Ben Giles talks Bird vs. Jordan

The overall effect of the sequence of shots in this video is a bit cheesy, but it's still effective, especially considering how iconic this commercial was and still is today.

The common sequence of shots here is to shift from a medium shot of either Bird or Jordan taking a shot, and then to zoom in for a quick, tight shot of a ball swishing through a hoop. The first time we see this is at the 22 second spot, after a Jordan shot.

The sequence of quick cut shots get more extravagent as the trick shots the player's take get more complicated. In a series starting with a Bird basket taken from the bleachers: a total of three camera shots are shown in only three seconds.

31: the ball bounces off midcourt.
32: the ball bounces off the jumbotron.
33: the ball swishes through the hoop.

And to cap it all off, second 34 in the video is a tight shot of a flabbergasted Jordan.

The video goes on in this manner, and then even uses wide shots for grand effect as the baskets taken by the players get even more ridiculous. At the end of the commercial, the camera pans out into a wide angle shot of Bird and Jordan standing on a skyscraper, starting at the 52 second mark.