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 
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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.

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 
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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 
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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. 

by: Chris Maynard 
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Two 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 One Recap: Chicago looked like a team that hadn't played in nearly 10 days while Seattle looked like a team with little Finals' experience. After three uneven quarters, Chicago dominated the fourth quarter, extending a two-point lead to a 17-point victory behind the inspired play of Toni Kukoc and Ron Harper. Chicago had great balance all night long from its top six players, including Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Luc Longley. By the way, Michael Jordan had a quiet 28 points, snapping 9 straight Finals' games of at least 30 points, which had to leave Seattle nervous. The Sonics had some moments in Game One, with Shawn Kemp having a great offensive game, but were ultimately done in by turnovers forced by Chicago's incredible defense.  

Five Observations from Game One 

1. Toni Kukoc breaks out when it matters most. After struggling with his three-point shooting throughout the 1996 NBA Playoffs, Kukoc hit two huge threes to open up the fourth quarter, including one that led to a four-point play. Before his scoring outburst put Game One away for the Bulls, Kukoc was doing a lot of the the little things he wasn't always known for, banging down low, drawing an offensive foul on the Sonics and grabbing several offensive rebounds. Kukoc was simply brilliant, with his inspirational play lifting the Bulls and getting the United Center rocking. 

2. Ron Harper continues to kill teams. My appreciation for Harper's game has grown infinitely rewatching the 1996 NBA Playoffs. Teams continued to disrespect Harper's shooting, and he made Seattle pay on the first series of the game, drilling a three off a double team of Jordan. Along with Kukoc, Harper inspired the Bulls in the fourth quarter, with two huge steals and ensuing layups. Apparently, Harper was playing on a bad knee, which you wouldn't be able to tell during Game One. 

3. A defense like no other. While the offense has not always been pretty during the playoffs, Chicago's defense has been so suffocating, clearly separating the Bulls from all would-be contenders to the greatest team of all time designation. During the fourth quarter, Seattle had no chance as Chicago elevated its defense to a whole new level, holding Seattle to 13 points.  

4. Pippen just moves onto and impacts the next play. Pippen has had his shooting problems during the playoffs yet impacted Game One in so many ways. In the third quarter Pippen found his shooting stroke, hitting two big threes, ultimately finishing 5-for-15 from the field. As has been the case several times this playoffs, Pippen was seemingly have a quiet game when he just took control during the third quarter. Without question, prime Pippen is one of the greatest all-around basketball players to ever step on the court. 

5. Shawn Kemp was unstoppable yet beatable. Kemp had an impressive offensive game, scoring 32 points, with Chicago having no answers at points. However, Kemp had 7 turnovers and fouled out late on a dumb foul of Rodman 90 feet away from the basket. Seattle would need the amazing Kemp to match his physical abilities with better decision making to have a chance this series. 

What I remember from the day of Game Two: This Friday was officially my last day of eighth grade, with my graduation set to take place on Sunday. Surprisingly, I don't remember much from that last day. I remember several students were having graduation parties this Friday night, but I decided to skip out on them and watch the Bulls' game at home. It turned out to be a good decision as apparently alcohol was introduced at one party, with one student getting very sick and unable to attend graduation as a result. 

What I remember from Game Two: To me, Game Two is what I instantly think of when it comes to Dennis Rodman's first season on the Bulls. Rodman absolutely went crazy on the offensive boards during the third quarter of Game Two, inspiring the Bulls to a 2-0 series lead. Honestly, Rodman was at the height of his playing powers during the 1996 NBA Finals, with Games Two and Six great moments of his career and my fandom. 

With a 107-90 victory against the Seattle SuperSonics during Game One of the 1996 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls improved, at the time, to 3-1 in opening games of the league's championship series. 

Overall, Chicago was 4-2 in Game Ones of the NBA Finals, losing the opener in its first and last Finals in 1991 and 1998, respectively. 

Make the jump for a quick breakdown of Chicago's Game 1 performances during the 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 & 1998 NBA Finals, including the: 

• Heartbreaker. 
• Dominator. 
• Message sender. 
• Rust shaker. 
• Jordan saver. 
• Close but no cigar. 

by: Chris Maynard 
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game One 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. 

To get you fired up, here is NBC's introduction to the game. Man, how I loved these intros back during the day. 

What I remember from this day: It was a Wednesday, and I was only two days away from being done with eighth grade and elementary school. Of course, my rambunctious self could not go out quietly or with much class, getting a detention during science class that morning. After the teacher briefly left the room, I got up and threw a rubber eraser at my friend Todd. Of course, the teacher walked in the room mid-throw. Apparently, my teacher did not see who threw the eraser. My teacher then said that there would be no consequences for whoever threw the eraser as long as he or she admitted it. I went up to her and admitted my mistake and was promptly given a much-deserved detention, my second in the last four days. I also got a detention the Friday before for goofing around with a girl classmate and putting toothpaste on her desk. I was a real troublemaker back in the day, or at least I thought I was. Anyways, I remember having to write out of the dictionary for an hour after school, thinking about the Finals' game that night between the Bulls and Sonics. 

What I remember from Game One: My family gathered at my Grandpa Herb's house to watch the first game of the series as June 5th was his birthday. I remember watching many Bulls' Finals games on his birthday, including Game Two of the 1991, 1992 and 1998 NBA Finals. I was trying to be all cool in front of my uncles, talking about how I got another detention. My Dad was not too impressed with my attitude, and I calmed down. I watched this game on the back porch of my Grandpa's house up until the early fourth quarter when we had to go home. I remember my Dad turning on the radio in the car as Toni Kukoc hit a big three to give Chicago a comfortable lead at the moment. After eight days off, the Bulls would look a little rusty during Game One but continue to dominate defensively! Also, I remember Dennis Rodman getting into the head of Seattle's Frank Brickowski, who was ejected during the second quarter, having to make the walk of shame to the locker room past the Chicago bench, with Bulls' reserve Randy Brown giving him the business. 

The 1996 NBA Finals featured the oldest team in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls, and one of the young powerhouses in the association, the Seattle SuperSonics. 

While only playing twice a year due to their conference affiliations, both franchises had some important history, specifically around Chicago's superstar small forward Scottie Pippen. 

On Monday, June 22, 1987, NBA Commissioner David Stern stepped to the podium to announce the fifth selection of the first round of the league's annual draft, held by the team in Seattle.  

Three picks later, Stern walked up to the podium to announce the eighth selection of the draft, with the Chicago Bulls taking Virginia center Olden Polynice. 

Of course, Polynice would never play for the Bulls, with General Manager Jerry Krause having already arranged a  deal with the Sonics to swap the center's rights for the rights to the aforementioned Scott Pippen, an unknown player out of tiny Central Arkansas whom Krause had fallen in love with.

Two picks later, Chicago selected Clemson power forward Howard Grant, solidifying its starting forward spots for the organization's first three titles in 1991, 1992 and 1993. 

Fast forward to the 1996 NBA Finals, during which Pippen was hoping to bring Chicago a fourth title while Seattle, behind the young duo of Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, was looking to win its first NBA championship since the 1979 NBA Finals.  As for Polynice, he was on his fourth NBA team, having played for the Sonics, Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons and then the Sacramento Kings, which were eliminated by Seattle in the first round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. 

Of course, the 1996 NBA Finals pitting the Bulls and Sonics would have looked much different, or likely not even happened, had a trade between the teams taken place two years before. 

Make the jump to read about how Seattle nearly corrected its mistake of trading Pippen for Polynice during the 1987 NBA Draft approximately seven years later before backing out due to fear of fan backlash. 

With an opponent, the Seattle SuperSonics, set for the 1996 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls were seen as overwhelming favorites for reasons well beyond their dominant regular season and playoff run.

Chicago was the more experienced team when it came to playing in the NBA Finals, with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen the lone holdovers from the Bulls' first three-peat in 1991, 1992 and 1993. In addition to Chicago's dynamic duo, Dennis Rodman, John Salley and James "Buddha" Edwards had appeared in three NBA Finals with the Detroit Pistons in 1988, 1989 and 1990. 

In contrast, Seattle had only one player to play in an NBA Finals, Jordan's former North Carolina teammate Sam Perkins, who was on the Los Angeles Lakers team  that the Bulls defeated during the 1991 NBA Finals. Of course, Perkins had a huge moment in that series, hitting the game-winning three in Game One to give Los Angeles its first and only victory in the series. 

With Chicago's victories against the Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns during the 1991, 1992 and 1993 NBA Finals, respectively, in mind, I thought it would be interesting to revisit each of those series based on different categories:

• Best game of the series. 
• Underrated game of the series. 
• Legendary Jordan performance of the series. 
• Turning point of the series. 
• Surprising Bulls' loss in the series. 
• Iconic game/ moment of the series.  
  

Thirty years ago today, the Chicago Bulls were enjoying some time off after sweeping the Orlando Magic during the Eastern Conference Finals, eagerly awaiting their opponent for the 1996 NBA Finals. 

Chicago would finally get its answer on Sunday, June 2, 1996, as the Seattle SuperSonics avoiding blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Utah Jazz, winning Game 7 at home by a 90-86 score. It's crazy to think that Chicago  nearly played Utah three straight NBA Finals, with the Bulls defeating the Jazz in six games during the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals. 

Anyways, I remember going out to eat with my cousin Brian, Aunt Donna and Uncle John on this Sunday night, which was the final weekend before my last week of eighth grade. After dinner, we watched this game in the backyard of their house. Honestly, I was not too worried about whatever team would be Chicago's opponent. With the Bulls having vanquished the Magic, I was very confident Chicago would defeat both Seattle and Utah. At this point in time a title seemed inevitable for the Bulls, with the 1996 NBA Finals ultimately following that path before Chicago had a bit of a scare before getting the job done on Father's Day. 

Here is Game 7 between the Sonics and Jazz. How I loved these new Seattle and old Utah uniforms, though the Jazz would upgrade to very cool-looking new uniforms the next season. 

With the matchup between the Bulls and Sonics set, here are the two games the teams played during the 1995-96 season. The teams split two games, with the Sonics defeating the Bulls at home on my birthday, November 26, 1995, and Chicago avenging Seattle at home on January 10, 1996. 

With the 30th anniversary of the 1996 NBA Finals beginning on this Friday, June 5th, here is what I am planning for the rest of this little passion project. 

• Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - Revisiting Chicago's Three Prior Trips to the NBA Finals 
• Thursday, June 4, 2026 - The Time Chicago Nearly Traded Scottie Pippen to Seattle for Shawn Kemp
• Friday, June 5, 2026 - 1996 NBA Finals, Game 1 Rewatch and Review
• Saturday, June 6, 2026 - Ranking Chicago's Game 1 Performances during the NBA Finals (1991-1998)
• Sunday, June 7, 2026 - 1996 NBA Finals, Game 2 Rewatch and Review 
• Monday, June 8, 2026: Ranking Chicago's Game 2 Performances during the NBA Finals (1991-1998)
• Tuesday, June 9, 2026: 1996 NBA Finals, Game 3 Rewatch and Review 
• Wednesday, June 10, 2026: Ranking Chicago's Game 3 Performances during the NBA Finals (1991-1998)
• Thursday, June 11, 2026: An Appreciation for the Seattle SuperSonics 
• Friday, June 12, 2026: 1996 NBA Finals, Game 4 Rewatch and Review
• Saturday, June 13, 2026: Ranking Chicago's Game 4 Performances during the NBA Finals (1991-1998)
• Sunday, June 14, 2026: 1996 NBA Finals, Game 5 Rewatch and Review
• Monday, June 15, 2026: Ranking Chicago's Game 5 Performances during the NBA Finals (1991-1998)
• Tuesday, June 16, 2026: 1996 NBA Finals, Game 6 Rewatch and Review
• Wednesday, June 17, 2026: Ranking Chicago's Game 6 Performances during the NBA Finals (1991-1998)
• Thursday, June 18, 2026: Dennis Rodman Gets in Trouble at the Grant Park Celebration 
• Friday, June 19, 2026: Recap of the 1996 NBA Finals 
• Saturday, June 20, 2026: Recap of the Chicago Bulls' Championship Run through the 1996 NBA Playoffs
• Sunday, June 21, 2026: The Finale of this Passion Project 

If interested, make the jump to see the full seven games of the 1996 Western Conference Finals. Surprisingly, a lot of these games are not fully on YouTube, which seems like a crime to me. :-) 

by: Chris Maynard 
([email protected]) 

Let's finish up my recaps of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' historic regular season. 

Here are the recaps for:

• Games 1-10. 
• Games 11-20. 
• Games 21-30. 
• Games 31-40.
• Games 41-50. 
• Games 51-60. 
• Games 61-70. 
  

With 12 games remaining, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls needed to win just 7 games to tie the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers for the one most wins in NBA history, 69. 

Given that Chicago had not lost more than two games during any prior ten-game stretch of this season, it seemed certain that the Bulls would set the all-time record for wins during an NBA season. 

After a surprising one-point loss at Toronto on Sunday, March 24th, the Bulls had won two straight games entering Games 71-82. The Bulls would reel off four more victories, back-to-back wins against the Miami Heat, a destruction of the Charlotte Hornets, and a memorable Sunday victory against the Orlando Magic. I wrote about this famous NBA on NBC game, during which Shaquille O'Neal got to the game just as it started. Here is the piece sharing my memories. 

After defeating Orlando to go 66-8, the Bulls suffered a surprising one-point loss at home to the Charlotte Hornets the following night on Monday, April 8th. Amazingly, this was Chicago's first home loss of the season, and I have no recollection of this game. 

The Bulls would bounce back with victories at New Jersey and against the Philadelphia 76ers, heading into another Sunday NBA on NBC game with the opportunity to earn win #69 and tie the Lakers. I tuned in and watched Chicago boat race Cleveland that day, winning 98 to 72. That night I remember watching the Channel 32 news Sunday night sports show in Chicago, with the opening of the show playing the Space Hog song "In the Meantime" while showing highlights of the Bulls crushing the Cavs. What a great song, what a great memory, what a fitting tile for what the Bulls were doing to the rest of the league! 

Two nights later, Chicago would travel to Milwaukee and defeat the Bucks in a tough game to earn the record-setting 70th victory. While I didn't get to watch this game live as it was a Tuesday night game on cable, I rushed to turn on the 10 p.m. news, ecstatic to see the Bulls had done it. I will never forget the image of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman coming together to hug, with the Bulls announcer Tom Dore saying, "There it is. 70 wins is a reality." I'll never forget the following day, going to my cousin Brian's house after school as my parents both worked on Wednesdays, with my Aunt having bought my cousin a Bulls' shirt celebrating the 70 wins. "Man, I wish I had that shirt," I thought to myself. 

Hardly resting on its laurels, Chicago crushed Detroit two nights later before losing a controversial game at home to Indiana on Saturday, April 20th. I remember watching this game on NBC in my basement, shooting around on a mini-basketball rim as the Bulls nearly pulled off an improbable comeback. Of course, this is the game when Jordan was called for a controversial foul on Indiana's Eddie Johnson, with the debate being whether the hand was a part of the ball.

The Bulls wound end the regular season the following afternoon with a victory at Washington. My grade school baseball team had a doubleheader this Sunday, and I remember my one friend Todd showing up to the game saying that Jack Haley had scored four points during the Bulls' victory. The late Haley never played and was essentially signed as a cheerleader/babysitter of Rodman, a friend from their playing days in San Antonio. Haley actually played for the Bulls as a rookie during the 1988-89 season. 

With the regular season complete, Chicago had compiled an amazing 72-10 record, losing back-to-back games only once that year. How good were these Bulls? Chicago's last three losses all were by one point! The Bulls only lost two games by double digits all season! Chicago finished 39-2 at home, 33-8 on the road! Chicago's longest winning streak was 18 games! 

For all the incredible accomplishments, the Bulls knew the regular-season record meant nothing. As the players would say heading into the playoffs, "72-10 don't mean a thing without a ring." As seen during my coverage of the 1996 NBA Playoffs, the Bulls looked well on their way to winning the title, going 11-1 through the first three rounds. 

I have scoured YouTube for Chicago's last 12 games of the 1995-96 season. 

Make the jump to view games 71-82 and link to the box scores as Chicago finishes 72-10, a record that would last for 20 seasons until the Golden State Warriors went 73-9 during the 2015-16 season.