The Shot

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For other uses, see The Shot (disambiguation).

The Shot is a game-winning basket made by Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls in the fifth game of the first round of the 1989 NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers, on May 7, 1989, on Cleveland's home floor in Richfield, Ohio.^[1]

1 The play
2 Lasting images
3 The plan of the play
4 Reasons it is memorable
5 Gatorade ad
6 References
7 External links

[edit] The play

Cleveland led the entire game until Jordan hit a jumper with six seconds left to gave the Bulls their first lead at 99-98. Following a Cleveland timeout, Craig Ehlo inbounded the ball, received a return pass, and scored on a driving layup to retake the lead with three seconds left, 100-99. Chicago then called a timeout.

The ball was inbounded to Jordan, now being guarded by Ehlo. Jim Durham, calling the game on the Bulls' Radio Network, narrates what happened next:

“

The inbounds pass comes in to Jordan. Here's Michael at the foul line, the shot on Ehlo...good! Bulls win! They win it! Superman was Superman and no one is going to talk about that missed free throw in Game 4 now!

”

Of course, what Jim Durham conveniently failed to note, and what the referees failed to call, was that Michael Jordan used his patented push-off move to clear Ehlo out of the way and make the play.

[edit] Lasting images

Jordan's shot on Craig Ehlo.

The lasting image of this moment is Jordan's wild and emphatic celebration: a leap into the air and multiple fist pumps while shouting at the visiting crowd, as Ehlo fell in agony a short distance away. This scene has become part of many fans' recollection of The Shot, but it was not shown to viewers of the televised game (which was broadcast on CBS with Dick Stockton and Hubie Brown as well as sideline reporter, James Brown calling the action). CBS never aired this replay during the game telecast, nor was Jordan's celebration caught by the sideline pressbox camera used for most game action. Instead, fans saw the celebration of Bulls coach Doug Collins.

[edit] The plan of the play

At the post-game news conference, Chicago head coach Doug Collins said the plan of the play was "Give the ball to Michael and get the hell out of the way!" Jordan must have taken this plan to heart, as he got Ehlo the hell out of his way with his famous push-off move. ^[2]

[edit] Reasons it is memorable

The Shot was memorable because:

The buzzer-beater gave Chicago the best-of-five series, 3-2.
The Shot is considered one of Jordan's greatest clutch moments, and the game itself a classic.^[1]
It is one of several dramatic sports moments — Red Right 88, The Catch, The Drive, and The Fumble — at the expense of Cleveland teams.
The Bulls were winless in six games against the Cavaliers in the regular season, including a 6-point loss in the final regular-season game in which the Cavaliers rested their four best players (Ron Harper, Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, and Larry Nance). The Bulls' playoff victory was considered an upset.

[edit] Gatorade ad

In 2005, Gatorade produced an advertisement featuring The Shot. The premise of the ad was "what if great moments in sports history were an inch off?" The ad featured edited footage of The Shot, altered to a miss by Jordan, causing the Cleveland team and home crowd to celebrate. Later in the ad, the real version of the telecast (in which Jordan makes the shot and leaps in the air to pump his fist, while Ehlo crumples at the sideline) is shown.