But what I want to tell is not a story about Jordan, but about the player he defends in front-Craig Elo.

That is, the person in the background of the classic celebration after the shot, the stumbling player in the lower left corner.

The Cavaliers met the Bulls in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs on 1989.

Craig errol is a Cavaliers player. He is a rookie of 1983. He was selected by the rockets in the third round. He spent almost no playing time in the first three years of his career and was later traded to Cleveland. He is a typical rocker, with long hands and feet and good bounce. The outside of the three-point line and the defensive end are the active places of this blond guy, and his flexibility brought a good chemical reaction to the Cavaliers at that time.

Actually, Elo did a good job that day. Although he sprained his ankle in the game, he scored 24 points and hit the last few key three-pointers to help the team stay ahead of the score.

"The last two minutes of that game were the best playoff performance of my career," Elo said.

Yes, for a role player like him, this performance is perfect. By winning this game, the Cavaliers can cross the bull and advance to the second round.

However, this highlight moment was only amazing until the end of the game in 3 seconds.

At the last moment, Jordan tied the score to 99-98, and the Bulls took the lead temporarily, giving the Cavaliers six seconds. At this point, Elo first gave Nancy the sideline ball, then got rid of craig hodges's defense, and after receiving the pass, he also dodged Jordan's air to help block the layup.

After the goal, the bull called a timeout. Teammate Price didn't sit on the bench. Instead, he rushed over and gave Elo a heroic hug. However, the game is not over yet. "We gave our opponent three seconds." Elo said.

Yes, they have three seconds left. His opponent is a man called the God of Basketball, Michael Jordan.

After the timeout, everyone knew that the guy Elo was aiming at would catch the ball near the free throw line, so he decided to go over and give his opponent a little deterrent. "Mr Jordan, I won't let you score." Elo with a Texas accent challenged Jordan. "I think I might disturb his mood." However, Jordan showed a strange smile when he heard this. In retrospect, Errol regretted saying that. It might have been better if I had called him Michael.

Coach wilkens arranged for Nancy to give up Brad Cyrus, who served the sideline ball, to help interfere with Jordan's catch, while Elo was blocking Jordan's left rear. Later, he admitted that this posture was too simple, which made Jordan's breakthrough before the jump shot very easy. "I didn't slip past the defense, I ran over and confronted him head-on." Elo recalled, "When I jumped up from the side, I just blocked his face with my hand. But at the moment I flew over, he was suspended. "

Then Jordan scored 4.7 meters from the basket, and then made his famous jumping and punching celebration. However, coincidentally, at this time, Elo just knelt on the sideline because of the inertia after taking off and the frustration of failure. In addition, a clever photographer accurately captured this scene, so there was the commercial poster that looked like Jordan kicking Elo to the ground. In addition to the emotional contrast between Jordan and Elo, that picture vividly explains the unfortunate situation that the Cavaliers lost to the Bulls five times in seven years in the playoffs.

Elo has done everything he can, but he still lost the game and the series.

A 3-second defense made him the first background of many classic moments in his flying career. At that time, no one could count how many times this picture was replayed. What's more, after watching Jordan's aerial lore, countless people couldn't help looking at the blond white players kneeling on the sidelines, and then their eyes showed a pity sigh.

The ball that Jordan hit was later named a shot, and the image of Elo kneeling became part of that shot. Similarly, that shot has become a part of Elo's life, just like an indelible scar, which is still branded in his heart for many years.

Later, because of the psychological trauma caused by that shot, Elo received two psychotherapy sessions. After that, he became deeply dependent on drugs, and excessive drug use also led to his emotional outburst. He went to Massachusetts for psychotherapy, but was recognized by the locals as a player killed by Jordan. His physical and mental pain far exceeds the pain caused by injuries caused by basketball. Soon, he retired in a hurry.

Then he appeared in the news report of 20 13, and Elo was arrested for domestic violence and arson.

Now, Elo spends more time and energy on treating drug addiction and repairing family relationships. He is also interested in going back to the university to continue to explain next season's game. After all, in that environment, students were born after being shot, and no one will recognize him again. Of course, there is still no guarantee that no one will ask, for example, is it really you who collapsed on the sidelines? Such a question. However, when Elo is faced with such a problem now, he will be very proud to answer: "Yes."

Elo didn't lose to himself. He tried his best and almost took the team into the second round with his teammates. However, what can he do in the face of the most talented player in NBA history?

Perhaps this is one of the most important characteristics of competitive sports. People will always remember the magical Jordan and his perfect shooting, but not many people know that a three-wheel show almost determines the outcome of a life-and-death battle.

But if people didn't just ridicule, sympathize and pity Elo at that time, would his life track be so tragic? Shouldn't a player who has done his best be given applause and respect?

Fortunately, Elo did not continue to sink. He gradually stepped out of the quagmire of unbalanced mentality and started a new life, facing his life with a new optimistic attitude.

This is what basketball should bring us, not just winning or losing, but the purest fun and enjoyment.