The 1993 NBA Finals featured an unstoppable Charles Barkley taking on two-time title holders Chicago Bulls. The Bulls had taken a 3-1 lead, and with the series going back to Chicago, many thought that it would be curtains for the Suns. However, the Round Mound of Rebound wasn’t going to go down easily. Barkley nabbed 24 points, six rebounds, and six assists, and shot an incredible 50% as the Suns took Game 5 108-98.
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The administration of Chicago was afraid that if the Bulls won Game 5 then the jubilant fans could cause riots. Barkley was aware of it and perhaps that acted as an extra fuel to deny the joy of winning the title at home for the Bulls fans.
During the Post-Game interview after the win, he stated,
“They boarded up all the stores. They were getting the military ready.”
But the Suns legend made sure the military would not be needed. He added, ”That was a little premature. I went shopping today and I didn’t see any windows. I thought I was back in the neighborhood. Take that plywood off the windows. You don’t need it tonight”.
The Bulls lost despite Michael Jordan scoring 41 points on 55.2% shooting. John Paxson knocked down four triples but their defense allowed 50.6% from the field. They were overwhelmed by Kevin Johnson who led the Suns scoring with 25 points and eight assists.
However, Johnson and Barkley couldn’t get the Suns past the stubborn Bulls who eventually denied them by a point in Game 6. As for Barkley, he was on fire, averaging 26.6 points and 13.6 rebounds per game.
Michael Jordan humbled Charles Barkley
The incredible Auburn alum has always beaten the odds. Despite being considered overweight for the relentless end-to-end hoops action, he could pull down a defensive rebound and finish on the offensive end. He is one of the best rebounders to ever play the game and despite being 6’6”, he averaged close to 12 rebounds per game for his career.
Because of his incredible skill set, he considered himself the best player. However, the 1993 finals changed that as he was in awe of the great Michael Jordan. He cited Game 2 as the example and stated, ”In Game 2, I played as well as I could play, and Michael just outplayed me. That was probably the first time in my life that I felt like there was a better basketball player in the world than me, to be honest with you.”
In Game 2, Barkley had a brilliant 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists but MJ replied with a mesmerizing 41 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists performance. MJ averaged 35.1 points per game through the 1993 Playoffs. However, the Bulls took the title home, defeating the Suns 4-2.
