Michael Jordan has shared his thoughts on NBA players missing games for load management. Speaking in an NBC series, he said it shouldn’t be needed. Jordan…<\/p>\n
Michael Jordan didn’t believe in load management, even when he was violently ill.<\/p>\n
Jordan addressed the topic of NBA players missing games in the second installment of a series that NBC is calling \u201cMJ: Insights to Excellence,\u201d which aired Tuesday night between games of a doubleheader on the network.<\/p>\n
Asked by interviewer Mike Tirico what he thought of the notion of \u201cload management,\u201d Jordan didn’t hold back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, it shouldn\u2019t be needed, first and foremost,\u201d Jordan said. \u201cYou know, I never wanted to miss a game because it was an opportunity to prove. It was something that I felt like the fans are there that watch me play. I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his (butt) off to get a ticket or to get money to buy the ticket.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jordan even said that rule applied to the people who came to games to cheer against him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, because I know he\u2019s probably yelling at me and I want to shut him up,\u201d Jordan said. \u201cYou know, he\u2019s calling me all kinds of names. I definitely want to shut him up. … You have a duty that if they\u2019re wanting to see you, and as an entertainer, I want to show. Right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jordan told the story of playing through a sprained ankle early in his career because he wanted to make a name for himself. And many basketball fans \u2014 especially those in Utah \u2014 remember what he did in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n
Jordan believes he was dealing with a case of food poisoning on June 11, 1997, the day of Game 5 of that series. He was very sick and bedridden until about 90 minutes before game time, then didn’t even bother with a traditional warmup. Commonly called \u201cThe Flu Game,\u201d Jordan scored 38 points, led Chicago to a win that put the Bulls one win away from the NBA title, then collapsed onto the chest of teammate Scottie Pippen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was going to find a way to get out there, even if I was a decoy,\u201d Jordan said. \u201cWell, once I got out there, you never know how \u2014 pushing yourself \u2014 you never know what happens, right? … Next thing you know, the emotions, the situation, the need of the team. All those things catapulted me to, \u2018I\u2019m going to gut this thing out.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Jordan and the Bulls went on to win that title, then beat the Jazz in the finals again in 1998 after Jordan hit a jumper over Utah’s Byron Russell with 5.2 seconds left in the series-deciding Game 6 to help clinch the crown. Jazz fans still insist that Jordan pushed off on that play to create the space he needed for that shot.<\/p>\n
The Jazz have not forgotten. A wireless network in Utah’s arena, as recently as Monday, still carries the name \u201cJordanPushedOff” \u2014 an obvious nod to that famous play.<\/p>\n