NBA Archives Debunked: The Jordan Saga

Chapter 68

In the summer of 1998, there was a Jordan fantasy basketball training camp in Las Vegas. A booklet was prepared for people in the camp. Open it, and there is a photo on the left and right pages. On the left is the 1982-year-old Jordan lore George in 19 City University's ball, on the right is the 1998-year-old Jordan lore shot against the Utah Jazz in 35.There are two English words below each of the two photos, with "Some Things" written on the left page and "Never Change" written on the right page.

Some things never change (Some Things Never Change).

On the day Jordan made his last shot in 1998, Dean Smith had already retired.He usually doesn't like to watch professional games, but if his children are participating or coaching, he will be happy to watch them.In the sixth game between the Bulls and the Jazz, after Jordan scored the penultimate goal with a layup, Dean Smith was sure that Jordan would try to complete a major defense. "I knew he was going to try to sneak up on him (Mallon) from behind," Dean Smith said.So Dean Smith wasn't surprised when Jordan snapped the ball off Malone.It was Dean Smith who was surprised that the Jazz did not double-team Jordan on the last ball, because he knew better than anyone that Jordan was born for this kind of moment.

On the day Jordan made his last shot in 1998, Roy Williams was the head coach of the University of Kansas.He was in the coaches dugout, watching the game with his assistants and players.Roy Williams wasn't surprised when Jordan scored his second-to-last layup, and then, like his mentor Dean Smith, he expected Jordan to do something defensively.When Jordan moved in the direction of Malone, Roy Williams yelled at his colleagues: "Look! Look!" Jordan intercepted the ball and took it to the frontcourt. Roy Williams said that the Jazz are the best Double-team Jordan as soon as possible, or it's over, and the Jazz didn't do that.Roy Williams remembers Jordan's shot very well. The shape of his hand and the way he followed the ball after the shot were all wonderful.Jordan held his right hand high, and Roy Williams thought, the ball went into the rim exactly the way he wanted it to.Roy Williams turned around and told his players: What I just saw was the greatest basketball performance I've ever seen in my life.

Buzz Peterson and his wife watched the game at home on the day Jordan took his last shot in 1998.Pippen suffered a serious back injury and the Bulls trailed. His wife said, "They're going to lose," and Peterson said, "Don't be so sure."Jordan made a layup to narrow the point difference to one point. Peterson told his wife: "Michael will have another good shot." Malone, in a similar situation, Peterson has seen Jordan go "play guerrilla" too many times, and Dean Smith always encouraged him to do so before, so Peterson is absolutely sure that Jordan will defend Malone.Sure enough, Jordan succeeded in stealing the ball and came to the frontcourt. Peterson knew that everything was over, and he could imagine what the next ball would be like when he closed his eyes.

Harvester Leroy Smith watches the game from his home in Torrance, Calif., on the day Jordan takes his last shot in 1998.Leroy Smith believes the Bulls will win, whether Pippen is fully healthy or not.Leroy Smith was arguing about this with a friend almost ten days ago.Friends think this will be a season for the Utah Jazz, but Leroy Smith said: No, as long as Jordan is still playing, there will never be a season for the Utah Jazz; the Bulls can deal with Malone, but no one can defend the Jazz Live Jordan, especially in the fourth quarter no one can guard.Leroy Smith said when he watched the Jazz guard Jordan with only Bryan Russell on the last shot: "This time he's going to the right and then pulls up to the left. It was the other way around a year ago, He goes left, then goes right one more time. There's no way Russell can win."

On the day of Jordan's final shot in 1998, Dick Ebersol was watching the last few minutes in their NBC OB van.At first he sat with David Stern, but as the game progressed, he became more and more nervous, and finally decided to go to the OB truck to stay with his staff.Ebersol likes Jordan very much because Jordan has brought a lot of viewers and income to their TV station, but this time, he does not support Jordan, but hopes to tie the tie-if this series reaches the seventh game, it will be NBC and its parent company, General Electric, generate $1000 million to $1200 million in advertising revenue, which is a lot of money.41.9 seconds before the end, Stockton made a three-pointer. Ebersol was so excited that he began to count the money in his heart.He said to the staff around him: "Okay guys, let's come back here on Wednesday, and the guys at headquarters will be very happy to earn an extra 1000 million to 1200 million dollars." But it didn't take long for Ebersol to see Jordan. A successful layup, the Bulls caught up to 1 point.Even if there were only thirty seconds left and the Jazz were still ahead, Ebersol could vaguely feel that the finals were coming to an end.He doesn't know how the plot will develop, he only knows that Jordan will still score, and once again make his dream tie-break come to naught.

On the day of Jordan's last shot in 1998, Chuck Daly went to play golf at a famous club in Orlando.At this time, he had left the Detroit Pistons for many years and was coaching the Orlando Magic.At the club, he met an acquaintance named John Mitchell, who used to play golf with Jordan.The two chatted about the game that night, and Mitchell told Daly that he felt bad. "I think Chicago will have trouble there. I don't think the omen is very good. It's a difficult place to win."Daly said, "Forget it. The score will be close in the end, and then there will be about 20 seconds left, and the ball will be in Michael's hands. Pull up the jumper and hit it. The Bulls will win, the legend will live. This is him, and this is what he did.” Later facts, almost according to the script written by Daly.The next day, Mitchell called Daly and said, "You're in the wrong business. You should be a prophet."

People who know Jordan always have such and such feelings, such and such judgments, and such and such predictions.It's not that they are magical, but that Jordan has continued to build such trust in their hearts throughout his basketball career.

Throw it in.

Throw it in.

Throw it in.

You are a 19-year-old freshman, or you are a 35-year-old middle-aged uncle, no matter which status you are—

—Michael, throw the ball in.

Some things never change.

In September 2009, Michael Jordan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Near the end of the speech, Jordan said: "Maybe one day, you'll see me playing at 50."

The guests and audience in the audience laughed.Of course, this is just another joke on stage.

"Oh, don't laugh, don't laugh." Jordan said, but the audience laughed even harder.

"Never say never. Because boundaries, like fear, are often just an illusion."

Boundaries, like fear, are often just an illusion.

jordan profile
Full Name: Michael Jeffrey Jordan

Nickname: Air Jordan

Birthday: 1963 2 Month 17 Day

Height: 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters)
Weight: 215 lbs (98 kg)

Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward

University: North Carolina
NBA Draft: 1984 First Round No. 3 (Chicago Bulls)
NBA球队：芝加哥公牛（1984—1993，1995—1998）；华盛顿奇才（2001—2003）

Honors

● 6-time NBA champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

● Six NBA Finals MVPs (6, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997)

● 5届NBA年度MVP（1987—1988，1990—1991，1991—1992，1995—1996，1997—1998）

● 3-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1996, 1998)

● 10次入选NBA年度最佳阵容第一队（1986—1987，1987—1988，1988—1989，1989—1990，1990—1991，1991—1992，1992—1993，1995—1996，1996—1997，1997—1998）

● Selected to the NBA second team of the year for one time (1—1984)

● 9次入选NBA年度最佳防守阵容第一队（1987—1988，1988—1989，1989—1990，1990—1991，1991—1992，1992—1993，1995—1996，1996—1997，1997—1998）

● 1st NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1987—1988)

● 1st NBA Rookie of the Year (1984—1985)

● 14th NBA All-Star (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003; selected in 1986 but absent due to injury)

● 10届NBA年度得分王（1986—1987，1987—1988，1988—1989，1989—1990，1990—1991，1991—1992，1992—1993，1995—1996，1996—1997，1997—1998）

● 3届NBA年度抢断王（1987—1988，1989—1990，1992—1993）

● Regular season scoring leader in NBA history (30.1 points)
● NBA playoff scoring leader in history (33.4 points)
●Selected as the top 50 superstars in NBA history (1997)

● 2 Olympic men's basketball gold medals (1984, 1992)

● 1st NCAA All-American Player of the Year (1983—1984)

● 1 NCAA John Wooden Award (1983—1984)

● 1st NCAA Naismith Award for Male Player of the Year (1983—1984)

● 2次入选NCAA全美年度最佳阵容第一队（1982—1983，1983—1984）

●Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (2009)

(End of this chapter)