The unparalleled majestic journey of Michael Jordan within the NBA had its fair share of ups and downs. Interestingly, a handful of such defeats came during MJ’s Washington Wizards days while facing the New Jersey Nets of Richard Jefferson. The latter hence took great pride in reflecting on those instances while breaking down the two-decade-old NBA enounters.
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During an episode with Kenny For Real in April 2021, the 43-year-old elaborated on the team’s defensive setup to counter the 5x MVP. The sports analyst shed light on how alongside him, the Nets’ Kerry Kittles and Jason Kidd used to take turns to mark the shooting guard. Despite the constant switches, the defense had frequently failed to contain the Black Jesus, resulting in the eventual acceptance of his greatness.
Yet, the roster once succeded exceptionally as, during the January 16, 2002 away clash they humiliated the New York-born through collective efforts. While winning the game with a scoreline of 111-67, the visitors led by 39 points at the end of the first half. This prompted a frustrated Jordan to prioritize resting in the second half after registering a stat line of 10 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 18 minutes. Jefferson shed light on particularly that match as it later paved the way for one of MJ’s iconic revenge stories.
“We actually gave [Michael] Jordan like his worst loss ever. So, he comes to Jersey. We are up like 40 at half-time…So, he doesn’t even play in the second half. The game is over, all the fans are mad.”
However, Jordan being Jordan had his way of taking revenge. The next time the Wizards were up against the Nets, the 6x Finals MVP destroyed the Nets and scored almost half the points. Recalling the incident, Jefferson said,
“But the next time we played him a couple of weeks later, he made sure to get his rest and he came after us…He scored like half of their points and there was nothing we could do to stop him.”
Almost every NBA fan is aware of Michael Jordan’s competitive nature. Moreover, RJ’s statement put the limelight on the desire of the 6x champion to establish the pecking order even during the twilight phase of his journey. After all, his intention to make up for the collective shortcomings with his individual brilliance stayed a constant throughout his career.
A glimpse into the competitive history of Richard Jefferson and Michael Jordan
The duo locked horns a total of seven times in the early 2000s, with Jefferson emerging victorious five times. Interestingly, the only two times the 6x MVP emerged victorious, he had to register double-doubles with 40+ points. In the first matchup against a young Jefferson, the 6ft 6″ guard registered 45 points, and 10 rebounds to lead the Wizards to a triumph. More than a year later, their last game resulted in a similar outcome while the 1985 ROTY recorded 43 points and 10 rebounds.
Despite the records, Jefferson had always been an admirer of Jordan’s greatness. Yet, during the occasions of showcasing self-belief, the former player has rarely held himself back. A few days back, the California-born even mockingly called out the 6x champion, mentioning, “I’d cook his a**. Look, this is no disrespect to MJ…But, body starts catching up when you’re old”.
The dynamic provides the viewers with a unique blend of competitive spirit and respect. This further puts into focus how players from different eras can display appreciation for each other without backing down.
