Today in Performance Sneaker History: MJ Drops 64 Points on Shaq & Co. in the Air Jordan 7 "Cardinal"

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Complex Original

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In 1993, the NBA was in somewhat of a transition phase. Michael Jordan was coming off of his second NBA Championship win, the second of the Bulls three-peat. Meanwhile, down south in Orlando, a dominant rookie center by the name of Shaquille O'Neal was beginning to make waves.

But on this day in history, January 16, 1993, the two stars faced off in what would be Shaq's first road game in Chicago. Although the Magic were able to prevail with a victory, it's safe to say that His Airness left quite the impression on the young rookie, as he put up a total of 64 points, a number that stands as the second highest amount of points Jordan scored in a single game.

Also in Janaury 1993, Nike was preparing to unveil the strap-equipped Air Jordan VIII. However, during this game, Mike was still rocking the Jordan 7s, in their "Cardinal" makeup. The AJVII model continues to be a popular choice today, due to its Huarache-styled inner bootie and full length Air cushioning. Even in 2013, you'll often see players of all sizes enjoying the benefits of the Jordan 7.

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