"Quit switching. Guard your own man" - Danny Ainge recalled Bill Walton cursing him out during Michael Jordan's 63-point game
Tasked with guarding Michael Jordan during the 1986 playoffs, Danny Ainge had one of the toughest assignments in NBA history. Grappling with the demands of this defensive role, the 6'5" guard's struggles became so apparent that his teammate Bill Walton scolded him mid-game.
Walton was angry at Ainge
The 1986 Eastern Conference playoffs picture pitted the 67-15 Boston Celtics against the Chicago Bulls in the first round. In Game 1, Jordan showcased his scoring prowess with 49 points despite his team losing 123-104.
Undeterred, the 10-time scoring champion took his game to new heights in the next contest, dropping 63 points on 22-of-41 shooting from the field. But the Bulls still came up short, as Larry Bird led the C's to a double overtime victory with 36 points.
Reflecting on Jordan's unparalleled scoring dominance, Ainge shared his memories about that game on the "Y's Guys" podcast, recounting how Walton was frustrated after committing his sixth personal foul on "His Airness."
"I remember a funny time in this 63-point game. I got accused of doing this a little more than my coaches or teammates would have liked," Ainge said. "Walton fouls out while guarding Jordan on an iso. He's screaming and cursing me out like, 'Quit switching. Guard your own man.' I go, 'Hey, I just wanted you to appreciate how hard it is.'"
While the Celtics managed to secure a sweep against Chicago en route to securing the 1996 NBA title, Ainge acknowledged that containing the Bulls guard was his "ultimate challenge."
MJ left everyone in awe
After witnessing MJ single-handedly dominate each player in Game 2, Larry Legend described the 22-year-old as "God disguised as Michael Jordan." Walton also gushed over how remarkably MJ played.
"That game represented so much of what is great in sport and basketball," Bill said. "It was a phenomenal performance, what Michael was able to do against a team like that."
This iconic performance was Jordan's coming out party. But even though he had some legendary playoff games throughout the rest of his career, Michael was never able to replicate what he did to the Celtics that night.
In fact, no one has yet to do it, with his 63-point performance still being the highest-scoring postseason game in the history of the NBA.
