The NBA has always made a special event of the Christmas Day games. Today, analysts and fans always know that even if their team is playing poorly, they will bring their A-game on Christmas. One such game was the 1986 clash of the two upcoming teams, the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks.
Both squads had a rising star on the roster; the Wind City team had young Michael Jordan, and the Knincerbockers had Patrick Ewing. Even though they were friends off the court, neither wanted to back down in their first-ever Christmas matchup.
MJ had an ambitious idea
Before the game, when asked about competing with his buddy, MJ promised a memorable moment.
”I’m going to dunk it in his face,” said Jordan.
Even though he didn’t deliver on his promise, MJ made his mark felt throughout the game as the leading scorer with 30 points. Even though he did have a facial dunk on one of Ewing’s teammates, the Bulls fell to the Big Apple squad led by “Big Pat,” who did not hold back against “His Airness.”
”I’ll have something waiting for him when he comes in here,” he differed.
Ewing was the last one to laugh, as he rebounded a missed shot and made a 10-foot jumper at the buzzer to give the Knicks an 86-85 victory.
Patrick finished with 28 points and 17 rebounds. In his second season in the league, he started to prove that he was worthy of the No. 1 pick and was truly a franchise cornerstone the Knicks had sought for so long.
Jordan loved playing in the MSG
One of MJ’s favorite venues to play in was New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden. He had great battles with the Knicks there and delivered some of his best individual performances in the Big Apple.
But on the 25th of December 1986, it was a different story, and the home team stood their ground and executed well. The Knicks grabbed control early on, thanks to their “Twin Towers,” Ewing and Bill Cartwright.
The Bulls tried their best and rallied behind Jordan, but more was needed even though they had a chance to win it. They could only blame themself as the poor shooting night that day cost them a victory over their rivals.
Friend off the court, rivals on the court
Ewing and MJ go way back. They met as high school recruits, and their basketball rivalry started during their college years.
Pat was the star for the Georgetown Hoyas, while Jordan ran the show for the UNC Tar Heels. They played against one another in the legendary NCAA Final Four game in which Jordan presented himself to the basketball world, despite not being the reason his team won, at least according to Ewing.
In the next two decades, these two legends would face off in numerous regular season and playoff games that were a must-watch for basketball fans. They even got a chance to team up for the 1992 Olympics.
MJ would come out on top when it counted the most, but the Knicks legend never backed down and was happy to go home to his family in 1986 with a win over his friend.