The Phoenix Suns were most notorious for ripping off the Bulls by using Sirius as their starting lineup theme, and unlike Chicago who built a dynasty in the 90's they still haven't won a single title in their entire 55 year history.
A MOTORCYLE? FIREWORKS? INSIDE??! Holy smokes how did half of the crowd and players not got deaf from that lol. No wonder they used to call that building "The Decibel Center"
It was a good thing they lost to the Sonics. Sonics lost in 1993 WCF to the Suns so that was the Sonics finally getting past the West to NBA Finals. Especially after they choked in 94 as an #1 seed vs $8 Nuggets. 96 Sonics were a great team and good season for Seattle. Gary Payton vs Michael Jordan was great and Kemp, Pippen. It would have been awful for Jazz, Bulls 3 straight Finals. 97 is what I was pissed because it should have been the Bulls Rockets NBA Finals Hakeem, Jordan dream matchup we wanted the entire 90s decade. But Stockton killed it with WCF clinching shot. 98 we could have had Kobe vs Jordan in Finals but Lakers were young and lost to hungry Jazz team in WCF that wanted to go back to the Finals. 3 straight NBA Finals with Jazz for the Bulls would have been lame. Just wished the Rockets were in 97 Finals. I like how the Bulls had different West teams in the Finals in early 90s. Lakers, Blazers, Suns.
9 out of 12 games between the Jazz and Bulls came down to the last play in the Finals. The 1997 Finals were decided by a combined 4 points (0.6 PPG), and 4 out of 6 games were decided on the last play. In 1998, out of 6 games were decided in the closing seconds. Hard to believe that the 1997 Rockets or 1998 Lakers would have been better opponents for Chicago, and frankly bizarre to act like it was some misery to watch two Finals where the two teams were so closely matched 9 of 12 games were nailbiters. As far as 1996, Utah did blow it in Game 7 against Seattle. But they also had a major problem because Stockton was badly injured throughout that series.
Further, this idea that 'Kobe versus Jordan' was some grand matchup is laughable. It was Malone, not Kobe, that was considered the second best player in the league during the late 90s. The idea that 1998 Kobe, who played rather pedestrian against Utah in the playoffs, would have been some amazing matchup for Jordan is laughable; it points to hero worship of Kobe and a denial of Malone's placement in the late 90s. It was Malone winning 2 out of 3 MVPs to close out the decade, not Kobe Bryant. In fact, Kobe couldn't even make All-NBA 1st Team during the 1990s, while Malone was the only player that decade to be 1st Team every year (and also set the record for most 1st Teams in history at 11, later tied by Kobe and surpassed by LeBron). The lack of logic and respect for Malone and the Jazz is sadly typical for casual NBA fans.
fuck i wanna watch it again ... lol... the awesome thing was if you were a wrastlin fan at the time WCW was rockin too with rodman n malone and michael buffer was announcin that too he he he
Truly a bizarre introduction sequence. They introduce Michael Jordan last for the Bulls, which on one hand I guess I could see because he still WAS the game but he’s the opposition nonetheless. Typically teams try to downplay the other team’s stars and will deliberately bury their intro in the middle. The Jazz go with an earsplitting introduction, not generated by the crowd but by the entertainment crew, dropping balloons and confetti like they’ve already won something, and using the Bulls’ music for their intros. They introduce their best player (Karl Malone) first and second-best player (John Stockton) fourth and bring it home with…Jeff Hornacek? And then raise a Western Conference Championship banner minutes before tip-off? At least Michael Buffer somewhat salvaged it ;-)
Lol! Anyone who tells me the NBA was more difficult in the 90's than today. I just need to show them this group of accountants that won the Western Conference.
