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Throwback: Michael Jordan Reveals Why His 61-Point Display Against Detroit Is His Favorite
Michael Jordan tormented defenses in his day and has multiple scoring records to his name and His Airness once revealed his favorite high-scoring game.
When one thinks of Michael Jordan's legendary feats, one immediately thinks of his offensive style. His explosive scoring style, which combined beautiful acrobatic shots and vicious, powerful dunks, made him one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. But MJ also believed in working hard on the defensive end of the court because he understood that winning games depended just as much on the less glamorous aspect of basketball.
When Jordan and the Chicago Bulls played the Detroit Pistons, their fierce rivals, on March 4, 1987, it was one of the most memorable displays of Jordan's defensive prowess. Jordan scored an incredible 61 points in a high-scoring game, but his favorite part of the contest wasn't his offensive explosion. Rather, what he remembered most was how he played defense.
It was a heated and hard-fought game, as was typical when the Bulls and Pistons faced off. In the fourth quarter, the Bulls rallied to force overtime in the match. Adrian Dantley, a prolific scorer for the Pistons, was on fire in that game, scoring 32 points on 13 of 20 shots, including a flawless 6-for-6 mark from the free throw line.
Bulls coach Doug Collins changed up his defensive assignments in overtime, putting "Air Jordan" on the six-time All-Star to slow down his scoring. The ruse paid off, as Chicago defeated the opposition 125–120 on the road.
Jordan was ecstatic about his performance afterward, but not because he had a 61-point game. His outstanding performance was further enhanced by the fact that his defense in the game's pivotal moments proved to be the decisive factor.
"Because we won. And because I switched to Adrian Dantley in the last few minutes, stole the ball three times and held him without a basket. A victory for the defense," MJ proudly said.
"His Airness" finished the game with 61 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals, and three blocks. Jordan averaged 1.5 blocks and 2.9 steals per game that season, but oddly, he was left off any of the league's All-Defensive teams despite his outstanding defensive efforts.
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