TurdFerguson wrote:
And this is what turns up when you google Jordan Stopper.
Forgettable evening for Jordan stopper
MITCHELL KRUGEL May 12, 1993
Hey Gerald, stop with this talk
CHICAGO -- Craig Ehlo laughs when he hears the term "Jordan stopper."
It's a joke, right. At least that's what Ehlo thinks. He laughs again, then
confirms what we all believe: "Hey, nobody ever stops Michael Jordan."
Alas, Ehlo's Cleveland teammate, Gerald Wilkins, flaunted such a moniker on
his chest coming into Chicago Stadium Tuesday night. Seems Wilkins gained such
a reputation when he manhandled Jordan in the playoffs last year while a member
of the New York Knicks. Remember Game 7 of last year's Eastern Conference
semifinals when Wilkins stopped Jordan? Held him to 42 points, didn't he?
Wilkins again proclaimed himself a Jordan stopper Sunday after the Cavaliers
dispatched New Jersey in the first round of the 1993 playoffs. Maybe checking
Drazen Petrovic grants you license to set your sights on Jordan.
As the Eastern Conference semis commenced with a 91-84 victory for Team
Jordan, MJ found the last laugh there for his making. Jordan scored 43
acrobatic points, including 16 in the fourth quarter on 5-for-7 shooting.
In the ultimate test of focus and concentration, he went 11-for-11 from the
foul line.
"Looks like the Jordan stopper had a tough night," MJ mused. "They made a
major factor that Gerald Wilkins was here for one reason and that was to guard
me.
"Well, when I am at my best, I don't there's anybody who can guard me."
For now, we can laugh at Wilkins and make him explain what exactly is a
Jordan stopper?
Must have something to do with holding MJ to 42. Say this for Wilkins: At
least Jordan only went one (point) better on him than the last time the two
squared off in the playoffs.
We can assume a Jordan stopper must be like a ghostbuster. Strap on the
protective gear, use some cosmic ray and zap Jordan into a state of normalcy.
Then he "only" scores 42.
Who you gonna call when you need to find out about this stop stuff? It is
best to consult an expert. Ehlo of course qualifies. He once held Michael to a
career-high 69 points.
The man in the know on this night, however, is the Bulls' Darrell Walker.
Walker had been a designated Jordan stopper for the better part of 10 years
now. He also has to guard Jordan every day in practice.
His opinion:
"This is a guy who has averaged 34, 35 points a game over his whole career,"
Walker asserts. "There haven't been too many stoppers."
So what can Wilkins say now?
Jordan not only went off for 43, but he did it when the only other semblance
of offense from the Bulls came courtesy of Stacey King. And that was all of
nine points.
Scottie Pippen went AWOL. Horace Grant went down with a sprained ankle. B.J.
Armstrong went into a shooting funk. Jordan hit 16-for-30 and it was clear
where the motivation came from.
"I think his effort was aimed at me," Wilkins said. "Those shots were going
in, and that's just the way it is. How many times he can beat us like that? I
don't know."
After giving up 85 points to MJ in the last two playoff games, Wilkins
stumbled upon a revelation.
"Why he calls me a Jordan stopper, I don't know."
Neither do I.
Wilkins did come off the bench _ the only safe place when you're a
self-proclaimed Jordan stopper _ at the 6:29 mark of the first quarter Tuesday
night and backed up his proclamation. Jordan had four points at the time. He
didn't score again until the 52.4 mark on a running jump shot. Jordan hit two
of seven shots against Wilkins in the opening period.
Then in 5:21 of the second quarter Jordan spooked Wilkins with 11 points on
a series of inside-out moves. By the midpoint of the fourth quarter, Jordan
leaned in, faded out and jitterbugged his way to 12 of the Bulls first 15 in
the final period.
Be fair to Wilkins. This was one of those nights when Jordan had a little
something extra, a night when he dribbled, drove and jumped over four Cavs to a
layup. He stumbled and still hit 20-foot fallaway jumpers.
Maybe Wilkins should have known what was coming when Jordan dismissed the
issue Monday. He considered all the Jordan stoppers in the league, tried to
pick the best and said the only one who can stay with him is, "my shadow."
Wilkins stayed with him at times. He was right there with Jordan's shadow.
Hey, he held Michael to 43.
I remember one game back in 89 or 90 against the Pistons. Pippen was still experiencing growing pains and Horace was out or something. Pistons were chomping at the bit to slay the Bulls given the conditions. It was a cold ass night in Detroit, one of the coldest ever recorded in the Midwest at the time. On top of that the heating in the Bulls locker room "broke down". The Pistons facilities staff were obvious culprits. Ahmad Rashad reported that the Bulls training staff prohibited Jordan from playing in the game because he had come down with acute pneumonia due to the severity of the cold that night, and that there was a 97.4% chance that he could die Jordan apparently looked the team doctor in the eye and told him he'd kill his whole family if he wasn't allowed to play. Jordan was cleared to play the next minute.
The game started slowly. Rick Mahorn was playing with a concealed shiv that night but still couldn't slow Jordan's ferocious attacks on the rim. As the game progressed it became apparent that this was a 1 vs 5 game, and it was the 5 that were overmatched. During one drive Mahorn stuck the shiv straight into Jordan's gut but that still didn't prevent a 360 dunk plus an and one. Laimbeer shattered Jordan's eye socket with a violent punch during the middle of a dribble drive. Jordan still hung a reverse dunk on his ass while simultaneously hitting a contested three from half court.
On the game-deciding possession, Rodman and Sally pumped Jordan full with bullets from semiautomatic guns that they had been playing with that night. Jordan still hit the J as time expired and stared them down with his remaining eye as he walked off the court. It was a different time. No way that era compares to this one.