Accustomed to muscular preferential treatment on the NBA floors, Michael Jordan was not the only one to suffer them during his great years. A legend of the time revealed that she made sure to physically mark a rival, under the amazed eyes of MJ!
At a time when absences and injuries are more and more numerous, the NBA has never taken on such a soft image in the minds of its fans. Long-time observers want to be unanimous: the intensity put on by the current stars would no longer have anything to do with that which could be attested during the ’80s/’90s. And it’s not Michael Jordan who might say the opposite.
Rarely unavailable during his heyday, the leader of the Bulls did not see himself spared by his opponents. The latter had even developed the famous “Jordan Rules”, which often consisted of brutalizing him to prevent him from scoring. Besides, he was not the only member of his franchise to suffer this kind of Machiavellian plans, which would no longer have their place in today’s league.
Charles Barkley’s brutal trickery that shocked Jordan
Main danger of Chicago, MJ could however count on a supporting cast of choice, of which the opposing teams also had to be wary. Besides his faithful lieutenant Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman could also pose big problems for top rival interiors. Evidenced by the method used by Charles Barkley to “get rid” of him, revealed on the set of NBA TV :
Rodman? What I did so that he wouldn’t be annoying to me was that I hit him as hard as I could at the start of every game, in the first 5 minutes. That way he left me alone. Michael never understood. He kept asking us, “Why do you keep doing this? Because it stopped irritating and pissing you off once you put it back on!
Not the type to play the role of the victim in a duel with The Worm, Barkley therefore borrowed that of brute from the in-between. A way according to him to calm the ardor of the big man of the Bulls, and to spend a quieter match thereafter. And for those who believe that the Chuckster exaggerates by delivering such remarks, the archive images rather corroborate his testimony:
Charles Barkley elbows Dennis Rodman in transition ???? pic.twitter.com/FISIbDJCvl
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) March 21, 2019
Able to unpin any opponent, Dennis Rodman emerged with a few bruises after his confrontations with Charles Barkley. A more than questionable strategy these days, but which offered excellent results according to Chuck!
