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 Jordan's famous “Flu Game” in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals was “irresponsible” in light of the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the sporting world and beyond.

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 “stop stealing his sh*t.” Notably, Toledano's tweet was sent out ten days ago, which means he clearly had the idea first.

Jordan's “Flu Game” 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 didn’t just play, though. the six-time champion logged 44 minutes, scoring 38 points in a 90-88 victory.

Article Continues Below

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 Utah’s 77-69 lead. His 3-pointer in the closing seconds gave Chicago the lead for good.

“Probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever done,” Michael Jordan said afterward, via NBA.com. “I almost played myself into passing out just to win a basketball game.”

Earlier this month, the NBA announced that the 2019-20 regular season would be suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. At this point, it's 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.