TITLE: Michael Jordan says ‘load management’ has no place in the NBA
SLUG: michael-jordan-says-load-management-has-no-place-in-the-nba
CONTENT:
Michael Jordan argued that NBA players should be on the floor whenever they are able, telling NBC that the modern practice of “load management” is unnecessary.
The six-time champion spoke Tuesday night in the second episode of “MJ: Insights to Excellence,” which aired between games of NBC’s doubleheader. Interviewer Mike Tirico asked Jordan whether he supports the idea of players sitting out games to rest.
“It shouldn’t be needed, first and foremost,” Jordan said. The Hall of Famer added that he never wanted to miss a game because fans who bought tickets deserved to see him play — even those rooting against him. “I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his butt off to get a ticket,” he explained, later joking that hecklers motivated him to “shut them up.”
Jordan pointed to several examples from his career. Early on, he played through a sprained ankle because he was determined to establish himself. He also revisited Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, known as “The Flu Game.” On June 11, 1997, Jordan believes he was suffering from food poisoning, yet he scored 38 points against the Utah Jazz, guiding Chicago to a win that moved the Bulls within one victory of the title. Exhausted, he collapsed into Scottie Pippen’s arms after the final buzzer.
Chicago clinched that championship two days later and defeated Utah again in the 1998 Finals. Jordan’s series-winning jumper over Bryon Russell with 5.2 seconds remaining in Game 6 still stings in Salt Lake City — so much so that a wireless network inside the Jazz’s arena was still labeled “JordanPushedOff” as of Monday.
Source: ESPN
