NOSEBLEED SPORTS MEDIA
MJ Mondays
NO DEBATE. JUST RECEIPTS.
VOL. 1, NO. 13 · MAY 25, 2026 · EVERY MONDAY
THE STAT THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST 01
47 POINTS, 11 REBOUNDS, 13 ASSISTS — IN THE SAME GAME. AND THEY LOST.
Jordan's Most Complete Statistical Game
POINTS REBOUNDS ASSISTS
April 13, 1989. Jordan put up 47 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists — a near-triple-double at 47 — against
Indiana. The Bulls lost. But the statistical line is extraordinary: 47-11-13 means Jordan was simultaneously
his team's best scorer, one of its best rebounders, and one of its best passers — in the same game. The
narrative around Jordan as a ball-dominant scorer who didn't pass obscures a reality: he averaged 5.3
assists for his career. He could make the play. He often chose not to.
THE GAME YOU FORGOT 02
Chicago Bulls @ Indiana Pacers 1989-04-13
11 13 17/30 L
POINTS REBOUNDS ASSISTS FG RESULT
THE COMPLETE GAME NOBODY COUNTED
April 13, 1989. A road game at Indiana on the last day of the regular season. Jordan posted 47 points, 11
rebounds, and 13 assists — a performance that would define most players' careers. The Bulls lost by
however many because the rest of the lineup couldn't capitalize. The statistical line — 47-11-13 — represents
the most complete individual performance Jordan produced that didn't get him a win. He could have played
purely as a scorer and put up 65. He chose to involve his teammates. They still lost.
MJ VS TODAY 03
Could Jordan Have Been A Point Guard?
JORDAN'S PLAYMAKING NUMBERS PURE PG COMPARISON
CAREER APG MAGIC JOHNSON APG
BEST AST SEASON VS JOHN STOCKTON APG
8.0 (1988-89) 10.5
ASSISTS MINDED CHRIS PAUL APG
When needed 8.8
Jordan averaged 8.0 assists per game in 1988-89 — point guard territory. He chose not to be a point guard
because his team needed him to score. The assist number is deceptive: Jordan ran the offense in late-game
situations, ran the offense in the first three-peat when Pippen was developing, and distributed at the highest
level when asked. He could have been a 10-assist-per-game player. He was also the best scorer alive. He
chose scoring.
What position does Jordan play if he's drafted today?
POINT GUARD SHOOTING GUARD (SAME AS ALWAYS) POINT FORWARD SMALL BALL CENTER (BY CHOICE)
THE COLDEST MJ MOMENT 04
THE DEFERRAL JORDAN NEVER MADE PEACE WITH
He Once Said He Stopped Passing Because They
Weren't Ready.
Early in his career — before Scottie Pippen developed — Jordan said in multiple interviews
that he sometimes chose not to pass because his teammates couldn't handle what came
next. Not criticism. An honest assessment. He was playing chess while they were learning
checkers. As Pippen, Grant, and the system matured, Jordan became a genuinely elite
passer within the triangle offense. By the first three-peat, his playmaking was a full
weapon, not a fallback option.
When I passed the ball, I needed them to be ready. It took time.
— MICHAEL JORDAN ON EARLY CAREER PASSING DECISIONS
THE MJ STAT VAULT 05
APG — 1988-89 SEASON
CAREER ASSISTS PER GAME
His highest single-season assist average.
5.3 For a player remembered as the game's 8.0
Point guard numbers from the game's
greatest scorer, Jordan's career assist
best scorer. He chose not to make that his
average is solidly in all-around territory.
identity.
TIMES JORDAN NEARLY RECORDED A
47- STATISTICAL LINE — APRIL 13, 1989
TRIPLE-DOUBLE WITH 40+ POINTS
47 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists. In a 3
The 47-11-13 game is the most complete.
11-13 loss. The most complete individual
He came within reach multiple times,
performance in a loss ever produced.
usually in games the Bulls were losing.
SEASONS JORDAN AVERAGED 8+ ASSISTS
2
1988-89 and 1989-90. The passing version of Jordan is a legitimate historical archetype that rarely gets
discussed.
THE FORGOTTEN MAN 06
OVERLOOKED · UNDERRATED · DESERVES MORE
John Stockton
UTAH JAZZ · 1984–2003
15,806 CAREER ASSISTS — ALL-TIME RECORD, 5,000+ AHEAD OF #2
The Greatest Passer Who Ever Lived Lost The Finals Twice To Jordan
John Stockton holds the all-time record for career assists by more than 5,000 — an unbreakable margin. He
also holds the all-time record for steals. He played 19 seasons, made 10 All-Star teams, and won... zero
championships. He lost the 1997 and 1998 Finals to Jordan's Bulls. The greatest playmaker in NBA history's
legacy exists in Jordan's shadow. He's underrated as an individual player and under-discussed because his
teams fell short when it mattered most.
The Jordan Connection: Stockton and Malone gave Jordan his two hardest Finals opponents. Jordan averaged
32.3 PPG against Utah across both Finals. The Jazz were legitimate. Jordan was simply better.
Who's Your Forgotten Man?
Reply with a player who deserves more credit. Best answer gets featured next Monday.
MJ MONDAYS The Jordan Era · 1984–2003
Every Monday. No exceptions.