© Anne Ryan-USA TODAY
As the WiFi network shows, the Utah Jazz are still not over the 1998 NBA Finals
The Utah Jazz are apparently still not over the NBA Finals loss they received at the hands of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls back in 1998. It’s understandable how hard the franchise has taken it considering they had two chances to capture the NBA title but failed both times.
The 1998 NBA Finals, though, was extra excruciating for the Jazz as Michael Jordan delivered one of his most iconic performances. Jordan scored 45 points in the deciding Game 6 while also delivering the shot game-winning jumper that capped off the Bulls’ “Last Dance” with their sixth NBA title.
To this day, though, the Jazz still contend that the jumper should not have counted as Jordan allegedly pushed off Jazz guard Bryon Russell before draining the keyhole shot. As a matter of fact, the franchise still reminds itself of that moment through the WiFi network in their stadium, which is hilariously named “JordanPushedOff.”
Foul or fair?
Jordan’s title-clinching play has been scrutinized and reviewed a million times over, with many basketball purists debating the validity of Russell’s claim that Jordan pushed him off before jumping. However, one former NBA official, Ken Mauer, believes that Jordan did not push off Russell, instead arguing that it was the latter’s momentum that created the space His Airness needed to launch the game-winning shot.
“So Michael has this move where he's got Russell going this way and then he pulls up, do you really think that the action of Michael Jordan with his off arm created Russell to do what he did with his body?” Mauer, who was an NBA referee from 1986 to 2022, said.
The show’s host, Jason Whitlock, also offered his take, saying the reason Jordan may have put his hand on Russell’s hip was to simply regain his balance to make the stepback jumper.
All-time move
Regardless of the conversation surrounding the move, there is no doubt that it was one of the most famous moments in NBA history. Jordan’s “Last Shot” against the Utah Jazz continues to be an inspiration—and a contentious topic if you’re a Jazz fan—for athletes and basketball pundits alike. As such, it serves as a reminder of why Jordan will always remain an icon of the game.
