In fact, Francis decisively puts Jordan over NBA trash-talk legend Gary Payton in that category. According to the three-time ...

Gary Payton is on his way to the Hall of Fame. That was reason enough to reminisce on the time in the NBA Finals that he put the clamps on Michael Jordan. ... on June 12, ...

During that 1996 Finals series, the Bulls jumped to a 3-0 lead, but the game became different when Payton switched to guarding Jordan. In the first three games of the series, M.J. had averaged 31 ...

Gary Payton Is One of Michael Jordan’s Biggest Rivals. Payton is revered as one of MJ’s biggest rivals and the two famously squared off in the 1996 NBA Finals when Jordan’s Chicago Bulls ...

Jordan ironically laughed and stated he “had no problem with Gary Payton.” Most believed Payton would be upset at Jordan for laughing him off, but The Glove sees it in another way. “It’s ...

In the three NBA Finals games in which Payton drew the primary Jordan assignment, His Airness averaged only 23.7 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting from the field.

Gary Payton has often said that his defense in Games 4 and 5 of the 1996 NBA Finals tired and took a toll on Michael Jordan, and that the SuperSonics might have won that series had George Karl put ...

SEATTLE - JUNE 14: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls matches up against Gary Payton #20 of the Seattle SuperSonics in Game Five of the 1996 NBA Finals at Key Arena on June 14, 1996 in Seattle, ...

Gary Payton doesn't appear to be a fan of direct debate between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. The Hall-of-Fame guard competed against both players, though his highest-profile matchups with ...