Michael Jordan had his share of ups and downs early in his NBA career. In Jordan’s first three years in the playoffs, he was swept twice, winning just one game in that span. The Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons didn’t have Chicago Bulls numbers until the 1990s.
Even in his first few seasons in the NBA, Jordan was already a great player and scoring machine. Before winning the title in 1991, “His Flying Man” averaged 32.8 points, 6.3 assists, 6.0 assists, 2.8 assists and 1.1 assists per game. During this time, the superstar guard earned MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors. He was a six-time All-Star and led the team in scoring four consecutive seasons.
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Still, there are some who are insurmountable or difficult to beat in the playoffs.
Here are some of the players who beat Michael Jordan in the playoffs
#5 Sidney Moncrief
Sidney Moncrief, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, starred for the Milwaukee Bucks in Michael Jordan’s first playoff series main character. The seventh-seeded Chicago Bulls are underdogs against the second-ranked Bucks.
Moncrief was the Bucks’ primary defender against Jordan in the series. “Air Jordan” still averaged 29.3 points, 8.5 assists, 5.8 assists, 2.8 assists and 1.0 assists per game. He was arguably the best player on both sides of the ball, but could only lead the Bulls to one victory in the series.
Sidney Moncrief’s defensive duties haven’t stopped him from averaging 26.5 points, 4.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game.
#4 Terry Cummings
Terry Cummings was one of Sidney Moncrief’s teammates on the 1985 Bucks team that defeated the Chicago Bulls. Before becoming a journeyman, the two-time All-Star was a vital part of the Milwaukee Bucks’ success in the ’80s.
Cummings only has to guard Jordan or help on defense on switches. The power forward is a thorn in the side of the Bulls, who leads the Bucks in scoring (29.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg).
Michael Jordan’s first playoff series didn’t end well, partly because of Terry Cummings.
#3 Dennis Johnson
In 1986, Michael Jordan’s second year into the playoffs, he led the Chicago Bulls to the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Waiting for them was none other than Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics were looking to avenge a painful championship loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985. On paper, Chicago looks like a stepping stone for them.
Dennis Johnson, Boston’s defensive stalwart and playmaker, was the Celtics’ first choice to guard Jordan. It was in this series that Michael Jordan proved his mettle. In the second game, he broke out with a record-breaking 63 points. Larry Bird called Jordan “God” while wearing the sneakers during that game.
Still, Johnson had a solid series despite his defensive efforts. He ended up averaging 19.0 points, 6.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
#2 Isaiah Thomas
Michael Jordan posted a 10-12 record in the playoffs against the Detroit Pistons. Isiah Thomas was a big reason why His Air failed to win against the Bad Boys.
Thomas’ Pistons eliminated the Bulls in 1988, 1989 and 1990. When the Bulls swept Detroit in 1991, Jordan finally got out of the woods. The game was marred by the now-infamous Pistons strike.
In 22 playoff games against Jordan, Thomas averaged 18.9 points, 8.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds. To this day, the animosity between the two legends has only intensified.
#1 Larry Bird
Michael Jordan went 6-0 in the NBA Finals. He was also 0-6 in the playoffs against Larry Bird. In those six games, “his aura” was outstanding. My averages were 39.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.8 APG, 2.2 SPG, and 1.8 BPG. He wasn’t the reason the Bulls couldn’t pull off a win against Bird’s Celtics.
“Larry Legend” was at his peak during Jordan’s early years. Bird averaged 27.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game. He was one of the players who beat Jordan in several games in the playoffs.
Bird is the biggest reason why the Boston Celtics swept Michael Jordan’s Bulls back-to-back seasons.