Some Interesting, Stray Observations of Game 6: The Movie, and Game 6 of the 2011 World Series

Over the past couple of days, I've been blessed with the opportunity to watch both Game 6 of the 2011 World Series in which the St. Louis Cardinals came back to win in extra innings over the Texas Rangers, and third baseman David Freese was able to hit a clutch triple to tie it up late in the ninth down two outs against Neftali Feliz, and he also hit a game winning home run to propel the Cards to a game 7, as my hometown team, the Cardinals would go on to win the 2011 World Series.  That game had gotten off to a slow start, as there were several fielding errors early on, but had a brilliant build-up and ending, as the Comeback Cardinals were resilient in their victory over the Rangers.  David Freese absolutely dominated in this game, especially in crunch time.

Chicago Bulls' legendary guard, Michael Jordan makes the game-winning shot
over Utah Jazz's forward, Bryon Russell to propel the Bulls
to win their 6th NBA championship in the 1998 NBA Finals.
(Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

St. Louis Cardinals' star third baseman David Freese came up big
by hitting a bases clearing triple in the ninth, and a game-winning home run
to get the Cardinals a come back win in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series,
as the Cards would eventually win in 7 games over the Texas Rangers.
(Photo: Eric Gay, Associated Press)

I also was able to watch Game 6: The Movie, which is a documentary showing game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz, as shown from director Jason Hehir.  It was fun to re-watch that basketball game.  Obviously, Michael Jordan was dominant, including in the last 40 seconds of the game, and he scored 45 points and was able to get a clutch steal by ripping the ball away from Karl Malone to get a crucial offensive possession late in this contest.

Karl Malone also played very well for the Utah Jazz, but some interesting observations were that not only did Scottie Pippen have back problems, but so did John Stockton in this game.  The Bulls and Jazz were both two of the older teams in the NBA, and so both teams were battling injuries and the war of attrition in Game 6.  Antoine Carr had really good second quarter for the Jazz, as he was making mid-range jumpers and scored off of a cut, but I didn't really notice him that much after that.  Toni Kukoc also did a good job of knocking down shots for the Chicago Bulls.

Steve Kerr was a really good shooter that is one of the best spot-up shooters in NBA history, but there has been a debate of whether he could play in today's NBA.  I'd like to think that he can, as his shooting is at a premium, and always has been needed by NBA teams across generations.  However, he didn't help his case in this game though.  He did win 3 titles with the Chicago Bulls, two more as a player with the Spurs, and three as a head coach with the Golden State Warriors, so he's a well-decorated individual in sports.  In this game though, he really struggled defensively, mostly due to his athletic limitations.  He tried really hard to stay in front of Howard Eisley, but he just couldn't, and Utah was often able to capitalize as a result in that game.  Still, with Kerr's strong shooting skills and basketball IQ, I think he could've been a backup or a third-string PG as a Quinn Cook or as a better shooting Ryan Arcidiacono type in today's NBA.

Scottie Pippen was invaluable in his team's win, even when he was limited due to a bad lower back injury.  He was able to rotate to poke balls and deflect passes to get steals, he also blocked Adam Keefe's shot, and he also excelled as a low post scorer.  He mainly was used to throw entry passes to help get Michael Jordan the basketball, but his strong defensive skills still helped the Bulls significantly, even in a limited capacity.  Pippen delivered when his team needed him the most, and the Bulls were a clearly better team with him on the floor even in the condition he was in.

Dennis Rodman was able to score on a couple of tip-ins in the third quarter, and he also made a 20-footer late in the game.  Also, Utah Jazz's big men, Adam Keefe and Greg Foster played for quite awhile, and they were not very useful at all in this game.  Announcer Isiah Thomas suggested for the Bulls to run a post play for Luc Longley in the third quarter as he hadn't shot the ball yet, Longley proceeded to later miss a mid-range shot badly later in this contest.

Some controversial calls or no-calls also went down, too.  The Bulls were whistled for a lot of illegal defense calls, and it seems that they couldn't have possibly committed that many of them in this game.  In the 1990s, the rules forbade players to help down inside the post away from the ball before the post player received the basketball.  If a defending player was standing away from the ball, they had to be above the free throw line.  In today's NBA, Chicago Bulls' defense would've been perfectly acceptable.

Utah Jazz's backup point guard, Howard Eisley also appeared to make a three that was waved off due to a shot clock violation, which could not be reviewed because 1990s basketball did not have instant replay.

As for whether or not Michael Jordan pushed off or not, I don't think he did.  Bryon Russell seemed to be falling over on his own, and Jordan did a really good job of faking Russell out of his shoes to make the go-ahead winning basket to get the 1998 Chicago Bulls the series win and their 6th NBA championship.

One more look at Michael Jordan's game winning shot that he made to get the Chicago Bulls
their 6th NBA championship.
(Photo: Fernando Medina/ NBAE/ Getty Images)

The greatest player of all time Michael Jordan,
and arguably the greatest coach of all time Phil Jackson holding up
the Finals MVP, and the Larry O'Brien Trophy as the 1998 Chicago Bulls
defeated the Utah Jazz to win the title.
(Photo: JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)

I enjoyed watching both games.  The camera view from Game 6: The Movie was very close to the court, and so it was hard at times to watch the action off the ball, and there would be some surprise scores from players off cuts.  It was an exciting game that also showed an unbiased, honest look at Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals in High-Definition (HD).  Thanks for reading this.  Feel free to follow me on Twitter @AlanLuSTL.

Thoughts On Episodes 9 and 10 of The Last Dance, and Lower Back Pain

What a ride this has been.  In episodes 9 and 10, we were able to see how the 1997 NBA Finals played out, and the Chicago Bulls' 1998 run to defeat the Indiana Pacers and the Utah Jazz to win their sixth NBA championship.  Big credit to director Jason Hehir for making such a riveting, emotional documentary that us viewers on the edge of our seats, and for telling these stories that will be inspirational for not only us, but for generations to come. 

Legendary basketball players, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen celebrated their
sixth championship together with the Chicago Bulls,
as they helped their team defeat the Utah  Jazz
in the 1998 NBA Finals.
(Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

We pick up right where we left off.  The Chicago Bulls squared off against the Indiana Pacers in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals.  The Bulls won the first two at home, then the Pacers won the next game in their home building.  The Bulls were up 94-93 in Indiana in Game 4, but Scottie Pippen missed both free throws, and suddenly, we end up getting a surprise ending.....

Indiana Pacers' guard, Reggie Miller pushes off Chicago Bulls' guard, Michael Jordan
to make a game-winning three-pointer
in Game 4 to even the series in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals.
(Photo: Vincent Laforet /Allsport)

The Bulls and Pacers then split 5 and 6, and then end up squaring off in a no holds barred, winner-take-all Game 7 in Chicago.  The Bulls had not been in many Game 7s, but they had the best player (Michael Jordan), second banana (Scottie Pippen), head coach (Phil Jackson), and rebounder in the game (Dennis Rodman), and they had won all of their home games in this series and would be playing at home once again for the deciding, pivotal game.  There was some reason to be nervous though, as this would be the last season for the quartet, and the 1998 Chicago Bulls would break up next season, with or without the championship that seemed to await them.

We get sent back to 1997, where the Chicago Bulls squared off against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals.  In game 1, Michael Jordan makes a game-winning shot over Bryon Russell to get Chicago a 1-0 lead.  The Bulls won the first 2 at home, but the Jazz ended up stealing the next two on their home turf to even the series.

Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals was the famous, Michael Jordan "Flu Game."  Really, what had most likely happened was that Michael Jordan suffered food poisoning after eating suspicious pizza served by 4 or 5 delivery people late at night.  His trainer Tim Grover told the story and advised him to not eat the pizza, for he was suspicious at the idea of pizza needing to be served by that many people.  But Jordan was hungry and it was late at night, and that was the only pizza place that was open at that hour.

In the morning afterwards, Jordan was throwing up, and he was ill, and couldn't hold any of the foods down.  The Utah Jazz got off to a big start early, and Michael Jordan looked famished and in bad shape early on.  As a Bulls fan, I was worried.

Michael Jordan scored 38 points as he put forth one of the greatest performances in NBA history
to lead Chicago Bulls to a mesmerizing Game 5 win over the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals.
(Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Then, head coach Phil Jackson called a timeout in the first quarter, and suddenly Michael Jordan put on a superhuman performance, as he played the grittiest game in NBA history.  He was making basket after basket despite having the stomach flu, and nothing could beat Michael Jordan that day.  Not the flu or the Utah Jazz.  Michael Jordan scored 38 points, as he helped lift the Chicago Bulls to a 90-88 victory, as they were able to get a meaningful and tough, road win to get his team a 3-2 lead in the series.  Jordan was incredible in this game, and he put forth one of the greatest performances in NBA history.  Utah Jazz's head coach Jerry Sloan was astonished to hear that Michael Jordan was sick and still performed as well as he did in this game.

Game 6 was a pretty hard fought game, and the Chicago Bulls had some trouble closing out the Utah Jazz in the fourth quarter.  It was then when Michael Jordan and the Bulls decided to turn to sharpshooting role player and backup point guard, Steve Kerr late in the game, as he would be open when the Jazz would double off of him to guard Jordan.

Steve Kerr's clutch shot that he made in Game 6 helped propel the Chicago Bulls to win
their 5th NBA championship in 1997.
(Photo: (Photo by John Biever /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Jordan drove into the paint, kicked it back out to Steve Kerr, and Kerr made the go-ahead basket from mid-range.  Scottie Pippen was able to jump a pass and tip it out to Toni Kukoc, who drove in to score on a dunk at the end of the game, and the Chicago Bulls won their 5th NBA championship in 1997.  Game 5 was Jordan's game, game 6 was Steve Kerr's game, as he finally had his defining moment as a player on the court, as he helped get his team to the series win over the Utah Jazz.

Steve Kerr talked about his upbringing, where he was not a heavily recruited player, and had to work really hard to get to where he was.  His dad, Malcolm Kerr was a professor at UCLA, and was heavily invested in his kids' lives.  Steve Kerr and his father were also great friends.  Kerr managed to get a scholarship from Arizona at basically the last minute, and his father ended up being a professor in Beirut, Lebanon.

Things took a turn for the worse unfortunately, and the violence in Lebanon resulted in tragedy.  His father was murdered in 1984, as Steve Kerr was still just in college basketball when this happened.  Like with Jordan, it was hard for Steve Kerr to talk about this difficult subject.  He focused more and more on basketball, and he ended up in the NBA.  He studied players such as John Paxson, and one day, they became teammates on the Chicago Bulls.  Paxson took Kerr under his wing to teach him the ways of being a member of the Bulls and how to be a teammate of Michael Jordan and how to earn his respect.  Kerr didn't back down from any of his challenges, and his journey helped pave the way for him to be a pivotal member of the Chicago Bulls' 2nd three-peat.

Also, we were able to see the bond between Michael Jordan and one of his closest confidantes and security guard, Gus Lett.  Lett was like a father figure to Jordan after MJ's dad died, and they shared a close bond.  Michael Jordan stayed close to Gus Lett all the way to the end, and Gus Lett was able to get a game ball after a playoff win from the Chicago Bulls in 1998.

The greatest of all time, Chicago Bulls' guard, Michael Jordan
in Game 7 of the 1998 Bulls-Pacers Eastern Conference Finals.
(Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Michael Jordan helped lead the Chicago Bulls to a decisive series win
to defeat the Indiana Pacers in 7 games of the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals.
(Photo: JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)

Back in 1998, the Chicago Bulls squared off against the Indiana Pacers for a decisive Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.  It went back and forth nearly the whole way.  The Pacers came charging out of the gates early on, as their strong presence inside helped give them the early lead.  The Chicago Bulls made a run of their own, due to strong perimeter play and defense.  Michael Jordan was on his game, Steve Kerr made some shots, but the Pacers kept hanging in it.

The Pacers had a narrow lead in the middle of the fourth quarter when Jordan drove the lane, and ended up getting tied up by Rik Smits, as both players would be called for a jump ball.  As Jordan and Smith leapt up to go for the basketball, Jordan won the tip over the 7-4 center, as the Bulls received the basketball, and the ball went out to an open Steve Kerr, who drilled the three to tie the game at 77 all.  The Bulls' crowd roared, and the Chicago Bulls would go on to win 88-83 over the Pacers and on to face off against the Utah Jazz later on.

In the 1998 NBA Finals, shockingly, the Utah Jazz pull off a game 1 win in their home building in OT, as they wore down the Chicago Bulls in overtime.  The Chicago Bulls won the second game to even the series.

In game 3, the Chicago Bulls blew the Utah Jazz out of the water, as they held their opponents down to just 54 points, and won by 42 points.  In game 4, the Chicago Bulls won again to get up to a 3-1 series lead, and there's some talk about the Bulls winning in Chicago in what could be Jordan's final game ever.  Only though, it seems as if no one was quite ready for the season to be over yet.

Game 5 turned out to be the Chicago Bulls' sloppiest performance, as they dropped this game to the Jazz at home, as they then went out on the road to play in Utah for Game 6.  It was a truly hard fought game in which the Bulls played with an injured Scottie Pippen, who was playing through back pain, and for periods at a time would go into the locker room to ease his lower back pain.

Chicago Bulls' legendary forward, Scottie Pippen scored early on with a dunk,
but dealt with back pain for the rest of the game in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.
(Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Scottie Pippen had scored early on with a dunk, but that dunk unfortunately severely tightened his lower back, as he ended up having severe lower back pains.  But the Chicago Bulls were determined to have another legendary performance in NBA playoffs history.

Re-watching Scottie Pippen play through a lower back injury in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals was truly one of the grittiest performances I've seen in NBA history, along with the Michael Jordan "Flu Game" in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals.  As someone who has played a fair share of pick-up basketball, I've had a couple of lower back injuries myself over the past several years, and it is definitely not easy playing through that pain.

The first time when I injured my lower back really caught me by surprise when it happened to me.  Back then, I injured my back was about 5 years ago, when I went up for a simple layup that I would normally make while I was just shooting around, but I extended myself a bit too far, and felt pain in my lower right back.  I couldn't play for the rest of that day, and didn't do any serious basketball-related activities for a month.

The second time that I experienced lower back pain happened about 20 years after the memorable 1998 NBA season, as this time actually happened in an outdoors, pick-up basketball game in the summer.  That day, I was shooting the ball really well, and I was making a lot of threes that day.*  (In 2018, I was a far different player than how I played in 1994.  During the 1990s Bulls years, I was an inside player that relied on energy and hustle to grab rebounds and to defend multiple positions, and I was an agile big man when I was a kid.  In 2018, I'm now much more of a perimeter player, and I'm now primarily a jump shooter and facilitator in basketball games.  I didn't shoot threes in the 1990s, now as an older player, I shoot mostly threes and mid-range jumpers nowadays.)

*My three-point shooting prowess that day had caught my friend by surprise, and I was somewhat surprised myself that I was making a lot of outside shots, plenty of which were contested.  This by far had to be one of my best basketball days in the summer at that point.  Then, on one play, I went for a loose ball with an opponent, and I reached out to go get it, and......POP!  I felt pain in my lower left back as I was bent over, and had missed out on the loose ball opportunity.   When I tried to straighten out my back, I knew I couldn't play for the rest of those games that day.  I sat down to hang out with my friend on the sidelines, and then after that, the pain was excruciating.

When I got up from the concrete, I really felt it.  I had a hard time walking without feeling pain in my lower back, I had to change my sleeping habits for a couple of weeks.  I didn't feel comfortable performing any serious basketball-related activities for a month after that.  The point is, lower back pain hurts and the pain can be tremendous.  Scottie Pippen showed great toughness and courage by playing through his lower back injury to help get the Bulls a pivotal and decisive series win in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.

Scottie Pippen had injured his back pretty badly after leaping up to score on a dunk early in the game.  Seeing him play through that pain was a really gritty, gutsy thing for me to see.  His mobility was severely hampered, but he was able to play for spurts at a time, especially in the second half, and he was able to make some shots in the low post, and he still made some good passes to help the Chicago Bulls.  Most importantly, his presence really helped the Bulls, as he gave his team the threat of having another dynamic, versatile player out on the floor, and he helped allow the Bulls get back into the flow of things, as Chicago was able to rally back in the fourth quarter.

Michael Jordan (to the right) and Scottie Pippen (to the left) having a discussion
in game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.
(Photo: Andy Hayt/NBAE via Getty Images)

Michael Jordan truly had another legendary performance as he was determined to help get his team the win, and seeing his final minute in the Chicago Bulls' uniform described by Bob Costas was truly an experience to watch.

Michael Jordan drove into the lane to score on a quick layup to cut Utah Jazz's lead to one, as the Bulls trailed 86-85.  The Jazz threw the ball down to Karl Malone, who was being defended by Dennis Rodman, and Jordan came in from the blind side to poke the ball away from Malone to get the steal.

The Chicago Bulls do not call a timeout, and Phil Jackson lets them play it out.  He decides that he doesn't want the Jazz to get their defense set, and he lets Jordan make the play call.  Everyone is at the edge of their seat to see what will happen next....

Tick....tick....tick.....

We're at the edge of our seats.  NBA fans everywhere are holding their collective breaths.  A young Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are out there, watching this very game, tuning in to see what happens next.  We sense that Jordan is going to take the final shot, yet as the clock has not stopped, we sense that we may not exactly know for sure if he will.  But if he does, this could be a career defining moment in not only Michael Jordan's history, but in the history of the NBA.

Michael Jordan dribbles the ball up the court, sizes up his defender, Bryon Russell, thinking about his next move as he scans the defense.  Jordan dribbles to his right, Bryon Russell stumbles over his feet while desperately trying to guard Jordan, Jordan creates the separation he wanted, Jordan crosses back over to his left, and......

The greatest shot made in NBA history!!!  Michael Jordan makes the game-winning
and series-winning shot to get the 1998 Chicago Bulls the NBA championship,
and the Bulls ended up winning their sixth championship.
(Photo: Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)

Michael Jordan makes the game-winning jumper to get the Chicago Bulls a 87-86 lead!  After a timeout, John Stockton heaves up a three, but it falls short, and the Bulls win!  Game, series, match.  The Bulls win!  It is a nice feeling, and it is really sweet to see the Chicago Bulls win the sixth NBA championship.  All that hard work paid off, and the last dance officially has been well worth the journey.

Michael Jordan and Ahmad Rashad greet a young Leo DiCaprio at the end of Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals,
right after the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz to win their sixth NBA championship.
(Photo: Andy Hayt/NBAE via Getty Images)

Re-watching the Chicago Bulls win their sixth championship was an amazing feeling.  They had a hard journey to get back to the top, and it was very satisfying to watch them to get the crowning achievement of winning the title in the 1997-98 NBA season that would be known as "The Last Dance."  Michael Jordan certainly enjoyed celebrating the Bulls' sixth title win, he got to hang out with Titanic star Leo DiCaprio, former NFL player, broadcaster, and his close friend Ahmad Rashad, and he also found time to play the piano!

The 1998 Chicago Bulls at the championship parade in Chicago.
(Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

It was a feel good ending to such a trying, emotional, and at times turbulent journey.  Executive Jerry Krause had helped put this team together, and then he and owner Jerry Reinsdort would proceed to dismantle it all just before the 1998-99 season to start a rebuild.  Michael Jordan headed off to the sunset into retirement, Scottie Pippen would cash in on his payday via sign-and-trade with the Houston Rockets, and other players would play on various NBA teams.

The Epilogue:

None of Jerry Krause's teams ever came close to what he helped build with the 1990s Chicago Bulls' teams, and I'd like to think that the Chicago Bulls may have been able to get a seventh championship if the Jerrys had decided to keep the team together.  Michael Jordan became an executive with the Washington Wizards, then suited up to play one more time with the Wizards, made an All-Star team, but the Wizards didn't make the playoffs with Jordan back one more time.  He couldn't quite recapture the magic he had in Chicago with Scottie, Phil, and the gang, and he could never quite get the team chemistry to that level in Washington D.C.  Rip Hamilton came the closest to being an MJ protege, Rip had one promising season as Jordan's teammate before being traded to Detroit, and he would end up being an All-Star and winning an NBA championship in 2004 with the Pistons, seasons after the infamous Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse trade.  

Dennis Rodman wasn't the same after 1998, and no NBA team appeared to trust him like Phil did in Chicago.  Scottie Pippen wasn't quite the same legendary player he was in Chicago after 1998 either, but after he didn't quite fit in with Houston, he ended up being a solid player on some good Portland teams that fell short to the Lakers in the early 2000s.  Toni Kukoc was the primary scorer of the 1999 Bulls' teams, but he felt uncomfortable in that role, as his shooting percentages dipped that year.  He ended up being an NBA journeyman in the 2000s.  Also, Steve Kerr ended up winning another championship as a member of the 1999 and 2003 San Antonio Spurs' teams, later became a TNT analyst, then a Phoenix Suns executive, went back to being a TNT analyst, and now is a legendary head coach with the Golden State Warriors.    

As for myself?  Let's save that for another day.  

The 1997-98 season was the last great season in Chicago's NBA history, if this was the note for Jordan to leave off in Chicago, this was a truly amazing way to go out.  Hats off to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, and thanks for the memories, and for bringing forth unforgettable seasons in the NBA.  

Thanks for reading this article, and if you want, feel free to follow me on Twitter at @AlanLuSTL.

Thoughts about Episodes 7 and 8 of the Last Dance Documentary

Emotions were riding high on these episodes.  Knowing where the year of 1993 was going to take us, I knew we were going to be ready for a bumpy, roller coaster ride.  

Michael Jordan (on the right), with his dad (left) in better times in 1993.
(Photo: Popsugar, via Hedy Phillips' article on Popsugar.) 

The aftermath of the 1993 season was rough.  Michael Jordan lost his dad, as his father, James Jordan was murdered late July of that year, and amidst Jordan’s tumultuous dealings with the press, and the constant barrage of questions about his gambling habits, I think Michael Jordan losing his father combined with already having won 3 titles culminated with his decision to retire from the game of basketball.

Jordan retired for the first time on October 6^th, 1993.  That was a tough day.  When I was re-watching the events that were unfolding, I was immediately filled with sadness.  I knew the 1993-94 season wasn’t going to be easy for the Chicago Bulls, and I think Jordan mentally needed to step away from the game of basketball to take a break and to relieve himself from the burdens of all the things that had happened.   It was a bittersweet moment for Jordan, because he was able to live a childhood dream of his and also fulfill a dream of his father's, which was to play baseball, but the tragic events that happened in 1993 were ultimately what led Jordan to step away from the game of basketball.

The greatest of all time, Michael Jordan giving baseball a try.
(Photo: Sports Illustrated, via Ted Keith's article.)

Michael Jordan also decided to play baseball for the Chicago White Sox’s organization, and in 1994, he suited for their minor league team, the Birmingham Barons, whom was a AA-baseball team.  I thought it was an interesting venture for Jordan to go into.  I thought at the time that it wouldn’t nearly as easy for him as basketball came to him, but I felt he was going to give baseball his all when he was there, and before he played baseball, I felt he would find a way to make it to the majors.  I wasn’t so sure if I was ready to see him play baseball, but I was intrigued, and my curiosity was piqued.

Chicago Bulls' legendary forward, Scottie Pippen was named the 1994 NBA All-Star game MVP.
(Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Scottie Pippen became the leader and the primary superstar for the 1993-94 Chicago Bulls’ team, and I trusted that team to go far, as I felt that they had a chance to win it all once again.  Pippen had a remarkable season that year individually, and he was also the All-Star Game MVP.  

Toni Kukoc had a very good rookie season, and he truly impressed me with his versatility, dynaming playmaking skills, and he could throw down some mean dunks above the rim. The Steve Kerr signing was also a brilliant move on the Bulls’ part, and he would later prove to be a key piece to their later three-peat from 1996-98.  

Chicago Bulls' star forward, Toni Kukoc made the game-winning shot in Game 3
of the 1994 playoffs against the New York Knicks.
(Photo:John Biever /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Toni Kukoc would get one of his biggest moments of the 1994 season, as he made a heroic, game-winning shot to get the Chicago Bulls the win.  But it was hard for me to re-watch the moment where Pippen chose to sit on the bench with seconds remaining in Game 3 of the 1994 playoffs against the New York Knicks. 

From there, Pippen was left answering why his pride got in the way when he was told that the play wasn’t going to be drawn up for him to go for the game-winner, and that moment seemed to drive a wedge into the team.  The Bulls played the Knicks tough, and they nearly won the series in the 6^thgame at home, but they ultimately lost in 7 games on the road. It was clear that while the Bulls were still a very good team without Jordan, and that they had incredible ball movement, and operated very cohesively on offense, that they needed Jordan, someone who could dominate on both ends, take over with his scoring ability, and also be another player to bring shut down defense to their team.

Michael Jordan meanwhile started out strong at AA as he opened the season on a 13-game hitting streak. But then, word got out that he had trouble hitting breaking balls, and he went into a massive slump as a hitter. It got so bad that at one point, Sports Illustrated surprisingly bagged on him with a very mean-spirited cover.  Jordan to this day it seems, has not forgiven SI for that.

He ended the year hitting .202, and with only 3 home runs to come with that despite playing a full season, but Michael Jordan did manage to steal 30 bases at that level, and showed potential as a rangy center fielder.  Also, most minor-leaguers don't immediately start out at AA, as most players start their minor-league careers in rookie or A ball, and some players never make it to AA.  The jury is out if Jordan would’ve made it to the majors if he had stuck with baseball, I’d like to think he still could’ve reached the majors, if primarily as a defensive specialist that could be a 4^thor 5^thoutfielder in the majors.

Scottie Pippen rockin' the Air Jordan X Chicago in 1995.
(Photo: Sneaker Files, via Brian Betschart's article.)

In 1995, there was the baseball strike, and baseball teams were trying to get minor-leaguers to cross the picket line to play for them.  Jordan refused to go against the players’ union, and this turned out to be a great day in basketball history.  His then teammate, B.J. Armstrong invited him to play one-on-one, and the rest was history.  Jordan decided to return to the Chicago Bulls, with a simple statement declaring, “I’m back.”

The 1994-95 season had not gone too well for the Chicago Bulls, as they had been floundering in mediocrity with a 34-31 record as they lost several key members, most notably Horace Grant, a strong, athletic power forward that provided strong inside scoring, rebounding, and defensive skills.

Michael Jordan was back, as he returned during the middle of the season,
but WAIT....you ask, is that him wearing the number 45?!
(Photo: BRIAN BAHR/AFP via Getty Images)

Michael Jordan came back, but showed some rust as his team lost in his first game back against the Pacers. Also what was notable was that he wore the number 45 this time, and not 23.  It took him a few games to get back up to speed, or so it seemed, as he dropped 55 points against the New York Knicks a few games later to get his team the win on the road in the regular season.

The Chicago Bulls hit their stride, and found their groove, but they suddenly ran out of gas when they squared off against the Orlando Magic in the 1995 playoffs.  Michael Jordan was tired towards the end of most games in that playoff series, his conditioning was not nearly at the peak level that we’re accustomed to seeing.  Nick Anderson stole the ball away from him as the Bulls lost Game 1, and the Bulls would end up losing to Horace Grant, Shaq, and Penny Hardaway that year in 6 games. That was a crushing series defeat, but I knew Michael Jordan would come back ready and prepared in 1996.

Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny filmed the movie, Space Jam together.
(Photo:  SGranitz/WireImage, via Getty Images)

In the 1995 offseason, Michael Jordan started filming for the movie Space Jam, and he played in a bubble where he invited other athletes to train with him and play pick-up basketball with him.  He was more motivated than ever, and he suddenly got back into peak physical condition to start the 1995-96 season.

Well done, Jerry Krause.  The much maligned executive made the best trade of the season,
and of the 1990s decade, as the Chicago Bulls were ready for another three-peat
by acquiring future Hall of Famer and rebounding extraordinaire, Dennis Rodman.
(Photo: Steve Woltmann/NBAE via Getty Images)

 Also, what was notable, was that Jerry Krause made the biggest trade of the decade, and his best trade of his career, he was able to acquire future Hall of Famer, and pound for pound the best rebounder of all-time, Dennis Rodman, while only trading away role player and backup center, Will Perdue to the San Antonio Spurs. Immediately, the Bulls filled the hole of needing a power forward, as Rodman provided them with newfound energy, and with the rebounding, defense, and ball movement that they were lacking from that spot the year before.  

Will Perdue was all the San Antonio Spurs got after trading Dennis Rodman to the Chicago Bulls.
(Photo: Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

As for The San Antonio Spurs, the Spurs don’t make many bad moves, but then executive-Gregg Popovich made an incredibly foolish trade with the Bulls.  I thought San Antonio’s side of the deal was bad then, and it looks really bad for them now.  The Spurs did not even get one single draft pick out of that, are you kidding me? Ha!  I'm not anti-Spurs or anything like that, and Gregg Popovich is now one of the greatest coaches of all-time along with Phil Jackson, and I truly respect Popovich as a person and coach, but here is my opinion of San Antonio's side of that deal.....

My thoughts of San Antonio's end of the Rodman-Perdue trade then and now,
as the Spurs didn't even get other players or draft picks
in the legendary trade that sent Rodman to Chicago for the 1995-96 season.
(Photo: GIPHY)

As a Chicago Bulls fan, I loved this move to acquire Rodman, and I regard this as one of the best moves that Jerry Krause has ever made.  To get the best rebounder, and a tremendous defensive player at such a bargain like that, I had no doubt that the 1996 Chicago Bulls were absolutely going to win their fourth title.  I was for sure certain that the Bulls were going to steamroll over their opponents to get the championship in 1996.  And for the most part, they did, they went 72-10, and they did go on to win their fourth NBA title.

In the then-present, in the 1998 playoffs, The Chicago Bulls were able to sweep the New Jersey Nets, and Scott Burrell shined in Game 3 of the first round of the 1998 series.  B.J. Armstrong ended up on the Charlotte Hornets, and he had a game of his own, as the Hornets surprisingly stole Game 2 away from the Chicago Bulls.  But his bragging in Chicago would ultimately doom the Hornets, though Chicago was the much better team anyways, and the Bulls ended up winning the second round series in 5 games, 4-1.

Interestingly enough, B.J. Armstrong gives a tale of his own, where he gives an amusing tale of a 1993 game where the Bulls played against the Washington Bullets.  2nd-year guard, LaBradford Smith scored 37 points in his team's surprising road win over Chicago, and supposedly says, "Nice game, Michael."  Michael Jordan then takes it upon himself to dominate and humiliate the kid, as Jordan scored 36 points in the first half alone against the Bullets in the next game in Washington D.C., and Smith was mentioned as having a terrible first-half as the Bulls go on to get a lopsided win.  Unfortunately for LaBradford Smith, Smith only went on to play one more season in the NBA after that.  Even more twisted, it is suggested that Michael Jordan made up LaBradford Smith's "Nice game, Michael" part of the anecdote just to give himself a greater edge to defeat a lowly Bullets team that only won 22 of 82 games in 1993.

The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls got off to a tremendous start, and they ended setting a then-record for the most wins in the regular season, as they went 72-10 to close out the regular season.  The Bulls breezed past the Heat and the Knicks.  In the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals, Michael Jordan was out looking for revenge against the Orlando Magic, and he got it.  They easily handled the Orlando Magic in 4 games, as they swept them.

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls squared off against
a feisty, Seattle SuperSonics' team in the 1996 NBA Finals. The Bulls would win the series in 6  games.
(Photo: Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls would go on to face the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals.  The Sonics were a very good team in the own right, but their chances to win the title were laughed off by many (including myself at the time), and it was thought that the Chicago Bulls would sweep them and then immediately be crowned as best team of all-time.

The 1996 Bulls almost did exactly that.  After George Karl snubbed fellow North Carolina alum, Michael Jordan in a handshake line in the pre-game, Michael Jordan took it upon himself to dominate, and the Chicago Bulls won their first 3 games of the series.  Then, Gary Payton took it upon himself to guard MJ, and the Sonics won two in Seattle, with the Payton to Shawn Kemp connection really working, and Payton was giving MJ some fits defensively.  Shawn Kemp was throwing down alley-oop dunks, and Jordan was getting annoyed with Payton’s pesky defense.  The tactical adjustment combined with being able to play in Seattle, and with the Bulls perhaps playing like they were bored, allowed the SuperSonics to steal two games in this series.  But the Bulls were primed and ready for Game 6, and they made it their mission to close it out at home to win the series once and for all.

Michael Jordan with the Larry O'Brien Trophy after the 1996 Chicago Bulls won the NBA Finals.
(Photo: Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Game 6 came and went that year, and it was a breeze for the Chicago Bulls.  The SuperSonics were no match for the Bulls in that game as they looked worn down, and Michael Jordan took over with his tremendous play on both ends of the floor.  This game was on Father’s day, and Michael Jordan dominated that game, as the Chicago Bulls won their 4^thtitle, and were able to stake a claim as arguably the greatest team in NBA history.  

In 1998, the Chicago Bulls easily handled an over-matched Charlotte Hornets team in the 2^ndround of the NBA playoffs, as the Hornets were torched after giving the Bulls a surprisingly stinging defeat in Game 2.  But leave it to Reggie Miller to be the villain of another documentary, and the 1998 Chicago Bulls would face their toughest test in their quest for another three-peat.*

(*Side note: The 1997-98 Indiana Pacers were a formidable foe to the 1998 Chicago Bulls, as they ended up taking it to 7 games before the Bulls won a close one in the Eastern Conference Finals.  To me, that was the hardest playoff series that the 1998 Bulls played in, and they were nearly knocked out by the pesky Pacers.  Also, another side note, I had rooted for the Pacers during the 1994 and 1995 seasons, as I had enjoyed watching Reggie Miller play against the New York Knicks in those tough playoff games.  And who could forget Reggie's memorable 8 points in 8.9 seconds to get the Pacers a stunning comeback win over the Knicks in Game 1 of the 2nd Round of the 1995 playoffs?  Miller also was an expert in trash talking in addition to being a tremendous shooter and scorer, and his ability to pester his opponents made him a tough cover and match for his opponents.)

Other moments in this documentary included Michael Jordan’s intense practice habits and demands as a player and teammate, we get to see him engage in playful banter with Scott Burrell during practices, and we get the story of the Michael Jordan-Steve Kerr fight that happened prior to the start of the 1995-96 season, and that they bonded afterwards.  In 1998, we see some moments where Jordan is egging on Scott Burrell and gives him a hard time, though it is asserted that Jordan is giving his teammates tough love to make them better players so that they can go on the majestic journey together of winning championships.

Hope you enjoyed reading my sort of recap and thoughts.  If you want, feel free to follow me on Twitter at @AlanLuSTL.

Takeaways from the Episodes 1 and 2 of the Last Dance Documentary

Episodes 1 and 2 of the Last Dance was every bit as good as I was anticipating it to be.
(Photo: Clutch Points, via Paulo Songco's article.)

Watching Michael Jordan score 63 points in Game 2 of the 1986 NBA playoffs to the tune of “I’m Bad” by L.L. Cool J was phenomenal.  Even more impressive was that he came back to the 1985-86 season after having broken his foot months earlier to get the Chicago Bulls to the postseason, and just seeing Jordan display his tremendous mid-range game was surreal to watch.  That was one of many legendary performances he put forth throughout his career.   Watching that performance cements that Jordan was the greatest mid-range shooter in NBA history, and to me, he'll always be the greatest ever to have played the game.  If only if he could have had Scottie Pippen, better players around him, and Phil as the head coach, the Bulls would’ve won that game.  But since the 1986 Boston Celtics are also a legendary team, the Bulls just didn’t quite have enough to get the win in overtime.

Whoever was Scottie Pippen’s agent should have absolutely have told him to refuse the deal, and Scottie Pippen should’ve been told that something called “opt-outs” exist.  I know that Pippen wanted to be financially secure, and signing a 7-year deal sounds like the right thing to do, but inflation kicks in, and suddenly his contract no longer is as much years later compared to what the rest of the players were earning in the league.  From what I’ve read and heard, it seems that just about everyone around him, including his agent, Jimmy Sexton, and the owner Jerry Reinsdort advised him not to sign the deal, but he did, which seemed to make sense in 1991, but no longer seemed to be that feasible for him in 1997, especially since he ended up being on a far below, market-value deal.

Pippen was arguably the 2^nd best player in the entire NBA, and it was ridiculous that he was the 122^nd highest-paid player in the 1997-98 season.  Of course, the Jerrys (Krause and Reinsdorf) weren’t willing to re-negotiate, and Pippen almost torpedoed the magical 1998 season by waiting until the start of the regular season to begin his rehab, and that he demanded a trade.  Thankfully, the Bulls found a way to get him back to the fold later on, as they would win their 6^th and final championship, but it’s no doubt that the contract that Pippen was forced to stay on combined with the Jerrys’ refusal to renegotiate made it an absolute certainty that he would leave to hit free agency after the 1997-98 season.

It was really interesting to watch the tales of how Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen grew up, as they both experienced hardship, from Jordan being cut from his high school team, to Pippen’s dad and brother being paralyzed and unable to walk, there were some real gut-wrenching moments in seeing what they went through. 

Jerry Krause is going to get hit HARD in this documentary.  The mercurial, misanthropic, reclusive former Chicago Bull executive is in the basketball Hall of Fame, but he's not exactly a people person.  He did not handle the personal situations very well, because he couldn't take his ego out of the equation.  His tremendous desire to get credit made it difficult for anyone to appreciate his role in building a historically great team, and his unfortunate desire to want to rebuild left a bad taste in many people's mouths (including my own), and the fact that he was so willing to break up arguably the greatest team ever made it tough to ever let go of what he did.  

The team's breakup seriously impaired basketball overall, because we were deprived of the possibility of a team that could have perhaps risen to one day overtake the Bulls.  Therefore, after the 1998 season, the Bulls just sort of abdicated the throne because Krause wanted his rebuilding project.  As a result of this, Jordan and the Bulls were deprived of a chance to defend their 1998 title and were basically forced to walk away.  

Watching the 1990s Chicago Bulls was one of the greatest joys of my childhood, and seeing them break up sent me spiraling into a state of depression, and there was a time where I hated watching the NBA as a result, because I was angry at the Bulls' management for breaking up such a great team.  Watching the 1991-98 Chicago Bulls were great times, and I wanted the times to last forever.  My love for the NBA has grown back to where it was, and I've more or less gotten over the breakup, especially since it has already happened and you can't change the past.  But to this day, I have not forgiven Krause for breaking up such a historical and monumental team, but I still respect his ability to build teams.

There was not enough Dennis Rodman or Toni Kukoc.  I’ve been told we will see more of Dennis Rodman, who was the best rebounder in the NBA, and is a Hall of Famer, and Kukoc was an uber-versatile 6^th man that like Pippen and Jordan, could do everything on the court.

The soundtrack for the first two episodes was amazing, job well done by the music department.  I also loved hearing Eric B & Rakim’s “I Ain’t No Joke.”  Finally, the soundbite of the night had to be from Boston Celtics’ legendary forward, Larry Bird when talking about Jordan’s tremendous, 63-point performance, in which he gave tremendous praise when he remarked that it was “God disguised as Michael Jordan.”

Anyways, hope you liked reading my thoughts on the first two episodes of this documentary.  I will be eagerly anticipating the next episodes, as the third and fourth episodes will air on Sunday, April 26th.

Thank you and thanks for reading.  You can follow me on Twitter @AlanLuSTL.