Michael Jordan once took hope away from the Knicks in his first-ever game back at The Garden: "There’s nothing you can do"
From 1984 to 1993, Michael Jordan terrified players, teams, and rival fans alike with his performances. So you can imagine the relief when he announced his retirement in 1993.
But that respite was short-lived because, 18 months later, he was back in a new jersey number. MJ had returned to the sport like the prodigal son, and the New York Knicks, the championship hopefuls, were scared.
On his back at the Madison Square Garden, Jordan wore three of his most iconic pieces of game-day equipment. His signature Jordans, the iconic Bulls jersey, and the supreme mask of confidence.
Derek Harper, the then-PG of the New York Knicks, was buzzing to take on MJ, just like the entire city was.
"If you know how the people feel about basketball in New York City, you can only imagine how fired up the city was," Harper said. “There was a buzz like I have never felt in New York for the game,” he told the NY Times.
Michael Jordan returned to the Mecca of Basketball for the first time since his first retirement on March 28, 1995, and absolutely tore the Knicks down. Scoring 20 in the first half, their SG John Starks was put through the wringer. So when Harper saw his teammate struggle against the black Jesus, he decided to switch in.
“He told me, ‘I’m hot now,’ ” Harper recalled. ” ‘There’s nothing you can do.’ ”
Harper and his teammates were helpless - they watched him drain shot after shot, reaching the "double nickel" mark at the end of the game.
Michael Jordan Jordan went on to score 55 against them, hitting 3/4 3-point shots, and 10/11 FT attempts, winning the game by two points.
Michael Jordan was always ready to bring his A-Game
Jordan had an even crazier game nine years earlier, scoring 63 points against the Boston Celtics. It was a double OT playoff game in which he lost, but it was the game that put him one step above everyone else.
Michael Jordan did not have a great team during his initial days in Chicago, but never complained once about not having a stellar team. Unlike LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and a few other players, he staunchly believed he could do it all himself.
He was almost proven right against the eventual champions the Celtics, taking them almost single-handedly to a loss in double OT. He always had that killer instinct in him, whether he was a young face or a 39-year-old in Washington.