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by: Chris Maynard
([email protected])
([email protected])
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 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.
For some context, here's how Basketball Reference ranked Chicago's 12-man rotation based upon playoff stats.
Here are the stats for each playoff series:
My "5 Stars of the Game" Rankings of Chicago's Top 12 Players
1. Michael Jordan, Starting Shooting Guard
Appeared in 17 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game."
Was rated as the top star of the game 8 times.
Quick Thought: Jordan was great in the first two rounds and exploded during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals. Jordan had a relatively quiet NBA Finals, without question, the worst of his six appearances, though he still won the MVP.
Was rated as the top star of the game 8 times.
Quick Thought: Jordan was great in the first two rounds and exploded during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals. Jordan had a relatively quiet NBA Finals, without question, the worst of his six appearances, though he still won the MVP.
2. Scottie Pippen, Starting Small Forward
Appeared in 14 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game."
Was rated as the top star of the game 2 times.
Quick Thought: Pippen struggled with his shot at points in the playoffs but always took and often made big shots when the Bulls needed it, often in fourth quarters. Pippen stuffed the stat sheet, with his overall brilliance especially seen in Games Three against Miami and Orlando in the first round and Eastern Conference Finals, respectively.
Was rated as the top star of the game 2 times.
Quick Thought: Pippen struggled with his shot at points in the playoffs but always took and often made big shots when the Bulls needed it, often in fourth quarters. Pippen stuffed the stat sheet, with his overall brilliance especially seen in Games Three against Miami and Orlando in the first round and Eastern Conference Finals, respectively.
3. Dennis Rodman, Starting Power Forward
Appeared in 12 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game."
Was rated as the top star of the game 3 times.
Quick Thought: After having a quiet first round off the bench against the Heat, Rodman stepped up his game the rest of the playoffs, being a warrior against New York, a scoring threat against Orlando and a menace on the offensive boards against Seattle.
Was rated as the top star of the game 3 times.
Quick Thought: After having a quiet first round off the bench against the Heat, Rodman stepped up his game the rest of the playoffs, being a warrior against New York, a scoring threat against Orlando and a menace on the offensive boards against Seattle.
4. Ron Harper, Starting Guard
Appeared in 9 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game."
Quick Thought: Harper was Chicago's most underrated player during the 1996 NBA Playoffs, playing lockdown defense, continually hitting open shots and doing so many little things well. His absence was especially seen during Chicago's Games Four and Five losses to Seattle during the 1996 NBA Finals.
Quick Thought: Harper was Chicago's most underrated player during the 1996 NBA Playoffs, playing lockdown defense, continually hitting open shots and doing so many little things well. His absence was especially seen during Chicago's Games Four and Five losses to Seattle during the 1996 NBA Finals.
5. Toni Kukoc, Reserve Forward
Appeared in 7 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game."
Was rated as the top star of the game one time.
Quick Thought: Kukoc began the playoffs with a great series as a starter against the Heat before missing most of the New York series due to a back injury. Kukoc had a quietly productive Eastern Conference Finals but was huge during the NBA Finals, sparking Chicago with his quick offensive outbursts. I put Longley ahead of Kukoc based on my observations as the Chicago center started all 18 playoff games and got better each round, with his best work in the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals, respectively. Kukoc did start five times during the 1996 NBA Playoffs, including twice during the NBA Finals for the injured Harper.
Was rated as the top star of the game one time.
Quick Thought: Kukoc began the playoffs with a great series as a starter against the Heat before missing most of the New York series due to a back injury. Kukoc had a quietly productive Eastern Conference Finals but was huge during the NBA Finals, sparking Chicago with his quick offensive outbursts. I put Longley ahead of Kukoc based on my observations as the Chicago center started all 18 playoff games and got better each round, with his best work in the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals, respectively. Kukoc did start five times during the 1996 NBA Playoffs, including twice during the NBA Finals for the injured Harper.
6. Luc Longley, Starting Center
Appeared in 5 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game."
Quick Thought: Like Harper, Longley was underrated this playoff run, really bringing a nice offensive punch during the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals. Longley also did a good job of using his fouls and moving his feet to guard the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Shaquille O'Neal and Shawn Kemp. As the playoffs got deeper, Longley got better. He was a major differentiator against a Seattle team that got very little from the center position.
Quick Thought: Like Harper, Longley was underrated this playoff run, really bringing a nice offensive punch during the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals. Longley also did a good job of using his fouls and moving his feet to guard the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Shaquille O'Neal and Shawn Kemp. As the playoffs got deeper, Longley got better. He was a major differentiator against a Seattle team that got very little from the center position.
7. Steve Kerr, Reserve Guard
Appeared in 3 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game," twice as member of The Bench.
Quick Thought: Kerr had a strong series against Orlando before struggling during the NBA Finals, though he recovered with a perfect shooting performance during the Game Six victory against Seattle. Kerr could always be counted on for giving decent minutes, even if the shot was not falling.
Quick Thought: Kerr had a strong series against Orlando before struggling during the NBA Finals, though he recovered with a perfect shooting performance during the Game Six victory against Seattle. Kerr could always be counted on for giving decent minutes, even if the shot was not falling.
8. Bill Wennington, Reserve Center
Appeared in 3 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game," twice as a member of The Bench.
Quick Thought: Wennington had an amazing series against the Knicks and his longtime college foe Ewing, including hitting the game-winning jumper during a crucial Game Four victory.
Quick Thought: Wennington had an amazing series against the Knicks and his longtime college foe Ewing, including hitting the game-winning jumper during a crucial Game Four victory.
9. Jud Buechler, Reserve Forward
Appeared in 2 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game," twice as a member of The Bench.
Quick Thought: While having a quiet NBA Finals, Buechler was effective the first three rounds, providing defensive activity and energy and hitting open shots.
Quick Thought: While having a quiet NBA Finals, Buechler was effective the first three rounds, providing defensive activity and energy and hitting open shots.
10. Randy Brown, Reserve Guard
Appeared in 2 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game," twice as a member of The Bench.
Quick Thought: Brown provided strong defense against Orlando and Seattle, especially when Kerr was struggling at that end during the NBA Finals.
Quick Thought: Brown provided strong defense against Orlando and Seattle, especially when Kerr was struggling at that end during the NBA Finals.
11. John Salley, Reserve Center
Appeared in 1 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game" as a member of The Bench.
Quick Thought: Salley played in 16 of the 18 playoff games, serving as the third center for the likes of Mourning, Ewing and O'Neal.
Quick Thought: Salley played in 16 of the 18 playoff games, serving as the third center for the likes of Mourning, Ewing and O'Neal.
12. James Edwards, Reserve Center
Appeared in 1 of 18 "Five Stars of the Game" as a member of The Bench.
Edwards played in 6 of the 18 playoff games, getting some minutes against O'Neal during the Game Four clincher in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Edwards played in 6 of the 18 playoff games, getting some minutes against O'Neal during the Game Four clincher in the Eastern Conference Finals.
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