Doc Rivers Says Michael Jordan Used To Go Off On His Teammates For Not Playing Defense in The All-Star Game

Doc Rivers once revealed Michael Jordan's crucial message to his teammates for playing defense in the All-Star game.

Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Nowadays, the NBA All-Star game has become a way for players to relax for a couple of days and then go back to business as usual. Oftentimes, it results in most players not taking the All-Star game seriously and playing in it just for the sake of it.

But NBA legend Michael Jordan was not one of them. Jordan is known for his competitive spirit, and apparently, that spirit carried over to the NBA All-Star game. Doc Rivers shared a story about Jordan calling out his teammates at halftime during the 1988 NBA All-Star game.

"It made it an absolutely great game," Doc Rivers said, according to NBC Sports. "I remember Michael at halftime coming to me and saying, 'Pick up full court.' It was great for me because I was a defensive player, which usually in the All-Star game doesn't work. But in that game, there was defense being played. It allowed me to play a lot of minutes."

Michael Jordan had a very different outlook on the game of basketball. For him, even practice sessions were very crucial to his game, and he never stopped being competitive there.

So, it's no surprise that Jordan wanted his teammates to show that level of competition and defense even during the 1988 NBA All-Star game.

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Michael Jordan Prevailed The Eastern Conference To A Stunning Victory In The 1988 NBA All-Star Game

The 1988 NBA All-Star game was played in Chicago. So, obviously, millions of fans had their eyes on no one but Michael Jordan.

MJ was among the top superstars for the East, and he made sure to make it an enjoyable game for fans. Jordan recorded 40 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks in the game.

Mike's performance was enough to lead the East to a stunning 138-133 victory over the West. For his thrilling performance, Jordan was awarded the NBA All-Star MVP award as well.

Jordan's performance at the 1988 NBA All-Star game was one of the biggest examples of the Bulls legend's competitive spirit never turning off. It was a primary driving force in Michael Jordan quickly becoming a fan-favorite. 

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