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Closer Look Foul shots are Jordan's final send-offPosted: Thursday April 17, 2003 12:12 AMBy Marty Burns, SI.com PHILADELPHIA -- Two foul shots. Perfect form. Nothing but net. Michael Jordan’s final points, Nos. 32,291 and 32,292 of his career, came with 1:45 left in his team’s 107-87 loss to the Sixers on Wednesday night. Compared to that silhouette in Utah to win the ’98 NBA title, it was nothing special. But -- given that the freebies came courtesy of an intentional Sixers foul ordered by coach Larry Brown and cheered by the First Union Center crowd -- it was memorable nonetheless. "Obviously, they wanted to see me make a couple of baskets, then come off," said Jordan, who smiled as he stepped to the line while the Sixers bench stood and applauded. "That was very, very respectful." For a long time it looked like Jordan’s spectacular NBA career might end with a whimper. Though he finished with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists, he had provided little in the way of Kodak moments. Other than a few smooth jumpers and an easy dunk off a curl to beat the halftime buzzer, Jordan seemed to be saving any magic for the end. As has been the case often this season, however, his Wizards teammates failed to follow the script. Allen Iverson and the Sixers methodically starched Washington 33-18 in the third quarter. With the score out of reach, Jordan spent most of the fourth on the pine. It wasn’t until Washington coach Doug Collins, reacting to the crowd’s chants of "We Want Mike," summoned his star to get back on the floor with 2:35 remaining. "I said, ‘Michael, I played here!" Collins joked. "I’ve at least got to be able to come back to this city." At first the 40-year-old Jordan said he didn’t think he could do it. Perhaps weary from having played all 82 games this season, his legs had stiffened. Or maybe, as Collins suggested, it had something to do with the fact that Jordan had spent part of Wednesday playing 18 holes at Pine Valley. Whatever, Jordan checked back into the game amid a deafening roar from the Sixers crowd. Moments later, he was fouled by Sixers guard Eric Snow as he caught a pass at midcourt. At that point, the flashbulbs began popping. "I wasn’t joking. I wish he got 100 tonight," Brown said. "But [those] last couple minutes, when he came in and the way everybody responded to it, just made everything good." After graciously accepting his gift by draining both free throws, Jordan immediately checked out to sustained applause. He smiled and waved at the crowd. He greeted teammates on the bench and took a seat. Just like that, it was all over. "I just kind of got that feeling," Jordan said. "I guess it hits me that I am not going to be in uniform anymore. "[But] that’s not a terrible feeling. It’s something that I have come to grips with, and it’s time. It’s time." |
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