Jordan and Russell to Play Rematch of 1998 NBA Finals?

June 14, 1998, was the last game Jordan played with the Chicago Bulls, and the ending was storybook perfect. You all remember it, Jordan crossing over in the lane, breaking Russell’s ankles and draining the jumper from the foul line in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA. Nothing but net, nothing but an 87-86 victory and nothing but a sixth title in an eight-year span.

His Airness scored 45 points, capped off with the game-winning basket with 5.2 seconds left that is one of the more memorable images in NBA history.

Well the owner of the Utah Jazz’s NBA Development League team wants to relive that moment. Brandt Andersen is offering a $100,000 donation to the charity of the winner’s choice if he can get Jordan and Russell to play a game of 21.

The idea came about after Jordan’s Hall of Fame speech that was very critical of some people, Russell included. Jordan said he was motivated by Russell’s trash talk toward him during his first retirement.

Being a smart business man, Andersen viewed this as an opportunity to settle the score all while getting his D-League team some publicity. Andersen has reportedly talked to Russell about the idea and has left a message for Jordan through a mutual friend.

What Andersen’s suggesting is that Jordan and Russell, during halftime of the Utah Flash’s home opener, play a game of 21 with the winner getting a $100,000 donation to the charity of his choosing.

It’s going to be a tough sell to solicit MJ to come out to a D-League game just so he can face a guy he ripped in his HOF speech, and give him a chance to embarrass him in a highly publicized event. Jordan has everything to loose and nothing really to gain. He beat Russell when it counted most and then told him how he felt about the guy in his speech.

I retract that statement; Jordan does have something to gain. His speech shocked a lot of people in how un-gracious it was. This would be a good P.R. move for Jordan as he’s been criticized quite heavily his petty actions.

"B-Russ wants some vindication and M.J. puts that fire we have always seen to the test by lacing them up one more time in a casual ‘all for charity’ event," Andersen said. "The match-up between these guys created one of the greatest moments in basketball history and was memorialized at Michael’s Hall of Fame induction speech. Let’s lace them up just one more time."

My guess is that Jordan sends out a curt reply via his P.R. rep stating that he’s not interested and he will personally donate the hundred grand to Russell’s charity as a consolation. A final slap in the face to Russell.

On a side note, Utah Jazz fans still insist Jordan pushed off Russell.