I gotta admit, I’ve always wondered how Michael Jordan completely dominated that one playoff game against Miami back in ’92. The legend says he dropped 56 points while sick with a fever, but I wanted to see the actual plays. So yesterday I dug out my old VHS tapes and spent three hours breaking it down play-by-play.
Setting Up the VCR Was Half the Battle
First I had to find that ancient VCR in the garage. Plugged it into the TV, popped in the tape, and man the quality was rough. Had to smack the remote a few times when the rewind button stuck. Finally found the right game – you could barely see the sweat dripping off Jordan’s face.
The Pattern I Spotted
As I kept rewinding and freezing frames, something clicked. Jordan wasn’t doing crazy athletic moves that game. See:
- He kept it simple – basic crossovers to get separation
- Always dribbled toward the baseline – every single drive was angled hard right
- Used the same pull-up spot – elbow extended on left side, eight times straight
My “Aha” Moment
Around the third quarter I realized – Jordan found Miami’s weakest defender (Bimbo Coles) and just relentlessly hunted him. Every possession, he’d force switches until Coles guarded him. Then instant iso. Got so predictable I started counting down “three…two…one… baseline drive” before it happened.
The fever didn’t make him superhuman – it made him brutally simple. Instead of flashy stuff, he found one edge and exploited it eighty times. That’s what the stats never show.
Why It Matters Today
I see young players trying crazy dribbles in pickup games. But watching this tape? Jordan proved boring works. Find one weak spot, one move, and grind it to dust. Went to bed realizing even GOATs win through stubbornness more than magic.
