It’s always great to watch NBA legends going at it, especially when we talk about two of the greatest players to set foot on the court. We couldn’t see Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan competing against each other in their best moment. Still, we got a glimpse of how those duels could’ve gone during TD’s rookie season in the league.
After being selected No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, Duncan made the San Antonio Spurs a terrific team that would win the championship two years after his arrival in the league.
In his rookie season, he had the chance to go against His Airness and the Chicago Bulls, the defending NBA champions. These two starred in an incredible sequence during a regular-season game, exchanging blocks in back-to-back plays.
First, Michael Jordan denied Duncan at the rim, jumping very high to block his shot. Then, the very next play, MJ would try to hurt the Spurs on the offensive end. TD was ready to take revenge, though, rejecting Jordan almost immediately after he got blocked.
Both plays made fans stand up and cheer for the players, who showed their defensive talents with big blocks.
Sadly, we never got to see these stars clash in the Finals. MJ would retire for the second time in 1998 after winning his 6th championship. Duncan and his Spurs would win the title the following season, beating the New York Knicks in five games.
The duels between them would’ve been memorable, especially knowing how Tim felt about MJ, which would have sparked something inside No. 23.
TD became the best power forward of all time, a complete nightmare for rivals in the 2000s. He played 19 seasons with the Spurs, getting five championships along with several individual accolades.
We can only imagine how great a rivalry between Duncan and Jordan would have been.
