“Drives me nuts” – Michael Jordan names the one player who got under his skin and he HATED playing against 

Michael Jordan vs. Reggie Miller: Epic showdowns and mutual discontent on the court.

“Drives me nuts” – Michael Jordan names the one player who got under his skin and he HATED playing against 

Michael Jordan (via IMAGO)

There were a lot of epic fights between Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller. He was a famous Chicago Bulls player who won most of his games but was always let down afterwards. Without a doubt, MJ was the better player, but Miller was able to annoy him.

Between the two of them, Michael Jordan played 56 games against Reggie Miller, including seven playoff games. His averages were 29.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. He won 36 games. Miller had an average of 18.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists when he played against MJ.

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As per ESPN Jordan stated, “I don’t dislike anybody in the league, but playing Reggie Miller drives me nuts. It’s like chicken-fighting with a woman. His game is all this flopping-type thing. He weighs only 185 pounds, so you have to be careful; don’t touch him, or it’s a foul. On offence, I use all my 215 pounds and just move him out. But he has his hands on you all the time, like a woman holding your waist. I just want to beat his hands off because it’s illegal. It irritates me,”

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The only time they played in the playoffs, in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals, Jordan won. Because they pushed the Bulls to their breaking point, the Pacers almost ended their dynasty. That’s why Game 7 had to be played. The history of championships in Chicago did, however, make a difference.

Also Read: Jimmy Butler stunningly leaves Michael Jordan, LeBron James OUT of his NBA all-time starting 5

Pacers vs. Bulls: The challenge of the Reggie Miller Era – A closer look at Chicago’s toughest Eastern Conference rivals

Michael agreed that, besides the Bad Boy Pistons, the Reggie Miller-led Pacers were the team in the East that gave the Bulls the most trouble. The Pacers didn’t stand out when I looked at them on paper.

Even though only three players scored in double figures and no one averaged more than 20 points per game, the team was ranked fifth in the league for offence. The Pacers’ defence was ranked in the top five in the league, even though they didn’t have any All-Defensive players. They were very well-balanced, and Larry Bird, who was coaching his first NBA season, was doing a great job.

The balanced way they ran their offence turned into Reggie Miller’s solo show when the game was close. He was the group’s glue and the person they turned to when things got tough. Even in the playoff series against the Bulls in 1998, he was very important after making a famous three-pointer that won game two and tied the series at two games each. However, MJ and his team beat the Pacers to make it to the NBA Finals, where they beat the Utah Jazz to win their sixth NBA title.

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