"Listen man, I’m hitting everything"- Reminiscing when Michael Jordan told Craig Ehlo what he was gonna do before dropping career-high 69 points

On March 28, 1990, Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan dropped a career-high 69 points in the Bulls’ 117-113 overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He did so on 62.2% shooting while adding 18 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a block. Former Cavs shooting guard Craig Ehlo was one of the players tasked with guarding Jordan during his iconic performance. In an interview with Deadspin in 2013, Ehlo reminisced about what the experience was like for him.

Ehlo first spoke about Jordan’s competitive nature, explaining that Jordan was never too arrogant towards him on the court:

“Michael was very competitive when he got between the lines. He was never a bad talker or too arrogant,” Ehlo said.

Ehlo then recounted what Jordan said to him the night he dropped 69 points. Ehlo explained that Jordan was so in rhythm that on one play he told him how he was going to score. Ehlo said Jordan did so to give him a chance to stop him:

“He only did that to me one time, from what I remember. It was his 69-point game, and things were going so well for him that I guess he just went for it,” Ehlo said.

He continued:

“We were running up the court side-by-side and he told me, ‘Listen man, I'm hitting everything, so I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna do this time and see if you can stop it. You know you can't stop it. You know you can't stop this. You can't guard me.’ I'm gonna catch it on the left elbow, and then I'm gonna drive to the left to the baseline, and then I'm gonna pull up and shoot my fadeaway.’”

Ehlo reiterated that Jordan was never rude about his comments. He added that he tried to capitalize on Jordan telling him what he was going to do. However, even though Ehlo knew which move Jordan was planning to make, he still couldn’t stop him:

“Like I said, he was never mean or bad about it. But on that one play I was like, ‘OK, well, if he's gonna tell me what he's going to do, then I'm gonna take advantage of this,’” Ehlo said.

He continued:

“And I was right there with him when he did — but sure enough he banked it off the backboard. We were heading back down the court, and he gave me that kind of shrugged-shoulder look that you'd always see, and he's like, ‘I told you. I told you.’ And I just said, ‘Don't do that again.’

“I was right there, step for step with him, just like he said. It was amazing. I guarded it as well as I could. I had my hands up in his face to defend. But that's just how good that guy was.”

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Craig Ehlo asked Michael Jordan how he was able to be so dominant

Former Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Craig Ehlo and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan

Later in his interview, Craig Ehlo said that he asked Michael Jordan how he was able to be so effortlessly dominant. Jordan told him that it just came naturally:

“That game, obviously, we lost to him. I'd seen him several times by then. He was one of those guys who just had it all, instinctively. He was naturally gifted, you know?” Ehlo said. “And sometimes I would look at him after a play and just say, ‘How did you do that?’ And he'd sorta say, ‘I don't know. It just happens.’”

Michael Jordan ended his legendary 15-year career with a combined regular season and playoff record of 37-20 against Craig Ehlo.

For Ehlo's full interview with Deadspin, click here.

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