Cleveland Cavaliers

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Lore & Background

The animosity between these franchises deepened in May 1989 when the sixth-seeded Bulls faced the third-seeded Cavaliers. Cleveland had dominated the regular season, sweeping all six games against Chicago, including a 90–84 victory where they rested Ron Harper, Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, and Larry Nance. Entering the playoffs with a 57–25 record tied for the league's second-best, Cleveland was expected to advance easily. However, the series went the distance. The final minute of Game 5 saw six lead changes, setting the stage for a historic finish. With three seconds left and the Cavaliers leading 100–99, Michael Jordan received an inbound pass from Brad Sellers. Double-teamed by Craig Ehlo and Larry Nance, Jordan cut left, drifted to his left at the foul line, and hit a jump shot over Ehlo as time expired. This victory eliminated Cleveland in a stunning upset that symbolized the rise of the Jordan-led Bulls.

In Their Own Story

The final play unfolded on May 7, 1989, inside Richfield Coliseum with the best-of-five series tied at two games apiece. After Craig Ehlo drove for a layup to give Cleveland a 100–99 lead with three seconds remaining, Chicago called a timeout. Jordan was double-teamed by Ehlo and Nance on the inbound but managed to push past them, cutting left to receive the pass from Brad Sellers. Drifting to his left, he launched a jump shot over the leaping Ehlo just as the buzzer sounded, securing a 101–100 win. The lasting image of this moment is Jordan's wild celebration: a leap into the air with multiple fist pumps while Ehlo fell to the ground in despair. Although CBS never aired this specific replay during the telecast—showing instead head coach Doug Collins celebrating with Phil Jackson—the radio call by Jim Durham ('GOOD! THE BULLS WIN IT!') became iconic. This was the first buzzer-beater to decide a winner-take-all playoff game, a feat not repeated until Kawhi Leonard's shot in 2019.

Reader's Guide

Fans should understand that 'The Shot' occurred during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round on May 7, 1989. The Cavaliers entered as the third seed (57–25) and had swept Chicago in the regular season, making their loss a major upset. Michael Jordan scored 44 points in the game. The sequence involved six lead changes in the final minute before Ehlo's layup gave Cleveland a one-point lead with three seconds left. Jordan's inbound pass came from Brad Sellers while he was defended by Ehlo and Larry Nance. He hit the shot over Ehlo at the foul line to win 101–100. This victory propelled the Bulls past the Cavaliers; they subsequently defeated the New York Knicks in six games in the Conference Semifinals before losing to the Detroit Pistons in six games in the Conference Finals. The event is noted as the first of many series-winning buzzer-beaters Jordan would make, including another against Cleveland in the 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals at the same venue.

Did You Know?

• The 1989 regular season saw Cleveland sweep all six meetings against Chicago, even resting their four best players (Harper, Price, Daugherty, Nance) in the final game.
• Although iconic, Michael Jordan's leap and fist-pumping celebration were never shown to TV viewers on CBS; fans only saw coach Doug Collins celebrating.
• This was the first buzzer-beater to decide a winner-take-all playoff game; no similar shot occurred until Kawhi Leonard's in 2019.
• Jim Durham's radio call of 'GOOD! THE BULLS WIN IT!' was used on opening billboards for NBA on NBC broadcasts throughout the 1990–91 season.
• Michael Jordan hit another series-winning buzzer-beater against Cleveland in the same building during Game 4 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Historical Context and Upset Dynamics

The 1989 Eastern Conference First Round between the Bulls and Cavaliers was a rematch of the previous year's series, which Chicago had won 3–2. In their final regular-season meeting, Cleveland rested their four best players: Ron Harper, Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, and Larry Nance, yet still won 90–84. Entering the playoffs as the third seed with a 57–25 record (tied for the second-best in the league), Cleveland was heavily favored over the sixth-seeded Bulls, who had a 47–35 record. This reversal of seeding from the previous year set the stage for what became known as a major upset when the Bulls won Game 5.

The Decisive Final Minutes

The final minute of Game 5 featured six lead changes. With three seconds left, Craig Ehlo inbounded the ball to Larry Nance, who passed it back to Ehlo. Ehlo scored on a driving layup to give Cleveland a 100–99 lead. Chicago then called a timeout. On the subsequent inbounds play, Michael Jordan was double-teamed by Ehlo and Larry Nance. Jordan moved right to push Nance away, then cut left to get open for an inbound pass from Brad Sellers. Drifting left, Jordan made a jump shot at the foul line over the defending Ehlo just as time expired, giving the Bulls a 101–100 victory.

The Iconic Celebration and Broadcast Legacy

The most enduring image of 'The Shot' is Michael Jordan leaping into the air with emphatic fist pumps while Craig Ehlo fell to the ground in despair. Despite its fame, this specific celebration was not shown during the CBS telecast; viewers saw head coach Doug Collins running around assistant Phil Jackson instead. The broadcast featured Dick Stockton and Hubie Brown calling the action, with James Brown as sideline reporter. However, Jim Durham's radio call ('GOOD! THE BULLS WIN IT!') became legendary, later used on opening billboards for NBA on NBC broadcasts in the 1990–91 season. This was the first buzzer-beater to decide a winner-take-all playoff game until Kawhi Leonard's shot in 2019.

Long-Term Impact and Rivalry Significance

'The Shot' is considered one of Michael Jordan's greatest clutch moments and marked the beginning of the Bulls' ascent. It was the first of many series-winning buzzer-beaters Jordan made; he repeated this feat on Game 4 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals against Cleveland in the same building, resulting in a four-game sweep for Chicago. Following the 1989 victory, the Bulls defeated the New York Knicks in six games but lost to the Detroit Pistons in the Conference Finals in six games. The loss contributed to the 'Cleveland sports curse' narrative, while the game itself is regarded as a classic example of playoff basketball.