Michael Jordan's Trainer Gives Real Story Behind The "Flu Game"

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Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan infamously played a phenomenal NBA Finals game while suffering flu-like symptoms.

If you're a basketball fan, by now you've probably heard about Michael Jordan and his infamous "Flu Game" from Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. Despite looking as if he was going to faint, Jordan put up a whopping 38 points en-route to a 90-88 win that had the whole basketball world in shock. At the end of the game, Jordan had to be helped off the court by Scottie Pippen as the fans in Utah couldn't believe what they had just witnessed.

During an appearance on "Pardon My Take," Jordan's trainer Tim Grover spoke about the "Flu Game" and explained that it wasn't actually the flu. Instead, Jordan had eaten some bad pizza the night before and it was wreaking havoc on his stomach.

“Then, about 3 o’ clock in the morning, I get a call to my room that just says, ‘Hey, man, come to MJ’s room’ and he’s literally curled up in the fetal position,” Grover said. “I’ve not known any flu that can hit you that fast, but I know how quick food poisoning can hit you.”

Grover noted that he was apprehensive about MJ eating the pizza because five delivery men had come to the door. Clearly, Grover seems to think there may have been some sabotage at play and that MJ was falling into a really elaborate trap.

Either way, everything worked out for the Bulls legend.

[Via]


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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