Full Game: 26 Minutes to Save the Season | Bulls vs Bucks (April 7, 1986)

This isn't just a game against Milwaukee; it's a game against the Bulls' own front office. In the spring of 1986, Michael Jordan was at war with GM Jerry Krause and owner Jerry Reinsdorf over his "broken foot" return. Management wanted a lottery pick; Jordan wanted a playoff berth. As detailed in The Jordan Rules and Michael Jordan: The Life, the tension during this stretch was palpable. Jordan was playing under a strictly enforced minutes restriction (graduated from 7 minutes per half) that he viewed as a management tactic to lose games intentionally. This game at the MECCA captures that friction perfectly. Jordan plays only 26 minutes—not just because of the restriction, but because of foul trouble that forced him to sit for 10 minutes in the first half. While management might have been secretly hoping for a loss to secure better draft position (eventually eyeing Brad Sellers), Jordan refused to cooperate. You can see the urgency in Jordan's limited minutes. Knowing his time was capped by the doctors and the front office, his efficiency was off the charts. He scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, effectively hijacking the "tank" plan and dragging the team toward a playoff berth they arguably didn't want. With the game tied at 100 and the "minutes police" watching the clock, the Bulls' supporting cast—often criticized by Jordan—delivered the final blows. Gene Banks and Orlando Woolridge secured the 108-103 win, moving the Bulls within 1.5 games of Cleveland and effectively killing the Bulls' lottery chances. Timestamp Index: 00:00 Intro: Discussion on Michael Jordan's playing time 00:51 Game Intro 02:55 Tip-off 05:32 Jordan dishes to Oakley. 06:35 Jordan Drives to draw a foul. 12:06 Jordan hits a jumper 12:46 Jordan 3 pointer 26:02 End of 1st Quarter 27:12 Paxson and Corzine enter game 39:28 Jordan hits from 17 47:46 Woolridge breakaway dunk 50:40 2 Minutes Remaining in the 1st Half 53:35 End of 1st Half: 53:54 Jerry Reinsdorf discusses Jordan playing time 57:43 Start of 3rd Quarter 59:30 Jordan from Deep 01:02:50 Woolridge for a transition dunk 01:07:29 Jordan finds Oakley 01:21:49 Start of 4th Quarter 01:22:23 Jordan scores his 19th and 20th points 01:25:42 Jordan hits a difficult shot 01:35:50 Jordan blocks Brewer 01:37:40 2 Minutes Remaining 01:41:29 Jordan dunks with an and 1 01:44:44 Final Buzzer: 01:45:24 Michael Jordan is named Player of the Game