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by: Chris Maynard
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Let's continue with my recaps of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' historic regular season.
Here are the recaps for:
([email protected])
Let's continue with my recaps of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' historic regular season.
Here are the recaps for:
Chicago won its first three games out of the All-Star break, having an amazing 45-5 record through 50 games. After playing seven games on the road during Games 41-50, Chicago would return home for seven games during the next ten-game stretch, during which Chicago would go 9-1.
Chicago would begin this stretch with a thrilling 110-102 victory at Indiana on Sunday, February 18, 1996. I remember watching this game on NBC when my buddy Kevin called me. He asked me if I was watching the Bulls game, as he couldn't believe what he was seeing. During this game Michael Jordan would score 44 points, Pippen would "chip in" 40 points and Dennis Rodman would grab 23 rebounds. Chicago's superstars were surely at the height of their powers this game.
Chicago would begin this stretch with a thrilling 110-102 victory at Indiana on Sunday, February 18, 1996. I remember watching this game on NBC when my buddy Kevin called me. He asked me if I was watching the Bulls game, as he couldn't believe what he was seeing. During this game Michael Jordan would score 44 points, Pippen would "chip in" 40 points and Dennis Rodman would grab 23 rebounds. Chicago's superstars were surely at the height of their powers this game.
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Anyways, I remember talking to Kevin during this Bulls-Pacers game about my elementary school St. Bartholomew's eighth-grade basketball playoff game from the day before. Kevin couldn't make the game due to a family outing so he asked how we did. I told him the bad news, that we lost in overtime. Oh, how this game haunts me to this day. During the fourth quarter our best player Todd fouled out. Down two points with 10 seconds left in the game, I dribbled the ball up court, jump stopped at the free throw line, and hit a jump shot plus the foul to tie the game. The opponent, St. Juliana's, called a timeout. Out of the timeout, I shot a perfect free throw that somehow went in and out. Amazingly, the ball caromed right back to me, and I called a timeout. Out of my team's timeout, I missed a three, and the game went to overtime. During overtime my team ran out of gas, and I fouled out. Of all the years playing elementary school basketball, that playoff game was the only time Todd and I ever fouled out. I guess my Dad, who never spoke to officials after the game, calmly said something to the ref afterward. From what my Dad told me, he said, "That was a damn shame. You really stole that game from those kids today. Of all the years they played, those two have never fouled out." :-) Still, I don't know how that free throw didn't go in. I used to shoot 1oo free throws a day in my backyard during the summer between seventh and eighth grade, and I had gotten really good from the foul line, once making 94 out of 100.
Speaking of losses, Chicago's only loss would come at Miami as Heat guard Rex Chapman went off for 39 points, including 9-of-10 from three, during a 113-104 defeat on February 23, 1996. Perhaps Chicago was looking ahead to its next game, a Sunday home matinee on NBC against the Orlando Magic, the team that had eliminated the Bulls during the second-round of the 1995 NBA Playoffs. Chicago would beat Orlando by 20, with Toni Kukoc scoring a team-high 24 points off the bench. I remember watching this game at home and then having to go to a family party at my Aunt's condominium in Wood Dale, Illinois. I was so excited the Bulls beat Orlando that Sunday. At the party I remember watching the second half of the NBA on NBC doubleheader, with the New York Knicks playing the Phoenix Suns. The Knicks had just traded Charles Smith to San Antonio for Willie Anderson and J.R. Reid.
Speaking of losses, Chicago's only loss would come at Miami as Heat guard Rex Chapman went off for 39 points, including 9-of-10 from three, during a 113-104 defeat on February 23, 1996. Perhaps Chicago was looking ahead to its next game, a Sunday home matinee on NBC against the Orlando Magic, the team that had eliminated the Bulls during the second-round of the 1995 NBA Playoffs. Chicago would beat Orlando by 20, with Toni Kukoc scoring a team-high 24 points off the bench. I remember watching this game at home and then having to go to a family party at my Aunt's condominium in Wood Dale, Illinois. I was so excited the Bulls beat Orlando that Sunday. At the party I remember watching the second half of the NBA on NBC doubleheader, with the New York Knicks playing the Phoenix Suns. The Knicks had just traded Charles Smith to San Antonio for Willie Anderson and J.R. Reid.
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As for the rest of this stretch of games, I don't remember too much, with the exception of Chicago defeating Minnesota at home. This game marked the return of Farragut High School star Kevin Garnett to Chicago for the first time in his pro career. I remember catching the sports on the news that night and seeing Garnett hit a half-court shot at the buzzer of either the end of the first or second quarter of this game. As an aside, the middle school I used to teach at played its girls volleyball games at Farragut. Of course, I went to cheer on my students and see Farragut's gym, which had these amazing murals of Garnett and his teammate Ronnie Fields. When I was in seventh grade, Garnett and Fields were like the Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen of Chicago high school basketball. That awesome team also had one of my favorite Arizona players of all time, the late Michael Wright, who was just a freshman on the Admirals.
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I have scoured YouTube for Games 51-60 of the Chicago Bulls' historic regular season in 1995-96, with full games available for 6 of the 10 contests.
Make the jump to view Games 51-60 and link to the box scores as Chicago goes 54-6 through 60 games of the 1995-96 season.
Make the jump to view Games 51-60 and link to the box scores as Chicago goes 54-6 through 60 games of the 1995-96 season.
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