The
1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the
1997 NBA PlayoffsThe 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the
Western ConferenceBelow is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
took on the
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
of the
Eastern ConferenceThe Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
for the title, with the Bulls holding
home court advantageIn team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...
. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, in the 2-3-2 NBA Finals format, with the first 2 games in Chicago, then 3 games in a row in Salt Lake City and the last 2 in Chicago.
The Bulls won the series 4 games to 2. For the fifth time in as many Finals appearances,
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
was named Finals MVP.
During that NBA Finals,
NBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
's
Hannah StormHannah Storm is an American television sports journalist, serving as co-anchor of ESPN's SportsCenter Monday–Thursday mornings, and is also host of the NBA Countdown pregame show on ABC as part of the network's NBA Sunday game coverage.-Early life and career:Storm was born in Oak Park, Illinois,...
became the first woman to serve as pre-game host of an NBA Finals.
NBC Sports used
Ahmad RashadAhmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals...
(
BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
sideline) and
Jim GrayJim Gray is an American sportscaster. He has previously worked as a reporter with NBC Sports and CBS Sports. He is currently with Westwood One radio network, Showtime, Golf Channel, the Sacramento Kings, and ESPN/ESPN on ABC...
(
JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
sideline) as sideline reporters.
Hal Douglas narrated the season-ending documentary for
NBA EntertainmentNBA Entertainment is the production arm of the National Basketball Association and produces numerous NBA-related films including team championship videos and blooper and entertainment reels. It was previously associated with CBS/Fox Video, but now distributes its films through Warner Bros....
.
Background
In the 1996–97 season, Michael Jordan led the Bulls to a 69-13 record. The Bulls reached the Finals after sweeping the Washington Bullets, and beating the
Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
and
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
4-1. In 1996–97, Utah was led by
John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
and
Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, posting a franchise-best 64–18 record. They reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history after sweeping the
Los Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the first round, beating the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
4–1, and the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
4–2 to meet the Bulls in the Finals. A clutch 3 at the buzzer by John Stockton over
Charles BarkleyCharles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
in Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals sent Utah to the Finals.
The series between the Bulls and Jazz featured two of the more memorable clutch efforts of Michael Jordan's career. He won Game 1 for the Bulls with a buzzer-beating jump shot. The Jazz would eventually fight the first four games to tie the series up at 2. In Game 5, Jordan scored 38 points despite suffering from a stomach virus that had rendered him weak and dehydrated at the start of the game as the Bulls pulled out a 90-88 victory at the Delta Center. The Bulls went home up 3-2 in the series and came from behind to win the contest 90–86 after
Steve KerrStephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
made the go-ahead basket, and
Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
made a steal followed by
Toni KukočToni Kukoč is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with prowess and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were...
making the clinching dunk. The Bulls won the series in 6 games.
The Bulls won their second straight title from their first 3-peat in similar fashion, winning Games 5 and 6 with the series tied at 2, and clinching the series at home, like they did in the
1992 NBA FinalsThe 1992 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1991–92 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference took on the Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage, as they had the best record in the NBA.The two teams appeared...
against the
Portland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
. Until
2008The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
, this was the last time an Eastern Conference team had home-court advantage in the Finals.
Series scoring summary
The following scoring summary is written in a line score format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
| Team |
Game 1 |
Game 2 |
Game 3 |
Game 4 |
Game 5 |
Game 6 |
Wins |
| Utah (West) |
82 |
85 |
104 |
78 |
88 |
86 |
2 |
| Chicago (East) |
84 |
97 |
93 |
73 |
90 |
90 |
4 |
1997 Chicago Bulls Playoff roster
{{NBA Finals summary
| image =
| caption =
| year = 1997
| runnerup =
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| runnerup_coach =
Jerry SloanGerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
| runnerup_games = 2
| champion =
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
| champion_coach =
Phil JacksonPhilip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
| champion_games = 4
| date= June 1–13
| MVP =
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(Chicago Bulls)
| television = NBC (U.S.)
| announcers =
Marv AlbertMarv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
,
Matt GuokasMatthew George "Matt" Guokas, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player and coach.-Playing career:...
and
Bill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
| HOFers =
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(2009)
Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
(2010)
Robert ParishRobert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
(2003)
Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
(2010)
Dennis RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
(2011)
John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
(2009)
Coaches:Phil Jackson (2007)
Jerry Sloan (2009)
Tex WinterMorice Fredrick "Tex" Winter is a Hall-of-Fame American basketball coach, and innovator of the triangle offense.-Early life:...
(2011)
| radio_network =
ESPNThe NBA on ESPN Radio is a broadcast of National Basketball Association games on the ESPN Radio network. Games on ESPN Radio are distributed on over 200 radio stations in the United States and Canada. The program began on January 21, 1996 and the current contract runs through the 2015-2016 season...
| referees_1 =
| referees_2 =
| referees_3 =
| referees_4 =
| referees_5 =
| referees_6 =
| radio_announcers =
Brent MusburgerBrent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
and
Jack RamsayJack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio...
| ECF result = Bulls defeat Heat, 4-1
| WCF result = Jazz defeat Rockets, 4-2
}}
The
1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the
1997 NBA PlayoffsThe 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the
Western ConferenceBelow is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
took on the
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
of the
Eastern ConferenceThe Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
for the title, with the Bulls holding
home court advantageIn team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...
. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, in the 2-3-2 NBA Finals format, with the first 2 games in Chicago, then 3 games in a row in Salt Lake City and the last 2 in Chicago.
The Bulls won the series 4 games to 2. For the fifth time in as many Finals appearances,
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
was named Finals MVP.
During that NBA Finals,
NBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
's
Hannah StormHannah Storm is an American television sports journalist, serving as co-anchor of ESPN's SportsCenter Monday–Thursday mornings, and is also host of the NBA Countdown pregame show on ABC as part of the network's NBA Sunday game coverage.-Early life and career:Storm was born in Oak Park, Illinois,...
became the first woman to serve as pre-game host of an NBA Finals.
NBC Sports used
Ahmad RashadAhmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals...
(
BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
sideline) and
Jim GrayJim Gray is an American sportscaster. He has previously worked as a reporter with NBC Sports and CBS Sports. He is currently with Westwood One radio network, Showtime, Golf Channel, the Sacramento Kings, and ESPN/ESPN on ABC...
(
JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
sideline) as sideline reporters.
Hal Douglas narrated the season-ending documentary for
NBA EntertainmentNBA Entertainment is the production arm of the National Basketball Association and produces numerous NBA-related films including team championship videos and blooper and entertainment reels. It was previously associated with CBS/Fox Video, but now distributes its films through Warner Bros....
.
Background
In the 1996–97 season, Michael Jordan led the Bulls to a 69-13 record. The Bulls reached the Finals after sweeping the Washington Bullets, and beating the
Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
and
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
4-1. In 1996–97, Utah was led by
John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
and
Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, posting a franchise-best 64–18 record. They reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history after sweeping the
Los Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the first round, beating the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
4–1, and the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
4–2 to meet the Bulls in the Finals. A clutch 3 at the buzzer by John Stockton over
Charles BarkleyCharles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
in Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals sent Utah to the Finals.
The series between the Bulls and Jazz featured two of the more memorable clutch efforts of Michael Jordan's career. He won Game 1 for the Bulls with a buzzer-beating jump shot. The Jazz would eventually fight the first four games to tie the series up at 2. In Game 5, Jordan scored 38 points despite suffering from a stomach virus that had rendered him weak and dehydrated at the start of the game as the Bulls pulled out a 90-88 victory at the Delta Center. The Bulls went home up 3-2 in the series and came from behind to win the contest 90–86 after
Steve KerrStephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
made the go-ahead basket, and
Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
made a steal followed by
Toni KukočToni Kukoč is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with prowess and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were...
making the clinching dunk. The Bulls won the series in 6 games.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}
The Bulls won their second straight title from their first 3-peat in similar fashion, winning Games 5 and 6 with the series tied at 2, and clinching the series at home, like they did in the
1992 NBA FinalsThe 1992 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1991–92 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference took on the Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage, as they had the best record in the NBA.The two teams appeared...
against the
Portland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
. Until
2008The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
, this was the last time an Eastern Conference team had home-court advantage in the Finals.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}
Series scoring summary
The following scoring summary is written in a line score format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
| Team |
Game 1 |
Game 2 |
Game 3 |
Game 4 |
Game 5 |
Game 6 |
Wins |
| Utah (West) |
82 |
85 |
104 |
78 |
88 |
86 |
2 |
| Chicago (East) |
84 |
97 |
93 |
73 |
90 |
90 |
4 |
1997 Chicago Bulls Playoff roster
{{NBA Finals summary
| image =
| caption =
| year = 1997
| runnerup =
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| runnerup_coach =
Jerry SloanGerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
| runnerup_games = 2
| champion =
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
| champion_coach =
Phil JacksonPhilip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
| champion_games = 4
| date= June 1–13
| MVP =
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(Chicago Bulls)
| television = NBC (U.S.)
| announcers =
Marv AlbertMarv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
,
Matt GuokasMatthew George "Matt" Guokas, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player and coach.-Playing career:...
and
Bill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
| HOFers =
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(2009)
Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
(2010)
Robert ParishRobert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
(2003)
Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
(2010)
Dennis RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
(2011)
John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
(2009)
Coaches:Phil Jackson (2007)
Jerry Sloan (2009)
Tex WinterMorice Fredrick "Tex" Winter is a Hall-of-Fame American basketball coach, and innovator of the triangle offense.-Early life:...
(2011)
| radio_network =
ESPNThe NBA on ESPN Radio is a broadcast of National Basketball Association games on the ESPN Radio network. Games on ESPN Radio are distributed on over 200 radio stations in the United States and Canada. The program began on January 21, 1996 and the current contract runs through the 2015-2016 season...
| referees_1 =
| referees_2 =
| referees_3 =
| referees_4 =
| referees_5 =
| referees_6 =
| radio_announcers =
Brent MusburgerBrent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
and
Jack RamsayJack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio...
| ECF result = Bulls defeat Heat, 4-1
| WCF result = Jazz defeat Rockets, 4-2
}}
The
1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the
1997 NBA PlayoffsThe 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the
Western ConferenceBelow is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
took on the
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
of the
Eastern ConferenceThe Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
for the title, with the Bulls holding
home court advantageIn team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...
. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, in the 2-3-2 NBA Finals format, with the first 2 games in Chicago, then 3 games in a row in Salt Lake City and the last 2 in Chicago.
The Bulls won the series 4 games to 2. For the fifth time in as many Finals appearances,
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
was named Finals MVP.
During that NBA Finals,
NBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
's
Hannah StormHannah Storm is an American television sports journalist, serving as co-anchor of ESPN's SportsCenter Monday–Thursday mornings, and is also host of the NBA Countdown pregame show on ABC as part of the network's NBA Sunday game coverage.-Early life and career:Storm was born in Oak Park, Illinois,...
became the first woman to serve as pre-game host of an NBA Finals.
NBC Sports used
Ahmad RashadAhmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals...
(
BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
sideline) and
Jim GrayJim Gray is an American sportscaster. He has previously worked as a reporter with NBC Sports and CBS Sports. He is currently with Westwood One radio network, Showtime, Golf Channel, the Sacramento Kings, and ESPN/ESPN on ABC...
(
JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
sideline) as sideline reporters.
Hal Douglas narrated the season-ending documentary for
NBA EntertainmentNBA Entertainment is the production arm of the National Basketball Association and produces numerous NBA-related films including team championship videos and blooper and entertainment reels. It was previously associated with CBS/Fox Video, but now distributes its films through Warner Bros....
.
Background
In the 1996–97 season, Michael Jordan led the Bulls to a 69-13 record. The Bulls reached the Finals after sweeping the Washington Bullets, and beating the
Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
and
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
4-1. In 1996–97, Utah was led by
John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
and
Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, posting a franchise-best 64–18 record. They reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history after sweeping the
Los Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the first round, beating the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
4–1, and the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
4–2 to meet the Bulls in the Finals. A clutch 3 at the buzzer by John Stockton over
Charles BarkleyCharles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
in Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals sent Utah to the Finals.
The series between the Bulls and Jazz featured two of the more memorable clutch efforts of Michael Jordan's career. He won Game 1 for the Bulls with a buzzer-beating jump shot. The Jazz would eventually fight the first four games to tie the series up at 2. In Game 5, Jordan scored 38 points despite suffering from a stomach virus that had rendered him weak and dehydrated at the start of the game as the Bulls pulled out a 90-88 victory at the Delta Center. The Bulls went home up 3-2 in the series and came from behind to win the contest 90–86 after
Steve KerrStephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
made the go-ahead basket, and
Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
made a steal followed by
Toni KukočToni Kukoč is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with prowess and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were...
making the clinching dunk. The Bulls won the series in 6 games.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}
The Bulls won their second straight title from their first 3-peat in similar fashion, winning Games 5 and 6 with the series tied at 2, and clinching the series at home, like they did in the
1992 NBA FinalsThe 1992 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1991–92 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference took on the Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage, as they had the best record in the NBA.The two teams appeared...
against the
Portland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
. Until
2008The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
, this was the last time an Eastern Conference team had home-court advantage in the Finals.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}
Series scoring summary
The following scoring summary is written in a line score format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
| Team |
Game 1 |
Game 2 |
Game 3 |
Game 4 |
Game 5 |
Game 6 |
Wins |
| Utah (West) |
82 |
85 |
104 |
78 |
88 |
86 |
2 |
| Chicago (East) |
84 |
97 |
93 |
73 |
90 |
90 |
4 |
1997 Chicago Bulls Playoff roster
{{Navbox
|name = Chicago Bulls 1996–97 NBA champions
|titlestyle= background:#c41e3a; color:#ffffff;
| belowstyle = background:#000000; color:#c41e3a;
|title =
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
1996–97 NBA ChampionsThe 1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the 1997 NBA Playoffs that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The Utah Jazz of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
|list1 =
{{NBA Finals summary
| image =
| caption =
| year = 1997
| runnerup =
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| runnerup_coach =
Jerry SloanGerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
| runnerup_games = 2
| champion =
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
| champion_coach =
Phil JacksonPhilip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
| champion_games = 4
| date= June 1–13
| MVP =
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(Chicago Bulls)
| television = NBC (U.S.)
| announcers =
Marv AlbertMarv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
,
Matt GuokasMatthew George "Matt" Guokas, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player and coach.-Playing career:...
and
Bill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
| HOFers =
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(2009)
Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
(2010)
Robert ParishRobert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
(2003)
Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
(2010)
Dennis RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
(2011)
John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
(2009)
Coaches:Phil Jackson (2007)
Jerry Sloan (2009)
Tex WinterMorice Fredrick "Tex" Winter is a Hall-of-Fame American basketball coach, and innovator of the triangle offense.-Early life:...
(2011)
| radio_network =
ESPNThe NBA on ESPN Radio is a broadcast of National Basketball Association games on the ESPN Radio network. Games on ESPN Radio are distributed on over 200 radio stations in the United States and Canada. The program began on January 21, 1996 and the current contract runs through the 2015-2016 season...
| referees_1 =
| referees_2 =
| referees_3 =
| referees_4 =
| referees_5 =
| referees_6 =
| radio_announcers =
Brent MusburgerBrent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
and
Jack RamsayJack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio...
| ECF result = Bulls defeat Heat, 4-1
| WCF result = Jazz defeat Rockets, 4-2
}}
The
1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the
1997 NBA PlayoffsThe 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the
Western ConferenceBelow is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
took on the
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
of the
Eastern ConferenceThe Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
for the title, with the Bulls holding
home court advantageIn team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...
. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, in the 2-3-2 NBA Finals format, with the first 2 games in Chicago, then 3 games in a row in Salt Lake City and the last 2 in Chicago.
The Bulls won the series 4 games to 2. For the fifth time in as many Finals appearances,
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
was named Finals MVP.
During that NBA Finals,
NBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
's
Hannah StormHannah Storm is an American television sports journalist, serving as co-anchor of ESPN's SportsCenter Monday–Thursday mornings, and is also host of the NBA Countdown pregame show on ABC as part of the network's NBA Sunday game coverage.-Early life and career:Storm was born in Oak Park, Illinois,...
became the first woman to serve as pre-game host of an NBA Finals.
NBC Sports used
Ahmad RashadAhmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals...
(
BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
sideline) and
Jim GrayJim Gray is an American sportscaster. He has previously worked as a reporter with NBC Sports and CBS Sports. He is currently with Westwood One radio network, Showtime, Golf Channel, the Sacramento Kings, and ESPN/ESPN on ABC...
(
JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
sideline) as sideline reporters.
Hal Douglas narrated the season-ending documentary for
NBA EntertainmentNBA Entertainment is the production arm of the National Basketball Association and produces numerous NBA-related films including team championship videos and blooper and entertainment reels. It was previously associated with CBS/Fox Video, but now distributes its films through Warner Bros....
.
Background
In the 1996–97 season, Michael Jordan led the Bulls to a 69-13 record. The Bulls reached the Finals after sweeping the Washington Bullets, and beating the
Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
and
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
4-1. In 1996–97, Utah was led by
John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
and
Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, posting a franchise-best 64–18 record. They reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history after sweeping the
Los Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the first round, beating the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
4–1, and the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
4–2 to meet the Bulls in the Finals. A clutch 3 at the buzzer by John Stockton over
Charles BarkleyCharles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
in Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals sent Utah to the Finals.
The series between the Bulls and Jazz featured two of the more memorable clutch efforts of Michael Jordan's career. He won Game 1 for the Bulls with a buzzer-beating jump shot. The Jazz would eventually fight the first four games to tie the series up at 2. In Game 5, Jordan scored 38 points despite suffering from a stomach virus that had rendered him weak and dehydrated at the start of the game as the Bulls pulled out a 90-88 victory at the Delta Center. The Bulls went home up 3-2 in the series and came from behind to win the contest 90–86 after
Steve KerrStephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
made the go-ahead basket, and
Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
made a steal followed by
Toni KukočToni Kukoč is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with prowess and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were...
making the clinching dunk. The Bulls won the series in 6 games.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}
The Bulls won their second straight title from their first 3-peat in similar fashion, winning Games 5 and 6 with the series tied at 2, and clinching the series at home, like they did in the
1992 NBA FinalsThe 1992 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1991–92 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference took on the Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage, as they had the best record in the NBA.The two teams appeared...
against the
Portland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
. Until
2008The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
, this was the last time an Eastern Conference team had home-court advantage in the Finals.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}
Series scoring summary
The following scoring summary is written in a line score format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
| Team |
Game 1 |
Game 2 |
Game 3 |
Game 4 |
Game 5 |
Game 6 |
Wins |
| Utah (West) |
82 |
85 |
104 |
78 |
88 |
86 |
2 |
| Chicago (East) |
84 |
97 |
93 |
73 |
90 |
90 |
4 |
1997 Chicago Bulls Playoff roster
{{Navbox
|name = Chicago Bulls 1996–97 NBA champions
|titlestyle= background:#c41e3a; color:#ffffff;
| belowstyle = background:#000000; color:#c41e3a;
|title =
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
1996–97 NBA ChampionsThe 1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the 1997 NBA Playoffs that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The Utah Jazz of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
|list1 =
{{NBA Finals summary
| image =
| caption =
| year = 1997
| runnerup =
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| runnerup_coach =
Jerry SloanGerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
| runnerup_games = 2
| champion =
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
| champion_coach =
Phil JacksonPhilip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
| champion_games = 4
| date= June 1–13
| MVP =
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(Chicago Bulls)
| television = NBC (U.S.)
| announcers =
Marv AlbertMarv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
,
Matt GuokasMatthew George "Matt" Guokas, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player and coach.-Playing career:...
and
Bill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
| HOFers =
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(2009)
Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
(2010)
Robert ParishRobert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
(2003)
Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
(2010)
Dennis RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
(2011)
John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
(2009)
Coaches:Phil Jackson (2007)
Jerry Sloan (2009)
Tex WinterMorice Fredrick "Tex" Winter is a Hall-of-Fame American basketball coach, and innovator of the triangle offense.-Early life:...
(2011)
| radio_network =
ESPNThe NBA on ESPN Radio is a broadcast of National Basketball Association games on the ESPN Radio network. Games on ESPN Radio are distributed on over 200 radio stations in the United States and Canada. The program began on January 21, 1996 and the current contract runs through the 2015-2016 season...
| referees_1 =
| referees_2 =
| referees_3 =
| referees_4 =
| referees_5 =
| referees_6 =
| radio_announcers =
Brent MusburgerBrent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
and
Jack RamsayJack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio...
| ECF result = Bulls defeat Heat, 4-1
| WCF result = Jazz defeat Rockets, 4-2
}}
The
1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the
1997 NBA PlayoffsThe 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The
Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the
Western ConferenceBelow is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
took on the
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
of the
Eastern ConferenceThe Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
for the title, with the Bulls holding
home court advantageIn team sports, the term home advantage describes the advantage–usually a psychological advantage–that the home team is said to have over the visiting team as a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans...
. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, in the 2-3-2 NBA Finals format, with the first 2 games in Chicago, then 3 games in a row in Salt Lake City and the last 2 in Chicago.
The Bulls won the series 4 games to 2. For the fifth time in as many Finals appearances,
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
was named Finals MVP.
During that NBA Finals,
NBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
's
Hannah StormHannah Storm is an American television sports journalist, serving as co-anchor of ESPN's SportsCenter Monday–Thursday mornings, and is also host of the NBA Countdown pregame show on ABC as part of the network's NBA Sunday game coverage.-Early life and career:Storm was born in Oak Park, Illinois,...
became the first woman to serve as pre-game host of an NBA Finals.
NBC Sports used
Ahmad RashadAhmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals...
(
BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
sideline) and
Jim GrayJim Gray is an American sportscaster. He has previously worked as a reporter with NBC Sports and CBS Sports. He is currently with Westwood One radio network, Showtime, Golf Channel, the Sacramento Kings, and ESPN/ESPN on ABC...
(
JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
sideline) as sideline reporters.
Hal Douglas narrated the season-ending documentary for
NBA EntertainmentNBA Entertainment is the production arm of the National Basketball Association and produces numerous NBA-related films including team championship videos and blooper and entertainment reels. It was previously associated with CBS/Fox Video, but now distributes its films through Warner Bros....
.
Background
In the 1996–97 season, Michael Jordan led the Bulls to a 69-13 record. The Bulls reached the Finals after sweeping the Washington Bullets, and beating the
Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
and
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
4-1. In 1996–97, Utah was led by
John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
and
Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, posting a franchise-best 64–18 record. They reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history after sweeping the
Los Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the first round, beating the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
4–1, and the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
4–2 to meet the Bulls in the Finals. A clutch 3 at the buzzer by John Stockton over
Charles BarkleyCharles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
in Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals sent Utah to the Finals.
The series between the Bulls and Jazz featured two of the more memorable clutch efforts of Michael Jordan's career. He won Game 1 for the Bulls with a buzzer-beating jump shot. The Jazz would eventually fight the first four games to tie the series up at 2. In Game 5, Jordan scored 38 points despite suffering from a stomach virus that had rendered him weak and dehydrated at the start of the game as the Bulls pulled out a 90-88 victory at the Delta Center. The Bulls went home up 3-2 in the series and came from behind to win the contest 90–86 after
Steve KerrStephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
made the go-ahead basket, and
Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
made a steal followed by
Toni KukočToni Kukoč is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with prowess and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were...
making the clinching dunk. The Bulls won the series in 6 games.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}
The Bulls won their second straight title from their first 3-peat in similar fashion, winning Games 5 and 6 with the series tied at 2, and clinching the series at home, like they did in the
1992 NBA FinalsThe 1992 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1991–92 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference took on the Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage, as they had the best record in the NBA.The two teams appeared...
against the
Portland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
. Until
2008The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
, this was the last time an Eastern Conference team had home-court advantage in the Finals.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}
Series scoring summary
The following scoring summary is written in a line score format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
| Team |
Game 1 |
Game 2 |
Game 3 |
Game 4 |
Game 5 |
Game 6 |
Wins |
| Utah (West) |
82 |
85 |
104 |
78 |
88 |
86 |
2 |
| Chicago (East) |
84 |
97 |
93 |
73 |
90 |
90 |
4 |
1997 Chicago Bulls Playoff roster
{{Navbox
|name = Chicago Bulls 1996–97 NBA champions
|titlestyle= background:#c41e3a; color:#ffffff;
| belowstyle = background:#000000; color:#c41e3a;
|title =
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
1996–97 NBA ChampionsThe 1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the 1997 NBA Playoffs that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The Utah Jazz of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
|list1 =
00
ParishRobert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
{{!}}
1
BrownRandy Brown is a retired American basketball player. A 6'2" guard who played at New Mexico State University, Brown was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 1991 NBA Draft...
{{!}}
7
KukočToni Kukoč is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with prowess and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were...
{{!}}
8
SimpkinsLuBara Dixon "Dickey" Simpkins is an American former professional basketball player best known for his tenure with the Chicago Bulls in the late 1990s...
{{!}}
9
HarperRonald "Ron" Harper is a retired American professional basketball player whose career spanned from 1986 to 2001 with four teams in the NBA. At 6 ft 6 in , his position was shooting guard/point guard.- Collegiate career :...
{{!}}
13
LongleyLucien James "Luc" Longley is a retired Australian professional basketball player, who was the first Australian to play in the NBA, where he played for eleven seasons...
{{!}}
18
Bison DeleBison Dele formerly known as Brian Carson Williams, was an American professional basketball player who finished his career as a center for the NBA's Detroit Pistons...
{{!}}
23
JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
(Finals MVP) {{!}}
25
KerrStephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
{{!}}
30
BuechlerJudson Donald "Jud" Buechler is a retired American professional basketball player. He grew up in Poway, CA and attended Poway High School, where he was a top basketball recruit as well as a Top-50 men's volleyball prospect....
{{!}}
33
PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
{{!}}
34
WenningtonWilliam Percey Wennington is a retired Canadian basketball player in the National Basketball Association who won three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. A center, he was also a member of two Canadian Olympic Basketball Teams and the 1983 World University Games team that won gold against...
{{!}}
35
CaffeyJason Andre Caffey is an American former professional basketball player who won two championship rings with the Chicago Bulls in the late 1990s...
{{!}}
91
RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
Head coach
JacksonPhilip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
}}
1997 Utah Jazz Playoff roster
{{Navbox
|navbar=plain
|titlestyle = background:#6B3FA0; color:white;
|title = Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
1996-97 Western Conference Champions
|list1 =
00
OstertagGregory Donovan Ostertag is a retired American basketball player who spent most of his professional career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association.- High School and College :...
{{!}}
3
RussellBryon Demetrise Russell is an American basketball player. During an NBA career that spanned from 1993 to 2006, he played for the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers and was a key member of the Utah Jazz, helping them reach back-to-back NBA finals appearances in 1997 and 1998...
{{!}}
10
EisleyHoward Jonathan Eisley is a retired American professional basketball point guard and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association . Born in Detroit, Eisley played college basketball at Boston College and was drafted in 1994 by the Minnesota Timberwolves...
{{!}}
12
StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
{{!}}
14
HornacekJeffrey John Hornacek is a retired American basketball player who played at the shooting guard position in the NBA from 1986–2000.-Elementary and high school:...
{{!}}
31 Keefe {{!}}
32
MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
{{!}}
34
MorrisChristopher Vernard Morris is a retired American professional basketball player. In his 11 season NBA career, the 6' 8" small forward played for the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, and Phoenix Suns. He is a graduate of Atlanta's Douglass High School where his jersey has been retired and played for...
{{!}}
40
AndersonShandon Rodriguez Anderson is an American former professional basketball forward and guard who played in the National Basketball Association from 1996 to 2006...
{{!}}
43
HowardStephen Christopher Howard is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the National Basketball Association. Howard played collegiately at DePaul University. He played four seasons in the NBA, from 1992 through to 1998....
{{!}}
44
FosterGregory Clinton Foster is a retired American professional basketball player.-College years:Foster was born in Oakland, California and attended Skyline High School where he played alongside future NBA point guard Gary Payton. He began his collegiate basketball career at UCLA, playing for the Bruins...
{{!}}
55
CarrAntoine Labotte Carr is a retired American basketball player. A 16-year NBA journeyman, he was known for the goggles he wore onto the court.-Early life:Antoine Carr was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
{{!}}
Coach
SloanGerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
}}
Series summary
| Game | Date | Home Team | Result | Road Team |
| Game 1 |
Sunday, June 1 |
Chicago Bulls |
84-82 (1-0) |
Utah Jazz |
| Game 2 |
Wednesday, June 4 |
Chicago Bulls |
97-85 (2-0) |
Utah Jazz |
| Game 3 |
Friday, June 6 |
Utah Jazz |
104-93 (1-2) |
Chicago Bulls |
| Game 4 |
Sunday, June 8 |
Utah Jazz |
78-73 (2-2) |
Chicago Bulls |
| Game 5 |
Wednesday, June 11 |
Utah Jazz |
88-90 (2-3) |
Chicago Bulls |
| Game 6 |
Friday, June 13 |
Chicago Bulls |
90-86 (4-2) |
Utah Jazz |
The Finals were played using a 2-3-2 site format, where the first two and last two games are held at the team with home court advantage's (Chicago's) home court (United CenterThe United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
).
Had the Western Conference Finals between the Jazz and the Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
reached a Game 7, the Finals would have began on Wednesday, June 4, and follow the similar Wednesday-Friday-Sunday rotation.
- All times are in Eastern Daylight Time
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
(UTC−4).
Game 1
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 1 |time=7:30 et |place=United CenterThe United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
, ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
|TV=NBC
|team1=Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
|score1=82
|team2=Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
|score2=84
|report=Recap
|Q1=18–17 |Q2=24–21 |Q3=22–24 |Q4=18–22
|points1=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
23 |points2=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
31
|rebounds1=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
15 |rebounds2=Dennis RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
12
|assist1=John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
12 |assist2=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
8
|attendance=24,544
|referee=
|series=Chicago leads the series, 1–0
}}
Despite injuring his foot in the Eastern Conference Finals against Miami, Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
helped the Bulls to a 84-82 victory over Utah on Sunday. He scored 27 points while Jordan scored 31. The Bulls trailed by one in the 4th, yet were able to grab a 81-79 lead after Pippen blocked Antoine Carr, then made his third 3-pointer with 1:11 remaining. However, John Stockton answered with a 3 of his own with 51.7 seconds left to give Utah an 82-81 lead. Michael Jordan made 1 of 2 free throws with 35.8 seconds left to tie it at 82. Then, Karl Malone was fouled by Rodman with 9.2 seconds left and had a chance to give Utah the lead. Scottie famously psyched him out by saying "Just remember, the mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays, Karl," before he stepped up to the line. He missed them both. Jordan got the rebound and quickly called a time-out with 7.5 seconds left. With the game on the line, the Bulls put the ball in Jordan's hands. He dribbled out most of the waning seconds, then launched a 20-footer that went in at the buzzer to give Chicago a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 4 |time=9:00 ET |place=United CenterThe United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
, ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
|TV=NBC
|team1=Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
|score1=85
|team2=Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
|score2=97
|report=Recap
|Q1=20–25 |Q2=11–22 |Q3=28–31 |Q4=26–19
|points1=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
20 |points2=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
38
|rebounds1=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
13 |rebounds2=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
13
|assist1=John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
7 |assist2=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
9
|attendance=24,544
|referee=
|series=Chicago leads the series, 2–0
}}
The Bulls simply dominated Game 2. After a hard fought first quarter, the Bulls took control of the game with a 12-0 second quarter run. Utah's 31 points in the first half was only one point above an NBA low. Karl Malone, who missed those two key free throws in Game 1, had another bad night, making only 6-of-20 field goals. Dennis Rodman nailed a late 3-pointer to put the Bulls up 97-85.
Game 3
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 6 |time=9:00 et |place=Delta CenterEnergySolutions Arena is an indoor arena, in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, owned by Jazz Basketball Investors, Inc., the estate of Larry H. Miller...
, Salt Lake City, UtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
|TV=NBC
|team1=Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
|score1=93
|team2=Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
|score2=104
|report=Recap
|Q1=22–31 |Q2=23–30 |Q3=15–16 |Q4=33–27
|points1=Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
27 |points2=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
37
|rebounds1=Ron HarperRonald "Ron" Harper is a retired American professional basketball player whose career spanned from 1986 to 2001 with four teams in the NBA. At 6 ft 6 in , his position was shooting guard/point guard.- Collegiate career :...
7 |rebounds2=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
10
|assist1=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
6 |assist2=John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
12
|attendance=19,911
|referee=
|series=Chicago leads the series, 2–1
}}
The Chicago Bulls started off the first three quarters with mediocre play, despite Scottie Pippen tying a then-Finals record with seven 3-pointers. Utah was led by Karl Malone, who scored 37 points and had 10 rebounds. Chicago attempted a 4th quarter comeback, cutting a 24 point deficit down to 7, but Utah ultimately won their first game of the series. Utah's fans welcomed their proud Western Conference champs with force. During the introductions of the Jazz's starting lineups, the Bulls players plugged their ears, due to the loud cheers and fireworks within the Delta Center. With the Bulls trailing by 24 points in the second quarter, Michael Jordan threw down an alley oop slam which drew loud boos from the crowd.
Game 4
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 8 |time=7:30 et |place=Delta CenterEnergySolutions Arena is an indoor arena, in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, owned by Jazz Basketball Investors, Inc., the estate of Larry H. Miller...
, Salt Lake City, UtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
|TV=NBC
|team1=Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
|score1=73
|team2=Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
|score2=78
|report=Recap
|Q1=16–21 |Q2=24–14 |Q3=16–21 |Q4=17–22
|points1=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
22 |points2=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
23
|rebounds1=Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
12 |rebounds2=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
10
|assist1=JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, KukočToni Kukoč is a retired Croatian professional basketball player. He was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with prowess and demonstrated court vision and an outside shooting touch that were...
, PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
4 each |assist2=John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
12
|attendance=19,911
|referee=
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}
Due to the extremely loud Jazz fans in Game 3, Bulls' coach Phil Jackson wore a pair of ear plugs. A tight game with many lead changes throughout, the Jazz led by 5 after the first quarter, but trailed by 5 at halftime. The score was tied going into the fourth quarter. Late in the game, Michael Jordan made a fast break dunk to give the Bulls a 71-66 lead, but John Stockton made a momentum-shifting 3 at the top of the key to cut the deficit to 71-69. Jordan made a jumper to give the Bulls a 73-69 lead, but the Bulls would not score again. The Jazz pulled to within 1 when Stockton stole the ball from Jordan and made 2 free throws at the other end. On the next possession John Stockton grabbed a rebound from a Jordan miss and threw a full court pass to Karl Malone for a layup with 44.5 seconds left that put Utah in front for good, 74-73. After Stockton made the assist, he jumped up into the air several times pumping his fist. After some Bulls misses, Karl Malone made two free throws with 17 seconds left to put the Jazz up by 3. On the next possession, Michael Jordan's potential game-tying 3 with less than 10 seconds left rattled out; Stockton grabbed the rebound and threw another full court pass to Bryon Russell, who escaped the intentional foul and dunked with 5 tenths left in the game to seal it, drawing a huge roar from the crowd. The Jazz's 12-2 run tied the series at two games apiece. The Delta Center grew so loud that during the final moments of the game when Bryon Russell made the dunk that iced the game, Marv AlbertMarv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
was unable to be clearly heard. The 78-73 score was one of the lowest scores in NBA Finals history.
Game 5: The Flu Game
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 11 |time=9:00 et |place=Delta CenterEnergySolutions Arena is an indoor arena, in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, owned by Jazz Basketball Investors, Inc., the estate of Larry H. Miller...
, Salt Lake City, UtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
|TV=NBC
|team1=Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
|score1=90
|team2=Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
|score2=88
|report=Recap
|Q1=16–29 |Q2=33–24 |Q3=18–19 |Q4=23–16
|points1=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
38 |points2=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
19
|rebounds1=Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
10 |rebounds2=Greg OstertagGregory Donovan Ostertag is a retired American basketball player who spent most of his professional career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association.- High School and College :...
15
|assist1=JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
5 each |assist2=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
6
|attendance=19,911
|referee=
|series=Chicago leads the series, 3–2
}}
Game 5, known as "The Flu Game", was one of Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
's most memorable. On Tuesday, Jordan woke up nauseated and sweating profusely. He hardly had the strength to sit up in bed and was diagnosed with a stomach virus or food poisoning. The Bulls' trainers told Jordan that there was no way he could play the next day. The Jazz had just won Games 3 & 4 to tie the series at 2, and Chicago needed their leader in this crucial swing game. In the NBA Finals best-of-7 format, Game 5 is critical, since the winner would be just one game away from the NBA title. Against all odds, Jordan rose from bed at 3 p.m., just in time for the 6 o'clock tip-off at the Delta Center.
Jordan was visibly weak and pale as he stepped on the court for Game 5. At first, he displayed no energy whatsoever, and John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
, along with reigning MVP Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, quickly led the Jazz to a 16-point lead (36-20) in the second quarter. But Jordan started to sink shots despite lacking his usual explosive speed. He scored 17 points in the quarter as the Bulls hit the front with a furious rally before halftime. Luc LongleyLucien James "Luc" Longley is a retired Australian professional basketball player, who was the first Australian to play in the NBA, where he played for eleven seasons...
and Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
did their best to keep the Bulls in the game while Jordan was fatigued in the third, but the Jazz reclaimed the lead and pushed it to 8 (77-69) early. Then MJ turned it on again, scoring 15 fourth quarter points. With 46.5 seconds left and Chicago down 85-84, he was at the free throw line. He made the first to tie the game, but missed the second. Toni Kukoc tapped the offensive rebound to Jordan, who stepped back to set up the offense. He found Pippen, who drew a double team, then passed the ball back to a now wide-open Jordan, who proceeded to hit a 3 to give the Bulls an 88-85 lead with 25 seconds left.
Chicago withstood a late Utah push and held on for a narrow victory when John Stockton missed the first of two free throws in front of the stunned crowd. Malone was the highest-scoring Jazz player with 19 points but suffered from dreadful shooting, throwing up an off-balance airball on the possession prior to Jordan's big 3-pointer. Malone finished the second half 1-for-6 from the field. In total, Jordan played 44 minutes while being perpetually at the brink of fainting. He finished the game with 38 points including an impressive putback dunk, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. With only a few seconds remaining and the game finally in hand, Jordan collapsed into Scottie Pippen's arms.
Game 6
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 13 |time=9:00 et |place=United CenterThe United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
, ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
|TV=NBC
|team1=Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
|score1=86
|team2=Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
|score2=90
|report=Recap
|Q1=23–17 |Q2=21–20 |Q3=26–27 |Q4=16–26
|points1=Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
21 |points2=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
39
|rebounds1=Greg OstertagGregory Donovan Ostertag is a retired American basketball player who spent most of his professional career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association.- High School and College :...
8 |rebounds2=JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
11 each
|assist1=John StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
5 |assist2=Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
4
|attendance=24,544
|referee=
|series=Chicago wins the series, 4–2
}}
Michael Jordan wasn't fully recovered from the flu, but was feeling much better and led the Bulls with 39 points. Chicago struggled in the first half, scoring just 37 points and making only 9-of-27 field goals. With the Bulls struggling in the third quarter, Michael Jordan dunked after a steal, bringing the crowd to its feet and Jud Buechler buried a 3 to help give the Bulls the momentum. The Bulls trailed by 9 early in the 4th, but went on a 10-0 run to take their first lead since the opening minutes when Steve Kerr hit a 3, but the Jazz regained the lead and the game remained one possession until the final score. In the final minutes, Jordan's fadeaway jumper extended the Bulls lead to 3, before Bryon Russell hit a 3 with 1:44 left to tie it at 86. The two teams failed to score on their next possessions. After Shandon Anderson missed a reverse layup, Chicago called time-out with 28 seconds left. The Jazz expected Jordan to take the final shot. Instead, Jordan drew a double-team, then passed to a wide-open Steve Kerr, who hit a 17-footer with 5 seconds left to send the United Center into a frenzy. The Jazz looked for a final shot to stay alive, but Scottie Pippen made a massive defensive play as he knocked away Bryon Russell's inbounds pass intended for Shandon Anderson and rolled the ball over to Toni Kukoc, who dunked the final 2 points of the game before the roaring crowd to bring the Finals to an end, despite there being 0.6 seconds left in the game. Afterwards, Jordan was named Finals MVP for the 5th time.
Quotes from the Finals
{{quote|Just remember, The Mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays, Karl.|Scottie PippenScottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
, to Karl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
before he took two free throws near the end of Game 1. Malone missed both throws with 9.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter, keeping the game tied at 82. Jordan's shot at the buzzer won the game for the Bulls.}}
{{quote|MJ, top of the circle, against Russell. Michael hangs, fires...SCORES!! The Bulls win!! He knocked it in at the buzzer, Bulls win! How many times has he done that?|Bulls announcer Neil FunkNeil Funk is the current television play-by-play announcer for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls.A 1969 graduate of Syracuse University, Funk's first broadcasting job was covering high school sports for a small radio station in Danville, Illinois. He quickly moved up the ranks to...
after Jordan's buzzer-beater gave Chicago an 84-82 win in Game 1}}
{{quote|We're down to five, Jordan putting moves on Russell. We're down to two, down to one, here's Jordan...YES! It is all over! The Chicago Bulls have won at the buzzer in Game 1 of the best-of-7, on a jumpshot by Michael Jordan.|NBC commentator Marv AlbertMarv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
during the aforementioned game}}
{{quote|It’s difficult to get in sync with all of the fucking Mormons out here.|Dennis Rodman defending his poor performance in Game 3. Rodman was later fined $50,000 for this remark. He apologized, claiming he wasn't insulting MormonThe term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
s, but obnoxious Jazz fans. }}
{{quote|Stockton fires down to Malone...And the Jazz have taken a one-point lead!|Marv Albert on Stockton's key play in Game 4. Utah won 78-73 to tie the series at 2.}}
{{quote|Rebound Stockton, ahead to Karl Malone, he's got it, he scores!!! Stockton to Malone!! Jazz take the lead.|"Hot Rod" HundleyRodney Clark "Rod" Hundley is a former professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley's life has revolved around the game of basketball. His love and talent for the game led him to achieve honors in high school and most notably during his college years...
on the aforementioned play.}}
{{quote|A courageous, classic performance by the flu-ridden Michael Jordan.|Marv Albert after Michael's improbable performance in Game 5, which gave the Bulls a 3-2 series lead.}}
{{quote|It is Michael Jordan time. Scottie Pippen, looking, looking for Michael Jordan. Checks the clock, 5 on the 24, here's Jordan. Did not have the shot, Kerr did...YES!! Steve Kerr with 5 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter! The Jazz take a timeout.|Marv Albert on Steve KerrStephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...
hitting a jumper to give the Bulls the lead in Game 6. The Bulls won this game and their fifth NBA championship.}}
{{quote|Kerr, still with the dribble. Looking...dump to Pippen. Scottie, bumped by Shandon Anderson, hands it to Michael. Six seconds (on the shot clock)...five. Michael, in traffic, to Kerr. Fifteen-footer...YES!! He knocked it in! Kerr buried the jumper, five seconds left! The Bulls lead is two! Stevie Kerr knocked it in! He took the pass from Michael and stuffed the jumper! Wow!|Neil Funk on the aforementioned play.}}
{{quote|Five seconds remaining in regulation. The inbounds...batted away by Pippen! Pippen rolls it to Kukoc...and the Chicago Bulls have won their fifth championship in the last seven years!|Marv Albert calling the final seconds of Game 6}}
Aftermath
Both teams would meet again in the Finals in 1998The 1998 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1997-98 National Basketball Association season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference played against the Utah Jazz of the Western Conference, with the Jazz holding home-court advantage with the first 2 games in Salt Lake City...
, the first time the same two teams met in the NBA Finals since 1989The 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988–89 NBA season. The series was a rematch of the previous year's championship round between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers....
, when the Lakers and Pistons went up against each other. Only this time, the Jazz had home-court advantage even though both teams won 62 games, because they won the regular season series 2-0. However, the Bulls still won the series in 6 games, highlighted by Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
's last shot as a Bull in Game 6Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals took place on June 14, 1998 in Salt Lake City between the visiting Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center, now known as EnergySolutions Arena, in Salt Lake City. The Bulls won 87–86, clinching their sixth NBA title in eight years...
.
External links
{{NBA Finals}}
{{Chicago Bulls}}
{{Utah Jazz}}
{{NBA on NBC}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1997 Nba Finals}}