Remembering Michael Jordan's Iconic Dagger Over Bryon Russell in the 1998 NBA Finals
By Brady Williams
ESPN's wildly successful "The Last Dance" has NBA fans talking all things Michael Jordan. As millions are enjoying the look back at the NBA legend's incredible career, it's just as impressive to remember how his time in Chicago ended.
In Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls faced the Utah Jazz. The Jazz took the dynastic Bulls down to the wire. With seven seconds remaining in the game, Jordan and the Bulls trailed 86-85. That's when he put on a move that nearly toppled Byron Russell and delivered the final shot of his career with the Bulls.
The shot secured the lead and the clock ticked away as he won his sixth NBA Championship. The man simply had ice in his veins, and Byron Russell was the unfortunate victim of circumstance that had to guard the NBA's finest player.
Jordan had ample time to pass the ball or put together some kind of play, but there was never any doubt that he'd take the final shot. There was even less doubt that he'd make it.
Michael Jordan played 179 career playoff games. He scored in double digits in all 179 games. He also scored in double digits for a record 1,041 consecutive games ... this is why he’s the greatest scorer pic.twitter.com/UkUDqWBcdt
— MJs GOAT (@MjsGoat) April 28, 2020
The NBA rarely gets a player like MJ. The 1998 Finals marked the end of an era, and the last shot Jordan took as a Bull is arguably the play that most defines who he was. You can never count out greatness.