"Called Salt Lake City for a reason" - NBA fans have a go at Utah Jazz for naming arena's wi-fi 'JordanPushedOff'
The Utah Jazz still haven't moved on from the 1998 NBA Finals. To date, Michael Jordan's famous shot to win the 1998 NBA finals is without question one of the most iconic buckets in NBA history. The shot not only clinched the Bulls another NBA championship, it also marked the team's second three-peat together. Of course, the Utah Jazz have a different take on the situation.
Jordan has defended the move, and the shot, stating that he didn't commit an offensive foul in order to get the shot off. Despite that, it appears as though the Jazz organization still hasn't moved on from the shot all these years later.
With the 2023-24 NBA season underway, astute fans noticed that the Vivint Arena Wi-Fi network is named after the moment. Given that the Jazz organization and its fans haven't forgotten about the shot, the Wi-Fi name takes a cheeky dig at Jordan.
Once the screenshot of the Vivint Arena Wi-Fi network went viral, many fans were quick to chime in. While some defended the name, others were quick to take up defense of the Utah Jazz organization, agreeing that Jordan did, in fact, push off. Check out some of the best reactions below!
What has Michael Jordan said about the famed 1998 NBA Finals shot against the Utah Jazz?
While the shot has continued to be a point of contention for Jazz fans, Michael Jordan insists that he didn't do anything wrong. Several years ago, when The Last Dance premiered on TV, it included footage of Jordan discussing the iconic moment.
After a clutch layup to cut the Utah Jazz lead to one, Jordan secured an iconic blindside steal from Karl Malone. As he brought the ball up the court, he knew that coach Phil Jackson did not want to take a time out.
With his teammates like Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman well aware of the fact that Jordan was about to nail the game-winning shot, the stage was set. Jordan dribbled up the court, drove right, and crossed over Byron Russell before pulling up for one of the most iconic moments in NBA history.
During The Last Dance, Michael Jordan recalled the shot, stating that whether he shoved Russell or not, his momentum would have carried him past MJ anyway.
“Everybody says I pushed off — bull----. His energy was going that way. I didn't have to push him that way."
Of course, with the Utah Jazz organization still without a championship, the situation has continued to be a point of contention for the franchise. Now, 25 years later, it sounds as though the Jazz still aren't quite ready to forgive and forget.