The final two episodes of ESPN’s docuseries on the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, “The Last Dance,” air on Sunday. Even before the novel coronavirus pandemic put a stop to live sports, the series was expected to be must-see television — and it’s lived up to the hype.
In the course of it all, quite a few players and teams from the ’90s have re-lived the wrath of Jordan — including the Nets. The first-round matchup between the Nets and Bulls in the 1998 NBA Playoffs was among the games featured in the series. Before showing the highlights, ESPN shared a clip of Brian Kenney quoting Jordan:
Michael Jordan actually said, to lose a game to the Nets, his team would have to ‘fall asleep.’
After a battle in Game 1, the Bulls cruised to a sweep en route to the franchise’s sixth title. The series marked the only time Jordan met the Nets in the postseason, though he played them plenty throughout his legendary career.
Of the 60 games between Chicago and New Jersey that featured Jordan (including the playoffs), the Bulls won 42 times, and he averaged 30.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. But which of those contests stood out most for Jordan?
Nets Wire looked back at the legend’s greatest nights New Jersey and pinned down his five best.
5. Game 3, First round of the 1998 NBA playoffs
Although he scored one more point against the Nets in Game 1, Jordan was far more efficient in his trip to New Jersey on April 29, 1998.
The Chicago guard made 16 of the 22 shots he took (2-for-2 from deep) to shoot 72.7% from the floor. (What’s crazier is this game was his most efficient ever against the Nets).
Jordan also had four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot in the Bulls’ series-clinching 116-101 win (full box score).
Kendall Gill responds to Michael Jordan’s slight at ’98 Nets