“Michael Jordan did that to John Starks, Charles Oakley AND Patrick Ewing???”: When ‘His Airness’ destroyed the entire Knicks in one play 31-years ago

Michael Jordan obliterating elite players is a sea of highlights that one would never get bored by, not even 100 years from now.

In just 15-years of his NBA career, Jordan defied all odds, every doubter and hater throughout all the ups and downs in his career and personal life. His mentality and work ethic are still considered the best of all time alongside his predecessor Kobe Bryant.

The results of all his work showed on the court every time he wore the famous Chicago Bulls jersey that became famous mostly because of him. He tore defenses apart and tormented the best player of the opposition both on the offensive and defensive sides of the court.

Also read: “I’d say, Dominique Wilkins, Adrian Dantley, Magic Johnson”: Scottie Pippen dishes out his top 3 list of players that gave him a hard time on defense

One such incident took place 31 years ago when one of the best teams Knicks ever had to offer locked horns against the Bulls, and we all know how it ended for any team that faced the Bulls in the 90s.

The New York Knicks matched up with the Chicago Bulls for the First Round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. On 30th April 1991, this very day 31 years back, Patrick Ewing, John Starks and Charles Oakley starer team played the Game 3 chasing the series 0-2.

Michael Jordan lit up Patrick Ewing, John Starks, and Charles Oakley all in one play

Michael Jordan had something planned for all three of the Knicks’ stars. Have a look at it and get blown away by one of the best individual plays of all-time the NBA has to offer.

To be fair, I believe he did this to John Starks, Charles Oakley AND Patrick Ewing. https://t.co/Z2BhuTNcvT

— Ted Berg (@OGTedBerg) April 30, 2022

With Magic Johnson’s brilliant breakdown of the play, that highlight couldn’t be any better. Jordan beats one of the best defenders in Oakley and Starks like they weren’t even there and then His Airness launches up in the air before a 7-footer Ewing takes off, hangs in there, and then thumps the ball down just when the Big man starts going down.

That sequence can be written in a Basketball textbook and still couldn’t be repeated by anyone because MJ was one of his kind who went up against anyone and everyone like they were no one. And most of the time he came out a winner.

The Bulls ended up with their first-ever championship that year which would be followed by 5 more in the next 7 years. Mike would be the Finals MVP in all 6 of them making them one of the biggest dynasties in all sports, and certainly the best in that era.

Also read: “Clyde Drexler was a threat, but I took offense to being compared to him!”: When Michael Jordan revealed his motivation behind obliterating the Blazers in 1992 Finals

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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