In a way, it was those final moments in New York, the last play in Madison Square Garden that has really capsulized this season up until now.
First Michael Jordan, then Horace Grant and finally Scottie Pippen turned away Charles Smith’s last attempts at the basket. The mighty Bulls triumvirate beating the odds. The nucleus of this team swatting away the Knicks’ last chances as if they represented every plague of this season.
For Jordan, it may have personified the boredom of the early season, the fatigue that later showed itself in the form of intermittent shooting slumps and, finally, the aggravation of off-court problems and a seeming loss of control over it all.
For Grant, perhaps getting New York out of his system meant exorcising the lingering doubts about his future and the way he went about addressing them-from complaining publicly about double standards early in the season to brooding over his contract status to an uncharacteristic distancing of himself from the media.
And for Pippen, those last two blocks may have represented an in-your-face to all those who doubted his toughness, his tenacity, his abilities in the clutch. No doubt, they also went a long way toward erasing the memory of a long, tiring season with a chronically sore ankle after a long, tiring Olympic run and another long, tiring season.
Jordan, said Bulls assistant coach Johnny Bach, came back “overburdened by everything.” Jordan took time off from training camp and lamented that the fun had gone out of the game, but eventually worked his way into the season. Despite the occasional lapses, he still carried this Bulls team during the tough times, still took over when the need arose and still led the league in scoring, tying Wilt Chamberlain’s mark with seven consecutive years on top.
Going into the New York series, Jordan was fresh off his heroic game-winning jumper over Cleveland’s Gerald Wilkins, which clinched the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
He talked about creating new obstacles for himself to alleviate the monotony of a gloriously consistent career.
“This is a proving ground for me,” he said, “and I’ve taken it as that-a challenge. I’ve been presented with different challenges all through the playoffs and I’ve taken that and I’ve had some great results, which I’ve been very fortunate with. But as a competitor, you look for challenges in everything you do and every minute that you live. And now is another ultimate challenge and I’m pretty sure some others will come up during the playoffs. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I enjoyed the challenges and I look forward to it every night.”
Of course, he could not know that the challenges he would face would have less to do with the Knicks and more to do with his new enemy, the media. First he fought allegations that he had been out all night in an Atlantic City casino before Game 2, then ultimately surrendered by not speaking at all.
What followed, sandwiched around the release of a book that centers on allegations of Jordan’s exorbitant golf bets, was a series in which he was faced with more defensive pressure than perhaps ever in his career. He responded with subpar shooting numbers, but increases in assists and a dedication to get his teammates involved.
What resulted was the Bulls’ biggest victory of the series and, eventually, the series clincher. And in between, just to show that he had not lost it, came a mere 54-point game, the fourth-highest-scoring playoff game of his career.
“One of the main reasons for our success is that I finally have some support and (enough) confidence in that support that I’m willing to be passive,” he said earlier this season. “It used to be tough for me to acknowledge that because I didn’t see that support yet. A lot of people say it’s hard to coach Michael Jordan or whatever because of his capabilities as a player, but I don’t agree with that. I’ve always been receptive to whatever role you ask me to play. I never felt I had to fulfill this role, but it’s always happened that I have.”
On May 29, Jordan decided that he had said enough and stopped speaking to the media. After the Knicks series, teammate Scott Williams assured reporters that Jordan was not missing out on any of the joy of the experience.
“Michael might not be expressing himself in front of (the media) anymore,” said Williams, “but he expresses himself plenty to us, believe me. He’s very happy. He wants to separate himself from the other elite superstars in the game. And for him, I think the final chapter is a third ring.”
For Pippen, the final chapter is a long way off, as he is looking to be in every bit of his prime. When Jordan’s shot was off in the Knicks series, it was Pippen who stepped up. When the situation has called for a big block or a steal, more often than not it has been Pippen who has provided the Bulls with stability this postseason.
“The way he is playing right now,” said Bach, “I would call him one of the best, if not the very best, point forwards in the league. He couldn’t do it before because of his ankle, but he is getting lift off either foot for dramatic finishes on the basket and doing things only the best penetrators do, and from the backcourt.
“He has a lot of pop to his shot right now, good rotation. He will be like Michael, a much better shooter as he goes along.”
For Pippen, a long, often unfulfilling regular season has given way to a terrific postseason, but you won’t get him to say he has turned any corners.
“I don’t really look at it like I came through,” he said. “I don’t feel I have anything to prove when I go out and play. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care what the media has to say about how I play. We went out and we had success and that’s the only way I can see it. I don’t feel I did anything special or spectacular in the (New York) series that I haven’t done in the past.
“I just don’t feel like I have to prove myself. When we win, we all look good, no matter who shines the brightest. We’ve all had success.”
And now it is Grant’s turn, says Bulls coach Phil Jackson. With a marquee defensive matchup looming in the NBA Finals with the Phoenix Suns and Charles Barkley, all the strength, speed and athleticism Grant possesses will be on display. Against the Knicks, he was manhandled at times by the likes of Charles Oakley. But with his sprained right ankle healing nicely, this is his chance.
“I think this is Horace’s time to step up,” Jackson said. “The last one was Scottie’s and this one is for Horace because of his matchup with Barkley, the fact that he has to be an offensive threat and get back on the boards again and do the job for us on the offensive putbacks. His ability to turn the series around like he did in L.A. (two years ago) and in Portland last year is going to be dramatic for us to win the series.”
Behind him for now is the anguish of a player trying to evaluate his worth and not let it distract him at the same time. Unrestricted free agency beckons at the end of next season, and a large contract offer from someone is certain to be forthcoming. But for now, other matters are at hand.
“Horace learns the fire is hot by putting his hands in it,” said the always perceptive Bach. “But he has a big heart and his play borders on All-Star level. In the summer, he has to work on his penetration and postup moves. That’s the only thing keeping him from All-Star status.”
Otherwise, this trio is in it together, coming from different places, perhaps, but heading in the same direction, trying to lead this Bulls team into history.
“We’re enjoying this,” said Pippen. “We’ve been here for a while and we treat each other like brothers. And we try to go out together and have as much success together as we can.”
