Jordan vs. Bird: 1988 Duel No One Remembers | The 1988 Tapes 📼

Another entry from the CLNS archive vault — January 12, 1988, Chicago Stadium, and the Bird-Jordan duel almost nobody brings up. Maybe bc it wasn’t in the playoffs? Maybe bc time just skipped over it. Either way, CLNS The Tapes series is dustin off the vhs and breaking this one down.. 

Larry Bird went for 38 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists in 44 minutes. Michael Jordan answered with 42 on 19-of-35. Both men had exactly 10 points at halftime. Then they combined for 60 after the break.

But the number nobody talks about is zero.

With 23 seconds left, the Chicago Stadium PA announcer called Michael Jordan for his sixth personal foul and sent him to the bench. The foul belonged to Charles Oakley. Jordan finished the night with ZERO personal fouls and ZERO turnovers in 43 minutes — and re-entered the game with two seconds on the clock.

Also on this tape: Kevin McHale's 10,000th career point, Danny Ainge extending his three-point streak record on a 1-for-5 night, Robert Parish going 18 and 16, a rookie Reggie Lewis, Fred Roberts wearing Cedric Maxwell's number 31, and Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes sitting courtside in fur coats.

Boston won 104-97. Twenty-five days later both teams were back in this same building for All-Star Weekend. Two rounds apart that spring, Detroit ended both their seasons.

📼 FULL GAME AVAIL TO MEMBERS HERE: https://youtu.be/4s5BQxJ98jA?is=gUMYTbLeVN5cjfVX

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