Ray Allen recalls Michael Jordan dropping 40 in their first NBA matchup

MJ dominated Allen, and yet, the Bulls legend gave him praise mid-game

© Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Back in the day, Michael Jordan was the most feared player in the league. Even experienced veterans would shiver when taking on His Airness, as he would torch opponents on a nightly basis. 

Rookie Ray Allen took on the challenge of guarding MJ in their first NBA matchup. And even though he was dominated by No. 23, Jordan was actually impressed by Allen's efforts.

Ray Allen had a great start to his Bucks career

Allen was drafted fifth overall in the 1996 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and was immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He quickly established himself as a solid scorer and a talented defender—by his second year, Allen became one of the primary scoring options for the Bucks, averaging 19.5 points per game.

Allen was even compared to Jordan in terms of how graceful he looked on offense. However, neither his undeniable talent nor anything he'd experienced before could've prepared him for his first matchup against MJ and the Bulls.

Jordan praised Allen mid-game

Mike was coming off one of his greatest seasons ever. After he led the Bulls to a 72-win season and an NBA championship—their 4th in six years—Jordan continued to dominate the league in his usual fashion. 

The same goes for his first matchup against Allen when Jordan finished with 40 points in a 107-104 win on the road. Ray Ray had 8 points on 3-of-9 from the field, but couldn't do anything to contain His Airness on the other end of the floor.

"He actually killed me slowly," Allen recalled. "I remember Chris Ford he's yelling the whole time, 'Rookie get in front of him! Get in front of him!' I am fronting him on the post and MJ is slowly gliding across the floor. He gets the ball, shakes, and scores. I did everything the game plan said."

"There's a break in the action, and I'm sitting there, and Chris Ford is hammering me. MJ is just like, 'He's doing a great job coach. He's actually doing a great job.' Meanwhile, he's got 45 in the books," Allen said.

The two faced each other three more times that year. And while the Bulls swept the season series against Milwaukee, rookie Ray Allen was able to hold his own against MJ—he even dropped 22 against him in a 116-101 loss on January 10, 1997.

The same can't be said about the first time he went up against the GOAT.