Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls Turned Championship Dreams into Nightmares

How often do you hear this: “If not for Michael Jordan and the Bulls, (fill in the blank) would have won at least one championship”? I don’t think there has been any team in the history of the league to defeat and prevent near championship teams from ever reaching their potential. Here’s a quick rundown of the victims:

The Cleveland Cavaliers
There are several factors that led to the demise of the Cavaliers championship dreams. Some of it had to do with injuries (see: Brad Daugherty’s back), while some of it had to do with bad management (see: Ron Harper for Danny Ferry). But mainly, the Cavaliers never reached their championship potential because the Chicago Bulls were always standing in front of them. Of course there’s the often replayed “shot” that Jordan hit over the Craig Ehlo in the first round of 1989 playoffs to eliminate the hot shot cavs. Jordan and the Bulls continued their torment of the Cavs by defeating them 92 Eastern conference Finals and then sweeping them out of the 93 Eastern Semi-Finals. The elimination in 93 probably left a rather rotten taste in the Cavs mouth since it ended with Jordan knocking down another game winner over so called Jordan stopper Gerald Wilkins. Is there any question that without Michael Jordan around the Cavs would have at least made a couple of NBA finals and likely would have won an NBA championship? No wonder Cleveland hates Michael Jordan.

The New York Knicks
Michael Jordan loved to play in Madison Square Garden. And right next to the Cavaliers, the Knicks were probably the team Jordan and his Bulls tortured most. The Patrick Ewing led Knicks were eliminated by the Bulls five times during Michael Jordan’s Career. The Knicks’ most painful elimination at the hand of the Bulls definitely had to be their defeat during the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals. During the 93 season the Knicks worked all season to capture the best record in the East and thus have home court advantage during their inevitable rundown with the back to back champion Bulls. Despite achieving this goal and taking an early 2-0 lead in their series vs. the Bulls, the Knicks would eventually fold (see: Charles Smith failure to complete the Mikan Drill) to the Bulls. There’s no doubt in my mind that if not for the Bulls, Patrick Ewing led New York Knicks would probably have at least one championship by now.

The 1993 Phoenix Suns
Prior to the 1992-1993 the Phoenix Suns traded for Charles Barkley and instantly became one of the best teams in the league. During the season Barkley had his first and only MVP season and led the Suns to the best record in the league as well as to their first NBA Finals appearance since the 70s. Barkley and the Suns were practically unbeatable that season. Everything seemed to be in line for them to win that season’s NBA championship. Too bad Michael Jordan and the Bulls were still around. Despite the fact that the Suns came back to take the series to six games, the Bulls basically had that series won after the first two games. I mean, the Bulls came into America West Arena as underdogs and absolutely obliterated the Suns. After those two games, you knew it was only a matter of time before the Bulls would close out that series. I wonder if MJ ever wears his championship ring from that season in front of Sir Charles.

Side Note: Isn’t it funny that three of Michael Jordan’s greatest victims (see: Charles Oakley, Patrick Ewing, and Charles Barkley)?

The Orlando Magic
In the mid 90s, the Orlando Magic were deemed the team of the future in the NBA. Through the luck of the draw they were able to lock up the number one overall pick in both the 92 and 93 drafts. They used their 92 pick to select Shaquille O’neal and traded the rights to their 93 pick, Chris Webber for stand out point guard Penny Hardaway. Ala Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hardaway and O’neal were primed to become the next great Point Guard/Center combination in the league. That is, until Michael Jordan decided to return from retirement. In 1995 in only their second season together the Orlando Magic made it all the way to the NBA Finals. During their march to the finals the Magic played a recently un-retired Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls. At various points during the series, the Magic embarrassed Jordan. Jordan’s performance during the series prompted the Magic’s Nick Anderson to state: "He didn't look like the old Michael Jordan.”

Jordan would use this elimination to fuel him during his training before the 1995-1996 season. During that season Michael Jordan would recapture his MVP form and lead the Bulls to a record 72 victories and their fourth NBA championship. On their way to the championship, Jordan and the Bulls swept the 60+ win Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. This embarrassing sweep (a long with low ball contract offers by the Magic) led Shaquille O’neal to turn his back on the Magic and their future potential and sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. If Jordan never would have returned from retirement, the Magic would have likely one the 1996 Championship and Shaq probably would have stayed in Orlando. Gotta love that MJ

The Utah Jazz
The duo of Stockton and Malone should have captured at least one NBA championship. For their first twelve or so seasons together Stockton and Malone prepared themselves to become champions. They had been in playoff battles against championship teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets and had accumulated the experience necessary to handle almost any team in the league. Stockton become the league’s best point guard, Malone become the best power forward in the league, and two combined to become the most deadly pick and roll combination in the history of the game.

In the 1997 season the Jazz won a franchise record 64 games and Karl Malone captured the MVP, yet it wasn’t good enough because the Bulls had won 69 games that season, meaning they still had home court advantage over the Jazz in the Finals. As well, the Bulls also still had Michael Jordan. Jordan once again proved how great of a player he was in during game five of this series when he overcame food poisoning and his dehydrated/fatigued body to play 44 minutes, score 38 points (including the game winning three-pointer), and lead his Bulls to a 90-87 victory. The Bulls would go on to win game six and capture their fifth NBA championship.

The following season the Jazz’s torment at the hands of the Bulls continued. Due to an injury to Scottie Pippen earlier in the season, the Bulls got off to a slow start and only won 62 games that season (that’s almost laughable to write…a down season for them at that time was winning 62 games) and thus gave up home court to the Jazz. After barely escaping defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in a tough Eastern Conference Championship series, the Bulls seemed primed for defeat against the well rested Utah Jazz. Of course we all know how this story ends. Michael Jordan would go on to complete his torment of the Jazz by hitting a series closing jump shot over Bryon Russell in game six of that series. Too bad MJ didn’t retire after that game. It would have been the perfect way for him to go out of the league.

Others that MJ and the Bulls tortured: The 92 Blazers, the 96 Sonics, and the 98 Pacers