Michael Jordan burst onto the NBA scene during his rookie season, earning the Rookie of the Year Award with impressive stats—averaging 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. While fans adored Jordan for his talent and work ethic, some veterans, including Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, and George Gervin, were less impressed.
Related: Former Bulls teammate says Michael Jordan got drunk before a game and still dominated
Jordan’s confidence was apparent even before his NBA debut. In 1984, he led the USA Olympic Basketball Team, showcasing his skills by dominating the NBA All-Stars in exhibition matches, which likely fueled the resentment some veterans felt.
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Come the 1985 NBA All-Star Game, Jordan aimed to blend in but was met with hostility. Gervin and Johnson shadowed him defensively, while Thomas ensured that Jordan received limited ball time. As a result, Jordan struggled, shooting just 2-9 from the field.
Thus began the narrative of the “Freeze-Out Game,” where jealous veterans attempted to stifle the rising star, an experience that Jordan would remember and eventually seek to avenge.
Jordan’s Revenge Game
At times, the deities of basketball look favorably upon us, the admirers of the sport, and provide us with a true delight. That is precisely what they did for us on the first game played after the All-Star break.
The Detroit Pistons played the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, as it turned out.
Before the game, reporters talked a lot about what had happened at the All-Star Game.
Back then, we were clueless. Later, we would find out that Jordan hears everything, and what he hears becomes his drive. During this game, Jordan showed everyone how bright his future was.
He exploded past the Pistons’ defense like they were stuck in molasses. It appeared that Jordan could do anything he wished at any time.
Still, with five seconds left, the game was tied, and Thomas had the ball with a chance to win it. Thomas would not get off a shot as the ball was knocked out of his hands.
The game went into overtime, where it was all Chicago. The Bulls outscored the Pistons 16-3 and secured a 139-126 victory. At that time, Jordan scored a career-high 49 points on 19-31 shooting. He also gathered 15 rebounds.
This game truly was the first time we got to see Michael Jordan’s competitive spirit, and fortunate for us fans, it would not be the last.
