“I had a nightmare, I had to defend Michael Jordan!”
Winner of an epic conference final against the SuperSonics in seven hard-fought games, after finishing the regular season with the best record in the Major Leagues (62-20), the Suns were determined to regain the franchise’s first NBA title.
The invaluable Charles Barkley declared after the victory in the 5th game he had talked to God himselfand that he trusted her to win. But in front of them stood the Bulls of an insatiable Michael Jordan, who were then on their way to a masterful hat trick… which would only be the first.
“I feel like I had a nightmare from hell”
In this case, the Finals got off to a rough start for the Suns who not only lost Game 1 at home, but Game 2 as well. Before going to Illinois for a three-game series in Chicago (the Finals then had a 2-3-2 format), Kevin Johnsonthe two-time All Star leader was not ahead.
Coming off two pretty miserable outings, 11 points on 4/13 shooting in Game 1 (and 2 assists on 5 turnovers), then 4 points, 6 assists, 3 steals, but 2/8 shooting, 4 turnovers and 6 foul shots in Game 2, KJ remembers that was Grimax’s plan in Phus.
“We were flying from Phoenix to Chicago. I was sleeping on the plane and then coach (Paul Westphal, editor’s note) came to wake me up. He tells me he wants the third game to be a match for me. Cool, I confirm to him that I want to have a big match, I want to come back. There, he tells me, Michael tells me that I have to defend Jordan. narrates the former leader of Sunac u Club 520 Podcast. “I’m like, ‘We’re 0-2 and our best player (Charles Barkley) is on fire. Like all of us! Now you’re telling me I’m the one who’s going to take care of Michael Jordan after two pretty complicated games. I go back to sleep on this. The plane lands. I wake up and there, hell, I have no idea, I have no idea. I thought the coach came to see me I got off the plane, I told him I had this nightmare and I’m going to have to to defend MJ ».
“Jesus, I don’t believe in you anymore”
When reality met fiction, KJ simply turned to divine forces and the Supreme Being.
“As soon as we got downtown to the hotel, I swear, I got off the bus, left all my gear with a staff guy and went straight to the church across the street. I walked into this church and stood in the front row: ‘Jesus, I don’t believe in you anymore.’ There’s no way if you love me and die on a cross after you’ve done everything you’ve done, you’re going to let me defend Michael Jordan. »
Finally, the star leader’s prayer would be answered, and partly answered, with Phoenix rising from the ashes to win two games at the United Center and restart the streak, including a 25-point, 9-assist, 7-rebound (but 7-turnover) Game 3 for Kevin Johnson.
In vain… MJ struck again, averaging 41 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 1 block!
“We get to game 3, in Chicago, and in the locker room, there are duels displayed on the board. I was praying that my name wouldn’t be in front of Jordan’s. But no, it was KJ in front! Later, during a rebound, we are next to each other, around the center circle, and I tell him that I had to save something from him, but I had to save it. Let’s get into his head, after three overtimes, I even played two of the three games in Chicago was 42 years old (laughs) »
2026-02-09 19:49:00
