June 5, 1998; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan in game two of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Anne Ryan-USA TODAY
June 5, 1998; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan in game two of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Anne Ryan-USA TODAY
The Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks didn't just play basketball in the 1990s; they went to war. And at the center of every battle was a man who made it his personal mission to ensure the Knicks never forgot their place.
"As long as Patrick was gonna be there, as long as Oakley was gonna be there, as long as Starks was gonna be there, you gotta let them know what they are, this is where you belong. I don't care who you think you are, this is where you belong," Jordan said in an interview.
Those weren't empty words. Against Patrick Ewing, Jordan held a 49-21 record. Against John Starks, he went 33-12 while averaging 31.8 points and holding Starks to just 12.3.
Unknown Date; Cleveland, OH, USA; FILE PHOTO; Chicago Bulls guard (45) Michael Jordan wears jersey#45 shortly after his return from a brief retirement following playing baseball against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gund Arena. Mandatory Credit: Photo By USA TODAY Sports (c) Copyright USA TODAY Sports
Unknown Date; Cleveland, OH, USA; FILE PHOTO; Chicago Bulls guard (45) Michael Jordan wears jersey#45 shortly after his return from a brief retirement following playing baseball against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gund Arena. Mandatory Credit: Photo By USA TODAY Sports (c) Copyright USA TODAY Sports
Those weren't empty words. Jordan was up 49-21 against Patrick Ewing. Against John Starks, he went 33-12 while averaging 31.8 points and holding Starks to just 12.3. Jordan posted a 23-13 overall record in 36 games against Charles Oakley.
His game on both sides of the ball was so consistent against New York that over 60 games, he averaged 31.6 points, 5.8 boards, and 4.8 assists per game.
For Jordan, this wasn't just another rivalry it was personal territory.
"Anybody that was trying to take something from us, that's a rivalry," Jordan said in an interview with Ahmad Rashad.
That mindset showed up in the standings. Between 1989 and 1996, Chicago won five of six postseason series against New York with a combined 22-14 game record. The only series the Knicks won came in 1994 during Jordan's retirement.
And no single matchup captured that ceiling better than what Jordan did to Patrick Ewing every time they shared the floor.
How Michael Jordan Made Patrick Ewing's Knicks Look Helpless
Jordan didn't just beat the Knicks; he made Ewing's squad look helpless doing it. With a 49-21 overall mark against Ewing, his record speaks for itself.
Jordan played 43 regular-season games against Ewing, leading the way with 30 wins and averaging 32.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. He was 19-8 in the playoffs over 27 appearances, and the Bulls never beat him during Jordan's time.
Yet Ewing never denied what he was witnessing.
"Everybody asks that question, but for me, Michael Jordan is the best in my era. The way that he played, everything he brought to the table, not to take anything away from LeBron and Kobe," Ewing said on The Mark Jackson Show.
The defining moment came on May 31, 1993, in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. With Chicago down 1-2 and facing real pressure, Jordan dropped 54 points in a 105-95 win at Chicago Stadium.
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Written by
Utsav Gupta
Edited by
Utsav Gupta