AN NBA icon has revealed that a round of golf with Michael Jordan led to a 63-point performance from the Chicago Bulls legend.
Former two-time Boston Celtics champion Danny Ainge appeared on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast and shared the story on Tuesday.
Ainge appeared on the sports podcast to talk about basketball legend Bill Walton, who died Monday at age 71 from cancer.
Both were Celtics teammates in the 1986 season when the Celtics won the NBA title.
Next to Forgive my opinionThe personalities of Dan “Big Cat” Katz and Eric Sollenberger, known as PFT Commenter, Ainge told the story about Jordan during the 1986 first-round series between his Celtics and the Bulls.
After Game 1, in which he scored 49 points and lost, Jordan played golf with then-point guard Ainge and author Mark Vancil.
Jordan couldn’t beat Ainge, and that took him to Game 2, as he scored 63 points, the record still standing in the playoffs.
“I left him a little frustrated… He had 63 against us in the next night,” Ainge said.
“I had to protect him through some of that. My kids abused me in this and we went back and watched it film. I think I gave up 12 of the 63 [points].”
The Celtics still managed to beat the Bulls 135-131 in overtime of Game 2.
Ainge also highlighted that Walton committed a foul in the game because of Jordan, but also due to the point guard’s tendency on defense.
“He never forgave me because I changed a lot [on defense]” said Ainge.
While the Celtics won the championship that season, Jordan’s performance in his second career season would be just the beginning of his dominant play in the court.
Jordan won six NBA titles, five MVPs and made the All-Star team 14 times, among many other accolades.
He is best known for his notable career as a basketball player, but that wasn’t the only sport he played.
North Carolina product Jordan had a minor league stint baseball player.
And he was and continues to be an avid golfer.
As for Ainge, he won championships as a Celtics player in the 1984 and 1986 seasons and made the All-Star team in 1988.
After 14 years playing in the NBA, he was head coach of the Phoenix Suns before working in the front office of the Celtics.
For 18 years, Ainge was general manager of the Celtics.
He helped the team win the championship in 2008 and retired in 2021.
Ainge currently serves as a Utah executive Jazz.
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