Celtics big man Enes Kanter sent out what appears to be a stolen tweet on Monday afternoon. As part of his message, the Turkish center joked that Michael Jordanās famous āFlu Gameā in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals was āirresponsibleā in light of the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the sporting world and beyond.
Now, MJās āFlu Gameā just seems irresponsible š š¤·š»āāļø
ā Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) March 30, 2020
It seems as though Kanter may have borrowed his comment from C.J. Toledano, who works for House of Highlights. Toledano sent out a message of his own, asking the Celtics center to āstop stealing his sh*t.ā Notably, Toledanoās tweet was sent out ten days ago, which means he clearly had the idea first.
Stop stealing my shit, Enes. Go Lakers. https://t.co/WR9CaLWThi pic.twitter.com/0upWayjemM
ā C.J. Toledano (@CJToledano) March 30, 2020
Jordanās āFlu Gameā took place on June 11, 1997. With most of the world watching, his Bulls squared off against Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Though he was experiencing some serious symptoms, His Airness willed himself to play in the game. He didnāt just play, though. the six-time champion logged 44 minutes, scoring 38 points in a 90-88 victory.
Jordan was off in the first quarter, but he recovered with 17 points in the second. After struggling in the third, he came alive in the fourth, scoring seven points in a 10-0 run and erasing Utahās 77-69 lead. His 3-pointer in the closing seconds gave Chicago the lead for good.
āProbably the most difficult thing Iāve ever done,ā Michael Jordan said afterward, via NBA.com. āI almost played myself into passing out just to win a basketball game.ā
Earlier this month, the NBA announced that the 2019-20 regular season would be suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. At this point, itās not clear when play might resume, though some have speculated that games could be played all the way into July and August. Ultimately, though, doctors and health officials will have the final say.