Michael Jordan’s 63-Point Game Ticket: A 1986 Boston Garden Stub

At first glance, this is a fairly plain green-and-white Boston Garden playoff ticket. It does not name Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls or even the date of the game. But it does contain one crucial identifier: a large, dotted “B” printed in the center.

Its history is anything but ordinary.

The owner identifies this ticket as the surviving stub from Game 2 of the 1986 Eastern Conference first-round series between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls—the night Michael Jordan scored 63 points and set an NBA playoff record that still stands. The Game B designation provides important corroboration.

The game was played at Boston Garden on April 20, 1986. Boston eventually won 135–131 in double overtime, but Jordan’s performance became one of the defining games of his career.

Ticket details visible in the photographs

• Venue: Boston Garden
• Event: Play-off game
• Playoff designation: Game B
• Original price: $28
• Location: First Balcony
• Section: 89
• Row: A
• Seat: 2
• Printer: Globe Ticket Co.
• Colors: Green, black and off-white

The reverse contains instructions for returning tickets for playoff games that were not played. It refers to the final 1986 playoff game and gives an August 1, 1986 deadline for requesting a refund.

That refund language does not mean this particular ticket went unused. Playoff tickets were commonly prepared before every possible home game was guaranteed to occur, so the same conditional language could appear across a postseason ticket book.

Why the April 20 game matters

Jordan entered the 1986 playoffs after missing 64 regular-season games with a broken left foot. He had scored 49 points against Boston in Game 1. In Game 2, he went even further.

Jordan scored 63 points in 53 minutes. He made 22 of 41 field-goal attempts and 19 of 21 free throws without attempting a three-pointer. His total surpassed Elgin Baylor’s previous single-game playoff record of 61 points.

Boston needed two overtimes to win.

The opponent adds considerably to the game’s historical importance. The 1985–86 Celtics finished 67–15, went 40–1 at home during the regular season and eventually won the NBA championship. After watching Jordan nearly defeat that team by himself, Larry Bird famously described the performance as “God disguised as Michael Jordan.”

Jordan’s 63 remains the NBA record for points in a playoff game.

Why “Game B” matters

Boston issued postseason tickets using lettered game designations because the complete playoff schedule could not be known when the tickets were printed. Game A represented the first scheduled home playoff game, while Game B represented the second.

The Celtics’ first home game of the 1986 playoffs was Game 1 against Chicago on April 17, when Jordan scored 49 points. Their second was Game 2 on April 20, when he scored 63. Contemporary auction records for a complete set of Boston’s 1986 home playoff stubs likewise list the April 17 and April 20 tickets as the first two tickets in the run.

That makes the oversized B more than a background design. Together with the 1986 refund language, Boston Garden printing and the owner’s provenance, it identifies this as a Game B ticket—the designation corresponding to Jordan’s 63-point game.

Why the ticket does not name the opponent or date

The front says only “Play-Off Game at Boston Garden.” That was practical: postseason tickets had to be printed before the complete schedule and every possible home game were known.

As a result, identifying a generic playoff ticket can require more than reading its face. Useful evidence can include:

• The original owner’s account of attending the game
• The ticket’s position within a season-ticket or playoff booklet
• Matching seat information on related tickets
• An original envelope, invoice or schedule
• Photographs or other documentation retained with the ticket

For this example, the owner’s history connects it to Game 2, while the visible Game B designation independently fits Boston’s second scheduled home playoff game. The printing and refund information are also consistent with the Celtics’ 1986 playoff run. The ticket still does not literally state “Chicago Bulls” or “April 20,” so preserving its provenance remains worthwhile.

That distinction matters. Good ticket descriptions should explain both what can be seen directly and what is known from provenance.

Condition of this example

The ticket shows honest evidence of age and use:

• A vertical crease through the center
• Uneven or rough edges
• Minor surface wear
• Light discoloration

The important printed information remains readable, and the green design is still strong. The ticket should not be trimmed, cleaned, flattened aggressively or repaired. Those changes can remove evidence collectors use when evaluating originality.

An archival, acid-free holder is the safest way to store it. Keep it away from direct sunlight, moisture, adhesive tape and PVC plastic.

What collectors consider

We are not assigning a public cash value from photographs alone. Tickets tied to major games can vary substantially based on:

• Whether the ticket can be conclusively matched to the event
• Full ticket versus retained admission stub
• Overall condition and completeness
• Seat location
• Original-owner history and supporting documentation
• Authentication or grading
• Recent demand for comparable examples

This ticket’s strongest feature is its connection to a record-setting performance by one of basketball’s most important players. Its Boston Garden origin and the quality of the opponent add further historical context.

The crease and edge wear affect condition, but condition is only one part of evaluating an event ticket. For historically important games, provenance and correct identification can be equally important.

Do you have an old basketball ticket?

StubHaul buys vintage and collectible ticket stubs, including tickets from NBA playoff games, Boston Garden, the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan games and other important sporting events.

If you have one to sell, send clear photographs of the front and back along with anything you know about where it came from. Original envelopes, ticket books, programs and personal history can help us identify it accurately.

Send photos and request a cash offer

Research sources

• NBA: Michael Jordan’s 63-point playoff performance
• NBA: Most points scored in an NBA playoff game
• Chicago Bulls: Michael Jordan’s 63 points in the 1986 NBA Playoffs
• Heritage Auctions: Complete 1986 Boston Celtics home playoff ticket collection

Photographs published with the owner’s permission. Identification includes information supplied by the owner. StubHaul may buy and resell collectible tickets. This article is educational and is not a formal appraisal or guarantee of value.