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Jordan Hits “The Shot”

While Johnson and Bird were dominating the 1980s, Michael Jordan was waiting in the wings. He had been in the league since 1984, but his Chicago Bulls teams had losing records until the 1987-1988 season. In 1988-1989, Jordan led the Bulls to the playoffs again, hoping to improve on a career 5-17 playoff record. The Bulls faced the favored Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 1989 NBA playoffs. They entered game five in Cleveland, Ohio, leading the series three games to one. The game was tight throughout. Jordan and Cavaliers' guard Craig Ehlo traded baskets three seconds apart to give Cleveland a 100-99 lead with three seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Following a Chicago timeout, Ehlo was covering Jordan when Jordan got free to take the inbounds pass. He took two left-handed dribbles with Ehlo on his right hip and then pulled up at the foul line to hit the series-winning jumper over an outstretched Ehlo at the buzzer.

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