Well, it's been a blast covering the championship run of the historic 1995-96 Chicago Bulls the past two months. 

Here is this passion project all in one place, with this being the 65th and final post! 

INTRODUCTION 

• 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' Championship Run, 30th Anniversary 
• How 30 Years Flew By and A Passionate Fandom Slowly Died

After watching all 18 playoff games from the Chicago Bulls' championship run during the 1996 NBA Playoffs, I thought it would be interesting to rank the team's top 12 players.

After each game, I listed the "Five Stars of the Game" based upon my opinion of which players had the greatest impact in each contest. 

With this in mind, I tallied up how many times each of the 12 Bulls' players appeared in my "5 Stars of the Game."

Notes: A couple of times I listed the Bulls' entire bench as the star of the game, with each of these players getting recognized in my rankings. Also, no Bull was listed in the top five of one game, the Game 4 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals. 

Off the top of my head, based upon observing the 1996 NBA Playoffs again, here's how I would rank Chicago's 12-man rotation. 

1. Michael Jordan
2. Scottie Pippen
3. Dennis Rodman
4. Ron Harper
5. Luc Longley
6. Toni Kukoc
7. Steve Kerr
8. Bill Wennington 
9. Jud Buechler
10. Randy Brown
11. John Salley
12. James Edwards

Make the jump to see how my "Five Stars of the Game" ranked Chicago's 12-man rotation.  

After watching all 18 of the Chicago Bulls' playoff games from the 1996 NBA Playoffs, I have decided to rank them from least favorite (18) to most favorite (1). 

Here are a couple of stipulations: 

1) Games did not always have to be close to a favorite. 
2) A victory did not necessarily make a game more favorable. 
3) A loss did not necessarily make a game less favorable. 

I tried to balance importance of the game, quality of play and overall enjoyment watching each game. 

Make the jump to see my rankings of all 18 Chicago Bulls' playoffs games from the 1995-96 championship run. 

The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls seemed on the verge of going 15-1 in the playoffs before a couple of hiccups during Games Four and Five in Seattle during the NBA Finals. 

Ultimately, Chicago finished 15-3 during the 1996 NBA Playoffs, including two sweeps (against Miami in the first round and against Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals), a five-game victory (against New York in the second-round), and a six-game triumph (against Seattle in the NBA Finals). 

Make the jump to read my descriptors of Chicago's series-winning victories during the 1996 NBA Playoffs, including the:
 

• Most Gratifying Clincher.
• Most Satisfying Clincher.
• Most Impressive Clincher.
• Most Relieving Clincher. 

During one of the first two games of the 1996 NBA Finals, NBC's Marv Albert talked about comments made by Chicago Bulls' reserve guard Steve Kerr, now the famous Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors. 

Kerr essentially said that Chicago had played about three good games so far in the 1996 NBA Playoffs, despite having only one loss at this point in the postseason. 

Kerr's words were spot on as Chicago didn't always play that great during the 1996 NBA Playoffs, a testament to the team's dominance. Even when Chicago was off, it was that much better than the opposition, usually because of its defense. 

Chicago boasted a cheat code on the perimeter with the size and length of Ron Harper, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, three players who absolutely caused fits with their defensive tenacity and intensity. At power forward, Dennis Rodman was a master of getting in the heads of opponents and away with hooks and holds. Even 7'3'' center Luc Longley was an underrated defender, able to move his feet quite well for a man his size and use his fouls effectively. 

Offensively, Chicago's Triangle Offense could be a thing of beauty when it was working. It could also be quite clunky, as seen at points against the New York Knicks during the second round and the Seattle SuperSonics during the NBA Finals. Ultimately, Chicago could always rely on Michael Jordan to bail out the stalling offense and Dennis Rodman to secure offensive rebounds and extra possessions. Ultimately, Chicago's offense was not always pretty yet the Bulls had so many ways to score in the form of Jordan, Pippen, Toni Kukoc, Harper, Longley and Kerr. During the 1996 NBA Playoffs, even Rodman was a surprisingly effective offensive player, averaging 7.5 points per game. 

Finishing 72-10 in the regular season, 15-3 in the playoffs, and 87-13 overall, the 1995-96 Bulls are considered one of the greatest teams of all time. Of course, Chicago's regular season record for wins was surpassed by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, which finished 73-9. That Warriors team ultimately blew a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and lost in seven games, with the decisive contest at home, to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden State followed up signing superstar Kevin Durant, a transaction that began to sour me on the NBA. 

So which team is better? 

As the Bulls said back then, "72-10 don't mean a thing without the ring." 

Chicago won the title, Golden State did not; thus the Bulls are the better team. Ultimately, Chicago's defense would be too much for Golden State's firepower, and Rodman would have thrown Draymond Green off his game as he did to Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal and Frank Brickowski during the 1996 NBA Playoffs. 

In reality, I wouldn't even consider the 1995-96 Bulls' team the best Chicago squad of its six championship editions. I'd rather have any one of Chicago's first three title teams than the 95-96 Bulls. Chicago's 1991-92 team was probably its most dominant during a time when the league was a bit stronger, finishing 67-25 but struggling a bit in the playoffs. Chicago's 1996-97 team was its most talented, with the additions of Brian Williams and Robert Parish, though that team also had a tougher time in the playoffs.  In my opinion the NBA was not as strong during Chicago's second three-peat. 

Still, if we're going on the regular-season record and the title, the 1995-96 Bulls are the best team in NBA history. 

While Kerr might not be able to say this as the Warriors' Head Coach, deep down he knows the truth. 

The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls were truly the "Unstop-A-Bulls."

Happy Father's Day to all of the great Dads out there, including my wonderful father, brother, brother-in-law, cousins and uncles.  

Of course, Chicago Bulls' superstar Michael Jordan was extremely close with his father James, who was at his side throughout the first 9 seasons of his career, often seen celebrating Chicago's first three titles in 1991, 1992 and 1993. 

Chicago played twice on Father's Day during its six NBA Finals appearances, clinching the title in six games against Phoenix in 1993 and at home against Seattle in 1996.

Sadly, Jordan's father James had been gone for nearly three years by the time of Father's Day 1996, with Jordan especially emotional following Chicago's Game Six victory against the Sonics. 

As Jordan would say during the postgame celebration, "This one's for Daddy!" 

by: Chris Maynard
([email protected]) 

I have watched and reviewed Chicago's 4-2 series victory against the Seattle Sonics during the 1996 NBA Finals. 

Here are the total stats for the series and my recaps for each game: 

• Game 1: Chicago Bulls 107, Seattle SuperSonics 90. 
  
• Game 2: Chicago Bulls 92, Seattle Supersonics 88. 
• Game 3: Chicago Bulls 108, Seattle SuperSonics 86. 
• Game 4: Seattle SuperSonics 107, Chicago Bulls 86. 
• Game 5: Seattle SuperSonics 89, Chicago Bulls 78. 
• Game 6: Chicago Bulls 87, Seattle SuperSonics 75. 

Game 6 Overview: After dropping two straight games in Seattle to have its series lead cut to just one game, the Chicago Bulls came out aggressive from the jump in Game Six. Buoyed by a much louder and engaged United Center crowd, Chicago was especially keyed by the aggression of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, who looked to set the tone on both ends. Jordan only had five made field goals but got to the line 12 times, making getting to the basket a priority. Pippen looked much more active on both ends, especially on defense where he had four steals, and proved big in the fourth quarter with several threes. In what was a sloppy game with Seattle turning the ball over 20 times and Chicago 19 times, the Bulls' defense proved too much for the Sonics. Ultimately, Chicago was lifted to the series victory and NBA championship by key contributions at different points from its other players, including Ron Harper and Dennis Rodman at the start of the third quarter and Toni Kukoc during the fourth quarter. Overall, Chicago didn't have the prettiest performance during the 1996 NBA Finals, but the mission was completed, finishing 15-3 in the playoffs and capping off a historic 72-10 regular season with the organization's fourth championship. 

1. Jordan and Pippen set the tone early. During Game Five in Seattle, Jordan and Pippen had off games both as players and leaders. Jordan seemed to be on edge, short with the officials and losing trust in some of his teammates who had yet to win a championship. Looking like he was laboring on the court, Pippen was often seen complaining about perceived miss calls and even yelled at a few of his teammates for poor spacing in the third quarter. Game Six proved different as Pippen began the game with an aggressive driving layup and Jordan swept through Payton to bury a three. Pippen was all over the place defensively at the start of the game while Jordan really picked up his defense on Gary Payton. At one point in the second quarter Jordan got on Steve Kerr for traveling after passing up on an open three. On the very next possession Jordan went to the post and kicked the ball to the opposite corner to Kerr, who buried a jumper. Chicago's superstars simply looked like two men who wouldn't be denied in Game Six.

2. Chicago's defensive picked up to another level with the return of Ron Harper. After playing just 16 minutes during the middle three games in Seattle due to an aching knee, Harper returned to the starting lineup for Game Six, immediately making an impact on both ends. Honestly, Chicago's defense just had a different edge with Harper on the court, who brought tenacity, toughness and fearlessness to that end. Harper's ability to become a defense-first player is a huge reason why Chicago won in 1995-96 and the next two seasons. Offensively, Harper continued to make defenses pay for not respecting his jumper, hitting two big threes early in the third quarter, as he had been doing pretty much all playoffs. 

3. Rodman woke up and took control in the second half. With Harper, Rodman keyed Chicago taking control of the game during the third quarter, with an offensive stick back of a badly missed Harper three, an and-one plus the free throw on a reverse layup in transition, a drawn foul on Kemp, and a beautiful assist to Jordan for a reverse layup. Rodman really took over the offensive glass in the second half, matching the record he tied in Game Two with 11 offensive boards. His passing was especially key as well, finding Toni Kukoc for two big threes in the fourth quarter. 

4. Seattle had no answer all series for Chicago's spurts. In reality, this series was much closer than it looked, with the big difference being Chicago's ability to go on quick runs. Chicago used quick runs at the start of the fourth quarter of Game One, the end of the third quarter in Game Two, the beginning of the first quarter in Game Three, and the first six minutes of the third quarter of Game Six to pretty much put Seattle away in each of those games. While Chicago certainly had some rough patches of offense this series, including Jordan, who was not his normal self, when the Bulls got rolling, Seattle was in trouble. Kukoc was a key igniter during most of Chicago's offensive onslaughts in the series. 

5. Seattle needed more shot attempts from Gary Payton. Payton was an amazing 7-for-10 from the field for 19 points. With such efficient scoring, Seattle could have used about 10 more shots from Payton during Game Six. 

On this date 42 years ago today, the Chicago Bulls selected Michael Jordan with the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. 

Remember none of this - the six titles, the historic 1995-96 season, the dynasty - would have been possible without the Portland Trail Blazers taking Sam Bowie with the second overall pick. 

Thirty years ago today, the Chicago Bulls celebrated their fourth NBA championship with a huge rally in Grant Park. 

Here is the rally, during which Dennis Rodman infamously swore on live television, which caused a bit of a stink at the time. I remember one sports anchor, NBC-5 Chicago's Tom Schaer, later having to apologize and condone Rodman's language during the 10 p.m. news. Talk about much ado about nothing.  

I always wondered why the city never had parades for the Bulls as they had for the Bears, Cubs, White Sox and Blackhawks. 

Anyway, tomorrow will include a breakdown of the 1996 NBA Finals and wrap up this passion project throughout the weekend. 

With an 87-75 victory against the Seattle SuperSonics during Game Six of the 1996 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls officially won their fourth title in six seasons and capped off one of the greatest seasons in professional basketball history. 

With the 4-2 series victory against Seattle, Chicago improved at the time to 3-0 during Game Sixes of the NBA Finals. Chicago won its second and third titles during Game Sixes against the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns in the 1992 and 1993 NBA Finals, respectively. Chicago's first title came in five games against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1991 NBA Finals. 

During Chicago's six championship seasons, the Bulls were 5-0 during Game Sixes, though the clinching victories were often quite difficult. 

Make the jump to review my rankings of Chicago's Game Six victories during the 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals, from most difficult to least difficult. 

by: Chris Maynard 
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Six of the 1996 NBA Finals between the Seattle SuperSonics and Chicago Bulls. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes.

Game 5 Recap: For just the second time all season, including the playoffs, Chicago lost back-to-back games as Seattle played a gritty but not necessarily pretty Game Five, winning by 11 points. After a strong first five minutes to the game, the Bulls looked out of sorts on offense all night long, including shooting a horrendous 3-for-26 from three. While not the world beaters of Game Four, the Sonics played with far greater urgency than the Bulls during Game Five, seemingly sparked by the raucous Key Arena crowd. Suddenly, Chicago was only up 3-2 after being on the verge of a sweep. While panic was not necessarily setting in, there was concern as the Bulls were not looking like their normal selves. Were the expectations of a historic season starting to weigh on Chicago, including Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen? How the Bulls came out in Game Six, back at the United Center in Chicago, would be a major tell. 

5 Observations from Game Five

1. Chicago was uncharacteristically frustrated and flustered. It was very rare for the 1990s Bulls to lose their composure, but Chicago seemed all out-of-sorts throughout Game Five. For the second straight game, Michael Jordan was quite animated with the officials. Perhaps Chicago was predestined to feel this way with Hugh Hollins officiating this game? Scottie Pippen, considered to be one of the greatest teammates to play with on the court, visibly expressed his displeasure with Bill Wennington and Toni Kukoc during the third quarter. Dennis Rodman was caught up in too many antics, as he struggled to maintain focus while getting frustrated by the officiating. Even the stoic Phil Jackson was up and down pacing the sidelines early on, indicative of a team that was on the edge, and not in a good way, though some of the officiating left a lot to be desired. Still, Chicago was usually a team that played above the refs; that was not the case during Game Five. 

2. Seattle played desperate basketball, Chicago played dumb basketball. Seattle did not play a great game, but the Sonics generally seemed to want this victory more than Chicago, to at least make the Bulls have to earn the title back home rather than at the Key Arena. For the second straight game, Seattle got better scoring balance as Gary Payton (23 points), Shawn Kemp (22 points), Hersey Hawkins (21 points) and Detlef Schrempf (13 points) had big moments. As for the Bulls, their decision-making was especially off. At one point Chicago missed 20 straight threes. Instead of going to the hole as Seattle got up 11 during the fourth quarter, the Bulls continued to jack up threes, many of which were rushed. It was quite startling and rare to see Chicago play with such poor intelligence. 

3. The Key Arena crowd helped push the Sonics over the hump. Entering the fourth quarter, this game was for the taking for either team. However, Seattle really fed off the raucous home crowd, using an 11-0 run to seize control of the game. Seattle really picked up its defensive intensity in the second half, with the home crowd feeling like a sixth defender at points. The incredible Seattle fans are proof why the NBA needs to bring another franchise to the city. 

4. Give credit not only to Payton but Seattle's team defense on Jordan. A lot has been made of Seattle making Payton the primary defender of Jordan after Game Three of this series. While Payton has certainly made things tougher on Jordan, Seattle has done a great job disguising and blitzing its double teams. The double teams have come from players like Schrempf, Hawkins and even Frank Brickowski, seemingly making Jordan a bit uncomfortable. Jordan only scored 9 points during the second half of Game Five, including just two points on four shots during the fourth quarter, as Seattle was forcing the ball out of his hands rather quickly. 

5. Chicago really missed Ron Harper. Watching the 1996 NBA Playoffs, it has been clear that Ron Harper has been the unsung hero of this Chicago championship run, behind only Jordan, Pippen and Rodman. Having played just one minute each in Games Three and Five due to his aching knees, and 14 minutes during Game Four, Harper was so crucial to Chicago on both ends. Whereas Steve Kerr has struggled with his three-point shooting in the Finals, Harper was making teams pay when doubling down on Jordan. Defensively, Harper's height and length made things much tougher on Seattle's perimeter whereas a Randy Brown played with great energy but was not as disruptive as Chicago's injured 6'6'' point guard.  

What I remember from the day of Game Six: It was Father's Day! I remember spending the Saturday night at my school's carnival and then sleeping over at my cousin Brian's house. That morning we watched the move "Little Big League" on cable and then I walked home for our Father's Day family party. That afternoon Brian and other family came over, and we gathered to watch the Bulls finish off the Sonics on a small television on my back porch. After the game, my cousin, brother and I shot off some bottle rockets in the front yard to celebrate the title! 

What I remember from Game Six: Chicago was leading at the half, but the game was close. However, Chicago used a big run in the third quarter, with Rodman having an incredible reverse layup on a fastbreak, plus the foul, to forge the Bulls ahead. Of course, I'll never forget Jordan collapsing and crying in the locker room after Game Six, having won the title on Father's Day. Jordan's father James was murdered the summer after Chicago's last title, back in 1993. It seemed fitting that Jordan would complete his comeback to the game with the title on Father's Day in honor of his own father. Even though I was just a 14-year-old kid at the time, I did appreciate that I got the chance to watch the Bulls win another title with my Dad and uncles. 

What looked like it was going to be a sweep suddenly turned into a series as the Chicago Bulls fell 89-78 to the Seattle SuperSonics during Game Five of the 1996 NBA Finals. 

At the time of Chicago's second-straight loss to the Sonics, the Bulls fell to 2-2 during Game Fives of the NBA Finals. Of course, Chicago's first NBA title came in the fifth game of the 1991 NBA Finals, a 108-101 triumph against the Los Angeles Lakers. 

After winning six titles, Chicago would finish 4-2 during Game Fives of the 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals. 

Make the jump to read my descriptors of Chicago's performances during Game Fives of the '90s Finals, including:

• The Clincher. 
  
• The Differentiator. 
• The Party Pooper. 
• The Stupor. 
• The Vaccinator. 
• The Party Pooper, Part II. 

by: Chris Maynard 
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Five of the 1996 NBA Finals between the Seattle SuperSonics and Chicago Bulls. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes.

Game 4 Recap: After an embarrassing Game Three performance that left itself one game away from elimination via a sweep, Seattle bounced back with an inspired effort that led to a Game Four victory. Behind great play from superstars Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, and much more balanced scoring including Hersey Hawkins, Sam Perkins and Detlef Schrempf, Seattle played its most complete game of the series. The Sonics led by 21 points at the half and ended up winning by the same amount as Chicago threw in the towel with about five minutes left in the game. With the loss, Chicago was unable to sweep and go 15-1 in the playoffs, which would have set an all-time record. 

5 Observations from Game Four 

1. Gary Payton lives up to his nickname "The Glove." Switching over to Michael Jordan during Game Four, Payton held the Chicago superstar to 6-for-19 from the field. Offensively, Payton was aggressive from the get go, clearly the best player throughout Game Four, finishing with 21 points and 11 assists. After three inconsistent games to start the series, Payton finally showed his true abilities during Game Four. 

2. Shawn Kemp responds after a disappointing Game Three. Kemp only had 7 shot attempts during a humiliating Game Three for himself and the team. In the second half of Game Four, Kemp was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field in the second half. Kemp punished Chicago during the last 24 minutes after his teammates got going during the first half. 

3. Seattle finally finds some offensive balance from its complementary performers. Too much of this series has been Kemp followed by inconsistent play from his teammates. During Game Four, Seattle finally got a well-rounded game from its other important players, with Hawkins scoring 18 points, Perkins chipping in 17 off the bench, Schrempf adding 14 points, and Nate McMillan coming back from injury to give 14 inspiring minutes. 

4. The Head Coach knows best. Phil Jackson expressed his concern prior to Game Four that his team might have been distracted with all of the hoopla heading into the contest, with the media ready to crown the Bulls as NBA champs and the greatest team of all time. While the Bulls were not looking past the Sonics during Game Four, they were clearly not as sharp or focused as during Game Three. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen both had uncharacteristically off nights during Game Four. Jordan finished with 23 points, his lowest ever-total for an NBA Finals game. Jordan and Pippen combined to go 10-for-36 from the field, including 1-for-10 from three. 

5. The refs had tight whistles but were not the reason Chicago lost Game Four. My Dad has always said the referees gave Seattle Games Four and Five to make it a more competitive series. While there were certainly some quick whistles, including technical fouls, and ticky-tack calls during Game Four, the refs were not the reason Chicago lost this game. Seattle was just the far better team on this night.  

What I remember from the day of Game Five: While taking Game Four for granted, assuming the Bulls would win and that I could just watch the second half, I did not make the same mistake during Game Five. I don't remember much from this day, except that I had to go with my Dad to pick up my sister from her tee-ball practice. I remember my Dad talking with the other dads, with the conversation being whether or not the Bulls were going to clinch tonight. Everyone seemed to think tonight was the night, though that would not be the case. 

What I remember from Game Five: After getting home from my sister's practice, I remember watching Game Five with my younger brother and Dad in our living room. I don't remember too much from this game, except that I was frustrated all night. The Bulls were not playing too sharp, and none of the calls seemed to go Chicago's way. I do remember my Dad scoffing at some of the calls in favor of the Sonics. While I was a bit worried after the Bulls lost Game Five, my Dad reassured me that Chicago would finish off Seattle during Game Six on Father's Day. 

Here is Game Five of the 1996 NBA Finals. 

The coronation of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls would have to wait after a 21-point drubbing by the Seattle SuperSonics during Game Four of the 1996 NBA Finals. 

At the time of the 107-86 loss, Chicago evened out to 2-2 during Game Fours of the NBA Finals. 

After six titles, Chicago finished .500 (3-3) during Game Fours of the '90s NBA Finals. 

Make the jump to read my descriptors of Chicago's Game Four performances during the 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals, including:

• The Tide Turner. 
• The Original Flu Game. 
• The One-Man Show. 
• The Sleeper. 
• The Nightmare.  
• The Redeemer. 

by: Chris Maynard 
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Four of the 1996 NBA Finals between the Seattle SuperSonics and Chicago Bulls. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes.

Game Three Recap: After less-than-stellar victories during the first two games of the 1996 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls came out and dominated from the get-go of Game Three, breaking out as a team and superstar. At one point during the first quarter Chicago led 34-12. By halftime the lead was 24 points (62-38), with Michael Jordan scoring 27 of this game-high 36 points during the first 24 minutes. With the exception of a shaky third quarter, Chicago cruised in the third game, winning by 22 points, even with guard Ron Harper not starting and playing only one minute due to a bothersome knee. Luc Longley scored a playoff career-high 19 points, Scottie Pippen and Toni Kukoc stuffed the stat sheets, and Dennis Rodman got into the head of Seattle big man Frank Brickowski. The Sonics looked completely outclassed against a Bulls team that was finally clicking and was now just one game away from a series sweep and fourth NBA title. 

1. Jordan the aggressor. Entering Game Three, Jordan was not too happy with his or the team's performances through the first two games of the 1996 NBA Finals. This was apparent right away as Jordan came out looking to score early and often. Jordan was not waiting for the game to develop and settle in on this night, often getting to the post as quickly as possible. Jordan had the killer instinct in Game Three, and his teammates picked up on his unhappiness, coming out sharp and looking to put away the Sonics. 

2. Luc Longley outplays Shawn Kemp. Chicago has not only used Luc Longley to defend Kemp for much of this series but made a conscious effort to get Longley the ball early in the first three games of the Finals as Seattle did not have a big who could match his size and girth. Longley awarded his team for its faith in him during Game Three, having an excellent offensive game. Longley outscored Kemp 19 to 14 and had more made field goals (8) than Kemp had shot attempts (7). 

3. Kemp and Gary Payton fail to launch early in Game Three. Kemp was nonexistent for much of Game Three, getting off to a rough start in the first quarter. While scoring 32 and 29 points during the first two games, respectively, Kemp only had 14 in Game Three. Kemp had more turnovers (5) than rebounds (4). For the series, Kemp has had 15 turnovers through three games. As for Payton, he got off to a cold shooting start in the first quarter and ultimately finished with 19 points. For too much of this series, Kemp and Payton have been hit or miss. There hasn't been enough consistency on both ends of the floor. As Seattle's superstars, Kemp and Payton needed to play with more urgency. The Bulls were too good to have so many lulls from Seattle's two best players. 

4. Key Arena was an amazing venue. I absolutely loved the atmosphere for Game Three, with the home crowd deafening. Unfortunately for the Seattle crowd, the Bulls came out right away and took the Sonics out of the game. To the credit of the Seattle fans, they did not quit and sit on their hands, trying their best to get the Sonics going. It seemed to be working during the the third quarter as Seattle finally showed some defensive urgency. Ultimately, it was too little, too late for Seattle. Speaking of Key Arena, the contrast in colors of this game was spectacular. Chicago's red and Seattle's white uniforms combined with the hardwood and darker lighting at Key Arena made for an incredible visual presentation. 

5. The Bulls proved to be road warriors once again. During the NBA Finals, the Bulls always seemed to be a better road than home team. This was apparent during Game Three as Chicago did not mess around with its food, realizing now was the time to put the Sonics away. I don't know what it was, but I almost felt more confident watching the Bulls on the road back in the Finals than at home, at least at the United Center, which lacked the intensity of the old Chicago Stadium. It was pretty clear watching Game Three which team had more Finals' experience. The old saying is a series never starts before a game is won on the road. Well, Chicago convincingly won its road game, and the Sonics appeared dead in the water. With the Game Three victory at Seattle, Chicago had won five straight Finals games on the road, tying an NBA record set by the Detroit Pistons. 

What I remember from the day of Game Four: I was officially on summer break, spending this Wednesday afternoon swimming at my cousin's pool. My older cousin Courtney had a couple of her high school friends over swimming so I was a bit excited/nervous being around several cute girls. I definitely had a crush on one of my cousin's friends, who was absolutely gorgeous. My elementary school also hosted the first night of its summer carnival this night. After swimming, a couple of friends and I went to the carnival, where we ran into a few of my cousin's friends. One of my buddies eventually asked one of the girls for her number, and she rejected him. :-) Anyways, for some reason, I was not too worried about the Bulls' game. A sweep seemed imminent. I remember walking around the carnival and checking in on the score at the booth where you could win goldfish by throwing a ping-pong ball into the bowl. The game was on, and Seattle was killing the Bulls at the beginning. My friends and I laughed. I figured the Bulls would come back and that I would bunker down and watch the second half. At this point a sweep seemed inevitable, with Seattle not having led for the last 72:42 of game time. 

What I remember from Game Four: After missing most of the first half, I went back to my cousin's house to watch the second half. I was disappointed to see Seattle was handling the Bulls. I remember getting frustrated as Scottie Pippen was having an off night, saying something to the effect that "Pippen really sucks." One of my friends laughed at me, told me to shut up and relax, and said that he was simply having a bad game. While disappointed that the Bulls lost, I was not too worried, with Chicago up 3-1. I ended up sleeping over at my cousin's house, watching cable television. After watching some of the postgame interviews on ESPN, I stumbled upon this television show I hadn't seen in years, Friday the 13th: The Series, on the old Sci-Fi channel. I happily watched a great episode called "Double Exposure," which I have posted below. When I went home the next day, I asked my Dad for this thoughts about the Bulls' game. He said he thought the refs made sure Seattle won at least one game. To this day, my Dad feels that the NBA gave Games Four and Five to the Sonics to make the series interesting. I am intrigued to see if I feel the same way after watching the replays of these games. For some context, notorious redass Joey Crawford is officiating Game Four! 

Rewatching the 1996 NBA Finals has made me long for the days of the Seattle SuperSonics being in the league. 

Of course, Seattle relocated to Oklahoma City following the 2007-08 season, becoming the Thunder. 

Why the NBA has yet to return to Seattle is a real shame as the Sonics were one of the coolest franchises around back in the day, in terms of presentation, competitiveness and credibility. 

Consider the team's uniforms of the 1970s and 1980s, the mid-1990s and even the early/mid 2000s. 

I remember getting a pair of the mid-90s Sonics' shorts in between my freshman and sophomore years of high school. How I wore out those Sonics' shorts during my sophomore basketball practices as my school's colors were green and gold. 

Don't forget some of the amazing venues Seattle played at, including The Kingdome and Key Arena. 

Key Arena was rocking prior to Game Three of the 1996 NBA Finals during my rewatch yesterday. 

Remember all of the great players who played for the Sonics. Here's my all-time starting five. 

Imagine filling out that team with players like Dennis Johnson, Gus Williams, Tom Chambers, Xavier McDaniel, Dale Ellis, Sam Perkins, Eddie Johnson, Paul Westphal, Detlef Schrempf, Hersey Hawkins, Paul Silas, etc., and having them coached by Lenny Wilkens, George Karl or even Bill Russell. 

Wilkens is the obvious choice as Karl would have half the team angry at him. Honestly, I didn't even know Russell coached the Sonics, thinking he was Head Coach of just the Boston Celtics and Sacramento Kings. 

Recall some of the greatest nicknames in NBA history, courtesy of the Sonics. 

Personally, I am partial to The X-Man, Xavier McDaniel, because he still scares me to death this day. 

How about some of Seattle's greatest teams? 

The Bulls could have honestly played the Sonics in both the 1993 and 1996 NBA Finals! 

In short, it's been too long for the NBA to be without a team in Seattle! 

Make the jump to relive Seattle winning the 1979 NBA Finals in five games, avenging a seven-game loss to the Washington Bullets during the 1978 NBA Finals. 

by: Chris Maynard 
([email protected]) 

With a 22-point victory against the Seattle Sonics in Game 3 of the 1996 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls moved just one game way from its first sweep in the league's world championship series. 

At this point in the organization's history, Chicago was now 3-1 in Game Threes of the NBA Finals. 

During Chicago's six championship seasons, the Bulls would finish 4-2 in Game Threes of the NBA Finals, with dominant performances in the 1996 and 1998 series against Seattle and Utah, respectively. 

With this in mind, make the jump to recap Chicago's Game Three performances during the 90s' NBA Finals, including the:

• Series Shifter.
• Regulator.  
• All-Timer. 
• Gut Puncher. 
• Hiccup.  
  
• Dominator.

by: Chris Maynard 
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Three of the 1996 NBA Finals between the Seattle SuperSonics and Chicago Bulls. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes.

Game Two Recap: Chicago grinded out an ugly 92-88 victory with Dennis Rodman grabbing 20 rebounds, including 11 on the offensive glass, during a memorable performance for the Hall-of-Fame forward. Amazingly, Chicago did not make a field goal for the last six minutes of the game yet was able to open up a close contest late in the third quarter with a 10-1 scoring burst in less than two minutes, with Toni Kukoc scoring 8 of those points. Michael Jordan had another quiet night, with 29 points, which should have left Seattle nervous as the Bulls' superstar seemed primed to explode for a big game. While better than Game One, Seattle just couldn't didn't take advantage of some open shots late during Game Two that could have swung the deficit in its favor. Returning home to Key Arena with the season on the line, Seattle needed an inspiring performance, especially from Gary Payton, who had been struggling so far this series. 

1. The memory was better than the reality. While Rodman's rebounding exploits were amazing during the third quarter, I did not remember this game being so hard to watch. Arguably, this might have been one of the toughest Bulls' games to rewatch so far during the 1996 NBA Playoffs. Through two games, Chicago had not played well at all and still led 2-0. At this point in the season, winning pretty did not matter, as evidenced by an ugly Game Two victory.

2. The referees were brutal. Tight whistles were one reason why this game was especially hard to watch. I believe Chicago was called for four illegal defenses, Seattle three. There was no flow in the second quarter of the game as every possession was interrupted by a call. The third quarter started with a little better rhythm, but quickly ground to a halt as foul calls piled up. Seattle was called for 30 fouls, Chicago 27. Seattle shot 29 free throws, Chicago 42. 

3. Seattle just didn't seem to pose a legitimate threat to the Bulls. While Seattle had some moments during Game Two, it never felt like Seattle was going to win this game, even with the Bulls playing about "C" level basketball. As talented as Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton were, they just didn't scare me when the game was on the line. As skilled as veterans Detlef Schrempf and Hersey Hawkins were, they just weren't dynamic enough offensively as well. Ultimately, when Chicago focused in and played defense, there was a big gap between these two teams. In reality, Chicago basically won the first two games off of one big run, at the start of the fourth quarter of Game One and at the end of the third quarter of Game Two. That was not a good sign for the Sonics.

4. I miss players like Sam Perkins. Coming off the bench, Perkins has had two solid games, unable to elevate off the ground but scoring at will in the post. Perkins never wowed with his athleticism but just knew how to play, like that old guy at the YMCA. They don't make modern players like Perkins anymore, who has arguably been Seattle's second-best player behind Kemp through the first two games. 

5. I miss some of these hard playoff fouls. Perkins absolutely walloped Toni Kukoc in the first half and Ron Harper in the second half, leading to a flagrant foul the second time around. Chicago's John Salley later committed a hard foul on a Sonic player as well. In those instances no player got up and puffed his chest or faked being a tough guy. Rather, guys shook it off, picked themselves up and went to the free throw line.  Nowadays NBA players would be laid out on the ground or doing the old "Hold me back, hold me back" routine, not really wanting to fight. It's a shame the NBA has become so WWE in recent years as it used to be way more enjoyable and much tougher. 

What I remember from the day of Game Three: I had my eighth-grade graduation ceremony earlier this Sunday afternoon. After church, my parents then had my graduation party at my Aunt Donna and Uncle John's house as my cousin Kristen had just graduated high school. Rather than doing two parties, we decided to just combine the parties. It was a rainy day, with my Dad and Uncle setting up tarps in the backyard so people could be outside. While my friends were having graduation parties as well, I ended up staying at my party and watching the Bulls annihilate the Sonics. I remember my cousin Bill saying before the game that he thought the Bulls were due for a big performance, and he was certainly right. After the game, I remember my Grandpa calling my Uncle's house as we watched "Sports Sunday" on NBC-5 Chicago. My Grandpa lived only a block away from my Aunt and Uncle. Apparently, his dog had gotten out of the yard and was lost. My Uncle John, cousin Brian and I drove around the neighborhood to find the dog, but had no luck. That dog, Max, would be missing for like two or three weeks that summer, eventually getting found by a firefighter in a suburb like an hour away, and returned to my Grandpa. My Grandpa was a World War Ii veteran who absolutely loved dogs, with Max being his favorite of all, so we were all happy and relieved the two were reunited. 

What I remember from Game Three: I remember bouncing around my party, periodically checking in as Chicago got off to a quick start and had a huge lead early in the third quarter. Seattle made a bit of a run, but Game Three was ultimately a laugher, with the Bulls finally breaking out. I remember watching "Sports Sunday" afterward, with Dennis Rodman always appearing on the NBC-5 sports show. On this night Cindy Crawford was on the show and sitting on Rodman's lap. What a lucky guy! :-) 

With an ugly 92-88 victory against the Seattle SuperSonics during Game 2 of the 1996 NBA Finals, Chicago took a 2-0 lead in the series and improved to 3-1 in the second games of the championship series at that point in the organization's history. 

During Chicago's six title seasons, the Bulls finished 5-1 in Game Twos of the NBA Finals, with the only loss coming in overtime to the Portland Trail Blazers in 1992. 

Make the jump to view my quick descriptions of Chicago's Game Twos in the NBA Finals, including:

• The Legend Maker. 
• The Stunner. 
• The Optimizer. 
  
• The Sleeper.
• The Energizer. 
• The Stomach Churner. 

I am saddened to learn that former Chicago Bulls' player and current broadcaster Stacey King has passed away at the age of 59 years old, apparently from a fall at his home. 

A first-round pick out of Oklahoma in the 1989 NBA Draft, King was a reserve forward during Chicago's first three-peat in 1991, 1992 and 1993. During the middle of the 1993-94 season, King was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for center Luc Longley, who would start during Chicago's second-three peat in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

King was a member of the Miami Heat team that the Bulls defeated during the first round of the 1996 NBA playoffs, which I have been reviewing here at The College Basketball Nostalgic. King also played for the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks during his eight-year playing career.  

Of course, King was known more nowadays for his broadcasting career with the Bulls. King officially replaced Johnny "Red" Kerr as the team's full-time color analyst in 2008. 

My condolences go out to the loved ones, friends and fans of King, who was certainly a larger-than-life personality as a Bulls' player and broadcaster. 

It always sucks to see the sports heroes of your youth pass away, with King being far too young. 

I will write more about this shocking passing later in the week.

In the meantime here are a few moments of King during his playing career that should make you smile.