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Jordan's final game?
Jackson warns anything is possible in Game 7
Posted: Sunday May 31, 1998 10:06 AM
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The Bulls haven't faced a seventh game with Jordan since the second round in 1992 (AP) |
CHICAGO (AP) -- The unthinkable. The final game for Michael
Jordan? The end for the current Chicago Bulls, the team of the
'90s?
Lose Sunday's Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to the
Indiana Pacers, and their championship run would be over.
So might Jordan's career. No one knows if he'll retire, probably
not even him.
"That well could fall into play. And that's certainly a
thought," Jordan admitted Saturday, expressing confidence the
Bulls would win.
"By no means do I ever want to leave that way."
The Bulls haven't faced a seventh game with Jordan since the
second round in 1992 when they beat the New York Knicks.
"Even in 1992 we were just trying to succeed and go to the next
round," Jordan said. "I don't think you have time enough to think
about preserving or extending a dynasty.
"I'm very confident. When we've needed a win, we've come out
and showed we can conquer the situation and I don't have any doubt
about this one. It's a belief in my ability and a belief in my
team's ability. It's a confidence we've built over time in pressure
situations."
Bulls coach Phil Jackson could also be in his last game if the
Pacers find a way to win Sunday's game at the United Center.
"I don't think we are even considering that," Jackson said
Saturday. "Guys aren't thinking about what's at the end of
tomorrow's game, they're thinking about the end of the playoffs.
"They're not thinking about the end of their contract, the end
of their stay in Chicago or the end of the Bulls as we know them."
Master psychologist
Phil Jackson didn't deliver a rah-rah speech to Jordan or the rest of the team Saturday.
Strangely enough, he let them know they could lose Game 7 to the
Pacers.
"I told Michael today that he has to face the possibility he
could lose a game like this. But when you give your best effort,
there is nothing frightening about losing," Jackson said.
Why such an admonition before such a big game?
"I think the fear of something is sometimes worse than the
actual thing itself," Jackson said.
"To deal with it is important. I just mentioned don't worry
about fear. The fear is not of losing but of not producing or
having a good effort. ... I think they took it as a reality."
Best bet
His quickness is giving the Chicago Bulls fits. And
his play has helped the Indiana Pacers deadlock the series.
Travis Best, who has been on the court for the entire fourth
quarter in all three of Indiana's victories, came up with two
consecutive big plays in the final minute as Indiana evened the
series with a 92-89 victory Friday.
"When I'm on the floor, if I feel like I can beat my man or
create for someone else, I'm going to do it," said Best, who at
5-foot-11 is the smallest player on either team.
Best has had 50 points and 16 assists while averaging about 22
minutes per game in the series. He's had only five turnovers in the
six games.
"He penetrates well and when [Ron] Harper and I try to guard
him he takes advantage of his quickness with us," Jordan said.
"When he's hitting outside shots that makes it even tougher to
control his penetration. And in the games they've won when we've
stopped his penetration, he's been smart enough to move the ball to
the open guy."
Haven't seen it
Jordan said he hadn't looked at the replay of his slip Friday night in the final seconds of a loss to the Pacers.
Chicago wanted a foul on Indiana's Derrick McKey for tripping as
Jordan slashed to the basket. Instead, no foul was called, the
Pacers got the loose ball and went on to victory.
Jordan said he wasn't sure if the call would have gone the other
way had the game been at the United Center.
"I don't know. I just hope [Sunday] it doesn't come down to
that," Jordan said.
Phil Jackson, fined $10,000 earlier in the series for
criticizing the officials, said he also hadn't seen a replay but
took Jordan's word he was tripped.
"But I'll live with that call," Jackson said.
Indiana's Reggie Miller says Jackson has waffled throughout the
series over the officiating.
"First he criticizes the referees. Then he says, 'Shut up and
play.' Then he criticizes the refs," Miller said. "He needs to
make up his mind. Get off the fence, get on the fence."
Smits a key
When Rik Smits leads the Pacers in scoring, they're tough to beat. He topped the Pacers with 25 points Friday and Indiana is 23-4 this season when the 7-foot-4 center is their leading scorer.
Smits hit 11-of-12 shots from the field Friday night, the best
shooting effort in franchise history. It topped a record Smits set
eight years ago when he hit 9-of-10 shots against Detroit on April
26, 1990.
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NBA Finals
