Start with the end last time.

The big thing about Mi chael Jordan wasn't the famous last shot. "He pushed off," said Cavaliers coach John Lucas of Jordan's jumper over Utah's Byron Russell to win his sixth NBA championship with Chicago. "There was no call. He's Michael Jordan."

Was. Not "is."

The big thing was the way he could get to the basket whenever he had to. He bulled through Utah for the driving layup that cut the deficit to one point and set up the perfect ending. He couldn't fly all the time, but he still could get the lift on demand.

End with the start this time.

He struggled to get 18 points last night, because almost all he shoots is jump shots. He shot no free throws. Getting to the basket for the 38-year-old Jordan is what hitting the curve was to him in Double-A baseball.