During the first 24 minutes of Game 1 of the 1992 Finals against the Blazers, Michael Jordan was giant and broke Elgin Baylor’s record for the most points scored in a first half of the Finals (35 against 33 for inside the Lakers, in 1962).
Six times in a row, the Bulls’ No. 23 found the target behind the 3-point line, which was also a “must” at the time. The image of “His Airness” turning to the scorer’s table and raising his shoulders in surprise imprinted on all retinas.
Under the eyes of Magic Johnson, his future teammate with the “Dream Team”, he will end the evening with 39 points (16/27 including 6/10 at 3-pts), 11 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
“The 3-pointers were like free throws” will comment bluntly on Michael Jordan after the game. “I don’t know what happened but they were coming back… Nobody expected it, but I took my chance. I surprised myself to be so hot. »
A heat stroke that will sicken the Blazers, relegated to 15 points at the break, and who will let go when they return from the locker room. A thrashing that has gone down in history under the name of the “Shrug Game”, for this “shrug”.
“Michael was amazing tonight, and it was the best game I’ve seen him play,” will summarize Horace Grant, who had yet seen many others…
