“If Michael Jordan makes a shot, you say, ‘Good shot Mike!’”: Byron Scott breaks down trying to kill the Bulls legend with kindness

Byron Scott says that he had to kill Michael Jordan with kindness whenever he had to guard him so as to not rile him up. 

Michael Jordan is undoubtedly one of the most competitive players to have graced NBA hardwood. Everything from table tennis to golf, to even throwing quarters as close to a wall as possible, Jordan not only played to win, but played to win money at these games of his. 

Scottie Pippen once claimed that he refused to accept a golf club set from Michael Jordan that was meant to be a ‘gift’ as he knew the Bulls superstar was luring him onto the golf course to bet on holes with him.

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It’s a well known fact that Jordan is competitive at everything and basketball is where he proved this most often. The number one rule with playing against maniacal talents like ‘His Airness’ is not piss them off. Or at least try not to. 

Byron Scott seemed to have understood this to a ‘T’ as he breaks down his strategy on how to guard the 6x champ. 

Byron Scott on playing defense against Michael Jordan. 

Fresh off their second championship, the Chicago Bulls visited Los Angeles to take on the Lakers. Michael Jordan went into the Lakers locker room to ask if Byron Scott was guarding. With Scott sidelined due to an ankle injury, he told Jordan that Anthony Peeler would be guarding him that night. 

“50,” said the 6x champ as a response to hearing a defender who couldn’t guard him was assigned to him. Mike went above and beyond and scored 54 points on 21-39 shooting from the field.

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Prior to him talking about Jordan dropping 54 points on the Lakers on this particular night, Byron Scott talked about the strategy he went with when guarding Michael Jordan. 

“The one thing I did with Mike was that I never pissed him off. He makes a shot and you say, ‘Good shot Mike.’ You don’t talk trash to him so he goes off for 60. You try to kill him with kindness.” 

For what it’s worth, the Lakers won that game on November 20th, 1992 by 2 points despite Michael Jordan scoring 54 points.