timeThe NBA season kicks off next Tuesday, and many teams can win championships if their star players stay healthy. When it comes to championships, Michael Jordan won six championships with the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls won six championships in the 1990s, winning three consecutive championships in 1991, 1992, 1993 and two more in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Chicago is coached by Phil Jackson, who has 11 championship rings as a coach. Jordan and Scottie Pippen led the Bulls, who had many outstanding role players who won three consecutive championships, including Horace Grant, B.J. Armstrong, John Paxson, Dennis Rodman, Ron Ha Per and Toni Kukoc, among others. The Bulls defeated some worthy championship teams on their way to the Finals.
The Cavaliers had an excellent championship window in the late 1980s and early 1990s. But unfortunately, they faced the Bulls four times in six years. Cleveland is led by point guard Mark Price and All-Stars Larry Nance and Brad Dougherty. They were the best big men you could find in those days.
Cleveland had a team good enough to beat the Bulls on paper, but the Bulls had Jordan. In the 1988 playoffs, Jordan scored 50 and 55 points in the first two games of the series, igniting hope for the Cavaliers. In 1989, Jordan hit his famous buzzer-beater to send the Cavaliers home again.
In 1992 and 1993, the Cavaliers were in much the same situation: too many Michael Jordans. I’m sure Mark Price and company have had nightmares about Michael Jordan.
The Knicks, led by Patrick Ewing and coached by Pat Riley, are a tough, tenacious team. The Knicks had a tough time with the Bulls because of their physicality. In 1992, the Knicks forced the Bulls into Game 7, but Michael Jordan was too much for them, scoring 42 points in Game 7 to beat the Bulls 110-81.
The Knicks’ best chance to beat Jordan came in 1993. That year, the Knicks had a record of 60-22 and had home-court advantage. The Knicks won the first two games with Ewing averaging 25 points per game and Charles Oakley’s physical presence in the paint. But again, there’s just too much Jordan. The Bulls went on to win the next four games. The Knicks and Bulls have met many times, but the Knicks are always at a disadvantage.
The 1996 Miami Heat were very good. Their coach is Pat Riley, and other players include Tim Hardaway, Alonzo Mourning, Jamal Mashburn, Dan Mayer and P.J. Brown. The Heat won 61 games this season and Tim Hardaway finished fourth in MVP voting. But even so, the Bulls swept the Heat in four games. Jordan averaged 30 points per game in the series against the Heat. He also grabbed 8 rebounds per game.
In 1997 and 1998, the Utah Jazz faced the Bulls twice in a row in the Finals; Karl Malone and John Stockton led them. In 1997, the series was tied at two games. This led to the crucial Game 5, a classic flu game. Jordan, who was suffering from the stomach flu, scored 38 points to lead the team to victory. The Bulls defeated the Jazz in six games on Steve Kerr’s game-winning shot.
In 1998, the Jazz again attacked the Bulls, and Chicago got bumped – Pippen aggravated his back injury. Pippen continued to play, but was clearly injured. It didn’t matter, however, as Jordan took over and hit Brian Russell’s game-winning shot. Jordan scored 45 points, more than half of the Bulls’ 87 points. After six championships in eight years, the Bulls dynasty is over. They would have won eight in a row if Jordan had not retired during the three-peat.
In 1998, the Pacers were the favorite to beat the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals; they pushed Chicago to a Game 7. Indiana took the lead in the fourth quarter, but Chicago fought back. With five minutes left in the game and the game tied at 79, Chicago went on a 9-4 run to win 88-83.
Indiana has players like Reggie Miller, Chris Mullin, Rick Smith, Dell and Antonio Davis. Larry Bird coached them.
The Bulls beat other teams in a historic performance. The 1992 Portland Trail Blazers, 1991 Los Angeles Lakers and 1996 Seattle SuperSonics were all great teams.
The Jordan Bulls also prevented many NBA Hall of Fame players from receiving championship rings. Ewing, Miller, Malone, Stockton and other players.
