Prelude to the dance: MJ and the Bulls complete their final climb, becoming team of the 90s
“Here comes Chicago. 17 seconds. 17 seconds, from Game 7, or from championship #6. Jordan, open, CHICAGO WITH THE LEAD! Timeout Utah, 5.2 seconds left. Michael Jordan, running on fumes, with 45 points.” -Bob Costas, Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.
In the final two installments of ESPN’s “The Last Dance”, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls close a chapter in one of the greatest and most dramatic stories in all of American sports.
Here’s what to look for in Sunday’s finale.
Understanding the Bulls-Pacers series going seven
When I was a kid, watching the Bulls-Pacers series was fantastic, MJ vs. Reggie and the Bulls being challenged in the Eastern Conference for the first time in multiple playoff series.
The Bulls had never met the Pacers in the playoffs so a fresh opponent and high stakes provides great drama. What I learned from re-watching the ‘98 Eastern Conference Finals and the Last Dance is that the Bulls team was absolutely beat up mentally more than physically. I don’t think it would’ve mattered who the Bulls would’ve played in the Eastern Conference Finals, it was going to be a grind of all grinds. Turns out, it was.
The Bulls greatest challenge was the Utah Jazz
So, I may be attacked for this but I still think it is very true. Aside from their own management, the Chicago Bulls greatest threat during their run was vs. The Utah Jazz. Yes, the Bulls took out the Jazz in back to back seasons but when you look at the makeup of the team, the final conquest for the last two Jordan-lead teams was a worthy one.
Karl Malone and John Stockton each at the apex of their primes, role players good enough to match up with Chicago’s role players. It was very fun to see both of these teams trade blows over the two years they went head to head. Fitting that in Jordan’s last game, he takes down Utah and poor Byron Russell in dramatic fashion. I really hope the former Jazz guard isn’t watching ESPN or ESPN2 on Sunday.
Mythbusting: The Flu Game
Over the multi-episode span of The Last Dance, we know Michael Jordan likes to relax with a cigar and drink (or three). So, now that we will talk about the infamous “Flu Game”, it will be interesting to see what is said about Michael Jordan’s late night in Utah that turned into “the flu”.
Allegedly MJ’s night of pizza and late night poker sparked food poisoning, not exactly what you want the day before an important Finals game. Anyway, you know the rest. Jordan adds to his legend in a 38-point performance that saw Scottie carry him off the floor but not before talking to NBC’s Ahmad Rashad postgame. If you watch closely, you think he’s going to puke on Ahmad at any second. He doesn’t, but you just have a feeling it’s coming.
This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 11:00 AM.
