<P> In 1994, Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons, a Double - A minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, batting . 202 with three home runs, 51 runs batted in, 30 stolen bases, 114 strikeouts, 51 base on balls, and 11 errors . He also appeared for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the 1994 Arizona Fall League, batting . 252 against the top prospects in baseball . On November 1, 1994, his number 23 was retired by the Bulls in a ceremony that included the erection of a permanent sculpture known as The Spirit outside the new United Center . </P> <P> In the 1993--94 season, the Bulls achieved a 55--27 record without Jordan in the lineup, and lost to the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs . The 1994--95 Bulls were a shell of the championship team of just two years earlier . Struggling at mid-season to ensure a spot in the playoffs, Chicago was 31--31 at one point in mid-March . The team received help, however, when Jordan decided to return to the Bulls . </P> <P> In March 1995, Jordan decided to quit baseball due to the ongoing Major League Baseball strike, as he wanted to avoid becoming a potential replacement player . On March 18, 1995, Jordan announced his return to the NBA through a two - word press release: "I'm back ." The next day, Jordan took to the court with the Bulls to face the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, scoring 19 points . The game had the highest Nielsen rating of a regular season NBA game since 1975 . Although he could have opted to wear his normal number in spite of the Bulls having retired it, Jordan instead wore number 45, as he had while playing baseball . </P> <P> Although he had not played an NBA game in a year and a half, Jordan played well upon his return, making a game - winning jump shot against Atlanta in his fourth game back . He then scored 55 points in the next game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 28, 1995 . Boosted by Jordan's comeback, the Bulls went 13--4 to make the playoffs and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Orlando Magic . At the end of Game 1, Orlando's Nick Anderson stripped Jordan from behind, leading to the game - winning basket for the Magic; he would later comment that Jordan "didn't look like the old Michael Jordan" and that "No. 45 doesn't explode like No. 23 used to ." </P>

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