RICHFIELD, Ohio - The moment is so iconic, so instantly memorable, that it seems as though it was preordained. The pass, the shot, the celebration, the agony - the whole things seemed so natural that you might think it was part of some master plan.
The Cleveland Cavaliers did everything they could to stop it from happening. Leading 100-99, two seconds left in the first-round series, they only had to stop the Bulls from scoring one basket. Of course, the Bulls had Michael Jordan, who had already scored 42 points, including a basket with 6 seconds left to give the Bulls a short-lived lead. Cleveland was determined not to let that happen again, double-teaming Jordan with their two best defenders on the inbounds pass. They were going to make sure anybody but Jordan beat them.
Like that was going to happen.
Jordan shook free of first Craig Ehlo, then Larry Nance to catch the inbounds pass above the free-throw line. He took two dribbles, then pulled up at the free throw line and jumped to shoot.
Freeze it here, and it looks like there's no chance of the shot going in. You can see Jordan floating slightly to the left, a less-than-ideal form for shooting a jump shot. You can see Ehlo coming across, arm in the air, recovering enough to be in perfect position to block the shot. It looks hopeless. Then you unfreeze it, let the action continue, only it doesn't look like Jordan moved. Ehlo goes flying right by, another second ticks off the clock, but Jordan is still hanging in mid-air, waiting to shoot.
Did it go in? Of course it went in. It's Michael Jordan. And it's Cleveland, a city that is cursed with singularly bad luck with its pro sports teams.
The celebration is part of the legend. Jordan at the opposite sideline, where his momentum left him after the shot, giving several fist pumps, getting mobbed by his teammates. That's what everybody remembers. But look behind him. There's Ehlo, throwing his hands in the air, collapsing on the sidelines in shock. He had to be thinking, "What more could I do?" Look behind him. There's the Cleveland fans, frozen where they stand, too shocked to speak or move.
Was it preordained? Who knows. Cleveland had the better team in that series, and they had four of the top five players. But they didn't have the best player. Maybe they weren't meant to.
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