Michael Jordan?s Underrated Yet Still Continuing Rivalry With Utah Jazz

NBA legend Michael Jordan had multiple intense rivalries over the course of his career. However, whenever the topic is brought up, most people think of the Detroit Pistons.?The Bad Boys were a huge roadblock in Jordan’s championship aspirations. MJ and the Chicago Bulls could not even get a shot at the title because of the Pistons. Furthermore, the Bad Boys’ physical play was a major factor in people viewing the Pistons as the “villains” of Jordan’s story. But that is not the case for the fans of Utah Jazz.

Interestingly, it was the other way around for the Jazz. Because of MJ and the Bulls, arguably the best Jazz team put together could not win a ring. So, it is no wonder they are still grumpy even though their rivalry with Jordan is overlooked by many.

Michael Jordan’s iconic “Flu Game”

Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game” in the 1997 NBA Finals is one of the most iconic Finals moments ever. With the series tied at 2-2, game 5 at Utah was very crucial for both team’s title dreams. The Jazz felt they had a great chance to finally take the lead in the series with the fans on their side. Furthermore, their hopes went up after reports of Jordan suffering flu-like symptoms ahead of the huge game.

Given MJ’s struggles, there were doubts about his involvement. Before the game, Jordan did not look great either. He looked completely exhausted and the Jazz must have thought that this would be a comfortable win without the Bulls’ star man.

However, that was not the case. Despite his struggles, MJ played 44 minutes, behind only Scottie Pippen. Also, he led both teams in scoring as he erupted for 38 points with an impressive FG% of 48.

Behind MJ’s valiant performance, the Bulls won the close game 90-88. Subsequently, they won game 6 in Chicago to secure the title. Interestingly, there are multiple rumored reasons behind Jordan’s illness. One such claim was that MJ ate an entire pizza the night before game 5 which led to food poisoning. Furthermore, Jordan?s trainer, Tim Grover, and personal assistant, George Koehler, corroborated, saying five guys suspiciously delivered the pizza?as per NBC Sports.

However, the Utah man who claims to have made and delivered the pizza?insisted the pizza was not tainted. Also, author Sam Smith who wrote The Jordan Rules?called the poisoned pizza story ?complete nonsense? during a radio appearance. Even though he was ready to believe MJ was ill, he was sure the 6x NBA champion was not food poisoned.

However, the rumors only added fuel to the rivalry between Jordan and the Jazz.

“The Last Shot” of Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan’s game-winner to win his sixth and final title against the Jazz in 1998 was a thing of beauty. Throughout his career, Jordan has hit many clutch shots. But none bigger than “The Last Shot”. As MJ was all set to announce his retirement after the series, the importance of the shot and the final minute was huge.

MJ was notorious for never needing a game-7 in the Finals in his career. Similarly, he and the Bulls once again had the opportunity to finish the series in game 6 in Utah. However, the Jazz led by Karl Malone and John Stockton were ready for the fight.

After all, they were out for revenge for the heartbreak in the previous year’s Finals. With 44 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the game tied at 83 points, John Stockton sank a huge 3-pointer to give his team a three point lead. After a Bulls’ timeout, Jordan received the inbound pass and effortlessly moved past Byron Russell for a layup to cut the deficit to one.

With 37 seconds left in regulation, the Jazz had the chance to run the clock down and also score to win the game. Stockton brought the ball up the court and with 10 seconds left on the shot clock, the former point guard passed the ball to Karl Malone in the low post who was guarded by Dennis Rodman. The Hall of Famer had no clue that MJ was just lurking behind him.

As soon as the former center received the ball, Jordan stripped the ball. The fans in the arena could already feel that there could be something cold on the cards. Everyone knew Jordan would take the last attempt. The Bulls players spread out to make room for MJ’s ISO.

With Russell guarding him, Jordan hit a quick crossover close to the free-throw line and found some separation. The Hall of Famer then effortlessly hit the step-back game-winner with just 5 seconds left on the clock to secure the title.

The Utah Jazz owner believes Michael Jordan pushed off

The Jazz fans could not believe their eyes as the shot went in. It was like a dagger to their hearts! And apparently, they are still not over it. As Michael Jordan hit the crossover, Bryon Russell looked like he slipped. In replays, it could be seen that Jordan’s off-hand was on the defender’s back. Even though the contact looked minimal, there was a huge debate about whether MJ pushed him. Many fans are convinced that it was a push. Notably, Jazz owner Ryan Smith revealed that the Wi-Fi in the team’s arena is “JordanPushedOff”. As a lifelong fan, he is clearly not over the heartbreak.

Why would they not be? MJ and the Bulls are the main reason even the Jazz’s golden generation could not help the organization win its first-ever championship. Karl Malone and John Stockton are not just the greatest Jazz players ever but also two of the best players ever in their positions. However, they were still unable to overcome Jordan and the Bulls.

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Malone went toe to toe with MJ for MVP honors and won two MVPs in 1997 and 1999. He was arguably the second-best player in the league when the Bulls and Jazz played in the two straight Finals. Notably, Jordan won his fifth and final MVP in 1998.

Similarly, Stockton was one of the top point guards in the game as well. He was the assists leader for nine straight years from 1988 to 1996. Also, he was good defensively and was a 2x steals leader.

Fans are still furious about the shattered title dream

While John Stockton spent his whole career of 19 years with the Jazz, Karl Malone spent 18 years and his last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Both stars are the leaders of multiple categories for Utah. Stockton is the organization leader for games, assists, steals, etc. Malone leads the team in points, total rebounds, minutes, free throws, etc.

Notably, Stockton, Malone, and NBA legend Pete Maravich are the only former Jazz players to be named in the NBA 50 and 75 Anniversary Teams. So, the duo is a huge part of the franchise’s history. After the 1998 Finals loss, the team never recovered.

Malone was already 34 and Stockton was 35 at the time. The aging superstars could not lead the team to the Conference Finals in the years that followed. After losing their best shot at the title, the duo retired without any rings. Also, the same applies to the team as well. The Jazz never reached the Finals again.

So, Michael Jordan almost single-handedly broke the dreams of the Jazz fans as well as their All-Time Greats. The wounds in the fans’ hearts are deep and are still unhealed. Notably, the Wi-Fi name incident was not the only one in recent times that suggests the fans’ dislike towards Jordan. Last month, a lot of Jazz fans took to social media to express their frustration about Jumpan shirts put on display in the team store. After the backslash, the team removed the shirts from the store.

READ MORE – From Scottie Pippen to Horace Grant: Michael Jordan?s Friends Turned Foes Listed From Bad to Worse

After The Last Dance docuseries, the fans were reminded of Jordan’s heroics against their favorite team. This has reignited one of the underrated rivalries of MJ and the reactions from recent times confirm it.

Editorial Disclaimer:?The?views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.