Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce tricked a rookie into enjoying in opposition to Michael Jordan.
When Michael Jordan introduced his return to the league, the NBA group was buzzing with pleasure forward of the 2001-02 season.
After successful six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan needed a brand new problem in his profession and joined the Washington Wizards.
When MJ introduced his return, the Boston Celtics had a celebrity in Paul Pierce. This yr additionally marked the rookie yr of future seven-time NBA All-Star Joe Johnson.
Johnson just lately appeared on Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s podcast “All of the Smoke.”
In the course of the dialog, Johnson revealed that his welcome second to the NBA was enjoying in opposition to M.J., due to Pierce’s cheeky methods.
“My rookie yr was MJ’s first yr again within the NBA with the Wizards. Yeah, we performed them within the fourth sport of the season.
“Eric Williams, our small ahead, bought injured within the second sport of the season, in order that they began me and I used to be going to protect MJ,” Johnson started.
“Paul Pierce is like, ‘Hey, I will get him within the fourth quarter. I need him to have the primary three quarters,'” he defined. It is okay, you possibly can guess. So, hey, we bought on the market. ”
On the time, Jordan had been out of the NBA for 3 seasons and was a little bit rusty. Nevertheless, Johnson accepted the problem, not anticipating his teammates to badmouth MJ.
“To start with, Toine (Antwone Walker) and MJ had been speaking about issues to one another within the data,” Johnson revealed. “So MJ stated to Paul, ‘I needed to come all the way in which again to the NBA simply to play pickup video games with you, simply to run with you.’
Regardless of being 38 years outdated, Jordan apparently took offense to the trash discuss from Celtics gamers as he completed the sport with 32 factors, eight rebounds and two assists.
Earlier than the top of the sport, Johnson requested his teammates to “settle down,” nevertheless it’s clear they did not pay attention.
“I imply, they are going forwards and backwards the entire sport. However I am like, ‘Hey, guys settle down.'” You understand what I am saying? Like, I’m the one who has to guard this man,” he stated.
To be truthful, Johnson additionally had a memorable sport, posting 16 factors, 10 rebounds, and two assists. On high of that, the Celtics additionally beat the Wizards 104-95.
