"He definitely pushed off": Steph Curry once stirred the pot, accusing Michael Jordan of cheating during 'The Shot' in NBA Finals

In a significant moment where a basketball legend commented on another, Steph Curry once remarked that Michael Jordan's iconic shot from the 1998 NBA Finals included a push-off, adding to the discussions about this historic play.

In 2018, on the 20th anniversary of the Chicago Bulls' 1998 championship, Curry spoke with Deseret News' Eric Woodyard to discuss the shot and revealed that former Jazz wing Bryon Russell, who was guarding Michael Jordan during the play, was one of his favorite players.

“What’s funny is that Bryon Russell was actually one of my favorite players growing up for no specific reason,” Curry said. “So I was kind of hurt.”

“I loved Jordan, but Bryon Russell was one of my guys and I was hurt that it had to be him. He definitely pushed off, though,” Curry added.

It was a decisive Game 6 and the Bulls were leading the series, 3-2. With the game tied at 86-86 and just seconds remaining on the clock. Jordan dribbled the ball at the top of the key. With a quick crossover dribble, he created some space and then launched a jump shot from the foul line.

The ball swished through the net with 5.2 seconds left on the clock. This iconic shot, often referred to as "The Shot" against Utah, gave the Bulls an 88-86 lead. The Jazz had a chance to tie or win the game, but John Stockton missed a three-point attempt, and the Bulls secured the rebound and ultimately won the championship.

This moment in NBA history is significant because it capped off Jordan's illustrious career with the Bulls and marked their sixth NBA championship in eight years. It's one of the defining moments in Michael Jordan's career and one of the most memorable shots in the history of the NBA.

“It’s crazy,” Curry said of the play.

For Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson is better than Steph Curry

Just this August, Stephen A. Smith claimed that Michael Jordan personally told him that LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson was superior to Curry and is in fact the GOAT of the NBA at the point guard position.

In a First Take episode, Smith claimed Jordan texted him at 5:54 a.m. to share his thoughts on who is the better point guard of all time.

"Although greatest of anything is always a debate, I beg to differ on greatest point guard of all-time… Magic Johnson is easily the best point guard of all time. Steph Curry is very close, but not in front of Magic,” Jordan said, according Smith.

Jordan allegedly included in his message to Smith the acknowledgment that he considers Curry to be "by far the best shooter of all time." However, he emphasized that Magic Johnson "invented the triple-double" and highlighted Magic's achievement of five NBA championships, which is one more than Curry has won.

"Yes, (Curry's) movement has created many shots for his teammates, he’s a career 43-percent 3-point shooter, but Magic Johnson invented the triple-double," Jordan's text read. "Not true invented, but makes it more noticeable in terms of the impact on the game. It’s a point guard stat, to be honest. Magic is the best. We could go on, but I don’t wanna take up too much of your time. I know you get the point. By the way, Magic has five NBA championships.”

Johnson earned All-Star honors 12 times and secured a spot on the All-NBA Team 10 times. He also claimed three MVP titles and played a key role in guiding the Lakers to five NBA championships throughout the 1980s.

Meanwhile, Curry clinched back-to-back MVP awards in 2015 and 2016, one of which was unanimous – the first in NBA history. He has been selected to an All-Star team nine times, and he has earned a spot on the NBA first team on four occasions, with four appearances on the second team.

Johnson is often regarded as one of the greatest passers in basketball history, while Curry is widely considered the best shooter of all time.