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“Michael Jordan told me he’s going for 40 at 40 years old and broke it down”: When Jared Jeffries got told by the Wizards star that he’s going off against Atlanta

Samir Mehdi
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“Michael Jordan told me he’s going for 40 at 40 years old and broke it down”: When Jared Jeffries got told by the Wizards star that he’s going off against Atlanta

Michael Jordan told Jared Jeffries that he would be scoring 40 points against Atlanta and broke down just how he would get it. 

Michael Jordan was notorious at keeping his word with his opponents when telling them that he would go off against them that night. Whether it was going into the opposition’s locker room to telling them they’re in for a long night or smoking a cigar on his car and telling them the same, MJ knew how to strike fear into his opponents. 

When on the Washington Wizards however, Jordan wasn’t the same player that he was on the Chicago Bulls but that doesn’t mean he was a ‘scrub’ by any means. He held the 10th highest ppg in the entire league in his first season with the Wizards and even dropped a whopping 51 piece in the process.

Also read: “I’m better than Michael Jordan and I’m giving out free pizza!”: Shaquille O’Neal makes it once again to YouTube shorts through a viral charity drive

The following season however, ‘His Airness’ would turn 40 years old and was looking to retire from the game for a 3rd and final time. In pure MJ fashion, just as everybody was forgetting about how good he once was, he reminded them of just that. 

Jared Jeffries on Michael Jordan in his final season. 

The Wizards didn’t have championship aspirations in the slightest when Michael Jordan was in his final season. So, it’s safe to say that that 2003 NBA season was solely for the purpose of giving the 6x champ a proper send-off into retirement. 

While his body wasn’t capable of doing what it once used to, his mind was certainly the same. His killer instinct never died out until his very last game and Jared Jeffries, his Wizards teammate, once broke down just how he would listen to Jordan talk about getting 40 points on any given night.

Also read: “Michael Jordan absolutely pushed off against Bryon Russell”: When John Stockton believed Bulls legend pushed off on his iconic Game 6 jumper in 1998 NBA Finals

“I remember we were playing Atlanta at Verizon Center. We played here and walking out on the court he goes, ‘I’m gonna get 40 tonight.’” 

“He would break down getting 40 points. It would be like 10 free throws, a couple lay-ups in transition, curl screen; little things where he knew how to break the game down to get 40 points. It’s like, ‘Dang man, it’s that easy for you to get 40.’” 

For what it’s worth, Michael Jordan never scored 40 points against Atlanta as a part of the Washington Wizards. His highest scoring game against them was a 31 point game. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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