80s Michael Jordan - Orchestrating a Blowout Triple Double Style

Michael Jordan faced elite competition throughout the 1988-89 season. On this rare night, however, Michael Jordan would face a handicapped opponent, in the Indiana Pacers, who went to battle with no Reggie Miller, in this contest.

Please note that there were many games, in Jordan's career, that should have been "easier" on paper, but his teammates would find a way to make these types of games very close & interesting, far too often. In this contest, however, Jordan orchestrated a blowout against a very talented Pacers team, even without Reggie Miller in the lineup.

Jordan was still up against:
- A young talented big man, in Rik Smits
- Vern Fleming who was a solid guard with the ball in hand who could make tough contested jumpers
- Chuck Person who was one of the best outside shooters from the Jordan era
- Detlef Schrempf who became a 3 time All-Star and was a lethal shooter
- A young Scott Skiles coming off the bench

That season in the Eastern Conference (Out of 12 teams, 25 teams in the NBA):
- 9 out of the 12 teams in the East won 40 games
- 4 out of the 12 teams in the East won 50 games
- Detroit Pistons (63 wins)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (57 wins)
- New York Knicks (52 wins)
- Atlanta Hawks (52 wins)
- Milwaukee Bucks (49 wins)
- Chicago Bulls (47 wins)
- Philadelphia 76ers (46 wins)
- Boston Celtics (42 wins) (Without Bird)

So, while the Pacers only won 28 games that season, it was a brutally tough year in the Eastern Conference. This was still a talented team that would win 42 games the following season under Dick Versace with Reggie Miller, Chuck Person, Vern Fleming, Detlef Schrempf, and Rik Smits as the main contributors. Essentially the same team you'll see in this video, minus Scott Skiles, plus a healthy Reggie Miller, they added 14 wins the following season. Jordan didn't orchestrate this blowout against a team with no talent. The Pacers had a ton of talent.

Fun fact about the 1990 Pacers (following season): Reggie Miller, Chuck Person, Detlef Schrempf & Vern Fleming all shot over 35% from downtown during the 1990 season with Chuck Person shooting 37.2% from 3, and Reggie Miller led the team shooting 41.4% from downtown, during the 1990 season.

This Pacers team had a ton of talent.

(1988-89 Season)
TIMESTAMPS:
0:50 - Game Begins
1:35 - Michael Jordan steal & blazing speed for the coast to coast dunk
3:51 - Michael Jordan steal
5:32 - Vern Fleming jumper
6:02 - Horace Grant follow-up dunk
6:21 - Scott Skiles jumper
6:45 - Michael Jordan 3 point jumper
7:22 - Michael Jordan 1 handed save
7:34 - Scott Skiles jumper
8:25 - Vern Fleming scoop layup
9:44 - Vern Fleming elbow turnaround jumper
10:15 - Rik Smits jumper
10:54 - Scott Skiles jumper
11:06 - Chuck Person jumper
11:25 - Michael Jordan jumper
12:22 - Michael Jordan jumper
12:34 - Vern Fleming baseline jumper
12:44 - Chuck Person and 1
13:08 - Scottie Pippen facial dunk on LaSalle Thompson
13:37 - Scottie Pippen dunk replay
14:10 - Scott Skiles 3 point jumper
14:17 - Jordan to Pippen 2 hand dunk
15:06 - Michael Jordan jumper
15:20 - Jordan to Pippen dunk
15:30 - Michael Jordan gets elbowed to the floor
15:43 - Jordan to Horace Grant dunk
17:21 - Michael Jordan blocks Rik Smits
17:37 - Bill Cartwright gets clotheslined by Chuck Person
18:12 - Vern Fleming jumper
19:31 - LaSalle Thompson hook
19:35 - Michael Jordan 3 point jumper
19:48 - Rik Smits fadeaway
19:54 - Scott Skiles jumper
19:59 - Michael Jordan 3 point jumper
20:28 - Rik Smits jumper
20:35 - Michael Jordan to Horace Grant dunk
20:52 - Detlef Schrempf 3 point jumper
21:12 - Michael Jordan to Scottie Pippen jumper
21:44 - Jordan to Horace Grant dunk on Rik Smits
22:00 - Scott Skiles layup in traffic
22:05 - Scott Skiles 3 point jumper
24:08 - Scott Skiles jumper
24:14 - Michael Jordan exits the game, blowout achieved
25:11 - Jerry Krause's 1st Round Draft Pick Will Perdue checks in
27:44 - Anthony Frederick dunk
28:40 - Charles Davis wins Bulls fans free pizza (Bulls needed 120 points)