When I first heard Michael Jordan was going to be gracing the cover of NBA 2K11, my heart jumped. My favorite player of all time was back.

The reason I love basketball was returning to where I live out my dreams on the digital hardwood. I didn’t have to create him again this year like so many times before. NBA 2K11 was bringing me and every other basketball fanatic something that could not be topped.

This happened once before in NBA Live 2000. Jordan was in the game and could be used if unlocked through a one-on-one game. I got my MJ that year with the help of legend Dr. J who sunk a ton of 3s to beat Michael and unlock him for me (yes I know, it’s weird to unlock Jordan via 3-pointers from Julius Erving).

Obviously, it’s a different case this year and an unprecedented one. NBA 2K11 is giving us the ultimate Jordan dream. We get 10 Bulls teams, and we get all of the teams Jordan tormented to play with right out of the box.

I still can’t believe this is true. I seriously don’t even care about the gameplay now as long as I don’t have to create 200 historical players for classic teams like I usually do.

So in my book, NBA 2K11 is going to be amazing this year, no matter what. But what are they going to do next year to follow this? How can they?

In my eyes, there’s only one way, even if it probably won’t happen. NBA 2K12 needs Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on its cover facing off in the only possible way to follow a Michael Jordan cover.

We get to play 10 of Michael’s greatest moments this year, which is going to be a ton of fun, but what would we be getting if Bird and Magic were on the cover?

Here’s what I feel like would be the five best moments to re-create in an NBA 2K12 game that will probably never happen but would be amazing if it did.

5. Game Winning Trey from Magic

On December 11, 1987 after the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics for the NBA title, the two teams met up for a grudge match on the Boston Garden floor.

Both squads were experiencing long playoff hangovers and had lost four of their last five games, but the "Magic" was not gone yet.

In a tight game, Boston held a two-point advantage in the waning seconds, which would only set up some last-second drama from the Magic Man, who banked in a 3-pointer while running to his left as time expired to give LA the victory.

Try pulling that off in a video game. The first moment won’t be easy to accomplish.

4. Memorial Day Massacre

It’s Game 1 of the 1985 NBA Finals. Boston beat the Lakers in 7 games the year before to claim the crown and was in perfect position to repeat following this blood bath.

In what has to be one of the more embarrassing defeats in Lakers history, the Celtics dominate Los Angeles 148-114 to take the all important first game of the series.

With CPU cheesing in full effect, try to either stave off this attack from the Celtics or destroy the Lakers the best way you know how. Either way, it’s not going to be easy.

3. Win a Title on the Road or at Home

The Lakers were able to bounce back in the '85 Finals following the huge defeat in Game 1 thanks to a 2-3-2 format that had just been initiated into the league.

They won games 2, 3 and 5 and were poised to close the series out in 6 games -- only they had to do so in the Boston Garden.

If ever there was a challenge in the NBA, it was winning a title on the parquet floor that claimed the Celtics as its home.

Good luck pulling this off with a Magic Johnson who was coming off a horrific series in the '84 Finals.

2. Bird Game Winner Over Magic

In the first NBA Finals where these two legends met, Larry Bird had a moment that could not have been written any better.

In the final minute of Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, Bird found himself switched with Magic Johnson guarding him under the basket with the score tied.

Legend pulled free and hit a fall-away jumper over Magic to lift Boston to victory after calling out his teammates as "sissies" for their Game 3 performance.

Make sure you’re holding back on the left stick to get this shot off since Bird does not get much lift on his shot.

1. The Magic Baby Hook

In what has to be the best game played between the two, it was Magic who got the last laugh, but not by much.

Following a Bird 3-pointer, Magic drove to the foul line while being guarded by Kevin McHale and sunk a running hook shot over McHale, Robert Parish and Bird to win the pivotal Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Finals.

The moment almost belonged to Bird again as he nearly drilled a 3-pointer as time expired and James Worthy saw his life flash before his eyes.


Did we miss any? How about other classic players who might fit on the cover and have "moments" of their own.?