"I had a good shot…I was kind of hoping for a curveball" - Michael Jordan on a missed three-point shot against the Lakers in 1992

When it comes to taking the big shots, there is perhaps no name that comes to mind quicker than Michael Jordan 's. He has his share of crucial baskets on countless occasions. However, even “His Airness” is not spared from shots missing its mark.

One rare instance happened in November 1992. The Chicago Bulls were visiting the Los Angeles Lakers in a regular-season matchup. Given that the Lakers were severely undermanned, the Bulls were the odds-on favorite to win that game.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson retired abruptly due to HIV and Byron Scott did not suit up due to an injury. With LA’s backcourt depleted, Jordan was expected to have his way. And so he did.

The North Carolina product erupted for 54 points in that game for the Bulls. However, that scoring effort was not enough to repulse the Lakers. The Purple and Gold escaped with a close 120-118 overtime win over the defending champions, made possible through the efforts of James Worthy and Sam Perkins.

No hero this time

The Bulls guard had the chance to either tie or win the game outright for the Bulls. But with 2.2 seconds left in the extra period, Michael opted to take an off-balanced three-point shot that did not hit its mark.

“I had a good shot, and that's all you can ask for. I knew when I released it that it wasn't going in. I was kind of hoping for a curveball,” Jordan said via UPI after that overtime loss.

An argument could be made that MJ or anyone who got the ball from the Bulls could have opted for a higher percentage shot. However, Jordan might have wanted to end the game excitingly, a gamble that unfortunately did not pay off.

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Saving his best for bigger shots

Despite the loss, the fact remains that the Bulls vs. Lakers showdown happened in the early part of the 1992-93 season. Jordan took the risk, knowing he could either be the hero or the goat of that game.

Regardless, it was a rare miss from His Airness, who has been known to hit crazy buzzer-beaters in his career. He had a lot of them with the Chicago Bulls, although his final game-winning shot was when he played for the Washington Wizards in 2002.

However, one of the memorable game-winner that Jordan has under his belt was during Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals between the Bulls and the Utah Jazz. The 3rd overall pick of the 1984 Draft got the ball with about seven seconds left in the game. He made his move against the Jazz’s Bryon Russell and hit a jump shot as time expired.

That win gave the Bulls a head start in their title defense at the time. Chicago would go on to win their second-straight title, their fifth in franchise history, and Jordan would walk away with his fifth NBA Finals MVP plum as well.

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