May 3, Rose was named the NBA Most Valuable Player, joining Michael Jordan as the only players to receive the award in Chicago Bulls history. At 22 years and

neg: Luc Longley species "Lebbeus clarehanna" after his 15-year-old daughter. Luc Longley Lucien James Longley (born 19 January 1969) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player. He was the first Australian to play in the NBA, where he played for 10 seasons. The first Australian to win an NBA championship in 1996, he went on to win a total of three in his career. Longley, playing under the coaching of Phil Jackson and alongside such players as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoč, Ron Harper, Dennis Rodman and Steve Kerr, stands 7'2" (218 cm) tall and was the starting center during

neg: 2007 NBA Playoffs Nachbar's 3 missed at the buzzer. Needing to win in New Jersey to force a Game 7, Toronto held a one-point lead with under a minute to play in Game 6, but Richard Jefferson hit a layup with 8 seconds left. Toronto attempted to try for the game-winning shot, but Jefferson intercepted the pass to seal the series for the Nets. This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning three of the first four meetings. The Bulls won their first playoff series since the 1998 NBA Finals and the retirement of Michael Jordan. This

neg: 2012 NBA Finals and Ronny Turiaf, who was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers team that lost in the Finals to the Boston Celtics in . This was the Thunder's first NBA Finals appearance since the team relocated from Seattle in 2008. Including their seasons as the Seattle SuperSonics, this was also the club's fourth Finals appearance, and first since , when they lost to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. The team was seeking their first NBA championship since . The Thunder finished with 47 wins, second in the Western Conference. During the playoffs, they defeated the defending champion Dallas Mavericks (4–0),

neg: 1998 NBA Playoffs second NBA Finals meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting. 1998 NBA Playoffs The 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997–98 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Bulls also achieved a second three peat, a goal unrivaled since the Boston Celtics in 1966. The 1998 playoffs was the last involving the Jordan-led Bulls (Chicago didn't make the playoffs again until 2005). Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP

neg: NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award shots. Only seven perimeter players have been honored: Moncrief, Alvin Robertson, Michael Cooper, Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, Ron Artest (known now as Metta World Peace), and Kawhi Leonard. Payton is the only point guard to have won. Jordan, Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Kevin Garnett are the only Defensive Player of the Year winners to have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) during their careers; Jordan and Olajuwon won both awards in the same season. In Olajuwon's case, he is the only one to have also won the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award and the NBA

neg: 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team throw Jordan off of his game. Thomas is also alleged to have led a group of NBA veterans that refused to pass to Jordan in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game, in Jordan's rookie season. After the selection of the first ten members of the team, Johnson released an official statement in support of Thomas, but years later it was discovered that his support was less than enthusiastic. In the book "When the Game Was Ours", Johnson said, "Isiah killed his own chances when it came to the Olympics. Nobody on that team wanted to play with him." Stockton broke a

neg: Race and ethnicity in the NBA eight African American head coaches. Robert Johnson of the Charlotte Bobcats (now known as the Charlotte Hornets) was the first black majority team owner in the NBA in 2004–05. He was succeeded as Bobcats owner in 2010–11 by another African American, Michael Jordan. In 2013–14, Jordan and Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, who is Indian, marked the first time in the history of major pro sports leagues in the U.S. that there were two non-white majority owners in a league. Race and ethnicity in the NBA The composition of race and ethnicity in the National Basketball Association (NBA) has changed

neg: Michael Jordan also starred as himself in the 1996 film "Space Jam". In 2006, he became part-owner and head of basketball operations for the Charlotte Bobcats; he bought a controlling interest in 2010. In 2014, Jordan became the first billionaire player in NBA history. He is the third-richest African-American, behind Robert F. Smith and Oprah Winfrey. Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Deloris (née Peoples), who worked in banking, and James R. Jordan Sr., an equipment supervisor. His family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, when he was a toddler. Jordan is the fourth of five children. He has two older

neg: Chris Webber season, Webber led the Bullets into the playoffs for the first time in nine years, but they were swept by the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in four games. By 1998, Webber had established himself as a great power forward, but his time in Washington had also worn out. On May 14, 1998, Webber was traded to the Sacramento Kings for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe. Although Webber originally did not want to go to Sacramento, as they were a perennially losing team, he had his best years in Sacramento and nearly took the Kings to the NBA Finals. When Webber

neg: 1988 NBA All-Star Game Manfra served as a sideline reporter. Steve Johnson was unable to play due to injury. James Donaldson was selected as his replacement. 1988 NBA All-Star Game The 38th National Basketball Association All-Star Game was played on February 7, 1988, at Chicago Stadium in Chicago. The East won the game 138-133 and Michael Jordan (who scored a game-high 40 points) was named the game's MVP. The Eastern Conference team featured Jordan and Dominique Wilkins, who had faced each other the preceding night in the slam dunk contest, along with Boston Celtics trio Larry Bird, Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale, plus Patrick

neg: 1998 NBA Finals Center when the Jazz suffered a critical shot clock violation in the second quarter. Referee Dick Bavetta ruled that Howard Eisley did not get a successful 3-point shot off in time, although TV replays showed that the ball was out of Eisley's hands just before the shot clock hit zero. Later in the fourth quarter, Michael Jordan tied the game with only a minute left. The Jazz received some relief as John Stockton hit a 3 with 41.9 seconds left to give Utah an 86–83 lead and sent the Delta Center into a frenzy. After Jordan made a layup to

neg: NBA All-Defensive Team the most total selections to the All-Defensive Team with 15. Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant follow with twelve total honors each, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has eleven total selections. Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, Garnett and Bryant share the record for most NBA All-Defensive first team selections with nine. Scottie Pippen, Bobby Jones, and Duncan made the first team eight times each. Walt Frazier, Dennis Rodman and Chris Paul made the All-Defensive first team seven times. When the coaches were responsible for voting, there were occasionally inconsistencies between the All-Defensive Team and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, which has

neg: NBA 2K11 as well as the introduction of the Michael Jordan-centric modes, while negative comments were concerning the presence of technical issues. By August 2011, the game had sold over 5.5 million copies worldwide. "NBA 2K11" is a basketball simulation game which strives to emulate the National Basketball Association. Players mostly play NBA basketball games with real or created players and teams. The game features several aesthetical details found in real televised NBA games, such as commentary from Kevin Harlan and Clark Kellogg, sideline reports from Doris Burke, halftime shows, replays, customizable camera angles, and other details. Along with standard online and

neg: Gym shorts a modern fashion trend. Up until the late 1980s, men's gym shorts were very short. Knee-length shorts were rarely seen outside of safari parks. The first time today's "baggy" or "bermuda" look was publicized was when Michael Jordan wore baggy shorts in the Nike commercial with Spike Lee in 1988. Another basketball team who emphasized today's men modern style, who were inspired by Michael Jordan, was the Fab 5 Wolverines, who included Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, and Jalen Rose. After that, the look spread into other NBA and other sports. The look quickly expanded into mainstream American culture, and baggy

neg: 1997 McDonald's All-American Boys Game in 17 minutes. For the first time in the event history, two twins played in the game: this was the case of brothers Jarron and Jason Collins, who were part of the West team. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the McDonald's All-American game, fans selected an all-time team: the final selections were Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Grant Hill, Christian Laettner and Patrick Ewing. Of the 24 players, 16 went on to play in the NBA: among them McGrady who declared for the 1997 NBA Draft and was selected with the 9th overall pick by the Toronto Raptors, following Kevin

neg: 1998 NBA All-Star Game to the All-Star team both years) for the Washington Wizards. In 1998, Michael Jordan led all the players in All-Star Game votes with 1,028,235 votes from the fans. This was also the first year that Shaquille O'Neal was able to play in the All-Star Game as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers as he was sidelined in 1997 due to a knee injury. The NBA All-Star wouldn't resume until the year 2000. This somewhat marks the end of an era as 10 players from this roster never made the all-star team again. Players such as Nick Van Exel, Mitch

neg: Cleveland sports curse the lead with three seconds to play. However, the Bulls' Michael Jordan jumped over Ehlo to make the game-winning shot, and the Bulls won the game, 101–100, to clinch the series. Despite six trips to the playoffs between 1988 and 1994, including a 1992 Eastern Conference Finals appearance, the Cavaliers never made it to the NBA Finals, as Jordan's Bulls defeated them in the playoffs five times during the Daugherty–Nance–Price era. In 2007, Ohio native LeBron James led the Cavaliers to their first NBA Finals appearance. However, they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. Two years later, the Cavs,

neg: 2001–02 Washington Wizards season 2001–02 Washington Wizards season The 2001–02 NBA season was the Wizards' 41st season in the National Basketball Association. After finishing 19–63 the previous season, the Wizards won the Draft Lottery and selected high school star Kwame Brown with the first overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft. This season marked the return of All-Star guard Michael Jordan, who came out of his retirement to play for the Wizards. The team also signed free agent Tyronn Lue, who previously won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Under new head coach Doug Collins, the Wizards struggled with a 2–9 start, but

neg: 2001–02 Washington Wizards season GP= Games played; MPG= Minutes per Game; SPG= Steals per Game; RPG = Rebounds per Game; APG. = Assists per Game; BPG = Blocks per Game; PPG = Points per Game" 2001–02 Washington Wizards season The 2001–02 NBA season was the Wizards' 41st season in the National Basketball Association. After finishing 19–63 the previous season, the Wizards won the Draft Lottery and selected high school star Kwame Brown with the first overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft. This season marked the return of All-Star guard Michael Jordan, who came out of his retirement to play for the Wizards. The

neg: Culture of Chicago American Football championships (eight NFL Championships and Super Bowl XX) trailing only the Green Bay Packers, who have thirteen. The Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association are one of the world's most recognized basketball teams, thanks to their enormous success during the Michael Jordan era, when they won six NBA titles in the 1990s. The Bulls play at the United Center on Chicago's Near West side. The Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League also play at the United Center. The Hawks are an Original Six franchise, founded in 1926, and have won six Stanley Cups, including 2010, 2013,

neg: Michael Jordan shortened to 66 games by the lockout, the Bobcats posted a 7–59 record. Their .106 winning percentage was the worst in NBA history. "I'm not real happy about the record book scenario last year. It's very, very frustrating", Jordan said later that year. Jordan was a shooting guard who was also capable of playing as a small forward (the position he would primarily play during his second return to professional basketball with the Washington Wizards), and as a point guard. Jordan was known throughout his career for being a strong clutch performer. With the Bulls, he decided 25 games with

neg: 1998 NBA All-Star Game Richmond, Vin Baker, Anfernee Hardaway, Shawn Kemp, Tim Hardaway, Steve Smith, Glen Rice, Rik Smits & Jayson Williams. Grant Hill and Michael Jordan shot the best field goal percentages this game when comparing players who shot ten or more shots. Grant Hill was 7/11 from the field and he knocked down a three (.636%). Michael Jordan was 10/18 from the field and he also knocked down one three (.556%). The halftime show featured the Broadway All-Stars. Eastern Conference Western Conference The NBA Rookies game took place on the Friday before the All-Star Game. The coaches of the teams were Willis

neg: Triangle offense Conference Finals. The following year, however, Chicago finished the 1990–1991 NBA season with a then-franchise best 61–21 record, good for first place in the East, then swept the archrival Pistons 4–0 in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls then defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, four games to one. Michael Jordan won his second NBA Most Valuable Player Award that season and won his first championship. The triangle offense was used very effectively by the Bulls during the 1995–96 season. Jordan, back at the helm for the team in his first full season since coming out

neg: Scottie Pippen games, and Jordan led them to a 13–4 record to close the regular season. Still, Pippen finished the season leading the Bulls in every major statistical category—points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks—becoming only the second player in NBA history to accomplish this (Dave Cowens did it in ; it has since been achieved also by Kevin Garnett in , LeBron James in , and Giannis Antetokounmpo in ). With the return of Michael Jordan and the addition of two-time champion Dennis Rodman, the Bulls posted the best regular-season record in NBA history at the time (72–10) in en route to

neg: Chicago Bulls the Eastern Conference. This was the first time that the Bulls had two all stars since 1997, when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were the duo. Derrick Rose was injured for most of the 2011–12 NBA season; however, the team was still able to finish with a 50–16 record and clinched the first seed in the Eastern Conference for the second straight year and the best overall record in the NBA (tied with the San Antonio Spurs). Rose suffered a new injury when he tore his ACL during the 4th quarter of the first playoff game on April 28, 2012,

neg: Michael Jordan 41.0 ppg during the six-game series, and became the first player in NBA history to win three straight Finals MVP awards. He scored more than 30 points in every game of the series, including 40 or more points in 4 consecutive games. With his third Finals triumph, Jordan capped off a seven-year run where he attained seven scoring titles and three championships, but there were signs that Jordan was tiring of his massive celebrity and all of the non-basketball hassles in his life. During the Bulls' playoff run in 1993, controversy arose when Jordan was seen gambling in Atlantic City,