The rivalry between Michael Jordan and the Detroit Pistons has always been heated. After three straight playoff series losses to the Pistons, Michael turned the corner in 1991 and never looked back.
In 1992, the two teams met in the regular season in a barn-burner. The game went into overtime, as Joe Dumars gave the Pistons a 96-95 lead with 4.1 seconds remaining. Scottie Pippen passed into Bill Cartwright on the inbound. The Bulls big man immediately passed to MJ, who didn’t waste any time. He jabbed right on the fake which shook Dumars momentarily. He then took one dribble to his left for a long three-pointer that tickled the twine with 0.00 showing on the clock. Mike had no time for any handshakes with the Pistons, as he ran to the locker room with his arms raised on the game-winner.
The sneakers that Michael Jordan rocked in this game was the Air Jordan 7. This sneaker was the first to ditch external Nike branding, as the Jordan Brand was becoming its own entity. The Jordan 7 also ditched visible Air for heel and forefoot Air that provided more cushioning. The shoe was noticeably lighter than the past 6 signature shoes, with a neoprene bootie reducing weight on the upper. Visually, the shoe takes elements from African art, with the sharp lines being inspired by African tribal patterns.
The “Cardinal” colorway that Mike wore in this game can be found HERE.
You can find other colors of the Air Jordan 7 at StockX, GOAT, Flight Club, and Stadium Goods.
Cover image via NBA.com