1997–98 Chicago Bulls season

NBA season
team = Chicago Bulls
misc = NBA World Champions
end_year = 1998
wins = 62
losses = 20
division = Central
division_place = 1
conf_place = 1
coach = Phil Jackson
arena = United Center
owners =
television =
radio =
playoffs = NBA Champions
bbr_team = CHI

The 1997-98 Chicago Bulls were an elite team in the NBA's Eastern Conference, as they had been throughout the decade, and would defeat the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals. The championship was their sixth in eight years and completed the franchise's second "three-peat." This was the final season of Michael Jordan's career as a Bull (he would make a brief comeback with the Washington Wizards). Also leaving were starters Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman as well as head coach Phil Jackson. Because of these departures, this season is considered the end of the Bulls Dynasty that had headlined the NBA throughout the 1990s. What followed was a long rebuilding process, and the Bulls did not return to the postseason until 2005.

Offseason

NBA Draft

NBA Finals

1998 NBA Finals Roster

eries summary

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Games 1 and 2

This was the first time in the 1990s that the same two teams played each other in two consecutive finals. The Jazz had won both regular season match-ups, and many analysts predicted a hard fought seven game series. Predictions of a Jazz championship were strengthened with their game one victory in overtime in Utah. The Bulls would tie the series in game 2 putting together a fourth quarter run to silence the Delta Center and holding on to win 93-88, finally securing their first victory against Utah all season.

Games 3, 4 and 5

The finals would move to Chicago with control of the series at stake in Game 3. Though anticipation was high, no one could have expected a blow-out of the proportions seen in Game 3. With a 96-54 triumph over Utah, the Bulls would help the Jazz set an embarrassing record for the lowest points scored in Finals history, while everyone on the Bulls scored. The Jazz would pull themselves together in Game 4 in a better, though vain attempt to tie the series but lost 86-82.

The early Jazz series-lead seemed like a distant memory, a false indication of a tough series as they hit the floor for game 5 behind 3-1. Chicago fans prepared for the last game they would host with the Jordan led Bulls of the 90's. But any notions of a championship on the home floor would be snuffed out when Michael Jordan missed the off-balance, game-winning, 3-point shot to the left of the basket sending the Jazz to a narrow 83-81 win. With the series shifting back to Utah with a far more generous 3-2 Bulls advantage, the promise of another Chicago championship was not so certain.

Game 6

The Chicago Bulls had never let a Finals series go to a game seven. As they arrived at the Delta Center for Game 6, things didn't look good for the Bulls. Scottie Pippen's back gave away when he dunked the opening basket of the game and he was slowed down and held to just 8 points. Tensions ran high in the Delta Center when the Jazz discovered the problems of their own. They suffered a couple shot clock violations but television replays showed that Howard Eisley got the ball out of his hands for a three-pointer before the shot clock reached to zero and the referees missed the call. In the 4th quarter, the Bulls closed the gap. Then with 41.9 seconds left, things got worse as John Stockton came up huge with a clutch 3-point shot to give Utah an 86-83 lead that blew the roof off the Delta Center. Down by three, the Bulls had one last chance to stay alive. Running perilously low on energy, it would be imperative for Chicago to win the series before the game went into overtime.

After Michael Jordan made a layup to cut the Jazz lead to one, the Bulls needed to stop the Jazz from scoring again. When John Stockton passed the ball to Karl Malone, Michael Jordan stole the ball away and dribbled to the front. Guarding him was Bryon Russell, one of the Jazz's best perimeter defenders. Jordan drove inside the 3-point line, executed a quick cross-over (while apparently pushing off [ [http://www.nypost.com/seven/08172007/sports/former_nba_ref_blasts_officiating_sports_fred_kerber.htm Former NBA Ref Blasts Officiating] , New York Post, 17 August 2007] ), jumped and made a 20-foot shot to give the Bulls an 87-86 lead with 5.2 seconds left. After a time-out, Stockton's three-pointer hit the rim and bounced away, giving the Bulls their sixth NBA title in 8 years. The famous winning shot has been immortalized in many records. Jordan was afterwards named the Finals MVP.

Awards and Honors

* Michael Jordan, All-NBA Team, First Team
* Michael Jordan, All-Star Game MVP
* Michael Jordan, Guard, NBA MVP
* Michael Jordan, Guard, NBA Finals MVP
* Michael Jordan, NBA All-Defensive First Team

References

* [http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?yr=1997&tm=Chi&lg=N Bulls on Database Basketball]
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1998.html Bulls on Basketball Reference]