Jordan reflects on the legendary game against the Jazz.
On June 11, 1997, an ailing Michael Jordan willed the Chicago Bulls to a victory over the Utah Jazz in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. It was eventually called the "Flu Game," indicating that an illness grounded His Airness.
Fans never knew the extent of MJ's sickness, but he was obviously not feeling well. After making a clutch go-ahead three with 25 seconds left, he almost collapsed in Scottie Pippen's arms. Jordan looked like he could use a shut-eye at that point, not in the middle of a vicious basketball tug-of-war.
So, how sick was Michael, really? While he was proud of the results, that was something the six-time NBA champion wasn't looking forward to doing ever again.
"Let's just say, if I had to go through it again, I'd miss it. That's how sick I was," Jordan revealed on SLAM magazine. "And I jeopardized my health more so than I should have. And true, we won a Championship—I think that was the deciding game. But hindsight tells me I must have been a fool, and I don't think I'd do it again if I had to."
Jordan scored 38 points that night, along with seven rebounds and five assists. This was one of the few times that numbers did lie.
Flu, Bad Pizza, or a Hangover?
The actual cause of the problem is as talked about as MJ's "Flu Game" performance. Jordan's camp claimed it was food poisoning from eating a whole box of pizza at 2:30 AM. Some conspiracy theorists threw the fact that the Bulls superstar loved partying and gambling so that it might be from a bad hangover.
Interestingly, the guy who reportedly made the pizza and delivered the pie to MJ's hotel room late that night refuted the food poisoning theory. Craig Fite, then an assistant manager at a Pizza Hut in Park City, said he "followed all the rules" and did not lace the pizza with anything. Fite was one of a few Utahns rooting for the Bulls, as he was a big MJ fan. Also, there were only two guys, not five, delivering the pizza, as Jordan's camp claimed on The Last Dance.
However, Fite also confirmed much-needed details. He said he saw a peek at Jordan in his hotel room, playing cards in the middle of hideous cigar smoke. That dispelled the rumor that MJ flew to Vegas that night to party.
At that point, the series was tied at two apiece. Utah gained momentum by winning Games 3 and 4 at home. As insanely competitive as he is, Mike was not somebody who would give away a game like that.
Does it Matter?
As risky as Mike's decision to play in that game, it added more drama to his legacy. The series was as close as it got; five games were decided by five points or less. The Bulls won the "Flu Game" by two points, so the team needed every one of Jordan's 38 that night. Had he chosen to sit that one out, Chicago would be treading unfamiliar waters by facing an elimination game in the NBA Finals!
Ultimately, the decision was made, no matter how foolish it was in hindsight. Jordan turned what was supposed to be a vulnerable moment into a powerful display of relentless determination. What truly matters is that Mr. Air rose above his illness to deliver a performance for the ages.
