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Austin Reaves Gives a 7-Word Response to Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game” Comparison

Published 12/11/2023, 11:00 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The Lakers had a glorious weekend, becoming the first-ever Champions of the inaugural In-Season Tournament. They defeated the Pacers with a wide margin of 123-109 points. Saturday night was a wild night for the Lakers’ young star Austin Reaves who gave an excellent performance despite feeling under the weather, down with the flu.

After the game, Reaves was being interviewed by the media and teammate LeBron playfully shouted from the background, “Who had the better flu game? AR or MJ? It’s up for debate!” This reminds us of a similar ‘flu game’ that Michael Jordan played in Game 5 of the 1997 finals against the Jazz, emerging victorious too. So, what does AR-15 say about this comparison?

Reaves thinks we shouldn’t take LeBron seriously

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In a recent interview with Run it Back, Reaves gave a witty reply. All he had to say was, “Everybody takes Bron a little too seriously.” Despite being in Sin City, the 25-year-old star said he didn’t partake in the big-game-winning celebration with the team as right after the game he went straight to the hotel and into bed to get some well-deserved rest.

Still sounding pretty unwell, Reaves added, “I was struggling.” In the game, he put up a good performance, contributing 28 points, two rebounds, and three assists, across 28 minutes. Reaves scored 22 points in the first half itself. The Lakers travel to Dallas on Tuesday for their second game against the Mavs and we shouldn’t be surprised if Reaves sits this one out.

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Michael Jordans’s flu game

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It was Game 5 in the 1997 finals against the Jazz, and the Bulls were desperate for a lead as the Championship was at stake. The Bulls were aiming for their 5th title and were hot in the race. Despite suffering from flu-like symptoms, MJ geared up for the game, and helped the team clinch a win.

Read More- Austin Reaves Unravels Lakers Plans About Raising a Banner After “Special” In-Season Triumph

The Bulls now had a 3-2 lead over the Jazz and MJ ended up contributing an impressive 38 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. The team went on to win their 5th Championship that year, thanks to Jordan who stepped up when his teammates needed him despite feeling unwell.

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Watch This Story–Angry LeBron James loses his temper against Nikola Jokic’s teammate as a fight breaks out while the Lakers face elimination in Game 4 vs the Nuggets

What are your thoughts on Austin Reaves’ performance on Saturday vs the Pacers? Could he have done better if he weren’t unwell? Let us know!

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Written by:

Tsuktibenla T Jamir

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Tsuktibenla T Jamir is an NBA author at EssentiallySports. Armed with a Masters in Journalism from the prestigious Delhi School of Journalism, this Nagaland native combines her academic prowess with her passion for the game to craft compelling narratives that bring the NBA to life. She finds immense joy in dissecting the journeys of the athletes who make the game larger than life.
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Edited by:

Ruth John