On January 21, 1997, Jeff Van Gundy pissed off Michael Jordan…
What Bill Russell most admired Michael Jordanit was his ability to be Michael Jordan every night, never taking a day off. Therefore, the former Bulls player was not one of the players who needed to be motivated to perform as well as possible. however, as a sick competitorsometimes he invented challenges to further stoke his inner fire.
Therefore, once this observation is made, a clear instruction seems to emerge: never let bones bite you in the back. Not even a small piece. This is the mistake Jeff Van Gundy made in January 1997.
“He kicks their asses and they end up kissing him…”
The Knicks coach at the time accused the superstar of getting close to certain players — he was referring to Michael Jordan’s friends Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing — to soften them up and eat them up on the floor. Clearly, they were blindsided and were no longer able to play at their best when it came to facing “MJ”…
“One of the reasons why he was so strong and for so long is the mystique around him. Everyone wants to be like him, to be that good, to make so much money, to do all those things off the field.” explained at the time one who is now an assistant with the Clippers. “We see him, match after match, with the guys, smiling, patting them on the butt a little bit. Then he kicks them on the butt and they’ll kiss him at the end, like it’s good you took 45 points. I don’t get it.”
To conclude, coping “this way to make friends with them, to persuade them, to make them feel that he cares about them”it was estimated by Jeff Van Gundy “The first thing to do is realize it and not let it happen”.
If it was a criticism for others, who were fooled, Michael Jordan logically took it personally. Later he would even say that it was an offense against his qualities as a basketball player. For victory, wouldn’t his talent and work be enough? Would he also have to deceive his opponents?
51 points and “well chosen words” for revenge
Apparently, the press reported the words of the Knicks coach, before the duel between the Knicks and the Bulls, on January 21, 1997. “It was undoubtedly a tactical error by the New York coach to attack Michael”slipped Phil Jackson. “He played as if he had to settle scores, as revenge.”
And from “The Last Dance” we know how things end: Michael Jordan “takes things personally” – ” Took It Personal » in the original version, which became an internet meme. This will become the “Scam Game”, since “scam” in English means to deceive, cheat, trick someone.
The result? 51 points on 18/30 shooting, 5/8 on 3-pointers by Michael Jordan in a narrow victory for the Bulls (88-87), with the last basket that pushed New York thirty seconds from the end and a little word to Jeff Van Gundy in the process. “Well chosen words”will designate a player from Chicago. “I didn’t make any friends tonight.”
“I think the comments were more to motivate his players. But I don’t believe they gave me any gifts on the field.” The league’s leading scorer will then react to the posting of “JVG”. “I don’t go to the floor to make friends. However, when I leave the court, I leave what happened on it. It’s just a sport, not a war. If he thinks I’m taking advantage of my friends, it doesn’t matter.”
https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=rum3AhOKI9s
| Michael Jordan | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | The team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | That | Pd | Ft | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 1984-85 | CHI | 82 | 38 | 51.5 | 17.3 | 84.5 | 2.0 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 5.9 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 28.2 |
| 1985-86 | CHI | 18 | 25 | 45.7 | 16.7 | 84.0 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 22.7 |
| 1986-87 | CHI | 82 | 40 | 48.2 | 18.2 | 85.7 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 37.1 |
| 1987-88 ★ | CHI | 82 | 40 | 53.5 | 13.2 | 84.1 | 1.7 | 3.8 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 35.0 |
| 1988-89 | CHI | 81 | 40 | 53.8 | 27.6 | 85.0 | 1.8 | 6.2 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 32.5 |
| 1989-90 | CHI | 82 | 39 | 52.6 | 37.6 | 84.8 | 1.7 | 5.2 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 33.6 |
| 1990-91 ★ | CHI | 82 | 37 | 53.9 | 31.2 | 85.1 | 1.4 | 4.6 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 31.5 |
| 1991-92 ★ | CHI | 80 | 39 | 51.9 | 27.0 | 83.2 | 1.1 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 6.1 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 30.1 |
| 1992-93 | CHI | 78 | 39 | 49.5 | 35.2 | 83.7 | 1.7 | 5.0 | 6.7 | 5.5 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 32.6 |
| 1994-95 | CHI | 17 | 39 | 41.1 | 50.0 | 80.1 | 1.5 | 5.4 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 26.9 |
| 1995-96 ★ | CHI | 82 | 38 | 49.5 | 42.7 | 83.4 | 1.8 | 4.8 | 6.6 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 30.4 |
| 1996-97 | CHI | 82 | 38 | 48.6 | 37.4 | 83.3 | 1.4 | 4.5 | 5.9 | 4.3 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 29.7 |
| 1997-98 ★ | CHI | 82 | 39 | 46.5 | 23.8 | 78.4 | 1.6 | 4.2 | 5.8 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 28.7 |
| 2001-02 | YOU | 60 | 35 | 41.6 | 18.9 | 79.0 | 0.8 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 5.2 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 22.9 |
| 2002-03 | YOU | 82 | 37 | 44.5 | 29.1 | 82.1 | 0.9 | 5.2 | 6.1 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 20.0 |
| In total | 1072 | 38 | 49.7 | 32.7 | 83.5 | 1.6 | 4.7 | 6.2 | 5.3 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 30.1 | |
How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.
2026-01-21 14:10:00
