Michael Jordan has a competitive drive that is unparalleled, yet his resentment of the Detroit Pistons molded him into a formidable force!
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Michael Jordan realized this early on in his NBA career that the Detroit Pistons were an overtly violent and aggressive roster, and decided to put an end to it.
In a game against the Pistons, in January of 1988, forward Rick Mahorn grabbed Jordan by the waist and threw him to the floor, when ‘MJ’ attacked the paint.
Fortunately for Jordan, he had an equivalent enforcer on his squad in Charles Oakley. Oakley was not one to neglect any disrespect headed the franchise’s way. As such, he stood up for Jordan who was grateful for it.
Oakley in his 2022 book, ‘The Last Enforcer’ stated–
“Tensions boiled over in the third quarter when Rick Mahorn fouled Michael by grabbing him around the waist and throwing him to the floor. Mahorn was big and strong and wanted to send a message. We had no choice but to go right back at him. I immediately went after Mahorn, and two of my teammates, Mike Brown and Brad Sellers, were pushing Mahorn as well. The fight drifted toward our bench, where our coach, Doug Collins, went to grab Mahorn around the neck.”
Jordan was left appreciative of his teammates and coach who was standing up for him, and he even offered to pay up their fines.
Also read: Michael Jordan Used “Flaming Fa**ot” as Reference for His ‘Whipping Boy’ Kwame Brown
The aftermath of the incident!
The Detroit-based franchise wanted to assert its dominance in the most explicit way, by inciting violence. The fact remains, that the team was so incredible at it, that numerous teams in that day and age, eventually crumbled and gave in.
Not the Chicago Bulls though. In the wake of the incident, Mahorn received a $5000 fine and a one-game suspension. Bulls forward Oakley was handed a $2000 fine, and coach Doug Collins had to compensate a $1500 fine. All is well that ends well we think.
Although Jordan offered to reimburse the two men, the pair declined, as they felt they had to make a statement for themselves. An intriguing period in the formative years of the game.
The hard truth about any sporting event is that majority of the contest is won, by possessing the mettle and fortitude to remain calm and collected under tense situations.
The Detroit Pistons-Chicago Bulls rivalry!
The Chicago Bulls-Detroit Pistons rivalry defined an era of the NBA, unlike any other. The fierce battles made for some extreme entertainment back in the 1980s. The ‘Bad Boy Pistons’ were known for their aggressive, dirty, and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Regardless, the Pistons were able to silence Jordan for a couple of years in 1989 and 1990, before Jordan had enough. In 1991, the Bulls eliminated the Detroit Pistons from the Playoffs which propelled Jordan to global stardom, en route to capturing six NBA championships.
When the Pistons walked off the floor after they were eliminated from championship contention without shaking the Bulls roster’s hands in 1991, Michael Jordan decided to sever ties with his opponents.
With Michael Jordan’s superlative athleticism and flair, it was conspicuous that the only way to slow down ‘His Airness’ was to foul him. But eventually, talent will overtake every edge you can find. And Jordan did exactly that.
