Skip to main content

1996 NBA Champions Chicago Bulls: Record-Setting 72-10

*Originally published on Suite101.com in 2010; minor revisions made pertaining to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). 

Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Phil Jackson led a new cast of characters to the 1996 NBA Championship.

From 1991-1993, the Chicago Bulls were NBA Champions.  Guard Michael Jordan, forward Scottie Pippen, and Coach Phil Jackson headlined a Bulls team that overcame the challenges of teams such as the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference and then defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Phoenix Suns from the Western Conference in three consecutive NBA Finals. 

Then, on October 6, 1993, the unthinkable happened: Jordan announced an early, premature retirement from basketball.  Jordan was still coping with his father’s murder during the offseason.  He decided to pursue his childhood dream to play professional baseball, joining the minor league ranks of the Chicago White Sox.  Meanwhile, speculation arose about Jordan’s gambling habits, upon which an NBA investigation revealed no wrongdoing. 
 

Bulls without Jordan 

Without Jordan, the 1993-1994 Bulls had a solid season.  Led by Pippen, Horace Grant, and B.J. Armstrong, the Bulls finished 55-27.  Coach Jackson successfully integrated new players into the team's system, including forward Toni Kukoc from Croatia, guard Steve Kerr, and centers Luc Longley and Bill Wennington.  Pete Myers quietly filled Jordan’s role as starting shooting guard. 

However, Chicago fell to the rival New York Knicks, 4-3, in the 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals.  This included an incident where Pippen asked out of the final play of Game 3, in which Kukoc hit the game-winning shot on a play designed by Jackson.  Seeing the team’s championship era fading, Grant signed with Shaquille O’Neal and the up-and-coming Orlando Magic.  Guard John Paxson retired after 10 NBA seasons, while Bill Cartwright left to play his final season with the Seattle Supersonics. 


1995: Michael Jordan Is Back

In 1994-1995, the Bulls managed to add star guard Ron Harper, but Harper was no longer the prolific scorer he once was.  He also needed time to adjust to the Bulls’ triangle offense.  At 34-31, the Bulls were scrambling to qualify for the 1995 NBA Playoffs.  Then, the unthinkable happened again. 

A baseball strike had put Michael Jordan’s mediocre baseball career on hold, leaving him free to think about playing basketball again.  On March 19, 1995, Jordan returned wearing #45.  Despite a loss that night to the Indiana Pacers, Jordan led the Bulls to a 13-4 record in their final 17 games.  A 47-35 record gave the Bulls the #5 seed, to which they upset the Charlotte Hornets in the first round.  However, former teammate Grant and Orlando would eliminate Chicago, 4-2, in the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals.   


Bulls Trade for Dennis Rodman, Win 1996 NBA Championship

Recognizing the need for a power forward to fill the void created when Grant left to join the Magic, GM Jerry Krause traded backup center Will Perdue for All-Star forward Dennis Rodman, who had won two championships with the rival Detroit Pistons.  Former All-Star B.J. Armstrong was lost via the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft, so the team also added guard Randy Brown.  Brown joined Steve Kerr and swingman Judd Buechler (who had signed one day after Ron Harper in 1995) on Chicago’s effective bench.  During the season, the Bulls added veteran centers John Salley and James Edwards, who would round out their playoff roster. 

With the NBA Championship in sight, the Bulls finished the 1995-1996 season with a record of 72-10—which is the best regular season record in NBA history.  Jackson was named 1995-1996 NBA Coach of the Year.  Likewise, Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman were all named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.  The Bulls bulldozed through the playoffs, beating the Miami Heat 3-0 and the Knicks 4-1.  In a highly anticipated rematch with the Magic, the Bulls swept the series, including blowout victories in Games 1 and 3 of the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals. 

In the 1996 NBA Finals, the Bulls remained hot, running out to a 3-0 series lead over the Seattle Supersonics.  However, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, and the Sonics would not go down quietly, with Kemp and Payton leading 5 scorers in double figures in Game 4 and 4 double-digit scorers in Game 5 to make the series 3-2.  Despite this valiant effort, Jordan and Pippen led Chicago to a clinching Game 6 victory as the Bulls had 5 double-digit scorers.  Cementing his place as power forward of the new championship era Bulls, Rodman added 9 points, 19 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. 

While Pippen and Jackson maintained their roles on the 1996 NBA Champion Chicago Bulls, it was again Jordan who received the most recognition, winning MVP honors in the 1996 NBA Finals to go along with his MVP awards from the 1995-1996 NBA regular season and the 1996 All-Star Game.  Together, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Phil Jackson had won again—their fourth NBA Championship in six years—with Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, and a new cast of characters.  As they did with their old cast of characters, Jordan, Pippen, and Jackson won two more championships to complete a second three-peat.  It is difficult to say which of the six championship Chicago Bulls teams was the best, but it is definite that the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls made their way into history as a record-setting team.    


Sources:

Associated Press.  “Bulls general manager Krause resigns.”  April 7, 2003.  SI.com.  Accessed July 5, 2010. 

Basketball-Reference.com.  Accessed July 5, 2010. 

Berkow, Ira.  “Pro Basketball; Disgusted Pippen Sits Down For Game-Winning Play.”  The New York Times.  May 14, 1994.  From NYTimes.com.  Accessed July 5, 2010.   

“Coach of the Year.”  NBA.com.  Accessed July 5, 2010. 

Dykstra, Erika.  “Michael Jordan.”  Part of “Big Shot Boomerangs.”  Fast Company.  October 31, 1999.  From FastCompany.com.  Accessed July 5, 2010.      

“Michael Jordan Career Retrospective.”  NBA.com  Accessed July 5, 2010. 

“NBA Postseason Awards: All-Defensive Teams.”  NBA.com.  Accessed July 5, 2010. 

[Other player profiles.]  NBA.com.  Accessed July 5, 2010. 

Wise, Mike.  “1995 N.B.A. Playoffs; Bulls Burst In the Air As Magic Moves On.”  The New York Times.  May 19, 1995.  From NYTimes.com.  Accessed July 5, 2010.  

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Zone Defense: The Rule Change Michael Jordan is Forgetting

In accordance with the release of the new NBA 2K11 basketball video game, legendary Chicago Bulls shooting guard Michael Jordan has returned to the media's spotlight. That is, Michael Jordan has caught the sports world's attention by saying that today's NBA rules would have allowed him to score 100 points in a game. No one is questioning Michael Jordan's uncanny ability to make plays, create shots, and score points. Michael Jordan is right in saying that, overall, today's rules favor offensive players, particularly guards. Much less contact is allowed in defensive play; some of what was legal when Jordan played (such as forearms and handchecking) is now deemed personal foul-worthy. Furthermore, with a 30-team league, talent is spread out more than it used to be, and players--while on average are more athletic today--come into the league much less fundamentally sound. However, Michael Jordan has forgotten about the re-emergence of zone defense in the NBA. True, ...
Read more

2018 NBA Finals Preview: The Evolution of Cavs vs. Warriors

Picture: Front entrance to Quicken Loans Arena on May 30th, 2018. (There were no new decorations yet for the 2018 NBA Finals as the Q renovation project takes place. Decorations were added today.) Cavs rotation Star players who are core players:  F/G LeBron James, F/C Kevin Love Role players who are core players:  G George Hill, G/F J.R. Smith, C/F Tristan Thompson, F Jeff Green, G/F Kyle Korver Role players who are situational players:  G Jordan Clarkson, F/C Larry Nance Jr., G/F Rodney Hood, F/G Cedi Osman, G Jose Calderon Bench players who are secondary backups:  C/F Ante Zizic, C Kendrick Perkins, F Okaro White *Not on playoff roster: Two-way players:  G/F John Holland, G London Perrantes Warriors rotation Star players who are core players:  F Kevin Durant, G Stephen Curry, G Klay Thompson, F/C Draymond Green Role players who are core players:  [G Andre Iguodala], C/F Kevon Looney, G Shaun Livingston, G/F Nick Young, G Quinn ...
Read more

Remembering the Last NBA Lockout

Odds are that there will be another NBA lockout this offseason. Previously, there have been three NBA lockouts. In 1995, a lockout lasted three months but did not cut into the regular season. In 1996, the lockout was very, very short - only a couple of hours. However, the third NBA lockout in 1998 was the first work stoppage in NBA history. It ended up cutting out nearly half the 1998-1999 season; the result was a 50-game regular season schedule played in 90 days. There were sequences where teams played 3 days in a row. That is otherwise unheard of in the NBA. A meeting is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday, June 30th) to further discuss NBA labor negotiations. Here's hoping to no lockout in 2011 or, at the very least, no lost regular season games in 2011-2012. Until then, here are some interesting story lines that were going on around the time when the NBA owners locked out NBA players in 1998. **Please be warned that some of the content is more mature in theme.** > Choking A...
Read more

The New Cavalier Era

The 2021-2022 NBA season has been quite the ride for the young Cleveland Cavaliers team. There have been ups and downs with multiple winning streaks but loads of injuries and illness. After the New Year’s Eve loss, the Cavs stand at 20-16 and 5th in the Eastern Conference. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was rewarded for helping guide and teach the team with a Christmas Day contract extension through 2026-2027. Rajon Rondo joins to help fill the void left by Ricky Rubio and Collin Sexton, who both suffered from season-ending injuries. Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley are showing up as big-time players, with Isaac Okoro leading other up-and-coming players on the roster. Trade rumors continue regarding other big-name talent. Regardless, the Cavs are finding their stride this year. 2022 brings much basketball hope to Cleveland, including the NBA All-Star Game in February and hopefully a return to postseason play for the first time in 4 years.
Read more

560-342, 95-51 & counting

Picture: The sun shines on the LeBron James billboard across the street from the Q on Monday, April 17th, 2017. In 11 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron Raymone James Sr. has helped lead his team to a 560-342 regular season record (average of 51-31 per season) and a 95-51 playoff record thus far. Prior to the two LeBron eras in Cleveland, the Cavs had compiled a modest playoff record of 28-49 with two Eastern Conference Finals appearances. It's been quite the ride. However, many analysts, fans, and other NBA conspiracy theorists are calling this weekend the end of the second LeBron-Cleveland era. If this is true, making four Conference Finals in a row, three NBA Finals in a row, and winning one NBA Championship will never be forgotten in Cleveland. No matter how many championships James ends up winning in his career, the 2016 win will always stand out. The Cavs defied all odds by coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat a team with a historic 73-9 regular sea...
Read more

2007: “Believeland” and the Parallels between Sports and Life

The year 2007 has been a great year for Cleveland sports. Regardless of whether or not the Browns make the playoffs today, all three teams of the ‘Big Three’—Cavaliers, Indians, and Browns—have put together winning seasons. One thing that has always fascinated me about sports is seeing parallels between sports and life, and as fans of these Cleveland teams we can definitely carry their winning attitudes into our own lives (whether on or off the field/court) as we turn the calendar to 2008. In Cleveland sports, we have seen our shares of mishaps and disappointments, including times when players or team officials themselves surrendered too early and never gave winning a chance. As fans, most of us at one point or another have written off certain players, coaches, teams, etc. because we did not believe that they could win, whether the reason was internal to the team or external. Regardless, we have come to expect little out of our teams yet still endlessly criticize them w...
Read more

Lesson Learned from ESPN Baseball Tonight's Pitchers' Roundtable Last Night

With Major League Baseball finishing up its All-Star break yesterday, ESPN's Baseball Tonight aired a special "Pitchers' Roundtable" on TV last night. Having watched some of this program, I was thoroughly impressed by the knowledge and wisdom shared by the five former pitchers. The most important lesson I took away from the program applies not just to baseball players and coaches, but to all players and coaches as well as all students and teachers. The lesson, namely, is: "Different people have different learning styles." There is a lot in society and pop culture about "different strokes for different folks". Yet, out on the court, in the classroom, and out in the workplace, there tends to be a focus on doing things one way. As this cliche goes, "there is one right way". Personally, I dislike such a philosophy, although I understand the practicality of it. If there is one "right" way of doing things, then evaluation of perform...
Read more

NBA Team Chemistry Rankings: 3rd Quarter of Season

Here are the updated NBA Team Chemistry Rankings for the 2011-2012 season. Noted preseason contenders --Oklahoma City, Chicago, San Antonio, Memphis, Miami, Dallas, and Boston--all find themselves in the current playoff picture. Of these 7 teams, only the Grizzlies at 4-6 have played sub-.500 ball in their last 10 games. Overall, the Western Conference remains the stronger conference, with 13 of 15 teams at 20 or more wins this season; in comparison, the Eastern Conference has only 9 of 15 teams at 20 or more wins. Regarding team chemistry, there appears to be balance across the conferences, with 5 teams from each conference currently ranking in the top 10. It will be interesting to see how the final month of the season goes and where teams end up in the playoff seeding. Rank Team Notes Previous 1. Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder continue to look like 'the team of the future'--i.e. the championship team of the next defining era of NBA basketball, a la Magic and B...
Read more

A New Day in Believeland: A 2nd 'Season Opener' vs. Kyrie & the Celtics

Video credit: Fox Sports Ohio - The Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate LeBron James's  game-winner vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 7, 2018.   From the outside looking in, numerous analysts and fans had watched the past month of basketball and made a distinct observation: the 2017-2018 Cleveland Cavaliers ( prior to the trade deadline ) do not like each other. Wednesday night's victory celebration seemed quite fitting as a farewell party to any spoken or unspoken drama in the locker room. As I stated a month ago: With the trade deadline a month away (February 8th), how the team adjusts or doesn't adjust with IT, TT, DRose, and Shumpert back will help determine if anyone needs to be brought in--and if any of these four players or anyone else ends up getting traded. As it turned out, the suspicions many of us had in Believeland were correct: guys needed to get traded in order to adjust the rotation. TT stayed, but IT, DRose, and Shumpert were all traded away....
Read more

Will the Cavaliers retire the jersey numbers of Z or Free? Yes for Z, Unknown for Free

Currently, the Cleveland Cavaliers have six former players' jersey numbers in the rafters. They are: #7 (Bingo Smith), #22 (Larry Nance), #25 (Mark Price), #34 (Austin Carr), #42 (Nate Thurmond), and #43 (Brad Daugherty). Retiring radio broadcaster Joe Tait's 39 seasons with the team was also honored with the raising of a banner at the end of last season. There is a chance that #23 can be retired to the rafters someday, but that will require either the contrition of one star player or the emergence of another star player who goes on to wear that jersey for the Cavs. As it stands, the two most likely former Cavaliers to have their jerseys retired in the near future are #11 Zydrunas Ilgauskas and #21 World B. Free . In drafting up the idea for this article over the past month and a half, it has since been learned that the team INTENDS to retire Ilgauskas' #11 sometime in the future. The secret was uncovered when it was revealed that #1 draft pick Kyrie Irving's reques...
Read more