"You are trying to take the scoring title away from me" - When MJ confronted Dominique in-game

Whenever Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins faced each other on the basketball court, fans expected thunderous dunks and plenty of scoring. The two basketball titans weren’t just athletic freaks; they were also potent offensive weapons. Mike and Nique leveraged their offensive prowess to guide their respective teams to wins.

Jordan vs. Wilkins

Jordan and Wilkins played a game within a game. Basketball is a team sport, but the two legends tried to outdo one another, especially in the scoring department.

In the Chicago Bulls’ 122-111 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in December 1991, MJ revealed how he confronted Nique about the scoring title.

”I could tell he was really starting to come at me a little bit,” Jordan said, via the Chicago Tribune. “And that's the type of challenge you expect, and those are the fun times. That is what arouses your competitive juices a little bit.”

“When I was guarding him, I told him, 'You are trying to take the scoring title away from me.' I told him, 'You can have it.' He said, 'Nah, nah, I'm not trying to get it,'” he added.

Wilkins finished the game with 39 points while Jordan had 34. After the game, Dominique remained with a 29-point average, two-tenths of a percent ahead of Michael. MJ felt that Nique was trying to snag his second scoring title for his career.

Jordan already had five scoring titles at that point in his career. He later reiterated that he wasn’t actively trying to win another. If he wins, then he wins. If MJ doesn’t, then so be it. In the end, Jordan claimed his sixth scoring plum by averaging 30.1 points per game while Wilkins finished second with 28.0 points.

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Exhausted

It appears that Wilkins was not telling the truth when Jordan confronted him that night. Later on, Nique admitted that he was consciously trying to win a scoring chip over Mike. However, after multiple failed attempts, the Hawks forward finally conceded.

“After a while, after competing with Michael on the scoring title, I said to myself, ‘Man, I’m getting tired of chasing this damn guy.’ Have at it. It was always a point, a tenth of a point. He was something,” Wilkins said.

Nique diverted his energies and talents to winning an NBA championship instead. Unfortunately, the farthest he had advanced was to the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Larry Bird-led Boston Celtics. They were just one game away from advancing, but the powerhouse Boston squad was just too good.

Even though he doesn’t have a championship ring, Wilkins is still considered one of the all-time greats of the sport. The Human Highlight Reel provided “Class A” entertainment through his ferocious dunks and mid-range bombs.

His duels against Jordan, be it in the regular season or in the Slam Dunk Contest, delighted basketball fans across the globe. Wilkins showed off his generational athleticism and strength in those slam dunk competitions. And in the games, Nique proved that he’s more than a dunker. He’s also one of the most prolific scorers the world has ever seen.

Related: "That’s no disrespect to anybody" - Dominique Wilkins explains why only Michael Jordan is the real GOAT

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.