Many remember the "Flu Game" as a legendary moment, but behind the scenes, the story was much scarier. It was a time when not only a championship was on the line, but a life was also at risk.

The Chicago Bulls were against the Utah Jazz in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals. The series was locked at a 2-2 tie, and the pressure was high because the Jazz had not lost a single home game during the entire playoffs. 

Looking back on that night, Jordan used a very specific phrase to describe his condition, “I really felt like I was on deathbed.”

He later admitted that playing those 44 minutes was probably the most difficult thing he had ever done in his life. 

Jordan was so weak that he could barely sit up. The Bulls' medical staff told him there was no way he could play. Despite the warnings, Jordan showed up at the arena.

He looked lost in the 1st quarter, but he somehow scored 17 points in the 2nd. Even so, he kept collapsing on the bench during timeouts and had to be helped by teammates.

The game stayed close until the very end. MJ scored 15 points in the final quarter alone. The Bulls won 90-88, and Jordan collapsed into the arms of Scottie Pippen.

Jordan finished the night with 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists while playing over 44 minutes. The Bulls went on to win Game 6 at home to secure their 5th NBA championship. 

However, while the world celebrated the win, medical experts later pointed out that the game almost ended in a disaster for Jordan’s health.

The Scary Medical Truth Behind the Famous Flu Game

Years after the game, Dr. Nav Badesha, a well-known physician, explained that playing in the Salt Lake City altitude while dehydrated was incredibly dangerous. The city is 4,000 feet above sea level, which makes breathing harder. 

When you add a stomach illness to that, the heart has to work much harder to keep the body going. Dr. Badesha added that he could have suffered from an electrolyte imbalance, an irregular heartbeat, or even a heart attack. 

During halftime, Jordan’s body began to fail him as he turned cold and sweaty on the training table. This is a major warning sign of the body shutting down. 

Jordan’s "mind over matter" attitude allowed him to ignore the warning signs his body was sending, but from a medical standpoint, he was playing with his life.

For years, it was called the "Flu Game," but it was likely food poisoning. The night before the game, Jordan got hungry and ordered a pizza to his hotel in Park City.

Jordan was the only person who ate the pizza, and just hours later, he was unable to move.

Tim Grover went public with the pizza story in 2013, and Jordan himself confirmed it in the documentary The Last Dance. He stated clearly, "It really wasn’t the flu game. It was food poisoning." 

In the end, even if it was catastrophic for his health, Jordan refused to let his team down.

What do you think about Jordan’s decision to play through such a dangerous illness? 

Read more at Air Jordan Chronicles! 

Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Utsav Gupta