“I never thought I was playing just Michael Jordan, I was playing the Chicago Bulls”: When Karl Malone spoke about preparing for the finals in 1998

Karl Malone and Michael Jordan had a legendary rivalry – too bad the mailman never got his ring over MJ.

Karl Malone never feared anybody – unless they were either Michael Jordan or the police. While one was stopping him from getting rings, one wanted to put shiny rings on his wrist. If we just focus on the sports part of things, Malone was probably one of the most feared centers in the league.

But nothing deterred MJ, for he was confident like no other. The man never packed a suit for game 7 because he did not let it go till there. With that kind of confidence, his opposition would be rattled, whatever their name might be. Karl was no different, but to save face he had to come out and tell he was prepared to face the team in general, not just an individual match-up.

Also Read: “I thought Karl Malone was a sellout!”: Shaquille O’Neal admits to making a mistake in judging the Jazz legend too soon

He should, however, have done just that. Jordan put Malone through the wringer for two whole years, stopping them from having a back-to-back of their own. He even had one of the most infamous moments where a helpless Malone watches Jordan jump sky high to sink in the winning shot.

Michael Jordan stopped many Hall of Famers from winning championships – the Utah Jazz duo was the strongest ones

John Stockton and Karl Malone were a fearsome duo, worthy of winning the title. They came so close, and if Jordan had stayed retired, there was no one stopping them. Hakeem had his moment in the sun for the two years prior, but it was Malone’s turn.

But the story panned out differently, and Jordan made his return, just in time to win three more at Utah’s expense. To have two such decorated players end their career without a championship is blasphemy – but cannot be called that because the Black Jesus was the one to stop them.

If they were born in any other era, the duo would be set of the ages. Too bad it coincided with the Jordan era, and the dominance of the Chicago Bulls.

Also Read: “If the referees let me play, I could guard Karl Malone all day”: Dennis Rodman was adamant about shutting the Jazz legend down in the 1998 Finals against the Bulls