In the 1996 NBA Finals, the Seattle Supersonics won two straight games against the Chicago Bulls once point guard Gary Payton defended Michael Jordan from the start.
That moment was retold in ESPN’s “The Last Dance” — producing one of the best clips in the entire series.
In the documentary’s eighth episode, Payton boasts how his defense “took a toll on Mike” as Seattle climbed back into the series, trailing three games to two. As Payton is talking, the footage cuts to Jordan, watching Payton’s interview on an iPad.
Jordan then laughs. Hard.
“’The Glove’,” said Jordan, referring to Payton’s nickname. “I had no problem with ’The Glove.’ I had no problem with Gary Payton.”
Everything — Payton’s energy, the astonished look on Jordan’s face, Jordan’s thunderous laugh — is perfect about the clip, which you can find below:
Michael Jordan reacting to Gary Payton is just… awesome. Love the competition. pic.twitter.com/hRzC3LbgAD
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 11, 2020
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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