Flu_Game
The Flu Game refers to Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, played on June 11, 1997, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz, in which a severely ill Michael Jordan led the Bulls to a narrow 90–88 victory despite battling dehydration and exhaustion from food poisoning.[1][2][3] The 1997 NBA Finals pitted the defending champion Chicago Bulls—featuring Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and coach Phil Jackson—against the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz, led by Karl Malone and John Stockton, with the series tied 2–2 heading into Game 5.[4] Jordan's illness stemmed from eating a late-night pizza delivered to his hotel room the previous evening, which his longtime trainer Tim Grover later identified as the cause of severe food poisoning rather than a viral flu, leaving Jordan unable to sleep and arriving at the arena looking gaunt and unsteady.[3] Despite his condition, which included dry mouth, low energy, and moments where he leaned on teammates for support during timeouts, Jordan insisted on playing and logged 44 minutes on the court.[3][2] Jordan's performance was extraordinary under the circumstances, as he scored a game-high 38 points on 13-of-27 shooting, including 2-of-5 from three-point range and a perfect 10-of-12 from the free-throw line, while also grabbing 7 rebounds, dishing 5 assists, recording 3 steals, and 1 block.[2] He erupted for 17 points in the second quarter alone to help the Bulls build a lead and sealed the win with a tiebreaking three-pointer from the left wing with 25 seconds remaining, giving Chicago a 3–2 series advantage.[4][3] The victory propelled the Bulls to ultimately claim their fifth NBA championship in seven seasons by defeating the Jazz in Game 6 two days later.[4] Regarded as one of the most legendary individual efforts in NBA playoff history, the Flu Game has become a symbol of Jordan's unparalleled willpower and clutch ability, often cited as a defining moment in his career and the broader lore of the Chicago Bulls' second three-peat dynasty.[4][3] The event's cultural impact endures, inspiring discussions on athletic resilience and even influencing popular media, though debates persist over the exact nature of Jordan's ailment and the pizza's role.[3]Background
1997 NBA Finals Overview
The 1997 NBA Finals featured a best-of-seven series between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz, contested in a 2-3-2 format that granted the Bulls home-court advantage due to their league-best regular-season record. Under this structure, the first two games and potential final two were hosted in Chicago, with the middle three in Salt Lake City, aiming to minimize cross-country travel while favoring the higher seed. The Bulls earned this edge after compiling a 69-13 record in the 1996-97 regular season, the second-best mark in NBA history at the time, behind only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers' 69-13.[5][6] The Utah Jazz, seeded first in the Western Conference, advanced to their inaugural NBA Finals appearance following a strong 64-18 regular-season campaign, led by NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone and point guard John Stockton. Malone averaged 27.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, while Stockton contributed 17.2 points and a league-high 10.5 assists, powering a team known for its disciplined pick-and-roll offense and stout defense. The Jazz's path to the Finals included a first-round sweep of the Los Angeles Clippers (3-0), a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals, and a 4-2 triumph against the Houston Rockets in the conference finals.[5][7] Meanwhile, the Bulls, as defending champions, navigated the Eastern Conference playoffs with relative efficiency: a 3-0 sweep of the Washington Bullets in the first round, a 4-1 series win over the Atlanta Hawks in the semifinals, and a 4-1 defeat of the Miami Heat in the conference finals. This set up a highly anticipated clash between two of the league's elite teams, both seeking their first title of the decade. Entering Game 5 on June 11, 1997, in Utah, the series stood tied at 2-2 after the Bulls won Games 1 and 2 at home (84-82 and 97-85), and the Jazz responded with victories in Games 3 and 4 (104-93 and 78-73).[7]Michael Jordan's Health Leading Up to Game 5
In the 1996-97 regular season, Michael Jordan played all 82 games for the Chicago Bulls, who achieved a franchise-record 69 wins and the NBA's best record, demanding significant physical output from their star player as the primary offensive engine. Jordan averaged 37.9 minutes per game and 29.6 points per game during this stretch, contributing to the team's dominance while managing the rigors of a full schedule without major injuries.[8][9] The Bulls' playoff run further taxed Jordan's endurance, as they swept the Washington Bullets in the first round (3-0), defeated the Atlanta Hawks in the conference semifinals (4-1), and overcame the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals (4-1), culminating in a total of 13 postseason games before the Finals. Across these contests, Jordan averaged 42.3 minutes and 31.1 points per game, often carrying the scoring burden for an aging roster that included veterans like Scottie Pippen (age 31) and Dennis Rodman (age 36).[7][9] At age 34, Jordan entered the Finals having played 95 games that season without significant injury downtime, but the brief four-day turnaround after the conference finals on May 28 provided limited recovery time before Game 1 on June 1. In Games 1 through 4 of the Finals, he logged approximately 41.5 minutes per game on average while averaging 32.3 points for the series, underscoring the cumulative strain on his body as the Bulls' go-to scorer amid a roster averaging over 30 years old for key contributors.[9][10]The Game
Pre-Game Events and Jordan's Illness
On the evening of June 10, 1997, during the Chicago Bulls' stay in Park City, Utah, ahead of Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, Michael Jordan ordered a pizza delivered to his hotel room after room service had closed at 9 p.m.[11] He was the only team member to eat it, and around 2 a.m., he collapsed in his room, curling into a fetal position with severe nausea and weakness.[11] His personal trainer, Tim Grover, immediately assessed the situation and diagnosed food poisoning rather than the flu, noting Jordan's clouded, watering eyes and overall debilitated state.[11] The team physician was consulted shortly after, confirming flu-like symptoms including dehydration, fever, and extreme fatigue, which compounded Jordan's recent exhaustion from the series' physical demands.[12] To address the dehydration, the medical staff administered intravenous (IV) fluids to Jordan in his hotel room, though he later removed the IV during treatment to prepare for the game.[13] Despite his visible frailty—described by Grover as nearly passing out—Jordan insisted on playing, telling his trainer, "I have to play."[11] This determination persisted even as symptoms like dry mouth, low energy, and difficulty breathing made movement challenging.[12] The next day, June 11, Jordan traveled with the team to Salt Lake City's Delta Center, arriving just after 5 p.m. and missing the pre-game shootaround due to ongoing vomiting and weakness.[14] He spent much of the pre-tipoff period in a darkened training room, receiving further hydration support, and struggled through warm-ups, appearing unsteady and requiring assistance from teammate Scottie Pippen to stay upright.[11] Bulls coach Phil Jackson, observing Jordan's "rheumy-eyed" condition in the locker room, prepared contingency plans that emphasized Pippen's role in handling defensive and offensive loads if Jordan could not perform, though Jordan ultimately assured him he was ready to play.[15]First Half Summary
In the first half of Game 5, the Utah Jazz established dominance early, outscoring the Chicago Bulls 29-16 in the opening quarter behind a 13-point run fueled by Karl Malone's aggressive play and Jeff Hornacek's perimeter shooting. The Bulls struggled with defensive breakdowns, allowing easy transition opportunities, and committed five turnovers that led to fast-break points for Utah. Michael Jordan, hampered by flu-like symptoms that caused visible fatigue and labored breathing, managed only four points in the first quarter while requiring multiple breaks for water and fluids to combat dehydration.[2][4] Jordan rebounded in the second quarter, scoring 17 points on efficient shooting to spark a Bulls response that outscored the Jazz 33-24 in the period. Despite this effort, Chicago's overall first-half performance remained disjointed, with continued turnovers and lapses preventing a tie. Scottie Pippen effectively contained Malone, limiting him to 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting, but the Jazz still led 53-49 at halftime, showcasing their depth and home-court execution. Jordan concluded the half with 21 points on 6-of-13 field goal attempts, though his energy was clearly sapped.[2][16]Second Half and Key Plays
In the second half, the Chicago Bulls staged a dramatic rally to overcome their first-half deficit, with Michael Jordan erupting for key scoring sequences that swung the momentum against the Utah Jazz. Despite his visible exhaustion from illness, Jordan tallied 38 points overall on 13-of-27 shooting, 10-of-12 from the free-throw line.[2] His performance anchored the Bulls' resurgence, particularly in the fourth quarter where he contributed 15 points during a pivotal 10-0 run that erased Utah's lead.[4] Teammates provided crucial support through timely assists and defensive efforts, enabling Jordan to capitalize on open opportunities. Steve Kerr and Luc Longley each recorded assists that facilitated Jordan's scoring bursts, while Scottie Pippen delivered vital stops during a critical stretch.[17] The Jazz's late-game fouls compounded their struggles.[17] The game's defining moment arrived with 25 seconds remaining, when Jordan drained a clutch 3-pointer off a teammate's feed to give Chicago an 89-88 lead they would not relinquish, securing a 90-88 victory and a 3-2 series advantage.[3] This sequence exemplified the Bulls' resilience, with Jordan's 17 second-half points proving instrumental in shifting the tide.[4]Final Score and Statistics
The Chicago Bulls edged out the Utah Jazz 90–88 in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals on June 11, 1997, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.[2] Both teams struggled offensively, with the Bulls shooting 41.3% from the field on 31-of-75 attempts and the Jazz connecting on 44.4% of their shots on 32-of-72 tries; the lower percentages contributed to a gritty, low-scoring affair typical of the era's playoff intensity.[18] The Bulls also went 20-of-30 from the free-throw line (66.7%), outpacing the Jazz's 18-of-25 (72.0%), which proved decisive in the close contest.[18] Individual performances underscored the game's competitiveness, with Michael Jordan's scoring prowess carrying the load despite his flu-like symptoms affecting his shot efficiency (13-of-27 field goals).[1] The table below summarizes key contributors:| Player | Team | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Jordan | CHI | 38 | 7 | 5 |
| Scottie Pippen | CHI | 17 | 10 | 5 |
| Toni Kukoč | CHI | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| Karl Malone | UTA | 19 | 7 | 6 |
| Greg Ostertag | UTA | 13 | 15 | 0 |
| John Stockton | UTA | 13 | 3 | 5 |