“Michael Jordan Was the Best Player!”: Despite Playing with MVP Larry Bird, Danny Ainge Gave Bulls Legend the Title During the 1986 Playoffs

Michael Jordan entered the NBA when the league was dominated by two all-time great superstars, Larry Bird in the Eastern Conference and Magic Johnson in the West. Jordan soon made his mark in the league following his Draft in 1984, averaging over 28 points in his rookie season. Two years after being drafted, Jordan played against Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics in an EC first-round series. According to former Celtics star Danny Ainge, who played alongside Bird in the series, Jordan was the best player on the floor that series, ahead of the reigning MVP Larry Bird, despite the Bulls getting swept. 

‌Ainge was on the Knuckleheads podcast recently and talked in detail about playing with Bird and McHale against a young Michael Jordan. Despite Bird and Magic Johnson being the leading superstars in the league, Jordan was already making waves with his all-time performances at the time. Ainge also pointed out that Bird felt the urgency to win more championships after playing against Jordan in the 1986 series. For the three-time NBA MVP, it was just a matter of time before MJ would start winning championships.

Danny Ainge calls Michael Jordan the best player in the series ahead of Larry Bird

In the 1980s, Magic and Bird were the true superstars in the league. However, Jordan soon arrived on the stage to disturb the balance. Ainge pointed out that despite being just two years in the league, Jordan’s confidence was unprecedented. Even before Game 2 started, MJ promised that something was coming. Ainge said on the Knuckleheads podcast that even after the loss, it was clear that His Airness was the best player in the series. The two-time NBA Champion said;

“I played golf with Michael. On the Saturday before that Sunday game, and I took a little bit of money from Michael that day. That might have been a big mistake. As I got out of the car he says that, ‘Tell DJ[Dennis Johnson] I got something for him tomorrow.’ In that game, we were doing some switching…Everybody knew at the end of that series, even after that 63 points, I think he had another 50-point game in that series, but Michael [Jordan] was the best player in the series.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ɪɴꜱᴘɪʀᴇᴅʙʏʜᴏᴏᴘꜱ | ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴏʀ (@inspiredbyhoops)

Larry Bird won his third consecutive MVP in 1986. However, Ainge still didn’t hesitate before dubbing Michael Jordan as the best player in the series for his performance against a strong Boston Celtics side that had Bird, McHale, Johnson, Parish, and Ainge.

Ainge was surprised by Jordan’s physical stamina

Game two of the 1986 Eastern Conference First Round saw MJ score 63 following a 49 in Game 1, which would compel Bird to compare him with ‘God’. Despite admitting that he had made a mistake the previous day by taking money from Jordan, Ainge continued playing golf with the Bulls star. At this point, there was nothing about Jordan that surprised Ainge. 

However, the six-time NBA champion had a habit of surprising opponents with his ability to push his own physical and mental boundaries. Ainge recalled that he once played 36 holes with MJ in hot sunny weather. Thinking that the Bulls legend must be very tired, he dropped him home, freshened up, and came back to the court for a game. To DJ’s surprise, he found His Airness on the court giving it his everything.