5 legends who beat Michael Jordan in the NBA Playoffs (Including Sidney Moncrief)

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#3 Dennis Johnson

In 1986, Michael Jordan’s second year in the playoffs, he led the Chicago Bulls to the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Waiting for them was none other than Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics.

The Celtics were looking to avenge their painful 1985 championship loss to the LA Lakers. Chicago, on paper, looked like a stepping stone for them.

Dennis Johnson, Boston’s defensive stalwart and playmaker, was the Celtics’ first option on defense against Jordan. It was this series that Michael Jordan showed he was for real. In Game 2, he erupted for a record-high 63 points. Larry Bird called Jordan “God” in sneakers in that game.

Still, Johnson had a solid series despite the effort it took on the defensive end. He ended up averaging 19.0 PPG, 6.3 APG, 3.3 RPG and 2.0 SPG.

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#2 Isiah Thomas

Michael Jordan had a 10-12 postseason record against the Detroit Pistons. Isiah Thomas was a big part of the reason “His Airness” didn’t have a winning win-loss mark against the “Bad Boys.”

Thomas’ Pistons eliminated the Bulls in 1988, 1989 and 1990. Jordan finally got over the hump when the Bulls swept Detroit in 1991. It was a game marred by the now infamous Pistons walkout.

In 22 playoff games against Jordan, Thomas averaged 18.9 PPG, 8.3 APG and 5.1 RPG. To this day, the animosity between the two legends has only gone bitter.

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#1 Larry Bird

Michael Jordan was 6-0 in the NBA Finals. He was also 0-6 in the playoffs against Larry Bird. During that six-game run, “His Airness” was stunningly great. He averaged 39.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.8 APG, 2.2 SPG and 1.8 BPG. He wasn’t the reason why the Bulls couldn’t get one single win against Bird’s Celtics.

“Larry Legend” was in his prime during Jordan’s early years. Bird averaged 27.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 8.5 APG and 1.5 SPG. He was one of those players who outplayed Jordan in a few games they’ve met in the playoffs.

Bird was the biggest reason the Boston Celtics swept Michael Jordan’s Bulls in two straight seasons.