Young Michael Jordan vs Young Karl Malone - Shoot out In Utah | Malone Attempts To 'Isiah Thomas' MJ

The Bulls had lost 6 out of their last 7 games against the Utah Jazz heading in to this contest. The Jazz had the Bulls number, during this stretch of NBA history.
3/21/84: 117-95 Loss
3/9/85: 111-105 Loss
3/24/85: 110-93 Loss
11/27/85: 114-96 Loss
12/21/85: 117-104 Win
12/3/86: 99-94 Loss
12/20/86: 91-89 Loss
Now you add in these elements for the dramatics:
- The Bulls were in the midst of a brutal 8 game circus road trip which was one of the worst road trips in NBA history
- Michael Jordan had the flu
- Scottie Pippen left the game due to a dislocated left thumb with 1:17 left in the 3rd quarter
- The Michael Jordan Come Fly With Me sequence takes place, in this game, in which Jordan dunks on Stockton, gets yelled at by a fan, accepts the challenge, and dunks on Melvin Turpin to shut the fan up.
- Karl Malone attempted to take Michael Jordan's head off with a full speed flying elbow (His Isiah Thomas signature elbow move.)
- Also add in Stockton & Malone were Michael Jordan's future teammates on the Dream Team & rivals in the future 97 & 98 NBA Finals.
- Bulls were losing, heading in to the 4th quarter
- The bench collapsed without MJ in the 4th quarter
- Bulls were down 7 points with less than 5 minutes remaining in the game
What more can you ask for?
Adding more context to the brutal road trip. Distance from Chicago to Boston (984 miles) to Milwaukee (1,074 miles) to Dallas (1,057 miles) to Houston (239 miles) to Oakland (1,915 miles) to Utah (730 miles) to Denver (519 miles) to San Antonio (932 miles) and back to Chicago (1,240 miles) for a grand total of 8,690 miles. The Bulls traveled nearly 9 thousand miles in 13 days, which would get you 1/3rd of the way around the planet, flying at the equator.
(1987-88 Season)
TIMESTAMPS:
2:28 - Game begins
3:15 - MJ vs 7'4" Mark Eaton (no call)
3:22 - MJ hanging elbow jumper
3:42 - Malone vs Brad Sellers, and 1
4:20 - MJ ball fakes Stockton & hits jumper
4:44 - MJ vs Stockton fast break layup
4:58 - Stockton crossover & jumper off the glass
5:12 - Clyde Drexler compares Michael Jordan with Larry Bird & Magic Johnson
5:54 - Stockton to Thurl Bailey dunk
6:04 - MJ jumper
6:54 - Malone to Hansen to Stockton layup
7:17 - Malone plows through Jordan for the layup
8:10 - Bailey jumper
9:00 - Darrell Griffith rainbow baseline jumper (wet)
9:32 - MJ had been missing from the game so the announcers talk about the reports that Jordan was sick with the flu / cold on that long road trip
10:01 - Pippen blocked twice but makes 3rd attempt
11:06 - Griffith jukes & blows past Pippen for the bucket
11:25 - Griffith 3 point rainbow jumper from the top of the key (wet)
12:22 - Pippen pull up jumper
13:26 - Karl Malone vs Charles Oakley Greco-Roman match
14:34 - MJ delivers hard foul & knocks Malone to the floor
15:18 - MJ cleans up a sloppy play for the bucket
15:36 - Stockton burns John Paxson with the hesitation & crossover
16:35 - MJ baseline reverse pivot off the glass jumper
16:49 - Mark Iavaroni chase down block on John Paxson
16:53 - Stockton to Malone
17:17 - Stockton no-look pass to Griffith for the dunk
17:53 - Stockton drives down the middle of the Bulls defense
18:05 - MJ jumper
18:22 - MJ hesitation & reverse layup
19:30 - MJ blocks Malone
20:23 - MJ steals Stockton's entry pass with 1 hand
22:06 - Michael Jordan Come Fly With Me dunk on John Stockton
22:54 - Michael Jordan Come Fly With Me dunk on Melvin Turpin
23:00 - "Was he big enough?"
24:13 - Replay of MJ dunk on Mel Turpin
24:45 - MJ pump fake leapin' leaner jumper
25:09 - MJ post-up turnaround fadeaway jumper (wet)
25:25 - Malone fadeaway jumper in the paint
25:45 - 7'4" Mark Eaton shoots down at the rim with his left handed hook
25:58 - Charles Oakley flops, gives up a layup on other end to Malone
26:50 - MJ lightning quick crossover, baseline drive & powerful dunk
27:36 - MJ blocks Malone as Artis Gilmore pushes Malone to the floor
28:37 - MJ blocks Bailey
28:46 - MJ blocks Bailey (again)
29:06 - MJ turnaround fadeaway elbow jumper (wet)
30:23 - Stockton to Bailey
30:45 - Malone post-up fadeaway jumper
31:26 - Malone post-up baseline fadeaway jumper (wet)
31:41 - Malone blocks Charles Oakley
32:47 - Pippen jumper (wet)
33:08 - MJ blocks Rickey Green
33:33 - Pippen leaves game with dislocated thumb
34:18 - Griffith top of key jumper (wet)
34:27 - Green to Malone, and 1
35:56 - Green top of key jumper
37:04 - Bailey jumper
38:31 - Bailey hook shot
39:23 - Malone pump fake 1 dribble pull up jumper off the glass
39:51 - Stockton fast break crossover & lefty layup
42:44 - Malone delivers a mid-air elbow to MJ's head at full speed
43:08 - Best angle of Malone elbowing MJ on the back of his head
43:59 - MJ clutch baseline reverse pivot bucket
44:37 - MJ clutch contested pull-up jumper in traffic
44:51 - MJ steal & save
45:06 - Karl Malone clutch post-up bucket over Horace Grant, and 1
49:25 - Michael Jordan drops Hansen & drills the clutch pull-up jumper
50:42 - MJ's final contributions to the game

[@6DoctorJ]

MJ's famous "Big Enough?" game.

[@powerbadpowerbad]

Yeah,I saw MJ put his palms out in explanation. LOL.

[@turbochargedsports6327]

@@powerbadpowerbad if you look closely, we can read his lips & see him say "big enough?" My favorite MJ story of all time.

[@SkylineR33mt]

Like no. 23

[@weswarden2216]

"Was he big enough" 😂😂😂

[@johnc.richardson2713]

And this is why MJ is the GOAT. In addition to not being surpassed analytically, there always seems to be some extra context or fact involving his most famous moments or games that most people don’t know about, and which elevate the story even more. For instance, most people know about the “is he big enough“ moment, but I don’t think most people know that Michael came into this game complaining of feeling sick, nor do they know he also jumped over 7’4” Mount Eaton in the same game.

[@hairjordan2620]

It's interesting to note that Darell Griffith jumped as high as Jordan, these kids never heard of him, so much for all the plumber talk lol

[@dc4690]

I’ve yet to come across anyone who can name someone that played in the nba and was also a plumber at the same time from ‘84 to ‘98

[@mauriceavery2649]

Yeah I wouldn't say he was a " Jordan jump high" kind of guy though, solid point guard but definitely not able to jump with mj

[@ian_ford]

Darrell "Dr. Dunkenstein" Griffith.

[@powerbadpowerbad]

Thanks for this blast from the past video,MJ was relentless driving to the CUP.Stockton had a lay-up drill in that first quarter,both teams are playing hard and agressive.Unlike today's nba games.

[@rashb3994]

Watching Stockton as an adult is way different than barely paying attention to him when I was a teen. He is crazy efficient and exactly as Gary Payton comicly described his game. Lol

[@vernondavis2207]

Jordan to Utah fan after dunking on Mel Turpin..."was he big enough?'" 😂😂😂

[@leonblack751]

Another Classic

[@BlitzSportsNetwork]

TIMESTAMPS: 2:28 - Game begins 3:15 - MJ vs 7'4" Mark Eaton (no call) 3:22 - MJ hanging elbow jumper 3:42 - Malone vs Brad Sellers, and 1 4:20 - MJ ball fakes Stockton & hits jumper 4:44 - MJ vs Stockton fast break layup 4:58 - Stockton crossover & jumper off the glass 5:12 - Clyde Drexler compares Michael Jordan with Larry Bird & Magic Johnson 5:54 - Stockton to Thurl Bailey dunk 6:04 - MJ jumper 6:54 - Malone to Hansen to Stockton layup 7:17 - Malone plows through Jordan for the layup 8:10 - Bailey jumper 9:00 - Darrell Griffith rainbow baseline jumper (wet) 9:32 - MJ had been missing from the game so the announcers talk about the reports that Jordan was sick with the flu / cold on that long road trip 10:01 - Pippen blocked twice but makes 3rd attempt 11:06 - Griffith jukes & blows past Pippen for the bucket 11:25 - Griffith 3 point rainbow jumper from the top of the key (wet) 12:22 - Pippen pull up jumper 13:26 - Karl Malone vs Charles Oakley Greco-Roman match 14:34 - MJ delivers hard foul & knocks Malone to the floor 15:18 - MJ cleans up a sloppy play for the bucket 15:36 - Stockton burns John Paxson with the hesitation & crossover 16:35 - MJ baseline reverse pivot off the glass jumper 16:49 - Mark Iavaroni chase down block on John Paxson 16:53 - Stockton to Malone 17:17 - Stockton no-look pass to Griffith for the dunk 17:53 - Stockton drives down the middle of the Bulls defense 18:05 - MJ jumper 18:22 - MJ hesitation & reverse layup 19:30 - MJ blocks Malone 20:23 - MJ steals Stockton's entry pass with 1 hand 22:06 - Michael Jordan Come Fly With Me dunk on John Stockton 22:54 - Michael Jordan Come Fly With Me dunk on Melvin Turpin 23:00 - "Was he big enough?" 24:13 - Replay of MJ dunk on Mel Turpin 24:45 - MJ pump fake leapin' leaner jumper 25:09 - MJ post-up turnaround fadeaway jumper (wet) 25:25 - Malone fadeaway jumper in the paint 25:45 - 7'4" Mark Eaton shoots down at the rim with his left handed hook 25:58 - Charles Oakley flops, gives up a layup on other end to Malone 26:50 - MJ lightning quick crossover, baseline drive & powerful dunk 27:36 - MJ blocks Malone as Artis Gilmore pushes Malone to the floor 28:37 - MJ blocks Bailey 28:46 - MJ blocks Bailey (again) 29:06 - MJ turnaround fadeaway elbow jumper (wet) 30:23 - Stockton to Bailey 30:45 - Malone post-up fadeaway jumper 31:26 - Malone post-up baseline fadeaway jumper (wet) 31:41 - Malone blocks Charles Oakley 32:47 - Pippen jumper (wet) 33:08 - MJ blocks Rickey Green 33:33 - Pippen leaves game with dislocated thumb 34:18 - Griffith top of key jumper (wet) 34:27 - Green to Malone, and 1 35:56 - Green top of key jumper 37:04 - Bailey jumper 38:31 - Bailey hook shot 39:23 - Malone pump fake 1 dribble pull up jumper off the glass 39:51 - Stockton fast break crossover & lefty layup 42:44 - Malone delivers a mid-air elbow to MJ's head at full speed 43:08 - Best angle of Malone elbowing MJ on the back of his head 43:59 - MJ clutch baseline reverse pivot bucket 44:37 - MJ clutch contested pull-up jumper in traffic 44:51 - MJ steal & save 45:06 - Karl Malone clutch post-up bucket over Horace Grant, and 1 49:25 - Michael Jordan drops Hansen & drills the clutch pull-up jumper 50:42 - MJ's final contributions to the game One of many legendary battles between these 2 franchises! 😤

[@6DoctorJ]

Thanks heaps.

[@donjuanismo]

I love your videos! Thanks so much for sharing the rarest content, and meticulous detail in TIMESTAMPTS. Also you descriptions are excellent commentaries that would make Jordan proud. I'm sure he secretly watches these videos. Remember, MJ loves the game MORE than we do. And would cherish reliving his prime through watching these videos in his spare time. (He has mentioned YT on numerous occasions, once regarding people uploading ANY footage of him in public. So he is well aware, and obviously views NBA content under an alias, or via a friends account.

[@Mykoveli]

Did you see, after the buzzer at the end of the game a little kid ran onto the court to get an autograph from Jordan. I wonder who that kid grew up to be and if he sold that autograph.

[@raingeart1]

Young Malone was almost as dirty as old Malone, as great as Karl was 23 was the best player on that floor

[@foreverfree3953]

anyone watching this thinking Scottie Pippen was a stud as soon as he entered the NBA.. watch Rookie Pippen in this game.. not even close to the player he eventually becomes.. MJ on the other hand...was a stud from day one.!!

[@phildo7pt9]

7:52 Love the use of Depeche Mode going into the break :-)

[@dexsanders9124]

Just listening to the commentators tells you everything you need to know "He's the greatest i ever seen"🤔🫡

[@powerbadpowerbad]

WOW.MJ had 47 pts.Paxson had 17 pts.Good game.

[@crb4059]

Mj would shoot his last shot to win the 6th Championship on this court.

[@ibringthelastwords1358]

Straight from vhs tape :)

[@TheForgottenMan270]

This was during the time when the NBA was played by men. Now you wonder who's playing. This was basketball at its peak.

[@mikegarcia7623]

MJ is throwing everybody shit to the Front Row

[@ronaldellis318]

Love your content homie!!!!

[@michaelclyburn5858]

This is when the NBA was great. I don’t watch anymore. Gave it up long ago.

[@D84D]

Another thing about Jordan coming in starting his career, there were so many on their way out too. The passing of the tourch was actually the passing of the league.

[@truthserum333]

So many on their way in.. Malone, Stockton was probably one of the best duos to never win for example.. they were young stars here, MJ the brightest ofc. Drexler, Barkley, others were young too... what you talking about?

[@D84D]

@@truthserum333 Of course all these young greats coming in. I'm talking about the guys on the way out. The soon to be forgotten. Corzine & Gilmore to name a few.

[@darththomarius6751]

Both assistant coaches in this game will meet in the finals in about ten years. Even more amazing is how many players in this game will be in the league by then. I count six. Jordan Pippen Grant Oakley Malone Stockton. Hansen will later be a Bull, but that's the '92 Bulls. So four players in this game will be in the Finals '97 & '98. Guess I could look it up, but off the dome, I think I'm right

[@davidschmidt227]

49:05 Lol,I love this. I was wondering if it happened on a Sunday or not.

[@23systems]

Haha it was cool to see Artis Gilmore take out Malone and send him flat on his back 52.57...to the Mailmans credit he shook it right off. Thanks for the upload.

[@calvinhaskett8712]

Karl Malone is top 5 greatest power fowards of all time...Give him his credit NBA.. 💐🌹🌹

[@foreverfree3953]

Its no wonder OAKLEY and SELLERS were shipped away.... Sellers would be lottery in today's NBA. He had zero "back to the basket" skills, zero defense vs the 4 & 5. at 7'1" ..he refused to dunk.. he looked way more comfortable shooting from the outside. OAKLEY; he was a brick in the middle ..wanted to be an NFL QB. Always throwing the ball down court.. Doug Collins and MJ had to be really frustrated..

[@erichenderson844]

NBA players who can't jump wear Air Corzine's. 😂😂😂😂

[@grooveskin]

You Do Know Dave Corzine is In The Hall of Fame and He Was on His Way Out. Fun Fact: Chuck Taylor Never Stepped On a Court But Converse Tennis Was The Pinnacle Seller Till Jordans Hit The Market Then Adidas

[@9211goat]

Ah yes. I remember it well!

[@calvinhaskett8712]

if im Stock and Malone i would have went and played with Mike Jordan and da Bulls .

[@user-wu8sj3ee3d]

Anytime Stockton lost I was happy.

[@frictionhitch]

This is why the NBA is no fun anymore. Bring back hand checking and physicality. Football is headed away from competition as well unfortunately. At least we have soy burgers now. Young people are so lame.

[@user-wu8sj3ee3d]

Dirty Malone - in more than just the elbow

[@bankrollwels]

Karl Malone should have been kicked out of the game... he's a dirty player and always have been dirty.... he throws elbow and kicks his leg out when taking shots