Michael Jordan is regarded as one of the best closers in NBA history. Given his stature and the number of iconic shots he hit when games were on the line, one would assume that Mike always demanded the ball when it mattered the most. However, the Chicago Bulls legend had a different mindset, especially early in his career.
MJ didn't chase late-game glory
Jordan's game-winning shot in 1982 as a freshman for North Carolina did not excite the Bulls scouts. They felt that when given free rein, there was a chance the "Black Cat" would force the issue and play outside the team's system just to be a hero.
However, Michael dismissed such notions ahead of his professional debut. The UNC product claimed that he didn't take over games intentionally. Instead, he waited for the right opportunity.
"I don't have the attitude of going to look for a situation to take over a game," Jordan said in 1984, per the New York Times . "It's like a coincidence, maybe a knack I have, to always be in the right place at the right time. But I don't go hunting for it. I like it to come to me."
The young Jordan might have spoken too early. After all, he developed a reputation as a ball hog in his first few years in the NBA, playing heavy minutes and averaging 37.1 points in just his third year.
This mentality propelled No. 23 to greater heights individually. However, collective success eluded Mike and the Bulls, with the team failing to get past the first round in the first three years of the Jordan era.
Trust your teammates
Going into his first Finals in 1991, MJ was still perceived as a one-man show. Everyone was aware of Jordan's individual excellence but thought there was a cap to his success due to a lack of trust in his teammates. However, "His Airness" finally changed that narrative in Game 5 of the championship series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Purple and Gold decided to trap Mike every time he drove to the paint. This initially confused him, so he opted to force jumpers over two defenders. However, during a timeout, Phil Jackson pointed out that a teammate—John Paxson—was always open in the wing.
"So get him the damn ball," Jackson told Mike.
Paxson scored 10 points in the final minutes of Game 5. He finished with 20 points and clinched the title for the Bulls.
Jordan, meanwhile, finally realized that trusting his teammates results in success. He was still the NBA's best closer, hitting one iconic late-game shot after another without "hunting for it." But he knew guys around him also had what it takes to seal the deal when necessary.
Related: "I didn't have a best move. My best move was just to win" - Magic's response to a potential one-on-one duel with MJ in 1990
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