As intense as the rivalry between the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons was in the late 80s, it became an afterthought in the 90s. Since Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer, who were the leaders of “Bad Boys” retired, the Pistons soon reinvented themselves and followed the lead of their new superstar Grant Hill.
However, the Bulls’ iconic superstar Michael Jordan was still around and found a new target in Hill. Many were actually already crowning Grant as the heir apparent to His Airness’ throne. That didn’t sit well with Jordan, and he showed it in their matchup on March 7, 1996.
MJ’s throne
Eager to prove that the throne was still his, Jordan scored an astonishing 53 points that night as his Bulls beat the Pistons 102-81. It was a performance for the ages, as Jordan made all but seven of his 28 shots from the field. He even grabbed 11 rebounds and had six steals, showcasing his all-around skills.
Jordan’s 53-point performance was his third-most against the Pistons, just behind his 58-point explosion in 1988 and a 61-point outing in 1987.
Locked down
As for Hill, he still finished with a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds. However, he had a night to forget as he shot just 5-of-16 from the field and committed six turnovers in 40 minutes of action.
It was yet another proof that you do not want to be in the crosshairs of Michael Jordan when he is in full flow.
Jordan’s performance that night was truly special, and it was just part of a magnificent season during which the Bulls went 72-10 before romping through the playoffs all the way to the NBA title.
Source: yardbarker.com
