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“Even at 40 years of age, Michael Jordan took things PERSONALLY against Ron Artest!” : Wizards elder statesman took his revenge on Bulls youngster by swatting his shot against backboard

Achyuth Jayagopal
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"Even at 40 years of age, Michael Jordan took things PERSONALLY against Ron Artest!" : Wizards elder statesman took his revenge on Bulls youngster by swatting his shot against backboard

Michael Jordan is known as one of the most competitive athletes ever. His Airness, as documented in “The Last Dance” was a fierce competitor who hated losing even his individual battles.

A serial winner, Michael Jordan reflected this attitude throughout his career. 6 Championships, including two three-peats with the Chicago Bulls, have immortalized Jordan in basketball history.

Also read: “Michael Jordan led the playoffs 10x in PPG”: His Airness led his peers 10x in both regular and post season

One of the many foes that MJ faced up in the latter stages of his career was Ron Artest. Artest, now Metta World Peace, was an All-Star and DPOY. Artest was a savant in the art of defending and a fierce defender at his peak.

And when an offensive great faces up against a defensive stalwart, the audience is often left in awe.

How did Artest match up to MJ in their duels?

In the Wizards-era of MJ’s career, Artest was playing for MJ’s former team, the Bulls. Artest was on the rise in the post-Jordan Bulls era as an important piece.

In a matchup versus the two Eastern Conference foes, Artest is pictured blocking one of Jordan’s signature midrange jumpers.

MJ, in the immediately following play, follows up with a stellar defensive play. Jordan climbs up in a manner that belies his age and comes up with a block and snatches the ball.

A top-tier defensive stop to prevent the opponent from scoring on a turnover. The GOAT displayed all the traits that made him a champion in that one sequence.

Jordan may have been close to the end of his career, but as they say, some things never change.

Also read: ‘Michael Jordan has 23 45-point playoff games, LeBron James just 11’: Redditor brings out crazy MJ stat that puts him above Lakers star in GOAT debate

About the author

Achyuth Jayagopal

Achyuth Jayagopal

Achyuth Jayagopal is a creative writer with The Sportsrush. After previous freelance dabbles in the industry, Achyuth has authored over 300 pieces for TSR. Having followed the game of basketball for a considerable period, he pledges his allegiance to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Beyond speaking his mind on all things basketball, Achyuth is a Sports and Gaming Lawyer who is an ardent Chelsea fan and takes a shine to the culinary world and travelling too.

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