NBA icon Michael Jordan admits his career-high 69-point game “was strictly off of anger” since Cleveland Cavaliers fans cheered after he got hurt in the first quarter.
Jordan went off for 69 points against the Cavaliers on March 28, 1990.
“I think the game I had against Cleveland, when I had 69, that was strictly off of anger and disappointment,” Jordan told SLAM Magazine. “Earlier in the first quarter, when I think I got a hard foul from Hot Rod and I—you know, I fell the wrong way, and I was really in pain. And the whole crowd cheered! And that right there pissed me off, because they was more in tune to winning than someone’s health. And that kind of got me fired up. That’s when I went crazy.”
The Chicago Bulls beat the Cavaliers on March 28, 1990, by a final score of 117-113 in overtime. Jordan finished with 69 points, 18 rebounds, six assists and four steals while shooting 23-of-67 from the field, 2-of-6 from beyond the arc and 21-of-23 from the free-throw line.
Arguably the best player in NBA history, Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks with the Bulls and Washington Wizards. He won five MVPs, one Defensive Player of the Year Award, six rings, six Finals MVPs, three steals titles and 10 scoring titles with Chicago.
Jordan is first in NBA history in points per game, fourth in steals, fifth in field goals and second in player efficiency rating. He holds the NBA record for most points (63) scored in a playoff game. It took place on April 20, 1986, against the Boston Celtics.
Behind Jordan, the Bulls went 6-0 in the NBA Finals. They beat the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics and Utah Jazz (twice).
Jordan averaged 33.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in the NBA Finals. The Bulls three-peated twice and never played in a Game 7 in the NBA Finals.
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