Michael Jordan was so lethal after trash-talking that Lakers guard Byron Scott developed a new way to defend the Bulls legend.
Advertisement
Michael Jordan has haunted defenders for decades. Even as a 38-year-old playing for the Washington Wizards, MJ was known for humiliating players who guarded him.
Though his Wizards days don’t even compare to the kind of dominance he displayed with the Bulls. At one point in time, there was no one in the league who could have boasted of being capable of guarding Jordan.
Even defenders like Dikembe Mutombo and Gary Payton cowered at MJ’s name. But once you said something to him, something that he didn’t like, Michael would take you back to school. He despised trash-talking opponents so much that he would use it as fuel for his games.
So, naturally, Byron Scott avoided the trash-talking at all costs. Instead, he developed a far more sophisticated way of defending Jordan.
Also read: JR Smith Once Exchanged Punches and Flying Chairs With a Former Cavaliers Teammate During Practice
Byron Scott would praise Michael Jordan during games
Scott played for the Lakers back in the 80s and early 90s. He wasn’t the best defender even on the team but Lakers coach often employed him as the primary defender against Jordan. The reason was simple, Byron never talked trash with the GOAT.
In an interview, Scott revealed that he preferred a much softer and more subtle approach while playing MJ. Byron claimed that he enjoyed guarding Mike. He knew never to p**s off Michael.
Instead, he praised MJ on his plays. So, if Michael executed a brilliant move, Byron would complement His Airness on it. This kept Jordan from taking things ‘personally’ and dropping 60 points on him.
Scott: “I enjoyed guarding Mike.” He continued, “the one thing I did with Mike wasI never got him p**sed off. He make a shot, you say ‘Good shot, Mike.’ You don’t talk trash to him so he could go off for 60. You tryna kill him with Kindness.”
Well, it’s safe to say that even with the kindness, Jordan remained unstoppable. Perhaps Byron’s tactics kept him from going berserk. Definitely better than making him mad and unleashing the beast in him.
But not everyone was like Byron. Some players learned it the hard way. The simple rule was to not piss off Michael. One such player was Reggie Miller.
MJ schooled Reggie Miller after he trash-talked the GOAT
While on Jimmy Kimmel live, Reggie Miller revealed an instance that cemented Michael’s ruthlessness in his psyche. In his rookie season, Miller faced the Chicago Bulls. The season was a breakout for Jordan who was finally emerging as the most lethal scorer in history.
But the young rookie had no idea how good Jordan really was. So, when a teammate hyped up Reggie, he decided to smack talk Michael Jordan. But things quickly went sour.
At the half, Reggie had 10 points and Michael had only 4. After Miller told Michael he wasn’t that great, MJ doubled down. By the end of the game, Michael had 44 and Reggie only had 12.
Do you think Jordan is the greatest offensive player in NBA history?
