THE PLAYER OF THE DECADE VS THE "AIR" APPARENT! The Shooter: Larry Bird. His turnaround and fadeaway jump shots leave a colorful blur of rainbows in your eyes. Nearly a decade into his award-laden pro-basketball career, Bird continues to prove himself an all-star performer who can swish the ball from almost anywhere on the court. Going shirt-to-shirt with the Shooter means battling one of basketball's best! The Slammer: Michael Jordan. His aerial show seems to defy the laws of physics. But he's also a stealing, rebounding and point-making machine. Jordan's fast hands, devastating drives and all-around aggressive play make him one of basketball's most respected and entertaining players. It'll take a real shooting star to hammer the Slammer! SWEET SPOTS, WEAK SPOTS AND SHOOTING PERCENTAGES The computer-generated characters you're about to see were originally created with the help of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. If you're a fan of Larry and Michael, you probably know how, when, and where they like to shoot. So does the computer! Each player's approximate sweet spots, weak spots and shooting percentages (guarded and unguarded) have been programmed in. Your score will depend on whether you're Michael or Larry, you timing, how well you're being guarded, and where you're shooting from. USING THE CONTROLLERS For complete controller instructions, see the individual game rules. To Move: UP=RUN FORWARD LEFT=SHUFFLE LEFT RIGHT=SHUFFLE RIGHT DOWN=RUN BACK -To Run Sideways - Press FIRE as you shuffle left or right. -To Turn Around - Press FIRE while moving the joystick UP or DOWN. -To Set and Shoot - Press and hold FIRE, then release FIRE. -To steal the ball - Press FIRE while facing the offensive player. -To advance to the next screen, or return to the GAME OPTIONS screen during a game - Press F1 -To call Time Out during a One On One game - Press F7 when the ball is not in play. To return to the action, press F7. GAME OPTIONS When the title screen appears, press the FIRE BUTTON to get the GAME OPTIONS screen. There are 8 game options: three One On One games, three Slam Dunk games and two 3-Point games. To select a game, press the control pad DOWN to move the basketball to the option you want, then press the START BUTTON. The individual game sections explain how to play each game. ONE ON ONE GAMES These 3 games pit Jordan against Bird. You are Michael or Larry; a friend or the computer is the other player. The ONE ON ONE game options are: ONE ON ONE FULL GAME: You'll play four periods of 2, 5, 8, or 12 minutes each. ONE ON ONE 15 OR 11: You'll play straight through to 15 or 11 points, with no time limit. ONE ON ONE WARM UP: Players can practice one at a time, with no time limit. The Set Features Screen On the SET FEATURES screen, select each feature as described below. SELECT PLAYER: JORDAN OR BIRD For a Warm Up game press fire to choose the player you want to be. (you don't need to set any other features). For a Full Game or a 15 or 11 game, each player presses FIRE to set his controller number (1 or 2) next to the player he wants to be. If you're playing the computer, set "Computer" next to your computer opponent. PLAY TO: For 15 or 11 games only. Select the length of your game to 15 or 11 points. COMPUTER LEVEL: For games against the computer only. Choose from 4 levels of difficulty. (Level 1 is the toughest, Level 4 the easiest.) Level 1: Professional: The big time! Taking on the computer at this level is like playing a champion on his home court. LEVEL 2: College: Play isn't quite so intense. It's just a little easier to steal, block, and grab those rebounds. LEVEL 3: Varsity: Defense loosens up. You can get away with a few cheap shots and free fouls. LEVEL 4: Schoolyard: This one's for beginners, but don't get cocky! It's not easy to beat Michael or Larry, even at this level! WINNER'S OUT: Choose YES to keep the ball after scoring a basket; choose NO to turn the ball over to the defense. FOULS: Choose YES to have fouls called; choose NO for a no-fouls game. PERIOD LENGTH: For the Full Game only. Choose 2, 5, 8, or 12 minutes for each of the four periods of play. Violations If a violation is called against the offensive player, the defensive player gets the ball and the shot clock is reset to 24 seconds. Violations are called even in a NO FOULS game. They are: -Traveling - You jump to shoot, but don't release the ball before your feet hit the ground. Or you dribble, stop to fake, then dribble again. -Violating the 24-Second Clock - You don't get a shot off before the clock runs out. Failing to Clear the Ball If you get a defensive rebound or steal the ball in the key, you must take the ball outside of the key before you can shoot. (You can return to the key to shoot as long as you've cleared the ball first.) Fouls The offensive foul is charging (body contact with the defensive player). The defense gets the ball and the shot clock is reset to 24 seconds. The defensive foul is blocking (body contact with the offensive player). The offense keeps the ball and the shot clock is reset to 24 seconds. Michael: "Larry fouls all the time, but it's not obvious. He gives a little bump and falls away." Larry: "Most fouls are committed because players are caught by surprise. Either they haven't studied their opponent's offensive moves, or they aren't concentrating."Scoring ONE ON ONE FULL GAME: A successful shot from the outside the 3-point line is worth 3 points; and other successful shot is worth 2 points. ONE ON ONE 15 or 11: A successful shot from outside the 3-point line is worth 2 points; and other successful show is worth 1 point. There's no deuce (you don't have to win by 2 points). The Stats Screen At the end of each period, the STATS screen will appear. (You'll see the STATS screen when you call Time Out, too). This screen shows the current score and statistics for each player. Your stats will tell you why you're winning or losing, and what you can improve on. After looking at the STATS screen, press the FIRE BUTTON. NOTES: "**" in the percent column indicated 100%. The "Total" column totals your stats for all periods played. SLAM DUNK GAMES These 2 games feature Michael Jordan, the Sultan of Slam. Michael won the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest in 1987 and 1988, which makes him an expert on rim bending and air walking. The Slam Dunk game options are: SLAM DUNK CONTEST: Up to 4 players can compete. In a 1-player game, it's you against the computer Michael. SLAM DUNK WARM UP: You can practice dunks over and over again. FOLLOW THE LEADER: Take a slam dunk course from Michael himself! Watch the computer Michael dunk, then try the same dunk yourself. Slam Dunk Contest On the SET FEATURES screen, press FIRE to select the number of players (1, 2, 3, or 4). Choose Your Dunk: The Slam Dunk screen shows 10 different dunks. To select one of them, press the control pad UP, DOWN, LEFT, or RIGHT. Then press the FIRE BUTTON. How to Dunk: Press FIRE as you run toward the basket; release FIRE to complete your dunk. Each dunk has a specific take-off location. In the Follow The Leader game, the computer Michael will show how each dunk is done. Scoring: You get 30 seconds to complete a dunk. Each of the 5 judges awards up to 10 points for a dunk. A perfect dunk scores 50 points! The Slam Dunk Contest is played in rounds. Press the FIRE BUTTON to move to the next round. 1-Player Game: You'll play 3 Final Rounds against the computer Michael. Each player gets 1 dunk per round; the high scorer wins. 2-, 3-, and 4-Player Elimination Games: A 4-player game starts with the Preliminary Rounds. Each player gets 2 dunks; the low scorer is eliminated. Then you move on to the Semi-Finals, which is where you start in a 3-player game. Each player gets 3 dunks; the low scorer is eliminated. The last 2 players go to the Finals, which is where you start in a 2-player game. Each player gets 3 dunks; the high scorer wins! Slam Dunk Warm Up Choose a dunk to practice. FIRE returns you to the Slam Dunk screen; the F1 BUTTON returns you to the GAME OPTIONS screen. Follow The Leader The computer Michael dunks; then you try the same dunk. The FIRE BUTTON returns you to the GAME OPTIONS screen. THE EVOLUTION OF MICHAEL'S DUNK "In my neighborhood, we had goals that were lower than 10 feet. If you could reach the basket, then you could start getting the timing down - that's when the creativity became a part of it. You get the timing down and it's not long before you start looking good. I was barely dunking in the 9th grade and I wasn't dunking forcefully until 11th. My first dunk was in a high school JV game and it was a mistake! I didn't think I was high enough, but I found out that I was. I was actually going for a lay up. The guys called it the baby dunk.' I couldn't do it during practice. In the game situation, the intensity was so high, I was able to do it. I was happy about the dunk, but we still lost the game. How do I create the dunks I do? It's sort of like the first one - it just happens when I'm in the air. I don't know I can do it till I've done it. I create most of my dunks as I'm doing them in a game." 3-POINT GAMES This is Larry Bird's domain. You can't win three NBA All-Star 3-Point Contests by tossing up duds from behind that huge semi-circle! The 3-Point game options are: 3-POINT CONTEST: Up to 4 players can compete. In a 1-player game, it's you against the computer Larry. Each player gets 60 seconds to shoot 25 balls (5 balls each from 5 bins). 3-POINT WARM UP: Practice 3-pointers without any time limit. For the 3-Point Contest, press FIRE on the SET FEATURES screen to select the number of players (1, 2, 3, or 4). How to Shoot To pick up a ball, press FIRE. Once you've shot all five balls from one bin, quickly move to the next bin and continue shooting. The shot counter keeps track of how many balls you've shot from each bin. In the game, speed and accuracy are equally important. Larry hit 17 baskets during the 3-Point Contest in the 1988 All-Star game. Can you shoot 25 winners before time runs out Scoring Each successful shot is worth one point, except for the last ball in each bin - "the money ball." Each money ball is worth two points. A perfect score for one round is 30 points. Rounds of play in the 3-Point Contest is the same as in the Slam Dunk Contest; see page 14 for details. OFFENSIVE NOTEBOOK Michael's Tips "I'm a better shooter coming off the dribble that I am a stand-still jump shooter. I'm a better shooter if I can take the dribble this way or that way and go up for the jump shot. The jab step is a weapon I use to keep the defense honest. If he's playing me for the drive - he's playing me close - I use the jab step as if I'm going to fake for a drive. If he retreats, he opens me up for the jump shot and gives me more room to operate. If I jab step and he stays, that's my key to go past. If Larry's playing me, he'd probably play me off of the drive so I'd take the jump shot. If my jump shot isn't falling, I'd close in on him and back him until he's close to me. Then I can use my quickness to get past him. Use the crossover ster in combination with your fake jumper. If Larry plays up for the jump block, spin around him and drive around him and drive for the jam. If he plays for the drive, advance with your back to him and position yourself to either use the turnaround jumper if he plays off you, or step and slam if he's too close.Of course, I could always show him my aerial 360." Larry's Tips "The difference between a shooter and a scorer is this: a shooter puts the ball up every time he has an open shot; a scorer puts it up only when he has the best shot. To become a good shooter, you have to do three things: practice how to shoot, learn where the good shots are, and learn when to shoot. Once I practiced enough to get down to fundamentals, I practiced to refine my skills so I could execute them without thinking. Once I refined my basic skills, I started to practice putting them together in effective combinations, like putting my shooting and dribbling together with fakes and moves to the basket. Watch out for Michael's quickness. Try to get him off balance with jabs and fakes and get in position to shoot from the top of the key. I like to use my turnaround jump shot as an offensive weapon. If he plays on me, I'd back in, turn around, and shoot quickly.Or maybe I'll just nail one." DEFENSIVE NOTEBOOK Michael's Tips "Larry can shoot it from any stance. He's got one of those fake shots where he can fake it but look like he's going to shoot it. That gets me off my feet so he can use that quick move of his to go past. When you think he won't shoot, he will shoot it. When you think he will shoot, he won't shoot. I'd force him to drive by, playing him close and denying his jump shot. How do I decide when to steal or when to block? It's a gamble. If Larry goes for the steal, he's going to pay for it if he doesn't get the ball. And if he steals it, I'm the one in a bad shape. I think I'd rather get the steal because then I'm in control of the ball. I go for the steal when the ball is clearly in my vision, like when the offensive player has a mental lapse and puts it in my face. If I don't get the steal but make the block, hopefully I'll pick it up. If it's between blocking and rebounding, I'm getting in his face. If Larry is open, there won't be a rebound. If he does get a shot off and you do have to go for the rebound, you'll have to box him out so he can't get to the ball. Luckily in one on one, you don't have to worry about another man getting to the ball." Larry's Tips "Fundamentally, defense is a simple skill. It amounts to keeping your body positioned between your opponent and the basket. It's about as simple as that. But mentally, defense is tough. You've got to use your mental toughness to constantly push your body around the court so it says 'no' to your opponent. I jump on jump shooters. I move in on jump shooters until we're shirt-to-shirt. I use a wide stance so if the shooter decides to forget the shot and try and drive around me, he'll have to work at it. With Michael, it's different. He's so quick I tend to play him off to stop his drive. If I see him square up, I'll move in. Going for a steal against Michael is dangerous. If you commit and miss, he's by you in a flash - and in the air for the slam. Shot blocking is a spectacular defensive play. It's a defender's greatest moment. It's a shooter's worst. Whenever you see you can block a show without fouling the shooter, go ahead, put it in his face. If I see a player like to shoot from particular areas of the court, I try to beat him to his spot. I keep him out of his shooting positions. If Michael seems to favor a spot, I'll see him there." PLAYER PROFILES Larry Joe Bird Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana Height: 6'9", Weight: 220 lbs. High School: Springs Valley, French Lick, Ind. Colleges: Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind; Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Ind. Drafted by Boston on first round as junior eligible, 1978 (6th pick) It would be one thing to be a hot offensive player, hitting the three pointers, driving for those high percentage shots. It would be another to be a great defensive player, sticking to your man like gum on a hot sidewalk, denying the ball with outrageous frequency. It would, yet again, be another thing to be a team player, passing the ball when you see the open man, setting up the plays that bring the team together. It would take a Larry Bird to be all of this. During Bird's first nine years in the NBA, he has taken the opportunity to use each year to improve himself the amazing all-around player that he is. His successes run on like a Wall Street ticker tape: NBA Rookie of the Year, 1980. NBA All-Rookie Team, 1980. NBA All-Star Game MVP, 1982. NBA Most Valuable Player, 1984-1986. Named to All-NBA First Team, 1980-1988. Member of NBA championship teams, 1981, 1984, 1986. NBA Playoff MVP 1984, 1986. NBA playoff record for most points in one year, 1984. NBA all-time three-point field goal leader. ....and this is just a partial list. The 1987-1988 season brought more: Third overall in the NBA scoring...Second in free throw percentage...Career highs in field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and scoring average...NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest Winner, 1988. Michael Jeffrey Jordan Born: February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Height: 6'6", Weight: 195 lbs. High School: Laney, Wilmington, N.C. College: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C. Drafted by Chicago on first round as an undergraduate, 1984 (3rd pick) The size of 34 shorts two inches extra long. The single wristband midway up the left forearm. The pink tongue. Who else would these oddities belong to but a unique player whose "love of the game" clause lets him play basketball anytime he wants? From the day the North Carolina freshman hit the jump shot that clinched the NCAA championship in 1982, Jordan has never let up on the basketball throttle. Jordan burst onto the professional basketball scene only a few years ago. But the talented guard has already put his name at the top of numerous lists - both for his record-breaking stats and in recognition of his all-around great play. Some of his accolades include: NBA Rookie of the Year, 1985. NBA All-Rookie Team, 1985. Leb NBA in scoring, 1987-1989. NBA All-Star MVP, 1988. First player to get over 100 blocked shots and win the scoring title, 1988. Leading vote-getter for the NBA All-Star Game, 1988. Defensive Player of the Year, 1988. NBA Most Valuable Player, 1988. NBA All-Star Game Slam Dunk Champ, 1988.