After 30 games, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls were an amazing 27-3. 

Ten games later, the Bulls would improve to 37-3! 

As 1995 turned to 1996, I feel like my viewing attention with the Bulls picked up dramatically. With the Chicago Bears missing the playoffs, despite having an identical 9-7 record to the prior season, during which the team made the postseason, the Bulls became my number-one focus in Chicago sports. 

At this point and time, I was losing interest with DePaul basketball, especially since my childhood hero, a local player named Tom Kleinschmidt, had graduated the prior season. I was not quite an Illinois Fighting Illini diehard yet, as this campaign would be the last in Champaign for legendary Head Coach Lou Henson. 

With Jordan back in action, and NBC starting to show its Sunday games, I was hooked on watching as many Bulls' games as possible. Several games during this stretch, specifically road wins against the Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Bullets on the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, especially stand out. 

I began my three-day weekend by watching the Bulls take on the Sixers that Friday night (it was actually Saturday night) on WGN Channel 9. I remember being interested to see Jordan match up with fellow North Carolina Tar Heel Jerry Stackhouse, who was a rookie with the 76ers. Well, Jordan would give it to Stackhouse this night, at one point ball faking with one hand and driving past Stackhouse for a baseline jam. 

Up next for Chicago were the Washington Bullets on a Monday afternoon matinee game for MLK Jr. Day. Off from school, I remember sleeping over at my cousin Brian's house the night before. Our families had gathered to watch the NFC Championship game between the Green Bay Packers and eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys. That Sunday night I stayed up late and discovered on my cousin's cable television the old Classic Sports Network. At the time, Classic Sports was shown from 11:30 p.m. to like 5 a.m. on some random cable channel. I was blown away that there was a network that showed old sports games. That Sunday night I rewatched a memorable Game 5 of the first-round of the 1994 NBA Playoffs, when the Denver Nuggets upset the Seattle Supersonics to became the first eight-seed to beat a one-seed. Speaking of the Sonics, Chicago would get revenge against Seattle during this stretch of games, making up for a road loss from the night of my 14th birthday. 

Back to MLK Day, I remember watching the Bulls crush the Bullets, with Jordan at one time palming the ball over the head of a defenseless Tim Legler, as if he was teasing a cat with a ball of string. After the game, my Uncle John came home early from work and took Brian, his friend Farai and me out to McDonald's before dropping me off at home. 

I have "scoured" the Internet, specifically YouTube, for Games 31-40. For the first time during this retrospective, all 10 games are available in their entirety on YouTube. 

Make the jump to view Games 31-40 and link to the box scores as Chicago goes a perfect 10-0 during this stretch of the 1995-96 season. 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game One between the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes. Here is some background about the series so far. 

What I remember from this day: This Sunday afternoon game feels like yesterday. Tip off was at 2:30 p.m. on NBC. I eagerly sat down in front of the television in my living room, knowing that I could only watch the first half. Eighth-grade me had the championship game of my elementary school's Intramurals basketball league at 4:00 p.m. I was nervous about both games, more so about the Magic and Bulls after Orlando knocked out Chicago during the 1995 NBA Playoffs. I should have been more worried about the Intramurals championship game as my team got its collective butts kicked. I had a horrible shooting game. I remember during one possession of the game I had three three-pointers from the same spot on the floor. I missed all three shots, symbolic of how things went that day. My friend Mike and I played terrible against our eighth-grade classmate Todd, who was the best player on our grade-school team. Honestly, we were lucky to be in the championship game as we should have lost in the semifinals a couple of days before, had it not been for Mike hitting a game-winning layup in overtime. What the Magic were to the Bulls on this day, my team was to my opponent on this day, mince meat. :-) 

What I remember from this game: The Bulls came out like gangbusters, absolutely kicking Orlando's butt in the first half of this game, so much so that when I had to leave for my basketball game, I felt very confident the outcome was already decided. I remember Luc Longley getting off to a great start against Shaquille O'Neal, and Dennis Rodman playing with a lot of energy.  After limping past the Knicks, the Bulls were a hungry team for several reasons. First, Chicago knew it had to be better than it was against New York last round to defeat Orlando and win the championship. Second, revenge was clearly on the mind of the Bulls as Orlando had knocked them out the year before. It was safe to say the Magic were shell-shocked during Game One, unable to counter punch a Chicago onslaught from the opening tip to the final horn. Talk about a great way to begin the series for the Bulls, which got the United Center rocking early and often during this thumping of the Magic. Additionally, Greg Gumbel called this game for NBC. I always liked Gumbel as a play-by-play man for the NBA back in the day.

Here is Game One between the Orlando Magic and the Chicago Bulls. I highly suggest watching the introduction of the Bulls' starting lineups. It will get your pulse running! Also these blue Orlando Magic uniforms were just beautiful. As an aside, I remember my parents getting me a red Dennis Rodman Bulls' jersey and this blue Penny Hardaway Magic jersey for my birthday as an eighth grader. Another family member bought me the black Michael Jordan Bulls' jersey for my birthday. I still have the Jordan jersey. I gave away the Rodman and Hardaway jerseys to younger cousins when I outgrew them. What a great time it was to be a kid! 

Prior to Game Five of the second-round series against the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls' forward Toni Kukoc was awarded the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award for the 1995-96 season. This glorious season proved to be the Year of the Bull when it came to NBA accolades, with Michael Jordan winning the league's MVP and Phil Jackson earning the Coach of the Year. Even at that season's All-Star Game weekend, Jordan was named the exhibition's MVP while Steve Kerr won the three-point shooting contest. 

Back to Kukoc, he did not  even play the last three games of the Knicks' series as he dealt with a back injury. After having an all-around great series starting for Dennis Rodman against the Miami Heat, Kukoc struggled during the first two games of the New York series. Entering the Eastern Conference Finals, Kukoc was mired in a shooting slump, just 1-for-24 from three during the playoffs.

As Chicago prepared to take on the very dangerous Orlando Magic, the Bulls desperately needed a healthy and best version of Kukoc, a player in Chicago whom had a bit of a "soft" label at the time. As great of an offensive player Kukoc was, he had a knock as being averse to defense and contact down low, despite being 6'11''. 

After starting at power forward against the Magic during the second-round series of the 1995 NBA Playoffs, Kukoc was clearly seen as not the answer at the position, one reason why Chicago ended up trading for Rodman. 

As the Bulls prepared for the Magic, I seem to remember Chicago media questioning Kukoc's toughness, wondering if he was truly hurt against the Knicks and if he didn't want to participate in the physical series. 

Unfortunately for Kukoc, such unfair criticism was par for the course during his early tenure with the Bulls, in large part due to how Chicago General Manager Jerry Krause seemingly adored him more than Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. In turn, the superstar duo took out their wrath on Kukoc, years before he had even come to the United States to play for the Bulls. 

Heck, I'll admit that I did not always recognize Kukoc's greatness at the time. It was easy to pile on the kid when things weren't going well. Jordan and Pippen were especially hard on Kukoc, through no fault of his one, though they knew he belonged on the Bulls. 

Sadly, Kukoc deserved better, though his greatness is truly appreciated many years later. Without Kukoc, Chicago does not win three-straight titles in 1996, 1997 and 1998. 

While those Bulls' team are remembered for Jordan, Pippen, Rodman and Jackson, Kukoc deserves just as much recognition, earning a fifth spot on Chicago's Mount Rushmore for this time period. 

Make the jump to read more about Kukoc rising above the doubts to be an invaluable member of the Bulls' title-winning teams. 

How perspectives often change with time and...uniforms! 

Consider the power forward matchup between the Orlando Magic's Horace Grant and the Chicago Bulls' Dennis Rodman entering the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals. 

Just a few years before this series, Grant was a hero to Chicago fans, the starting power forward on the team's first three championship teams in 1991, 1992 and 1993. 

As for Rodman, he was a hated member of the Bad Boys' Detroit Pistons, with his cheap shot of Scottie Pippen during Game Four of the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals a searing reminder of his boorish brutality. 

Now wearing different uniforms and colored goggles and hair, in the case of Grant and Rodman, respectively, Grant was considered the villain, Rodman the antihero prior to the much-anticipated rematch of a second-round series between Chicago and Orlando in 1995. 

Drafted out of Clemson University with the 10th overall pick of the 1987 NBA Draft, Grant was always linked with his Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen, whom Chicago acquired in that same draft. After Seattle selected Central Arkansas' "Scott" Pippen with the fifth overall pick of the 1987 draft, Chicago selected Virginia's Olden Polynice with the 8th overall pick. The Bulls then traded the rights to Polynice, along with a second-round pick in the 1988 NBA Draft, to Seattle for the rights to Pippen. 

Ultimately, the development of Pippen into an All-Star and Grant into the third best player on the Bulls was what keyed Chicago's rise from Michael and the Jordanaires to a championship level team. By their fourth seasons, Pippen and Grant were well-established, major contributors on a squad that would defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in five games during the 1991 NBA Finals. 

Of course, being in the shadow of Jordan was not easy for Pippen and especially Grant, who often felt overlooked on those Bulls' teams. While Pippen joined Jordan on All-Star teams and the original Dream Team, Grant was left in the shadows, despite being a terrific player. 

At 6'10'', Grant was a rangy forward with an automatic mid-range jumper. Defensively, Grant provided great versatility, especially when Chicago would press, with Grant often releasing and bringing off-ball pressure, leading to turnovers and easy transition baskets for the Bulls. 

By the time Jordan retired after the 1993 NBA Finals, Chicago had won three straight titles, with Grant's overlooked block of Kevin Johnson sealing the last championship. 

Grant's contributions to the Bulls were recognized during the ensuing 1993-94 season when Pippen, B.J. Armstrong and he were selected as starters on the Eastern Conference's All-Star team. Playing during the last year of his contract, Grant figured to be in store for a big payday, a problem when it came to the Chicago Bulls. 

Make the jump to read more about Grant's free-agent decision to leave Chicago and join the rising Orlando Magic.

by: Chris Maynard
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After cruising past the Miami Heat and winning ugly against the New York Knicks during the first two rounds of the 1996 NBA Playoffs, the Chicago Bulls were preparing to step up in competition. 

Fresh off a sweep of the Detroit Pistons and five-game victory against the Atlanta Haws during the first and second rounds, the Orlando Magic represented the future of the NBA behind young superstars Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway and former Chicago Bull Horace Grant. 

After knocking out Michael Jordan and the Bulls in six games during the second-round of the 1995 NBA Playoffs, the Magic were eventually swept in the Finals by the Houston Rockets. 

Despite this surprising loss to Houston, and being the two-seed to Chicago's one-seed, the Magic entered the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals as formidable foes for the Bulls, which were seeking revenge for last year's disappointing defeat to Orlando during a series where Michael Jordan looked mortal and did not seem like his old self. 

Throughout the 1995-96 season, a playoff rematch between Chicago and Orlando seemed inevitable, with the 1995 playoffs serving as a reminder that the Bulls were no sure thing against the Magic. 

Make the jump to review Orlando's second-round victory against the Bulls during the 1995 NBA Playoffs. 

by: Chris Maynard
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I have watched and reviewed Chicago's 4-1 series victory against the New York in the second round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. 

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

• Game 1 Recap: Chicago 91, New York 84. 
• Game 2 Recap: Chicago 91, New York 80. 
• Game 3 Recap: New York 102, Chicago 99. 
• Game 4 Recap: Chicago 94, New York 91. 
• Game 5 Recap: Chicago 94, New York 81. 

5 Quick Observations/Revelations from Game 5

1. New York lost this game in the first half. With the Bulls off to a slow offensive start with shots not falling, New York had a chance to go up nine in the second quarter but failed to do so. Overall, New York lacked enough urgency to get up on the Bulls, which was not playing all that great. For a team in an elimination game, New York needed more desperation but let the Bulls hang around. 

2. Chicago survives with spurts of offense. Once again, it felt like the Knicks were in control for major parts of this game until the Bulls finished with offensive flurries at the end of the first quarter to tie the game at 18 and the end of the second-quarter to go up six at the break. For a team that couldn't find the offensive rhythm for large chunks of this series, Chicago's ability to go on quick runs really proved huge. The Bulls came out looking to kill in the third quarter and essentially put the game away in that frame.

3. This game was a bit of a snooze to watch. The first half of this game was hard to watch, as Chicago's offense really stalled out and New York did not take advantage.  Chicago had the luxury of feeling things out, New York did not. The second half picked up a bit, but overall, this might have been the most boring game of the series. 

4. Pippen gets hot when it matters. Like in Game Three, Pippen struggled with his shot but got on a couple of quick heaters that really changed the game. Pippen found his shot late in the second quarter and early in the third quarter, which coincided with when the Bulls took control of the game. When Pippen has been scoring in the 1996 playoffs, the Bulls have been virtually unbeatable. 

5. The little things are big. Game Five felt like history repeating itself. New York was playing decent defense while Chicago was struggling to hit shots. Yet the Bulls did all the little things to turn these games, like extending possessions on the offensive glass. Conversely, New York did all of the little things wrong when it mattered, having inopportune turnovers, failing to block out, etc. The Knicks were much closer than this five-game series indicated yet still so far away. 

1. Rebounding: Chicago outrebounded New York 227 to 188 in the series, including having 84 offensive rebounds to New York's 45 rebounds, an astounding +39 in that area, leading to #2.

2. Field Goal Attempts: While New York shot better than the Bulls, 44% to roughly 41%, Chicago had 71 more field goal attempts as a result of the offensive rebounding domination. 

3. Turnovers: New York nearly committed 30 more turnovers than the Bulls this series, (98 to 70), often at the worst times, a credit to the Bulls' defense as well as the Knicks' poor decision making. 

4. Fourth-quarter performances: Each game was close heading into the fourth quarter, where Chicago was the better team with the exception of Game Four, which the Bulls stole late in the game's final two minutes. 

5. Backcourt differential: Jordan averaged 36 points per game this series while John Starks and Derek Harper combined for roughly 25 points. Ron Harper averaged nearly 11 points a game, with Chicago having a 47 to 25 advantage in back-court scoring each game. 

by: Chris Maynard
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Five between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference second-round series of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes. Here is some background about the series so far. 

Game 4 Recap: The series seemed to be on the verge of heading back to Chicago tied at two games apiece before the Bulls stole the game late on a short baseline jumper from Bill Wennington. New York was down double digits early in the fourth quarter before chipping away at the foul line as the officiating was incredibly tight all night long. Patrick Ewing almost carried the Knicks to victory late, but it was ultimately Chicago's works on the offensive boards that proved the difference. Chicago has been +6, +5, +2, and +19 on the offensive boards during the first four games, leading to 60 more shot attempts than the Knicks! 

5 Quick Observations from Game 4

1.  That was weird. In the fourth quarter, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen combined for the same number of points, four, that reserve Bill Wennington gave the Bulls in the last two minutes. Wennington had a dunk and short jumper set up both times by Dennis Rodman of all people to steal Game Four and give Chicago a commanding 3-1 lead. Jordan was 0-for-6 from the field in the fourth and did not score until he hit two free throws with 11 seconds left in the game. Pippen had an alley-oop layup from Jordan with just over a minute left for his only basket in the fourth quarter. Pippen played a rather passive game during which he only took 11 shots. 

2. Dennis Rodman proved his worth during the two games in New York. Rodman played 51 and 41 minutes in Games Three and Four, respectively, staying on the court and avoiding technicals (he had just one early in Game Four). Ten of his 19 rebounds in Game Four came on the offensive glass, where Chicago had a 23-4 advantage against the Knicks. Chicago outrebounded New York 46-28 in Game Four. 

3. Chicago's bench/role players really stepped up. With Toni Kukoc out for the second straight game with a back injury, the Bulls had to steal minutes all night long. Beside Wennington's late heroics, scoring all 4 points late in the game,  Randy Brown contributed 8 points, Steve Kerr 7 points, Jud Buechler 6 points, John Salley 2 points and James Edwards 2 points. Starter Ron Harper had a big game, scoring 18. Chicago got contributions from all who played.

4. Phil Jackson should have played Wennington and Buechler more. Wennington only got 7 minutes and was not inserted in the second half until there was less than two minutes to go. He had been having a very solid series in limited minutes. Despite going 3-for-3 from the field in the second quarter, Buechler did not play in the second half. While Jackson was searching for minutes all night to rest Rodman, Jordan and Pippen, who played so much in Game Three, the Zen Master missed the opportunity to use Wennington and Buechler more. 

5. Ewing did not get the support he needed. While Ewing finished with a game-high 29 points compared to Jordan's 27 points, the Knicks' big man did not have enough support. After scoring 13 points early in the game, Derek Harper finished with 15 points. Anthony Mason had only two shots all night while a frustrated John Starks took a lot of bad shots en route to an inefficient 13 points on 4-for-11 from the field. With the exception of Charles Oakley, who had 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting, the rest of the Knicks were not good enough. As a team New York should have been embarrassed by the poor job it did boxing out Chicago on the boards. 

What I remember from this day of Game Five: This was a Tuesday, the day of my eighth-grade class's big trip to Springfield, Illinois. I remember we had to show up to school at like 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. to board the bus. The day was quite long but fun, as we visited Abraham Lincoln's home and the State Capitol. By the time we got home, it was like 10:30 p.m. My Mom let me skip school the next day. I caught up on sleep, only to be interrupted in the afternoon by a phone call from my Uncle John, who had some good news. My cousin Kaitlyn had just been born, with the baby and my Aunt Donna healthy and doing fine. Amazingly, Kaitlyn is turning 30 today, which we will be celebrating one of these upcoming weekends. 

What I remember from Game Five: We were on the road back from our trip. With no televisions on the charter bus, one of my buddies named Dan got the game on his Walkman radio. He turned it up, and we listened the best we could while driving home. I remember Dan informing us that the Bulls had won and ended the series, which made me extremely happy. Jordan would famously wave goodbye to Spike Lee as the Bulls closed out the series. 

If it's not broken, why fix it? 

After getting off to an amazing 18-2 start through the first 20 games of the 1995-96 season, the Chicago Bulls would follow a similar theme, losing just one game during its next ten contests. 

That loss would come the day after Christmas, to the Indiana Pacers at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Of all the road venues Chicago played in during its championship runs, Market Square Arena always seemed to be the toughest for the Bulls, a notoriously awesome team away from the Chicago Stadium and United Center.  This would be apparent during the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals, when Chicago lost all three games in Indianapolis before prevailing during a tight Game 7 back home. 

Looking back at Games 21-30 of the 1995-96 season, nothing jumps out at me in terms of personal memories, though one thing certainly caught my eye. Chicago did not play on Christmas Day, which seemed odd. On December 25, 1995, NBC broadcasted a doubleheader of San Antonio versus Phoenix and Houston at Orlando, a rematch of the 1995 NBA Finals. It seems odd that the schedule makers did not have Chicago and Orlando face off on Christmas Day as the Magic had defeated the Bulls in six games during the second-round of the 1995 NBA Playoffs. 

Speaking of Houston, the defending two-time champion, Chicago would meet the Rockets during this stretch, winning 100-86 at home. As this game was on cable and during the school week, I wasn't able to watch it, though I remember being ecstatic seeing that the Bulls had won during the 10 p.m. news. By defeating Houston during the first game of the new calendar year, Chicago was sending a message that it was going to reclaim what had been the Bulls three of the last five seasons, the NBA championship. 

I have "scoured" the Internet, specifically YouTube, for Games 21-30, with only two full games missing from this stretch, though highlights have been included. 

by: Chris Maynard
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Four between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference second-round series of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes. Here is some background about the series so far. 

Game 3 Recap: A Saturday afternoon matinee, Game Three was very similar to the first two games of the series, with a few exceptions. Rather than the Chicago Bulls getting out to an early lead, the New York Knicks were the team to do so at Madison Square Garden. New York seemed to be on cruise control with a 13-point lead with about five minutes to go, but the Knicks were done in again by fourth-quarter issues as Chicago stormed back behind Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Jordan hit a three with just under 20 seconds to go to tie the game, and the Bulls had a final shot to win in regulation. Luckily for New York, Chicago did not muster much of a good look, and the game went to overtime. Unlike the first two games of the series, Knicks' center Patrick Ewing was big when the game mattered most, scoring 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Ewing made two big baskets in overtime to give the Knicks a 98-97 lead that it would not relinquish. The Knicks were led by John Starks, who broke out of a shooting slump from the first two games to score 30 points. After having chances to steal Games One and Two, New York finally broke through in Game Three, which the Bulls almost stole late in regulation. With Game Four happening within 24 hours of a Game Three classic, the Knicks seemed to have some momentum on their side. Down Toni Kukoc again, would the Bulls be able to respond, especially after Dennis Rodman and Jordan played more than 50 minutes in Game Three? 

1) Of the six games I have reviewed so far during the Bulls' championship run during the 1996 NBA Playoffs, this was by far the most exciting to rewatch. It's been 30 years, but the intense atmosphere of Madison Square Garden could still be felt today. For my money there was no better team than the Knicks to watch the Bulls play on the road in the playoffs back then. What an atmosphere! 

2) While the modern NBA is about all player maintenance and load management, Game Three harkened back to when players were warriors. Rodman, Jordan and Pippen played 52, 51 and 49 minutes, respectively, despite being in their thirties as Toni Kukoc was out with a back injury. Four out of five Knicks starters played at least 40 minutes, with the lone exception being Derek Harper, who played 39 minutes. Game Three reminded me of a time when NBA players had pride, winning took precedent before anything else, and the game meant something to these players.  

3) Starks and Ewing deserve flowers for their Game Three performances. Starks was active from the jump, scoring the first two points of the game on a jumper, after really struggling the first two games in Chicago. Ewing responded from his fourth-quarter struggles to do whatever it took to win Game Three. 

4) Whenever people want to have the G.O.A.T. debate, turn on the fourth quarter of Game Three and watch Jordan go to work in the final five minutes. That was something to behold. Jordan had 16 of his 46 points in the fourth quarter. As for Pippen, he continued to shake off rough shooting performances to deliver when it mattered in the fourth quarter. Jordan and Pippen scored 35 of Chicago's 39 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, certainly looking like the greatest duo the game has ever seen. 

5) Bill Wennington and Steve Kerr continued to have under-the-radar good series against the Knicks. In limited minutes Wennington did some nice things for the third straight game. It was no coincidence that Wennington was the first Bulls' big off the bench in Game Three after his production in the first two games. Wennington's familiarity with Ewing, having played against the Georgetown legend while at St. John's, was certainly a factor in his solid play. As for Kerr, he hit some important shots to keep the Bulls within striking distance during the first three quarters. His back-to-back steals of Charlie Ward and John Starks reveal how Kerr was a hard worker on defense for not being the biggest or quickest guy out there. Overall, Kerr gave the Bulls 25 solid minutes on a night he was needed with Kukoc out. While Kerr's significance on these Bulls' title teams is overblown nowadays, given his status as Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors, he deserves credit for playing well through the first three games of this series. 

What I remember from Game Four: Of course, it was Mother's Day so I watched this game with family at my grandparents' house as we celebrated the special occasion. I remember being very stressed this game, which went back-and-forth throughout the fourth quarter, thinking at one point that New  York was going to win and even the series at two. I think I was having flashbacks of Game Four of 1992 second-round series between the Knicks and Bulls. That game was also played at Madison Square Garden on Mother's Day, with my family watching at my grandparents' house. Thankfully, the Bulls would experience a different fate in 1996, with Wennington hitting a go-ahead jumper to give Chicago the victory during another tight contest. 

by: Chris Maynard
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Three between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference second-round series of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes. Here is some background about the first and second games of this series.

Game 1 Recap: Chicago held on for a 91-84 victory despite playing maybe its worst team game of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. The Bulls came out blazing in the first and second quarter, leading by as many as 15 points, with Michael Jordan scoring 15 points during the game's first twelve minutes. Give credit to the Knicks, which got the game back to its style the rest of the second and third quarters. New York got hot from the field and closed the rebounding gap. The fourth-quarter was back and forth, but Chicago did just enough behind Jordan's 44 points while New York went cold in the game's final five minutes. All in all, the Knicks played the better team game, but Chicago had the best player on the court in Jordan.  

Game 2 Recap: Don't be deceived by the final score of Chicago's 91-80 victory in Game Two. The Bulls only led by two points after three quarters. After struggling from the field through the first six quarters of the series, Scottie Pippen was a major catalyst in the fourth quarter of Game Two as Chicago outscored the Knicks 27-10 at one point to put the game away. The game got chippy halfway through the fourth quarter as Patrick Ewing and Bulls Assistant Head Coach Jim Cleamons were hit with double technical fouls. Ultimately, Ewing and the Knicks' offense went missing in the last 12 minutes as the Bulls ratcheted up their defense. Michael Jordan led Chicago with 28 points while Dennis Rodman had his best game so far in the playoffs, notching 19 rebounds. 

5 Quick Observations from Game Two 

1. New York had to be feeling discouraged leaving Chicago down two games. The Knicks had legitimate shots during the first two games, giving Chicago problems defensively and hanging around. Unfortunately, New York's offense, especially Patrick Ewing, was nowhere to be found in the fourth quarters of both games. New York only scored 15 points in the fourth quarter of Game One, going scoreless for the last 5 minutes. In Game Two, New York got outscored by 17 points in the fourth quarter, until making up some ground with some meaningless points during garbage time. So far the Knicks had been close in this series but unable to get over the hump when it mattered.

2. Chicago has been doing a great job on the offensive glass. Offensively, the Bulls have not been playing that well, with Scottie Pippen and Toni Kukoc really struggling from the floor. However, Chicago has done a great job at the start of games pounding the offensive boards, which have led to a lot of second-chance points. In Game Two, Jordan made a more concerted effort to get the ball on the offensive glass, leading to several easy baskets. At times, Chicago's best offense has come off of second-chance points and points off turnovers. Chicago had 18 offensive boards in each of the first two games! 

3. Give credit to New York's half-court defense. The Knicks have really made the Bulls' offense uncomfortable in the half court. In the third quarter of Game Two, Chicago was turning the ball over left and right. In fact, I cannot remember Jordan and Pippen having lost the ball so many times. While he has struggled offensively, John Starks had a really nice defensive performance in Game Two, providing great help-line defense. 

4. Rodman breaks out. Just like Jordan was due for a big scoring game entering Game One of this series, Rodman was due for a big rebounding game. After only averaging 6 boards per game during the first round sweep of Miami, Rodman is averaging 15.5 boards through the first two games. While Rodman has been frustrated and limited at points due to fouls, he has done a good controlling his emotions and having better focus this series. 

5. Ewing struggles when it matters. Ewing is one of the greatest centers of all time, one of the greatest superstars to never win a championship. In the first three quarters of Games One and Two, Ewing has been arguably the second best player on the floor, behind Jordan. However, his lack of impact during the fourth quarter was apparent in both games and is something that I remember a lot from the Georgetown product throughout his playoff career against the Bulls. In the first two games, Ewing scored 3 combined points in the fourth quarters of Games One and Two. 

What I remember from the day of Game Three: I know this was a Saturday afternoon game, at 12 p.m. central time in Chicago on NBC. This was an early game for the Bulls, who would play the Knicks again in less than 24 hours. I remember watching this game upstairs in my room. I had to take a break for a bit and help my Dad unload some slabs he was laying down on the small basketball court in my backyard. Basically, the court was the width of a lane; it was very small, but I got good at shooting free throws out in my yard on that rim. After helping my Dad, I watched the rest of the game. 

What I remember from Game Three: It felt like New York was in control the entire game, with the Bulls hanging around, though. I do remember Jordan hitting a tough three to send the game to overtime, where New York prevailed to cut the series in half. 

Here is Game Three between the Bulls and Knicks. 

Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful Moms out there, especially my:

• Beautiful Mom.
• Incredible sister. 
  
• Dedicated sister-in-law. 
• Amazing aunts. 
• Selfless cousins. 
• Dearest friends. 
• Female teaching colleagues. 

One great thing about my childhood during the late eighties and early nineties was watching the Bulls move through the playoffs, with several notable games taking place on Mother's Day. 

Each Mother's Day my family would usually gather with the families of my Mom's three sisters. We would either go out to a nice restaurant for dinner or have a party at one of our houses, where typically the Bulls were playing during the playoffs. 

In fact, Game Four of the second-round series between the Bulls and Knicks took place on Mother's Day 1996. I will be covering that game on Tuesday of this week. 

Gathering to watch Bulls' playoff games with family on Mother's Day, during Holy Communions, for the NBA Finals and other special occasions is something I cherished as a child and reflect upon fondly as a middle-aged adult. 

Make the jump to read about several Mother's Day memories I have of watching the Bulls during the 1990s. 

Prior to Game 2 of the 1996 second-round series between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls, Head Coach Phil Jackson was awarded the IBM Head Coach of the Year award. Amazingly, this would be the first and only time Jackson would win the Coach of the Year award despite winning 11 championships as a Head Coach. 

I don't know about you, but the fact that Jackson won just one Head Coach of the Year award is pretty insulting and probably reflective of how he was envied and disliked by others throughout the league. 

To some Jackson has been characterized as a guy who only won with some of the greatest players in the history of basketball. Michael Jordan. Scottie Pippen. Dennis Rodman. Shaquille O'Neal. Kobe Bryant. 

To others Jackson is the greatest coach of all time, the Zen Master, a guru at managing egos and building winning cultures. 

As Jackson went to the Los Angeles Lakers, became a bit Hollywood, and won win with teams that were not as good as his Bulls' teams, I started to feel that maybe Jackson was a bit overrated, a guy who was the product of the superstars around him, and certainly lucky to be in the right place at the right time. 

Over time, I have softened my stance on Jackson, realizing just how phenomenal he was with the Bulls. Jackson always had a wonderful feel for his teams and coached them accordingly. Chicago was always focused and prepared when it mattered, with Jackson setting the emotional tone.

Early in his tenure, Jackson was willing to take a backseat behind Jordan and Pippen, and not be the story. As his career progressed, especially with the Lakers, Jackson became more of the story and could come off as pompous, superior and even bigger than the game. As his success grew, his ego did as well. 

Upon reflection I wonder if how I felt about Jackson as the Lakers' Head Coach was how Knicks' fans felt about Jackson as the Bulls' Head Coach.

Make the jump to read more about how Phil Jackson's genius could be a blessing and curse in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.  

While reviewing Game Two between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls, I got a great kick out of an improbable fourth-quarter interaction that took place, which made me want to write about one of the involved "combatants." 

Roughly halfway through the fourth quarter of the Bulls' eventual 91-80 victory against the Knicks, New York set up to inbound the ball in front of the Chicago bench. Positioning to set a back screen, New York center Patrick Ewing suddenly and aggressively stormed his way toward the Bulls' bench, as if he was going to fight someone. Ewing's target wasn't a player, rather, it was Chicago Assistant Coach Jim Cleamons, who rose to his feet with no fear of the 7-footer heading his way. 

Fortunately for all involved, Bulls' Center Luc Longley got in the way of the angry Ewing, who along with Cleamons received a technical foul. Prior to the testy exchange, Chicago had been called for three straight defensive fouls on that possession, and Ewing and Cleamons began having words. Apparently, Ewing did not like something Cleamons said and was ready to throw hands with the Chicago assistant.   

Whatever was said between Cleamons and Ewing, the moment added fuel to a fired-up United Center as the Bulls were in the midst of blowing out a lead that was just two-points at the end of the third quarter. What had been a back-and-forth contest now had the true feel of a Bulls-Knicks playoff game thanks to this fiery moment between Ewing and Cleamons. 

Cleamons' surprising, funny and, quite frankly, badass altercation with Ewing got me thinking about his time on the bench with the Bulls as one of Phil Jackson's trusted assistants, and the strange turn his coaching career took after the 1996 NBA playoffs. 

Make the jump to read more about Cleamons' strange career trajectory following his time with the Bulls. 

by: Chris Maynard
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Two between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference second-round series of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes. Here is some background about the first and second games of this series.

Game 1 Recap: Chicago held on for a 91-84 victory despite playing maybe its worst team game of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. The Bulls came out blazing in the first and second quarter, leading by as many as 15 points, with Michael Jordan scoring 15 points during the game's first twelve minutes. Give credit to the Knicks, which got the game back to its style the rest of the second and third quarters. New York got hot from the field and closed the rebounding gap. The fourth-quarter was back and forth, but Chicago did just enough behind Jordan's 44 points while New York went cold in the game's final five minutes. All in all, the Knicks played the better team game, but Chicago had the best player on the court in Jordan.  

5 Quick Observations from Game 1 

1. Jordan breaks out. After watching Jordan get off to hot starts in Games Two and Three against the Miami Heat, only to be slowed down by a tight back, this scoring outburst in Game One was due. Jordan absolutely torched the Knicks with his patented post-up and fadeaway game. It had to be crushing as Knicks' fans all those years to have no answer for Jordan, who would seemingly beat New York at least once by himself per playoff series. 

2. Pippen stuffs the stat sheet during a "poor" performance. Scottie Pippen had a rough shooting night, going only 4-for-15 from the field. He didn't even make my five stars of the game. Yet Pippen nearly had another triple double, scoring 11 points, grabbing 10 boards, dishing out 7 assists, getting 2 steals and blocking 1 shot. Even on an off night, Pippen impacted the game in so many ways. 

3. The Ron Harper appreciation society. Ron Harper has really stood out to me rewatching these Bulls playoff games. His defense was really at another level. After shutting down Tim Hardaway following the first half of Game One of the first-round series against the Heat, Harper put the clamps on John Starks, who was 0-for-9 from the field, including 5 misses from three, en route to a measly four points. Starks had set a then NBA record with 14 threes during the Knicks' first-round sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers before Harper got his hooks into him. 

4. A more focused Rodman? Dennis Rodman had a very mature game, getting 12 rebounds while being saddled with fouls. It was apparent that Rodman was focused for the start of this series against the respected Knicks, grabbing 6 rebounds in the first quarter before getting saddled with fouls. While Rodman had yet to break out in the playoffs, his ability to avoid a technical in Game One was a good sign of a player bringing a better mental edge against a more difficult opponent. 

5. A game effort but missed opportunity for the Knicks. Honestly, New York played a very strong Game One, rebounding from a rough 15 minutes to start the game and dictating the pace, tempo and style of play the rest of the way. Derek Harper had a great all-around game as did Charles Oakley. Ewing was very good but came up a bit short in the fourth quarter when it mattered. For New York to have any chance, Anthony Mason and Starks would need to contribute more. As an aside, I absolutely loved these Knicks' road uniforms with the orange stripe down the side. 

What I remember from this day of Game Two: Honestly, I don't remember much of this day and game. I know it was a Tuesday game so I had school earlier that day. As this game was on cable, I didn't watch Game Two at the time. I might have listened to it on the radio and certainly found out the Bulls' won during the 10 o'clock news. Honestly, this is one of the rare playoff games from the 1990s Bulls that I do not have much recollection. Sorry to disappoint. :-(  

by Chris Maynard 
([email protected])

The second round series between the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks in the 1996 NBA Playoffs is a great time to discuss not only the renewed rivalry but an important trade between the two organizations that would be felt years later. 

On June 27, 1988 the Bulls traded popular power forward Charles Oakley to the Knicks for oft-injured center Bill Cartwright. As part of the deal, Chicago also sent its first-round pick, #19 overall, to New York in exchange for the Knicks' first-round pick, #11 overall. The Bulls also received a third-round pick that proved inconsequential. 

With the 11th pick the following night in the 1988 NBA Draft, Chicago picked center Will Perdue out of Vanderbilt. The Knicks selected Bronx basketball legend Rod Strickland out of DePaul with the 19th pick. 

While I was only seven years old at the time, I have read enough to know that this trade was not well-received by Bulls' fans and players. I remember reading in Sam Smith's amazing The Jordan Rules that Jordan was quite upset about the trade, which he heard about while watching Mike Tyson fight Michael Spinks in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

Serving as Michael Jordan's enforcer on the court, Oakley was a rugged rebounder who actually led the NBA in total rebounds during the 1987-88 season. While only entering his third season at the time, Oakley was a "grizzled" veteran who bullied but looked out for Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant during their rookie seasons. 

On and off the court, Oakley was Jordan's best friend and bodyguard, coming to his aid when MJ was thrown to the ground by Bill Laimbeer and other cheap shot artists on the Detroit Pistons. According to my Uncle Dennis, who was in his late teens at the time Jordan and Oakley were on the Bulls together from 1985-1988, MJ and the Oak Tree would play billiards at a pool hall in my neighborhood before driving to games at the old Chicago Stadium. Whether fact or fiction, the story certainly caught my attention many years later. 

From what I remember of Oakley on the Bulls, he was always ready to mix it up, not the most refined offensive player at the time but someone who gave an honest, hard effort every night, something that goes over quite well in Chicago.  One of my earliest memories of the Bulls as a kid was when Oakley grabbed 30 rebounds in a game. That seemed like a lot of rebounds to young me, meaning Oakley had to be an awesome player. I knew for sure he was never afraid to fight, often getting into altercations with a young Charles Barkley on the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Ultimately, Oakley seemed to be a major part of a rising Bulls' team that had upset the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs before losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games during the second round. However, Bulls General Manger Jerry Krause saw things differently, knowing the team had a gaping hole at center.

Never afraid to due something unpopular as he was unpopular, Krause decided to trade Oakley for a center whose best days seemed behind him. 

Make the jump to read how the unpopular trade of Oakley for Cartwright proved to be a shrewd move by Krause. 

by: Chris Maynard
([email protected]) 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game One between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference second round series of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes. Here is some background about this game. 

What I remember from this day: My grade school St. Bart's had a baseball game against a rival school Immaculate Conception, actually a doubleheader early this Sunday morning. Coached by my Dad, our eighth-grade team had not won a game yet this season. However, we jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first game of the doubleheader. Somehow, we lost the game. In the second game, I pitched decent. I remember the leadoff hitter on the other team bunted the ball, which I ran down and threw to first base. My throw was a bit wide, causing our first baseman to clothesline the runner accidentally. Apparently, this didn't sit to well with my opponents. A few innings later, I reached base on a walk. As I got to the bag, the first baseman looked at me and spoke under his breath, calling me a "Little Punk." I laughed at the bully first baseman. By the way, we lost and finished without a win, though it was a very fun season. My Dad was a great coach who let us have fun. Unfortunately, we were an unmotivated group of eighth graders who weren't that good at baseball.  

As a side note, St. Bart's and IC had a big basketball rivalry when I was in grade school. In seventh grade, we won all three games against the Cowboys, which beat us all three games in eighth grade. I remember getting slammed into a wall on a fastbreak against IC that season, resulting in a flagrant foul. While not as physical as the Bulls and Knicks, St. Bart's and IC did not like each other. 

What I remember from this game:  As the second game of the doubleheader winded down, I remember my friend Todd's Dad talking about the upcoming Bulls' game with me through the dugout fence. Todd's Dad mentioned that he heard Jordan might not play because of his bad back. I was taken aback, thinking there was no way Jordan would miss the game. Now I was feeling a bit worried. Anyways, my Dad dropped off several of my teammates at their homes and we got back in time to watch Game One. From what I remember, the game was a bit sloppy, though the Bulls pulled it out in the fourth quarter, with Jordan having a big game as I suspected he would. 

Here is Game One between the Knicks and Bulls. I highly suggest watching the opening promo from NBC. It gets me pumped up 30 years later. 

After sweeping Pat Riley's new team, the Miami Heat, during the first round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs, the Chicago Bulls prepared to face Riley's old team, the hated New York Knicks, in the second round. 

In its prior first-round series, the five-seeded Knicks had swept the four-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, which would have been a more preferable opponent for the Bulls. While Chicago was superior to both teams, the Bulls could guarantee that a series against the Knicks would be physical and chippy, with winning on the road at Madison Square Garden never easy. 

At this point in the nineties, the Knicks and Bulls had developed the NBA's best rivalry, meeting four of the last five playoffs in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994. While Chicago had never lost to New York in the playoffs with Michael Jordan on the team, the Bulls had their three-year title reign ended by the Knicks in 1994 when a retired Jordan was off trying his hand at minor-league baseball. 

While New York retained Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, Derek Harper, Anthony Mason and John Starks from that 1994 team that topped the Bulls and lost in seven games to the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals, this 95-96 Knicks' squad was not as potent but still dangerous, even with first-year Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy on the sidelines. 

Replacing the fired Don Nelson midway through the 95-96 season, Van Gundy earned his first victory as New York's head man against none other than the Bulls during a Sunday, March 10, 1996 game on NBC. I remember watching this game as New York thoroughly whipped the Bulls from start to finish, winning 110 to 72. The game was so bad that my Dad and I threw in the towel early in the third quarter, choosing to go shopping for a suit for my eighth-grade Confirmation. Trust me, both of us did not have the patience to go shopping for clothes together, but that seemed to be the better alternative than continuing to watch the Bulls get dominated, a rare sight that season. For context, Chicago won three of four games against New York during the 1995-96 season. 

With this game and the playoff history between the two teams in mind, I knew the Knicks would be a tough out for the Bulls in the 1996 postseason, though I was not as scared as I was during the 1993 and 1994 playoffs. 

Make the jump to review the playoff rivalry between the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks during the 1990s. 

After losing Dennis Rodman to a torn calf muscle following the third game of the 1995-96 season, the Chicago Bulls hardly missed a beat, going 9-1 through the first ten games, with the only loss coming to the Orlando Magic. 

Chicago would go 9-1 during its next stretch of 10 games, losing only at the Seattle SuperSonics on Sunday, November 26, 1995, which was my fourteenth birthday. I remember this day fondly as I watched the Chicago Bears beat the New York Giants earlier that afternoon and then went out to dinner with my parents, brother and sister. While we were leaving the pizza restaurant Suparossa, I remember catching the Bulls-Sonics game on the television. The Bulls were up at that point of the game so I assumed another victory was in store. As I didn't have cable to watch the game at home, I was surprised to open the newspaper the next morning to see that the Bulls had lost to the Sonics. 

Speaking of memorable games, Chicago seemed like it was going to suffer its third-loss of the season to the lowly Vancouver Grizzlies, an expansion team, on Thursday, November 30, 1995. For my birthday, my parents had given me my own television for my upstairs bedroom, which I shared with my brother. It's safe to say I spent many nights watching television way too late in my room when I should have been sleeping for school the next day. Consider this the case with the Bulls-Grizzlies game. 

It was a Thursday night game on Chicago's WGN-Channel 9. I believed it started at 9:30 p.m., meaning it didn't end until around midnight. As I watched the game unfold, I couldn't believe the Bulls were losing to this Grizzlies' team. The last game of the team's infamous Circus Trip, when the team would play on the West Coast as the Ringling Bros. Circus was at the United Center, the Bulls seemed disinterested, that is, until Michael Jordan essentially decided in the fourth quarter that he was not losing to the Vancouver Grizzlies. Jordan went off and put together one of the most incredible performances I had ever seen, single-handedly beating the Grizzlies. It was crazy, and one of my fondest memories of the 1995-96 regular season. 

I do remember watching the Bulls' next game against the Los Angeles Clippers on the following Saturday night. The Bulls cruised to a victory, with Scottie Pippen having a nasty dunk on Terry Dehere and one Clippers' player standing out to me. Center Brian Williams, who would later become Bison Dele, was giving the Bulls' some problems in the frontcourt. I was impressed and ecstatic when the Bulls would sign Williams late the following season as a depth piece prior to the 1997 NBA Playoffs. 

Back home on December 6, 1995, Rodman returned to the Bulls' lineup, helping Chicago to a win against a familiar Eastern Conference foe, the hated New York Knicks, whom the Bulls would play in the second round, which I will be reviewing this week. Two nights later, the Spurs came to town, with the Bulls handling Rodman's former team. I remember sleeping over at my friend Leo's house on this night, watching the game and then waking up the next morning to play a basketball game for our grade school. Unlike the Bulls against the Spurs, my St. Bart's team lost, unfortunately, to some school that had five players as tall as our team's tallest player Todd. 

Also in this stretch of games the Bulls would avenge an early-season loss to the Magic with a home victory. Unfortunately, most of the early season games were on cable, meaning that I would either have to listen on the radio or wait until 10:20 p.m. when the local sports broadcasts would clue me in as to whether or not the Bulls had won. Remember this was before the Internet, which was at least three years away from entering my house. 

I have "scoured" the Internet, specifically YouTube, for Games 11-20, with only two full games missing from this stretch, though highlights have been included. 

Make the jump to view Games 11-20 and link to the box scores as Chicago gets off to an amazing 18-2 start to the 1995-96 season. 

I have watched and reviewed Chicago's three game sweep in the first round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. 

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

• Game 1 recap: Chicago 102, Miami 85. 
• Game 2 recap: Chicago 106, Miami 75. 
• Game 3 recap: Chicago 112, Miami 91. 
  

5 Quick Observations/Revelations from Game 3

1. Whenever people doubt Scottie Pippen's greatness, have them watch this game. Pippen was incredible from start to finish, serving as the ultimate connector on offense and defense, with a triple double of 22 points, 18 rebounds (8 on the offensive glass) and 10 assists. He was everywhere on the court. At one point early in the third quarter, Pippen had 15 rebounds while the entire Heat team had 16! 

2. Chicago's Triangle Offense was a thing of beauty on this night, with no wasted dribbles, superior ball movement and open shots sustained by crisp, off-ball cutting. The Bulls shot 50% for the game (40-for-80 from the field), though that percentage would have been much higher if not for some missed shots during the fourth quarter, which was pretty much garbage time. What is amazing about the Triangle was that even when Chicago had its subs in the fourth quarter, the Bulls were still getting open shots. What a beautiful offense. 

3. If Michael Jordan had not tweaked his back near the end of the second quarter of Game Two, he would have gone off for 40 in either of the last two games. Still, Jordan and 29 and 26 points, respectively, in the last two games, which were pretty much not competitive in the second halves. The Bulls did not need Jordan to put his foot down late in any of these games. Still, when Jordan applied himself, he scored at will. Poor Rex Chapman and Tony Smith had no chance guarding Jordan. 

4. There's a reason why Chicago never lost a first-round game during six championship seasons in the nineties, going 18-0 during that time. The Bulls meant business and never played around with inferior opponents. When it was time to put a team away, the Bulls did that. They never coasted or rested on their laurels. They understood the value of ending series early and getting rest. That was seen in Game Three against Miami as the Bulls were laser focused and clicking on both ends despite the Heat getting off to a decent start. 

5. I absolutely loved the old Miami Heat court. It was so cool looking, especially the jump ball circle with the barely distinguishable center circle. The court was so simple yet it popped out much better than these awful courts of today (see the fiascos of the NBA Cup). 

Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Three between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls in the first round of the Eastern Conference of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes. Here is some background about the second game of this series. 

Game 2 Recap: After winning the first game by 17 points, Chicago dominated Game Two from start to finish, humiliating Miami by 31 points. The Heat showed very little resistance or pride on defense as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen did whatever they wanted on the court. This game was a laugher, with the second half borderline unwatchable due to tight whistles. Jordan did tweak his back in the second quarter of Game Two, though he looked more fluid throughout the third quarter. 

5 Quick Observations/Revelations from Game 2: 

1) Miami really showed a lack of competitiveness in the second game. After picking up seven technicals as a team during Game One, the Heat lacked much fire in Game Two. In contrast, the Chicago Bulls showed their championship mettle, coming out to deliver a knockout punch from the start. Amazingly, during the Bulls' six title runs, Chicago never lost a first-round game, going 18-0. This perfect record makes sense considering how hungry and focused the Bulls were in Game Two. 

2) The United Center could never hold a candle to the old Chicago Stadium, one of the loudest venues to ever watch a sporting event in person or on television. With that said, the UC crowd was quite revved up for Game Two, with a local promotion giving away Bulls' clackers. The fans were quite loud as Miami shot free throws. Rewatching Game Two was quite fun in this regard, making me remember how electric watching Bulls' games used to be, even from your living room couch. 

3) Game Two almost had the feel of a second half of a tightly whistled NCAA Tournament game. Trying to prevent any physical altercations, the refs called fouls on seemingly every possession in the third quarter, making the game very hard to watch and leading to very little flow with Chicago up by nearly 30 points. 

4) Dennis Rodman got ejected in the third quarter with the game well out of hand after picking up his second technical foul while barking at Mourning. For Rodman, this was a well-timed ejection that didn't hurt the Bulls. If my memory serves me right, Rodman would have his best game of the series in Game Three. Through the first two games, Rodman had three technical fouls. 

5) While Mourning was a talented player, he was so immature against the Bulls, which always got into his head. At different points of the game, Chicago's various stars were talking at him, with Jordan chirping at him at the free throw line in the second quarter, Pippen having a few words at some point, and Rodman essentially telling him to bleep off before his ejection. The Bulls always got under Mourning's skin, which would be apparent the following season during the 1997 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Heat Head Coach Pat Riley looked like a dog waiting to be put out of his misery during Game Two as Mourning, Tim Hardaway and others seemed to be in a different world. 

What I remember from the day of Game Three: I remember it was a Wednesday. After school on Wednesdays, eighth-grade me would pick up my sister from kindergarten and walk to my Uncle John's and Aunt Donna's house, which was like a block from our school. Typically my younger brother Tim, cousin Brian and I would play basketball outside or on a mini-rim at the house until my Dad would pick us up from his work. Somehow on this Wednesday, I convinced my Dad to let me go to Brian's baseball practice. After baseball practice, my Uncle John took us out for a pizza at a restaurant named Stevie D's that didn't last too long to watch the Bulls and Heat in Game Three. I remember watching with excitement for the Bulls but some nerves as I had a science test the next morning that I needed to study for. After getting home around 9:30 p.m., I crammed for my test, which I think I did well on the next day. 

What I remember from Game Three between the Heat and Bulls: I think this was a tight game, at least at the start, with the Heat showing some pride back in Miami. The Miami fans were pretty loud, though the Bulls didn't blink. While Mourning would have his best game of the series, Chicago would be propelled by a laser-focused Jordan and aggressive Rodman, who dominated the glass from what I remember. The Bulls would finish off the sweep rather comfortably in a game that's final score was not revealing of how difficult this game truly was. For me, the victory was quite satisfying, as there was nothing better for 14-year-old me than watching the Bulls win in the playoffs while eating pizza, something I experienced many, many times during my youth.

Here is Game Three between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls, from the first round in the Eastern Conference of the 1996 NBA Playoffs.