Sneakerhead

Following their bruising seven game encounter the previous year, the Bulls and Knicks met again in the 1993 playoffs, this time to determine the Eastern Conference champion. With the series knotted at 2-2, Game 5 was a decisive encounter for control of the series. The game would be played at the Garden, where the top seeded Knicks had won 27 straight games.

With the chance to take the lead in the dying moments, the Knicks were denied on multiple occasions thanks primarily to the smothering defensive effort of Scottie Pippen on Charles Smith.

Which brings us to the the subject of this entry, the moments immediately preceding the final buzzer. In the wake of the frenetic finish, what is often and rightfully overlooked is MJ's post game celebration at center court:

Like The Shot in '89, Jordan launches into his traditional limb flailing celebration, inadvertently fly kicking the NBC cameraman with his left Air Jordan VIII.

 

Of course, this wouldn't be the last time a visiting Bull kicked a courtside cameraman...