Takeaways from Episodes 3 and 4 of The Last Dance

Former Chicago Bulls' star forward, Dennis Rodman, and
former Chicago Bulls' legendary head coach Phil Jackson
were at the center of episodes 3 and 4 of the Last Dance.
(Photo: Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

What a remarkable, wild ride this has been, as we’re treated to a Dennis Rodman and a Phil Jackson episode, and a look back into the journey of the Chicago Bulls from 1989-1991 while we follow them on their quest to eventually win their 6^thand final title in 1998.

Dennis Rodman was one of my favorite players to watch when I was growing up.  I admired his hustle and ability to get after every play, and as a kid, I modeled my game after him.  Rodman was the rebound king and was a tremendous defender and competitor, and I loved his ability to rebound, defend, and irritate his opponents.  I didn’t love how the Bad Boys' Detroit Pistons teams played, but I was fond of how Rodman played his game.

In elementary school, I grew up taller than most kids, and I played the power forward position for a youth league team where a friend of mine was the best overall player there, as he was the team’s point guard and leading scorer.  I wasn’t the most skilled player on offense, but I set out to play like Dennis, or at least to my interpretation of how he played.  I aimed to grab every rebound.  I reveled in shutting guys down on defense.  I played very hard, to the point of exhaustion in every game I played back in those days.  My team ended up going 5-0 and won the youth league championship in a local YMCA league. 

1991 was my first foray into the game of basketball.  I remember watching the 1991 NBA Finals, and my first memory of basketball was the moment where I fell in love with the sport.  It was Game 2 of the 1991 NBA Finals, Cliff Levingston passes the ball back to Michael Jordan, and he drives in and gracefully maneuvers to score on the iconic, switch of hands layup beautifully to score the basketball. From that moment, I was hooked on watching this game.

YouTube video is courtesy of the Michael Jordan Archive at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiSdb16N_Dg

The Chicago Bulls were my favorite team, and it was a tremendous moment in time watching Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Magic Johnson square off in the NBA Finals.  It was like watching a passing of the torch moment, and I knew that something special was happening with Jordan and the Bulls.

  

Michael Jordan's memorable game and series-winning shot that he made,
aptly named "The Shot" in Game 5 of the 1st Round against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
(Photo: Ed Wagner Jr./Chicago Tribune/Getty Images, via Yahoo)

Another great moment was watching the 1989 first round series that took place between the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers.  Just seeing Michael Jordan play, make the game-winning shot, and that heroic, fiery competitiveness was truly awesome to watch.  I totally agree with Jordan and Ron Harper, that Lenny Wilkens put the wrong guy (Craig Ehlo) on Jordan, that Harper should've been granted the opportunity to guard him instead late in that game.  To me though, Jordan still would’ve made the shot, but Harper probably would’ve made it a slightly tougher matchup.

The backdrop of the 4^thepisode centers around Phil Jackson, as he actually has a lot more similarities to Dennis Rodman than what was initially believed.  Not only is he also a 6-8 tall person that played power forward in the NBA, Phil Jackson was an atypical, laid-back person that believed in spirituality, and they shared a common interest in learning Native American history.  He was a laid-back coach, and he filled in after Doug Collins pushed the Bulls to the 1989 Eastern Conference Finals, and Jackson helped the Bulls punch it in to win the title in 1991.

Episode 4 comes to a heartbreaking close, as Jerry Krause gives an impending doom interview about how he won’t bring Phil Jackson back after the 1998 season, which pretty much seals the 1998 Bulls’ fate as that this will be the last time they will play for a title.  

Krause’s untimely comments towards Phil Jackson came just before a regular season game against 1997-runner up, the Utah Jazz.  The Bulls got off to a fantastic start on the road, as they were up 47-24 early on.  

But suddenly, it was then the Jazz come roaring back.  They manage to cut to 8 in the third quarter, and suddenly the Jazz end up going all the way to get a comeback win as the Bulls are defeated, 101-93.  The viewers are treated to a moment of stunned, deafening silence, and the episode leaves us wondering if the Bulls will be able to pick up the pieces to win their sixth title, as we’re left shocked in this gut-wrenching, tear-jerking end to such an exhilarating ride of a fourth episode. (Don’t worry, the Bulls do pick up the pieces and recover.  The Chicago Bulls eventually become the NBA champions in 1998.)