The Shot was a game-winning jumpshot byMichael Jordan and theChicago Bulls during a1989 playoff game between the Bulls andCleveland Cavaliers of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). It took place on May 7, 1989, atRichfield Coliseum inRichfield Township,Ohio, during the deciding Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round series between the Bulls and Cavaliers.[1] With thebest-of-five series tied at two games apiece and the Cavaliers leading the game by one point with three seconds left, Bulls playerMichael Jordan received an inbound pass and made abuzzer-beater shot to give the Bulls a 101–100 win and clinch a series victory. The play capped off a final minute in which there were six lead changes. Jordan finished the game with 44 points. The Shot is considered to be one of his greatestclutch moments, and the game itself is regarded as a classic.[1] Following the First Round, the Bulls defeated theNew York Knicks in the Conference Semifinals in six games, but lost to the eventual championDetroit Pistons in the Conference Finals in six games.
This series was a rematch of theprevious season's Eastern Conference First Round series, which the Bulls won 3–2. However, in 1989, Cleveland swept all six regular-season games against Chicago, including a 90–84 victory in the final regular-season game in which they rested their four best players (Ron Harper,Mark Price,Brad Daugherty andLarry Nance). The Cavaliers were the third seed in theEastern Conference and the Bulls were the sixth seed; this was a reversal of the previous year's playoff seeding, in which the Bulls were the third seed and the Cavaliers the sixth seed. Cleveland had a 57–25 regular season record, tied with theLos Angeles Lakers for the second-best record in the league behind theDetroit Pistons. Chicago's regular season record that year was 47–35 which, although it placed them fifth in their division, was good enough for the sixth playoff seed in the conference. Given both these factors, the Bulls' playoff victory was considered a major upset. In retrospect, The Shot symbolized the beginning of the ascent of the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. It was the first of many game-winning shots that Jordan made in his playoff career; on Game 4 of the1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Jordan made another series-winning buzzer-beater on the same end of the court in the same building, to give the Bulls their fourth playoff series win over the Cavaliers, this series being a four-game sweep.
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| Date | May 7, 1989 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Venue | Richfield Coliseum,Richfield Township,Ohio | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referees | Hugh Evans,Jack Madden,Jake O'Donnell | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 20,273[2] | ||||||||||||||||||
Michael Jordan made ajump shot with 6 seconds left to give the Bulls a 99–98 lead. After Cleveland called a timeout,Craig Ehlo inbounded the ball toLarry Nance, who gave the ball back to Ehlo, who scored on a drivinglayup to give Cleveland a 100–99 lead with 3 seconds left. Chicago then called timeout. Jordan was double-teamed by Ehlo and Nance on the inbounds. Jordan first moved to his right, pushing Nance away, then cut left to get open and receive the inbound pass fromBrad Sellers. Drifting to his left, Jordan made a jump shot at thefoul line hanging in the air over the defending Ehlo who leaped to block the shotas time expired, giving the Bulls a 101–100 victory.[3]
The lasting image of the moment is Jordan's wild, emphatic celebration:[citation needed] a leap into the air and multiplefist pumps as Ehlo fell to the ground in despair a short distance away. This scene has become part of many fans' recollection of The Shot, but it was not shown to viewers of the televised game (which was broadcast onCBS withDick Stockton andHubie Brown as well as sideline reporterJames Brown calling the action).[citation needed] CBS never aired this replay during the game telecast, nor was Jordan's celebration caught by the sideline pressbox camera used for most game action.[citation needed] Instead, fans saw the celebration of Bulls head coachDoug Collins, who ran around Bulls assistant coachPhil Jackson and into the arms of his team.[citation needed]
Jordan's leap was recreated for the 2006 television commercial "Second Generation".[4]
Jim Durham's call of "The Shot" was used on the opening billboard of theNBA on NBC's revival throughout the1990–91 NBA season. This was the firstbuzzer beater to occur in a winner-take-all playoff game.[citation needed] A game-winning shot like this would not happen again until2019,[citation needed] when theToronto Raptors'Kawhi Leonard scored a Game 7 shot which bounced off the rim four times before falling.
Jim Durham: The inbounds pass comes in to Jordan. Here's Michael at the foul line, the shot on Ehlo...(overlapping Kerr) GOOD! Bulls win!
Johnny Kerr: GOOD! THE BULLS WIN IT! THEY WIN IT!
Durham: They upset the Cleveland Cavaliers! Michael Jordan hits it at the foul line! 101–100! 20,273 in stunned silence here in the Coliseum. Michael Jordan with 44 points in a game hit the shot over Craig Ehlo. What tremendous heroics we have had in Game 5. From both teams, what a spectacular series this has been. In my days in the NBA, 16 years, this is the greatest series I've ever seen!
Dick Stockton: Sellers has Jordan. Jordan with 2 seconds to go, puts it up and scores! At the buzzer! Michael Jordan has won it for Chicago! Michael Jordan hit the basket at the buzzer as a disconsolateLenny Wilkens leaves the floor. And for the second time today, the visiting team has won a deciding game in an opening round series. And the Chicago Bulls will move on to play theNew York Knicks in a best-of-7.
Joe Tait: He looks. He looks. He gets to Jordan. Jordan to the circle, puts the shot in the air, GOOD! The game's over! And the Bulls have won. Jordan beat 'em at the buzzer with a jump shot in the circle and Chicago has knocked off the Cavs 101–100.
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