“Don’t Ever Talk to Michael Jordan That Way Again”: Isiah Thomas Recalls Moment From Coaching Days While Discussing LeBron James’ Poor Show vs Wolves

LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers suffered a heavy loss tonight while visiting the Minnesota Timberwolves. Besides the big 109-80 win, the Wolves also nearly snapped LBJ’s double-digit scoring streak, which now stands at 1,243 games. While discussing the game and LeBron‘s poor outing on NBA TV, Isiah Thomas narrated an instance involving a struggling Michael Jordan toward the end of his career. He highlighted how the opposition attacked MJ when he was down, while James was given due respect tonight.

Thomas went back in time to when Indiana Pacers, the side he was coaching, took on Jordan and the Washington Wizards at home.

“I’m coaching the Indiana Pacers and Al Harrington. You know, Jordan’s having a bad night. He’s 37, 38. I don’t know how old he was, but he wasn’t playing well,” recalled Thomas. Seeing MJ struggle, Harrington started trash-talking him.

“Al Harrington is like talking trash, Jordan, you ain’t this. So I call timeout, right? And I say to Al, I say, hey, look, don’t ever talk to him [Michael Jordan] that way again.”

During his time with the Wizards (2001-03), Jordan was well past his prime. However, he still had enough juice in him to come back at anyone talking trash. Thomas recalled how MJ paid back: “The next game, we go to Washington. I think he put 40. I think he put 40 or 45 on.”

Isiah Thomas shares a Michael Jordan story with @ChrisMilesTV and @mrvincecarter15 pic.twitter.com/9fjDlLIv1h

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That was vintage Jordan for you. Thomas used this example while talking about the Lakers’ 29-point loss against the Timberwolves in which James was limited to just 10 points. He struggled from the field, shooting 4 of 16, and went 0-4 from the deep. Thomas was glad none of the Timberwolves’ players attacked Bron when he was down.

“And the good thing that didn’t happen in Minnesota tonight, nobody was talking trash to LeBron. But like you just said, they never forget. LeBron James will remember this night and probably try to do something when they get back in LA,” he said.

Thomas expects James to have the same fire that Jordan possessed while taking on Anthony Edwards and his Wolves when they come to town next.

Jordan torched the Pacers with 41 because of Al Harrington

The two instances Zeke mentioned was from the 2002-03 season. MJ was touching 40 at the time.

The first game was the contest between the Wizards and the Pacers in Indiana on November 30, 2002. Jordan came off the bench and had a 14-point outing, going 6-15 from the field. The Wizards lost 100-84. The loss and Harrington’s trash talk would’ve stung MJ.

The next time the Wizards faced the Pacers was at home in Washington, on January 4, 2003. Jordan was back in the starting lineup, and he was out for blood. He played 53 minutes in a double OT game, leading the Wizards to a 107-104 win. He scored 41 points, going 14-26 from the field, while grabbing 12 rebounds and registering 3 steals.

Al Harrington had learnt his lesson too. “I’ll never forget Al Harrington said, coach, you’re right. I never talked to him like that again,” Thomas recalled.