The Bronx Journal/March/April 2002 S P O RT S A 1 5 Michael Jordan’s GREG VAN VOORHIS ‘Knee-dful Things’ SPORTS EDITOR The Michael Jordan Chronicles: Month 3 lousy play, but they also must pass one of ryptonite has the other aforementioned teams to land a playoff spot this season. Not to mention that crept its way Miami is only a mere 2 games behind Washington, and is playing its best basket- into the ball of the season. It seems that the Wiz are “Man of Steel,’ closer to a trip to the draft lottery than they are a trip to the playoffs, a once very pos- sending the Wiz-kids sible fete, that now seems quite unlikely. But as I’ve said before, if there’s a Mike, reeling and pushing there’s always a chance, though it will take more than a quick return to the court for MJ them further and to salvage the season for the Wiz. First of all, with only 20 or so games remaining, further away from a and Washington trailing Charlotte and Indiana by just mere percentage points for possible playoff berth. the final spot in the East, every game that It seems that the weight of carrying a team Michael does not play will prove to be huge has proven to be too much for the 39-year for their chances to make it. The burden to old Michael Jordan’s knees to bear, as he succeed will fall mainly on the shoulders of has been placed on the injured list after hav- Richard Hamilton, Wa s h i n g t o n ’s most ing arthroscopic knee surgery to repair torn skilled player this season. lateral meniscus cartilage in his right knee. With Hamilton as their main scoring This is the same knee that has given Mike problems since before the start of training camp this off-season, when he was contem- plating his return to the game. Although the length of time that Michael But as I’ve said will actually be away from the hardwood will be much less than first feared by team before, if there’s doctors and Wizards fans, it may be just enough to cause Michael to not attain the a Mike, there’s goal that he set out to achieve at the start of the season: taking his team to the playoffs this year. always a chance, When it was announced that Michael would have to face the ‘knife’ for the first though it will FILE time in his illustrious career, the Wizards half assists per were playing steady basketball, holding take more than a game sitting down the 7th seed in the Eastern on the bench in Conference, but since his departure to the quick return to street clothes dreaded injured list for only the second time for a minimum since joining the league in 1985, and first of five games, since his second season in the NBA, the the court for MJ it is imperative Wizards have slowly begun to fall out of that the Wi z - playoff contention. to salvage the kids do what At two games under .500, the Wiz are Michael has currently 9th in the East, of which only the season for the demanded of top eight teams in the conference make the them all sea- playoffs. If it were not for Toronto’s losing son: “grow 12 straight games, the Wiz would be two Wiz up.” Even if teams behind the final spot for the post-sea- Michael were son. Be it as it may, they still have to beat to come back out Indiana, whose mid-season trade will after the mini- only make them stronger after some time to threat, and savvy veterans such as Chris mum of only gel; Charlotte, which has seen the return of Whitney, Christian Laettner, Popeye Jones, five missed injured players Jamal Mashburn and David Jahidi White, and Hubert Davis knowing games, which Wesley; or Philadelphia, which earlier in that they must be on top of their games until seems almost the season everyone had counted out of a MJ’s return, and even after, young players an impossibili- playoff berth, but has come on strong in the like second-year man Courtney Alexander, t y, it would past months and is now playing some of the who will take over Jordan’s role in his still not guar- FILE most inspired ball of the season. absence, and rookies Kwame Brown and antee the Wiz a spot in the playoffs, only managed to win 18 games all season, are The Wizards will not only have to hope Brendan Haywood must step up their hope. But it seems that Mike will be out for going to get into the playoffs, they are that Toronto, which has seen its losing games as well, and answer the call of the at least 2 weeks, and it could be as long as going to have to do it, for the most part, streak stretch so far mainly due to the injury challenges set before them. 6 weeks, so if the Wiz, who last year only without Michael Jordan. to Vince Carter’s knee, will keep up its With 24.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 and a.