“I just told them to shut up and play, as we are giving away free points and digging ourselves a hole”: Michael Jordan berated his Bulls teammates for complaining about the officiating in the 1998 ECF

While addressing the media during the 1998 conference finals, Michael Jordan narrated how he yelled at his teammates to stop complaining about the officials and focus on what they can control.

It’s no secret that the NBA players and officials share a volatile relationship. The two parties are often seen at loggerheads considering the nature of the game. However, officiating is at its worse lately, receiving brickbats from players, fans, and owners.

There is an absence of consistency in officiating games nowadays. The phrase, “The game has become soft today,” is often used by hoop fans. The referees don’t deserve all the blame for this, as the dynamics of the game continue to change.

NBA legend Michael Jordan had an interesting take on the referees-player exchanges in a game. The six-time champion had some words of wisdom, which could be of great use for players in the current era. MJ believed arguing with the officials was a waste of time, ending up getting Ts.

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Jordan was of the opinion one should not focus on things that are not within control.

Michael Jordan gave his teammates an earful for complaining about the referees.

During his time in the league, MJ had earned the reputation of a dictator. The ten-time scoring champion was often called out for being unnecessarily hard on his teammates even crossing the line at times. As Scottie Pippen said, he would cringe at MJ berating their teammates.

The press conference during the 1998 ECF gave us a glimpse of Jordan’s autocratic methods. When asked about what lecture did he give his teammates at half-time of the game, MJ said the following.

“Well, I just said leave the referees alone. You know, we can complain, we can say whatever we want about the referees, once you get into the locker-room but not on the basketball court, we cannot control the game. The referees control the game, every time we say something, we are giving away free points and digging ourselves a hole. I just told them to shut up and play.”

Michael Jordan | “leave the refs alone…shut up and play….Play the game. Let your game do the talking”

Post Game Interview | 1998 Playoffs | Eastern Conference Finals #NBA #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/79afxuOsQz

— The Jordan Rules (@Rules23Jordan) February 8, 2022

The event was the 1998 conference finals, with it being MJ’s last season with the Bulls. The ECF went down to the wire, ending in a Game Seven as the Bulls faced the Pacers. His Airness averaged 31.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.1 APG, shooting an impressive 40.0% from the 3-point line in the series.

The 1997-98 season was the end of one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history, known as The Last Dance. The Pacers boasted a prime Reggie Miller backed with the likes of Chris Mullin, Jalen Rose, and Mark Jackson. However, it wasn’t enough to take down Phil Jackson’s men.

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MJ’s autocratic ways of leadership are a conversation for a different day, but his theory on referees can be of great use for current-generation players.