by Darnell Sallins
The Last Dance Documentary Series ended on Sunday with Episodes Nine and Ten reliving the fifth and sixth NBA Championship of the Chicago Bulls in the late 90's. For the past five weeks ESPN and Netflix provided the world a behind-the-scenes look at the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. One of the greatest dynasties in sports history relived the key personnel inside the Bulls organization led by the GOAT Michael Jeffery Jordan.
Episodes 1 and 2
As we all know by know, Jerry Krause was the General Manager of the Chicago Bulls during this time and he is the one, along with Jerry Reinsdorf, as the man who ended the Bulls' dynasty. Jerry Krause was hired in 1985 as the GM the year after the Bulls drafted Michael Jordan from North Carolina. Krause and Jordan did not have a buddy-buddy relationship, pretty much Krause didn't buddy-buddy relationships with most the players on the team especially the main ones like Scottie Pippen and head coach Phil Jackson. Speaking of Phil Jackson, it was Krause who stated to Phil going into the 1998 season, "You can go 82-0, you will not be back as the Bulls' head coach." That is when Phil Jackson talked to the team and deemed the 1997-1998 season as "The Last Dance." This is how The Last Dance opens up the series
Now one of biggest talking points from Episodes One and Two besides Jerry Krause was Scottie Pippen. The Pippen story began in Episode Two. Pippen was drafted in 1987 as the Fifth Overall Pick by the Seattle Supersonics by was traded to Chicago. During his time with the Bulls, Scottie Pippen was vastly underpaid by Krause and Reinsdorf. Pippen was the second best player on the Bulls, but the sixth highest paid player on the team. Top five player in the NBA in the 90's, but was the 122nd highest paid player in the league. YES, Scottie Pippen's contract ranked 122nd in the league, but was in the top five players in the era. Disrespectful at its finest because Reinsdorf told Scottie and every player on the Bulls including MJ that once you sign the contract, you don't get to re-negotiate/restructure contracts. Nevertheless, one of the most telling points in the first two episode was what MJ said about Pippen.
"Whenever they speak Michael Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen. “I didn’t win without Pippen. And that’s why I consider him my best teammate of all time.”
Episodes 3 and 4
Episode 3 is when we are introduced to Dennis Rodman. During Scottie Pippen's healing time and standoff with management, Rodman become the number 2 guy in the Bulls. After a shaky start to the season, the Bulls began to turn things around. Then on January 10, 1998 Scottie Pippen makes his return to the Bulls, but Dennis Rodman needed a vacation.
Episode 4 was mostly about Head Coach, Phil Jackson, but other key moments happened in Episode 4. Doug Collins was fired as Bulls' coach on July 7,1989 and three days later Phil was hired on July 10. Phil was about the team and not just one play so he instituted the Triangle Offense. Ball movement was precise, no one was ball dominated including Jordan and it became a nightmare for opposing teams.
However, the Bulls still needed to get pass on obstacle, The Bad Boy Pistons. Eastern Conference Finals, Game 7, the Scottie Migraine Game. The Bulls get destroyed and were blown out in Game 7. That would be the last time the Bad Boy Pistons would beat the Chicago Bulls, because the following season in 1991, MJ and the Bulls swept Detroit in the East Finals. They would go on and win the NBA Finals 4-1 over Magic Johnson and the LA Lakers.
Getting back to the 1998 season as Episode 4 is ending, Jerry Krause stirs up trouble as All-Star Weekend is approaching and the Bulls are Utah to play the Jazz. Krause went out of his way to reinsured that P seasonhil Jackson will not be the coach after season's end and if MJ wants to come back it will be with a different head coach.
The Bulls came out strong, but blew a double-digit lead and lose to the Jazz entering the All-Star break at 34-15.
Episodes 5 and 6
Episodes 5 and 6 is where off-court issues with MJ become a problem for the media mostly and the team. At the end of Episode 5, MJ was look upon to make a political statement in favor of Harvey Gnatt, who was running for Senate in North Carolina. But a statement made on the team bus that became public knowledge brought criticism towards MJ. The statement of, "Republicans buy shoes too", upset the black community as Gnatt was running against Jesse Helms.
Then we get to the 1992 off-season as the Dream Team was put together without Isaiah Thomas. Many people believed that Thomas was much deserving on being on the 92 Olympic Team, but Jordan, Pippen, Bird, and Johnson based on the documentary did not feel that Thomas would have been right for the team chemistry. Not of them said that Isaiah Thomas was not deserving to be on the team, but MJ felt that Thomas would have changed the way the operated.
Now Episode 6, we learned the Jordan is one big competitor in everything, EVERYTHING. Playing cards for money on the team bus. Playing coin toss with his own security guards for money. Playing golf rounds for money. People said Jordan had a gambling problem, but Jordan replies with, "I don't have a gambling problem, I have a competitive problem." Everything was a competition to MJ. Two books were written about MJ, one by Sam Smith called "The Jordan Rules" and the other book by Richard Esquinas "Michael and Me: Our Gambling Addiction". Both books brought backlash and criticism toward Michael Jordan.
However, at the beginning of Episode 5 was a very touching moment where the late great Kobe Bean Bryant made an appearance. It was Kobe Bryant's first All-Star game and MJ's "last" All-Star game in the 98 season. To hear Kobe speak on this Episode was truly heartbreaking knowing that the Black Mamba is no longer here physically. He did leave saying this on the documentary: "What you got for me, I got from him. I don't get 5 championships without him."
Episodes 7 and 8
The emotional episodes of this documentary were Episodes 7 and 8. After defeating Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 Finals achieving the 3-Peat, Michael Jordan threw out the first pitch of the ALCS in Chicago where rumors began to stir up that MJ was retiring from basketball. The very next day, Michael Jordan announced in October of 1993. This was two months after his father, James Jordan was found murdered in a robbery/kidnapping case. James Jordan was missing on July 23, 1993 then a month later in August his body was found. Dealing with the death of his beloved father, Michael faced more criticism as the media would put the blame on MJ and his gambling issue.
MJ stepped away from the game to pursue baseball signing a minor league deal. Meanwhile Scottie was leading the Bulls to the playoffs. But not everything was good in the Bulls camp. Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knick, Phil Jackson calls for Toni Kukoc with the game and series on the line as the Bulls were down 0-2 already. Scottie Pippen wants the ball in his hands instead so decides not to go back into the game. Toni Kukoc runs the plays and hits the game-winning 3-pointer to beat the Knicks in Game 3. But Episode 7 finished off with MJ talking how he was as a leader and teammate (see video below).
Episode 8 was basically the return, when Michael Jordan left baseball to return to basketball in 1995. Doing his first season back with the Bulls, MJ wore 45 instead of 23. Lost to the Indiana Pacers his first game back. Hit the game-winning shot against Atlanta. First back at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks, Michael Jordan went for 55 points known as the Double Nickle Game. The season would come to and end by the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, 4-2.
The following season would the 72-10 Bulls team, starting the season winning 23 of the first 25 games. Became the first team to win 70 games on April 10, 1996. Swept the Miami Heat in the first round. Beat the Knicks 4-1 in the East Semis. Swept the Orlando Magic in the East Finals to meet the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA Finals. They would beat the Sonics in six games. The fourth NBA Title for Jordan and the Bulls, but the first one without Jordan's father led to the picture below, MJ filled with emotions after winning the title.
Episodes 9 and 10
Lastly, we arrive to Episodes 9 and 10 where we all known what was to come in these two final episodes of The Last Dance.
Beginning with Episode 9 where Reggie Miller finally comes in the picture. Jordan versus Miller first happened in 1993 where Miller was having a good first half and Jordan was having a bad one. Miller made the comment of "Is this Michael Jordan?" Miller woke up the sleeping giant. In the second half Jordan goes off and Miller only scores two points and Jordan says, "Don't ever talk about Black Jesus." From that point on Reggie Miller referred to Michael Jordan as Jordan, Black Jesus, or Black Cat, never Michael Jordan.
Going back to the 1998 season, it is the Eastern Conference Finals, Chicago Bulls versus Indiana Pacers. Chicago won Games 1 and 2 in Chicago both highly competitive games as this whole series was. Jordan wins his League MVP Award before Game 2. Indiana took both Games 3 and 4 in Indiana, but Game 4 was the key game. Scottie Pippen gets fouled after Indiana turned over the ball. Pippen was 2 for 5 from the line in the game both these two foul shots could seal a 3-1 lead for the Bulls. Pippen missed both free-throws as Indiana gets the rebounds and calls timeout with only one shot left to win Game 4. Miller used the pick to get away from Ron Harper then pushes off Jordan for a wide open 3-pointer at the buzzer. Games 5 and 6 were split so the series is tied at 3-3 going into Game 7.
In Game 7 both teams giving it all the got to make the NBA Finals. The game-clinching play happen with 2 minutes left in the game. Pacers are up 3 and it's a jump ball between Michael and Rik Smits. Smits wins the tip but tipped the ball to Scottie Pippen and Steve Kerr ends up with a wide open 3-point shot where the game is now tied. Miller states from that point on the Bulls took over winning Game 7, 88-83 advancing to their 6th NBA Finals.
The rest of Episode 9 and all of Episode 10 focused on the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals where in both of them saw the Chicago Bulls facing the Utah Jazz. In the 1997 Finals, MJ had it out for Karl Malone because Malone was named League MVP for the season and Jordan didn't accept that. MJ hits the game-winning in Game 1, Bulls take Game 2, leading 2-0 going to Salt Lake City. Games 3 and 4 went to the Jazz with Game 5 being in Utah.
Now Jordan is up late night before Game 5 hungry, so the team trainer and one other person found a pizza place open and order food for Jordan. Five guys deliver one box of pizza to Jordan's room. FIVE GUYS with ONE pizza box delivering. Jordan wakes up throwing-up, the trainer finds him curled up in a ball. Jordan still came to the arena having flu-like symptoms to play Game 5. Check out the late great Stuart Scott recapping what will now known as The Food-Poising Game and no longer The Flu Game, where MJ led the Bulls to win Game 5 with 38 points. The Bulls would win Game 6 in Chicago behind Steve Kerr's Game-Winning 3-Pointer to capture Championship number 5.
Now we closing out The Last Dance with the 1998 NBA Finals. Round two between the Bulls and Jazz. The Jazz took Game 1 in overtime in Salt Lake City, but the Bulls would take Game 2 thus splitting in Utah before heading to Chicago for Game 3-5.
Game 3 was the biggest lopsided game in NBA Finals' history as the Bulls won Game by 42 points, 96-54. Game as marked the lowest scoring total by a NBA Finals team in a lost. After Game 3 things got interesting as Dennis Rodman was nowhere to be found in the Bulls facility. Rodman did not show up for practice ahead of Game 4, instead he was seen backstage at World Championship Wrestling in Auburn Hills, Michigan with Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan of the NWO. Rodman was fined for missing practice, however played a good game in Game 4 finishing with 14 rebounds as the Bulls took Game 4 86-82 for a 3-1 series lead.
Unfortunately, the Bulls couldn't close out the Jazz at home in Game 5 because Karl Malone played his best game of the series for Utah. The Mailman had 39 points in Game 5 as he sent the series back to Utah for Game 6.
Back in Salt Lake City for Game 6, word got out that Scottie Pippen was dealing with a bad back leading into the game. It was very evident that Pippen was dealing with a bad back. Spent most of the first half in the training room getting treatment. The game still had to be played and both teams played like it was Game 7. The Jazz wanting to force a Game 7 at home and the Bulls wanting to play just one game in Utah. Back and forth contest between the two best teams in the league. You just knew it would come down to some being great amongst the rest. Michael Jordan steals the ball from Karl Malone with 17 seconds left. Jordan watching the clock wind down down 86-85 with Bryan Russell on him goes to the elbow creating space between him and Russell, and drills the elbow jumper with 5 seconds left. A play that has been talked to this day as some people believe that Jordan pushed off Russell and should have been an offensive foul and others believe Jordan didn't pushed off and that Russell's momentum carried him away from Jordan. You decide for yourself, but what matters is that "The Last Shot" gave Jordan 45 points in the game and the Bulls capture their sixth Championships and second three-peat.
Millions upon millions watched a documentary series about what made Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls one the best dynasties in sports history. The documentary detailed that just because a team or dynasty can win multiple championships that not everything is always good. The Bulls detailed how hard it was within the organization to keep it going the way they did, because a lot of egos were getting in the way. From Jerry Krause wanting more credit for the dynast to Pippen's terrible contract situation to it being Phil Jackson's last season coaching the Bulls going into the 1998 season and countless more before and during the 1998 season.
This documentary was not about who is the Greatest of All-Time debate between MJ and LeBron James, but you know the debate go forward because people love voicing their opinions on others so the debate will continue, but this documentary shows that despite more adversities and obstacles that Michael Jeffrey Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s did whatever it took to become one of the greatest dynasties of all-time in sports.
Check out the podcast, The Last Dance with The Playmaker, a five episode podcast covering all ten episodes of The Last Dance Documentary.