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by: Chris Maynard
([email protected])
([email protected])
After winning the first two games of the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals, the Chicago Bulls enjoyed three days of rest before playing the Orlando Magic in Game Three at the Orlando Arena.
This game took place on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, which I often spent watching the Bulls play during the Eastern Conference Finals throughout my youth, essentially from third grade through my sophomore year of high school.
NBC would always have the Bulls play on the Saturdays and Mondays of Memorial Day weekends, with me glued in front of the television. I have many memories of these Memorial Day weekend games, with Saturdays usually representing Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
If my memory serves me correct, Chicago was 5-1 during the Saturday games of Memorial Day weekend during their six championship seasons.
Make the jump to read about my favorite and least favorite memories of the Chicago Bulls' Memorial Day weekend Saturday games from the championship seasons of 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998.
This game took place on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, which I often spent watching the Bulls play during the Eastern Conference Finals throughout my youth, essentially from third grade through my sophomore year of high school.
NBC would always have the Bulls play on the Saturdays and Mondays of Memorial Day weekends, with me glued in front of the television. I have many memories of these Memorial Day weekend games, with Saturdays usually representing Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
If my memory serves me correct, Chicago was 5-1 during the Saturday games of Memorial Day weekend during their six championship seasons.
Make the jump to read about my favorite and least favorite memories of the Chicago Bulls' Memorial Day weekend Saturday games from the championship seasons of 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998.
My #1 Memorial Day Weekend Saturday Game of Bulls' Dynasty
1991 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3 (Sat., May 25, 1991)
Chicago Bulls 113, Detroit Pistons 107
Third-grade me watched Game Three of the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals with great anticipation. After being eliminated the past three playoffs by Detroit, Chicago finally had home-court advantage in 1991, jumping out to a 2-0 series lead. However, the Bulls really hadn't done anything yet, as the team would have to win at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pistons' home court (God how I hated that place). I remember watching the first three quarters of this game in my living room, with the Bulls playing well but unable to kill the Pistons. During the fourth quarter, my friend Neal and his Dad picked me up for a sleepover at Neal's house. I remember going to pick up a pizza from Little Caesars and listening to the fourth quarter on the radio. We were all ecstatic to hear the Bulls jump out to a 3-0 series lead against the Pistons. Finally, it seemed that the Bulls were about to get past Detroit, with a sweep seeming unimaginable but now a very real possibility.
My #2 Memorial Day Weekend Saturday Game of Bulls' Dynasty
1993 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3 (Sat., May 29, 1993)
Chicago Bulls 103, New York Knicks 83
Now in fifth grade, I was extremely worried heading into this Game Three with New York having won the first two games of the series. Young me realized that if the Bulls lost this game, they were not going to win the series. Of course, Chicago came out and blitzed the Knicks during Game Three as controversy surrounded Michael Jordan about his gambling in Atlantic City in-between Games One and Two of the series. While Jordan would boycott talking to NBC the rest of the series and have a quiet Game Three, his teammates stepped up big time. With the old Chicago Stadium rocking, the Bulls came out and punched the Knicks in the mouths. I remember John Starks getting frustrated and kicking the ball in the air, somehow avoiding a technical. After the game, NBC's Quinn Buckner said that he believed the Bulls would win out the rest of the series. Of course, Jordan would be due for a big game after three uncustomary performances to start the series, breaking out for 54 points in Game Four. The Bulls would go on to win in six games, completing an improbable comeback in my young eyes.
My #3 Memorial Day Weekend Saturday Game of Bulls' Dynasty
1996 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3 (Sat., May 25, 1996)
Chicago Bulls 86, Orlando Magic 67
I will be covering this game tomorrow on the site in honor of its 30th anniversary. With that said, eighth-grade me was shocked that Horace Grant was not playing in this game and pleasantly surprised how the Bulls cruised to victory during this afternoon contest. Somehow, someway, like the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, the Bulls were one game away from sweeping an opponent that had eliminated them the year before. Talk about a great start to my Memorial Day Weekend.
My #4 Memorial Day Weekend Saturday Game of Bulls' Dynasty
1992 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3 (Sat., May 23, 1992)
Chicago Bulls 105, Cleveland Cavaliers 96
I know I watched this Game Three as a fourth-grader, however, I don't remember much about it. Cleveland crushed the Bulls during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, a rare blowout of Chicago during its title runs. With the series tied at one game apiece, I was surely nervous about Game Three, which I feel like the Bulls controlled from start to finish at the old Richfield Coliseum. Of Chicago's six titles, the 1992, 1997 and 1998 playoffs were the most difficult, in no particular order. Coming off a tough seven game series against the New York Knicks in the second round of the 1992 NBA Playoffs, Chicago had a very underrated tough series against the Cavaliers, an awesome team that probably should have won a title had it not been for Jordan's Bulls.
My #5 Memorial Day Weekend Saturday Game of Bulls' Dynasty
1997 Eastern Conference Finals, Game Three (May 24, 1997)
Chicago Bulls 98, Miami Heat 74
Chicago was up 2-0 against the Miami Heat entering Game Three of the 1997 Eastern Conference Finals. However, the Bulls were not playing great, coming back in Game One and winning a truly ugly Game Two. The Bulls finally broke out in Game Three, playing their best overall game of the series. I remember watching this game at my Aunt Karen's house, running inside and outside as I was playing basketball with my brother and cousins. With the Bulls up big, I let my guard down and didn't watch much of this game, feeling confident that Chicago had this game in the bag early on. While Miami proved much more competitive against the Bulls than during the first-round series of the 1996 NBA Playoffs, the Heat were really nowhere close to the level of Chicago.
Worst Memorial Day Weekend Saturday Game of Bulls' Dynasty
1998 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3 (Sat., May 23, 1998)
Indiana Pacers 107, Chicago Bulls 105
I remember watching this loss feeling pretty good about the Bulls winning this series in five games. Reggie Miller had a brilliant shooting game on this Saturday, and the Bulls only lost by two points. Of course, Game Four would be a disaster, and this series would go the limit. After watching Game Three of the Bulls and Pacers, sophomore me had to go a banquet that night hosted by the Italian American War Veterans. Apparently, I had won an essay contest about "What the American Flag Means to Me" and was being recognized that night. Thankfully, I did not have to read the speech in front of the audience on that night. :-) I believe I was awarded a $50 gift certificate. Somehow my younger brother got to skip out on attending, so my parents, young sister and I went that night. I remember the banquet was somewhere out in the suburbs. As my Dad drove us out there, I vividly remember listening to the Ben Folds Five song "Brick" on the radio. I have no idea why I remember that moment. :-) Maybe the song was foreshadowing Scottie Pippen bricking a few big free throws during Game Four against Indiana.
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