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1995 N.B.A PLAYOFFS; Bulls Change the Numbers That Matter
By MIKE WISE
Published: May 11, 1995
The commotion made its way around Orlando Arena the moment he peeled off his warm-up jacket before the tipoff. As the game wore on, center court began to look an awful lot like a telephone booth.
Look. Down on the floor, down from the rafters.
No. 23 returned to the back of Michael Jordan tonight, and in his 23d game back from retirement he once again carried the Chicago Bulls to playoff nirvana.
By the time the fashion statement of the post-season was complete and the Orlando Magic looked up in the sky, they could only see Jordan and the Bulls running away with Game 2 of the four-of-seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals, 104-94.
"I was looking for 45 on the scoreboard and couldn't see it," Orlando Coach Brian Hill said. "I saw a 23 up there and looked at his shirt and said, 'Oh, he's wearing 23 tonight!' "
Oh.
The game was Jordan's alone in the final three minutes as the Bulls fended off an Orlando rush. He scored 6 of Chicago's final 8 points and blocked 3 shots. Jordan erupted for 22 of his 38 points during an amazing second-half spree as the Bulls tied the series at 1-1 before 16,010 stunned Magic supporters.
"We were shocked; the whole bench was shocked," said the Bulls reserve guard Steve Kerr, referring to the change. "Nobody knew. We looked out there about a minute into the game and thought, something looks weird."
The series is headed to Chicago for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday, and while Jordan goes there with renewed confidence, the Magic suddenly have to deal with a ghost from post-seasons past.
Jordan unceremoniously retired the No. 45 he had worn since his March 18 comeback and unretired his No. 23 jersey from the United Center rafters, where it was hung during a ceremony on Nov. 1, 1994.
Jordan, who had not spoken to the news media since after Game 1 on Sunday, when his two turnovers in the final 10 seconds cost the Bulls a chance at victory, flipped on his headphones and cranked up the volume of his portable compact disk player tonight as he walked quickly into the Orlando night and onto the team bus without speaking again.
That left John Ligmanowski, the Bulls' equipment manager, to explain the genesis of his decision to wear his old number.
"It was my idea," Ligmanowski said as he was cornered against a wall in the arena by cameras, microphones and notebooks. "After the loss the other day, I suggested it to him. Since he came back, I carry around both jerseys. He basically decided before the game tonight."
Some coincidence, huh? Only Monday, Nick Anderson, the Magic guard who shut down Jordan in Game 1 and snuck up from behind and poked the ball away from him with about 10 seconds to go, said: "No. 45 is not No. 23. I couldn't have done that to No. 23." Anderson added that Jordan, at 32, was nowhere near Jordan at 28 or 29 years of age.
"Honestly, I did not notice it right away," said Anderson, who finished with 16 points but only 4 after halftime. "But 23, he made some shots. He wasn't saying anything. He was just playing basketball."
Said Bulls Coach Phil Jackson: "I had an inkling. They said they had a surprise for me. I was surprised, as were most all of you guys, to see No. 23 on the floor again tonight. He was his old self."
Because number changes are supposed to be cleared with the National Basketball Association, Jordan most likely will face a fine after the league's Rod Thorn, the director of operations, meets with other league officials Thursday.
The prevailing mood among the Bulls seemed to be, big deal. Said Chicago General Manager Jerry Krause: "All I care about is winning the basketball game. I don't care what number he wears. If he's happy wearing 23 again, fine."
Beginning with a fallaway jump shot from left of the free throw line over Shaquille O'Neal and Anderson with 3 minutes 12 seconds remaining, Jordan took over the proceedings down the stretch.
He came back down and nailed another long range jumper from the right side over Anderson with 2:29 remaining and put the exclamation point on matters with a breakaway dunk with 1:34 left and the Bulls ahead comfortably, 102-91.
His tongue was awry, the right foot kicked up ever so slightly after each jumper dropped in and he backpedaled feverishly downcourt just like, well, like when he wore No. 23.
Lost in the Jordan hullabaloo was that the Bulls played perfectly in the open floor. Scottie Pippen rebounded from his Game 1 debacle with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, and the Bulls front line of Bill Wennington, Will Perdue and Luc Longley managed to put O'Neal in major foul trouble.
O'Neal, who led the Magic with 25 points and 12 rebounds, picked up his fifth foul with 11:26 remaining in the game and had to be sat down by Hill. Horace Grant contributed 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Anfernee Hardaway added 20 points as the Magic dropped just its fourth home game of the season (41-4).
O'Neal complained about the way the game was called afterward. "They get on TV, they say they are going to foul me, and I do whatever I can to break loose, and they call the fouls on me," he said. "It seems like hockey or wrestling out there. I need you, Hulk Hogan. I need you, man."
Of Jordan's number change, O'Neal said: "That's fine. I'm going back to 33. I was told I couldn't do it, but since someone else did it, I guess I can do it."
There was so much pointing and staring at tipoff that by the time the whispers made their way around Orlando Arena, the crowd was abuzz, with one thing in mind.
No. 45 was gone, replaced by the number Jordan had worn while he won seven scoring titles, carried the Bulls to three world championships and played the game as well as anyone had ever dreamed of playing it.
He last wore the jersey in Game 6 of the 1993 N.B.A. Finals against Phoenix.
"If he wants to change his number again and score another 38 or whatever it was, he can wear my number if he wants," Kerr said. "No, I guess that won't do the trick. He might score 4."
Photos: Michael Jordan's old No. 23 was back last night, along with his trademark wagging tongue and a Bulls victory in Game 2 of their playoff series. (Reuters) (pg. B13); Shaquille O'Neal being trapped by Chicago's Will Perdue and Scottie Pippen during the Bulls' 104-94 victory. (The Associated Press) (pg. B19)
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/11/sports/1995-nba-playoffs-bulls-change-the-numbers-that-matter.html
The Real MJ scored 38 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks in Game 2. He changed his number after Nick Anderson said that Jordan played like a 45 yrs.old in Game 1.
By MIKE WISE
Published: May 11, 1995
The commotion made its way around Orlando Arena the moment he peeled off his warm-up jacket before the tipoff. As the game wore on, center court began to look an awful lot like a telephone booth.
Look. Down on the floor, down from the rafters.
No. 23 returned to the back of Michael Jordan tonight, and in his 23d game back from retirement he once again carried the Chicago Bulls to playoff nirvana.
By the time the fashion statement of the post-season was complete and the Orlando Magic looked up in the sky, they could only see Jordan and the Bulls running away with Game 2 of the four-of-seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals, 104-94.
"I was looking for 45 on the scoreboard and couldn't see it," Orlando Coach Brian Hill said. "I saw a 23 up there and looked at his shirt and said, 'Oh, he's wearing 23 tonight!' "
Oh.
The game was Jordan's alone in the final three minutes as the Bulls fended off an Orlando rush. He scored 6 of Chicago's final 8 points and blocked 3 shots. Jordan erupted for 22 of his 38 points during an amazing second-half spree as the Bulls tied the series at 1-1 before 16,010 stunned Magic supporters.
"We were shocked; the whole bench was shocked," said the Bulls reserve guard Steve Kerr, referring to the change. "Nobody knew. We looked out there about a minute into the game and thought, something looks weird."
The series is headed to Chicago for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday, and while Jordan goes there with renewed confidence, the Magic suddenly have to deal with a ghost from post-seasons past.
Jordan unceremoniously retired the No. 45 he had worn since his March 18 comeback and unretired his No. 23 jersey from the United Center rafters, where it was hung during a ceremony on Nov. 1, 1994.
Jordan, who had not spoken to the news media since after Game 1 on Sunday, when his two turnovers in the final 10 seconds cost the Bulls a chance at victory, flipped on his headphones and cranked up the volume of his portable compact disk player tonight as he walked quickly into the Orlando night and onto the team bus without speaking again.
That left John Ligmanowski, the Bulls' equipment manager, to explain the genesis of his decision to wear his old number.
"It was my idea," Ligmanowski said as he was cornered against a wall in the arena by cameras, microphones and notebooks. "After the loss the other day, I suggested it to him. Since he came back, I carry around both jerseys. He basically decided before the game tonight."
Some coincidence, huh? Only Monday, Nick Anderson, the Magic guard who shut down Jordan in Game 1 and snuck up from behind and poked the ball away from him with about 10 seconds to go, said: "No. 45 is not No. 23. I couldn't have done that to No. 23." Anderson added that Jordan, at 32, was nowhere near Jordan at 28 or 29 years of age.
"Honestly, I did not notice it right away," said Anderson, who finished with 16 points but only 4 after halftime. "But 23, he made some shots. He wasn't saying anything. He was just playing basketball."
Said Bulls Coach Phil Jackson: "I had an inkling. They said they had a surprise for me. I was surprised, as were most all of you guys, to see No. 23 on the floor again tonight. He was his old self."
Because number changes are supposed to be cleared with the National Basketball Association, Jordan most likely will face a fine after the league's Rod Thorn, the director of operations, meets with other league officials Thursday.
The prevailing mood among the Bulls seemed to be, big deal. Said Chicago General Manager Jerry Krause: "All I care about is winning the basketball game. I don't care what number he wears. If he's happy wearing 23 again, fine."
Beginning with a fallaway jump shot from left of the free throw line over Shaquille O'Neal and Anderson with 3 minutes 12 seconds remaining, Jordan took over the proceedings down the stretch.
He came back down and nailed another long range jumper from the right side over Anderson with 2:29 remaining and put the exclamation point on matters with a breakaway dunk with 1:34 left and the Bulls ahead comfortably, 102-91.
His tongue was awry, the right foot kicked up ever so slightly after each jumper dropped in and he backpedaled feverishly downcourt just like, well, like when he wore No. 23.
Lost in the Jordan hullabaloo was that the Bulls played perfectly in the open floor. Scottie Pippen rebounded from his Game 1 debacle with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, and the Bulls front line of Bill Wennington, Will Perdue and Luc Longley managed to put O'Neal in major foul trouble.
O'Neal, who led the Magic with 25 points and 12 rebounds, picked up his fifth foul with 11:26 remaining in the game and had to be sat down by Hill. Horace Grant contributed 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Anfernee Hardaway added 20 points as the Magic dropped just its fourth home game of the season (41-4).
O'Neal complained about the way the game was called afterward. "They get on TV, they say they are going to foul me, and I do whatever I can to break loose, and they call the fouls on me," he said. "It seems like hockey or wrestling out there. I need you, Hulk Hogan. I need you, man."
Of Jordan's number change, O'Neal said: "That's fine. I'm going back to 33. I was told I couldn't do it, but since someone else did it, I guess I can do it."
There was so much pointing and staring at tipoff that by the time the whispers made their way around Orlando Arena, the crowd was abuzz, with one thing in mind.
No. 45 was gone, replaced by the number Jordan had worn while he won seven scoring titles, carried the Bulls to three world championships and played the game as well as anyone had ever dreamed of playing it.
He last wore the jersey in Game 6 of the 1993 N.B.A. Finals against Phoenix.
"If he wants to change his number again and score another 38 or whatever it was, he can wear my number if he wants," Kerr said. "No, I guess that won't do the trick. He might score 4."
Photos: Michael Jordan's old No. 23 was back last night, along with his trademark wagging tongue and a Bulls victory in Game 2 of their playoff series. (Reuters) (pg. B13); Shaquille O'Neal being trapped by Chicago's Will Perdue and Scottie Pippen during the Bulls' 104-94 victory. (The Associated Press) (pg. B19)
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/11/sports/1995-nba-playoffs-bulls-change-the-numbers-that-matter.html
The Real MJ scored 38 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks in Game 2. He changed his number after Nick Anderson said that Jordan played like a 45 yrs.old in Game 1.