Michael Jordan Told Teammates On Plane While Smoking Cigar Bulls Would Win Game 6 Of 1993 Finals Against Suns: ‘I’m Only Packing One Suit, I’m Not Going There To Play Two Games’

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls faced Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals. 

The Bulls won Games 1 and 2 in Phoenix, the Suns won Game 3 in Chicago, the Bulls won Game 4 at home and the Suns won Game 5 in Chicago. 

Games 6 and 7 were in Phoenix. Bulls players dreaded getting back on a plane and flying since they had a chance to win the championship at home.

That’s when Jordan addressed the team while smoking a cigar. 

“Everybody is dreading getting back on the plane and going back to Phoenix,” Jordan said in The Last Dance doc. “So I just say, ‘Look man, I don’t know about you guys, I’m only packing one suit. We’re going back to win one game. I’m not going there to play two games.'”

Jordan played 44 minutes in Game 6. The NBA icon finished with 33 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while shooting 13-of-26 from the field, 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line. 

The Bulls defeated the Suns by a final score of 99-98 to capture their third championship in a row. John Paxson hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left in regulation. 

Jordan won this third Finals MVP Award. He averaged 41.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks in the six-game series against the Suns. 

“It’s a relief,” Jordan told Bob Costas after the Bulls won Game 6. “Plus it’s great to win. I think we’ve gone through a lot. Me personally, I’ve gone through a lot up to now, but to cap it off this way means a lot to me, believe me.”

Jordan retired from the NBA in 1993 following the murder of his father. He played baseball during the 1993-94 NBA season before returning to basketball near the end of the 1994-95 season. 

The Bulls lost to the Orlando Magic in the second round of the 1995 playoffs. It was the only postseason series Jordan lost from 1991-1998. 

Chicago won three straight championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Jordan finished his legendary Bulls career with five MVPs, 10 scoring titles, three steals titles, one Defensive Player of the Year Award, six championships and six Finals MVPs. 

In two stints with the Bulls, Jordan averaged 31.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.5 steals and 0.9 blocks. He won the 1984-85 Rookie of the Year Award.

The Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Suns, Seattle SuperSonics and Utah Jazz (twice) for their six championships. Jordan averaged 33.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 35 NBA Finals games.

Chicago’s dynasty was broken up in the offseason of 1998 by general manager Jerry Krause and owner Jerry Reinsdorf. Jordan and Phil Jackson retired and Scottie Pippen was traded to the Houston Rockets in a sign-and-trade deal. 

Jordan finished his iconic career with averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks with the Bulls and Washington Wizards. The Hall of Famer is first in NBA history in points per game, fourth in steals, fifth in field goals and second in player efficiency rating.

MJ also holds the NBA record for most points (63) scored in a playoff game.