17-year anniversary of Michael Jordan’s flu game

On this day 17 years ago, Michael Jordan provided one of his final and most memorable moments in his long and storied playing days scoring 38 points while being stricken with the flu, giving us one of the most iconic pictures of his career.

The night before Game 5 of the 1997 Finals, Jordan called the athletic trainer, who found him lying on the floor and hardly able to move. Initially told he wouldn’t be able to play the following day, Jordan rested up and played in the contest that night.

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After the Jazz jumped out to an early lead, Jordan poured in 17 points in the second quarter and pulled the Bulls back within striking distance heading into the locker room. However, fatigued and weakened, Jordan was unable to play and Utah increased their lead once again.

However, the fourth quarter saw Jordan score 15 more points, including the free throw to tie the game and the three-pointer to give the Bulls the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter, the deciding points of the game and the essentially the series.

It was in those closing moments, with the lead safely in Chicago’s hands and the game all but over that Jordan collapsed into teammate’s Scottie Pippen’s arms, creating the iconic image that symbolizes the “Flu Game” and one of the defining moments of Jordan’s legacy as the greatest of all time.