NBA legend James Worthy powered the Los Angeles Lakers to a Game 2 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the 1988 NBA Finals, which knotted the series at one game apiece. He had 26 points on 52.6 percent shooting, to go along with 10 rebounds and six assists. Worthy put in a complete effort with hopes of guiding Purple and Gold to its second consecutive championship.
But amid his exploits, Pistons forward Dennis Rodman wasn’t impressed. He even claimed that the North Carolina alum didn’t cause him any serious problems and even questioned James’s lack of focus. Rodman also downplayed Magic Johnson‘s seeming advantages over him, noting that he can get physical with the legendary point guard.
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“It’s not difficult,” Rodman said about defending Worthy. “I’m strong enough and quick enough to stay with him. I can body him and if you can beat him with your quickness, he kind of loses track of things.”
“Against Magic, I’m 6’8″ and match up with him real well. If I didn’t have five fouls (in the fourth quarter), I would’ve really caused a lot of problems and pressured him,” Rodman said in 1988, per the Chicago Tribune.
Worthy’s dare
“Big Game James” did not take Rodman’s comments sitting down. In fact, those comments fired him up and even challenged the Pistons forward to tighten up his defense in the upcoming games. James wanted Dennis to back up his words with actions.
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“Obviously, he’s a talker,” Worthy said. “Dennis is a good defensive player, and you’ve got to give him credit. If he really is that good, then he should shut me down for the rest of the playoffs. I don’t plan on that happening. This is just going to give me more motivation every time he comes into the game.”
1988 NBA Finals MVP
Following “The Worm’s” criticism of Worthy and the Lakers, James continued his hot streak in Game 3. He scored a team-high 28 points to go along with nine rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks. Critically, his contributions led to a Lakers victory, which put them up 2-1.
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The 1988 NBA Finals reached a pivotal, do-or-die Game 7. It was in this game that Worthy transitioned from an ordinary superstar to a bona fide legend. He led the Lakers to the 1988 NBA Championship with 36 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals.
Analysts were initially skeptical of the Lakers’ chances, given Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s decline due to his age. But the former first-overall pick’s stellar performance proved how deep the Lakers are and why they’re one of the greatest teams ever assembled.
Rodman revisited his thoughts on Worthy years after their epic duel. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year still could not fathom how “Big Game” did it.
“Usually, the guys I defended were bigger than me,” Rodman said, via Sports Illustrated. “But Worthy matched up height-wise, and I still couldn’t guard his a**. He’d come off a screen, and I’d try to see if he was going over the top or underneath. Next thing I knew, he was at the rim.”
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Indeed, the 1988 NBA Finals put the Lakers on the map again. It featured two basketball titans at the height of their physical and mental capacities. James Worthy proved to everyone why he was a better player than Dennis Rodman, at least in that series.