Most of you sneakerheads are well aware of Michael Jordan’s six championship rings, however few realize the difficulties he encountered along the way to becoming a champion. Perhaps his greatest challenge was getting past the Detroit Pistons in the playoffs. The Pistons, then known as the “Bad Boys”, were known for hard fouls and dirty playing tactics, especially against the Bulls. Their defensive strategy centered around Jordan, sending double and triple teams to force a turnover, and even committing hard fouls to discourage any attempts at dunks or close-range shots. Thanks to emerging teammates like Scottie Pippen, MJ would eventually overcome Detroit’s “Jordan Rules” and sink the Pistons. His final challenge came in the 1991 NBA Finals, which put him face-to-face against his friend and greatest rival, Magic Johnson. The Lakers beat the bulls in game 1, but fortunately, Jordan’s determination was too much for the Lakers, and the Bulls won the series 4-1, securing MJ’s first title and garnering his respect as both an individual and team player.
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To remember MJ’s greatest adversaries, Jordan Brand has created the Air Jordan 1 “Rivalry Pack”. This pack includes two pairs of Air Jordan 1s. The first pair has received a Detroit Pistons theme, with a mostly blue upper, finished with white and red accents. The second pair takes inspiration from the L.A. Lakers, featuring a gold, purple, and white theme. There’s no information yet on a U.S. release, but you can currently get both pairs from the Japan-based shop Mita.
