Analyzing the Final 3 Minutes of The 1998 NBA Finals|Mekhi Reaction Video 

Great breakdown. During this Game, MJ was running on fumes because he played basically the entire game. He couldn't rest because pippen's back was sore; which is why you don't see Pippen scoring. Because MJ was so tired his shots weren't going in like usual and he was getting fouled. He definitely made up for missed shots in the last plays of the Game for championship #6. 😎👍(also, watch reggie Miller's push off on Jordan in the 98 series; which wasn't called for Pacers last shot and you will understand why this wasn't called either)

"...at the end of games, you got to get it out of his hands...." nothing was ever more true than that statement. By the way, when Stockton hit the 3, I was still betting money on the Bulls against my buddies. They were like "Nah, he is done, now they take it to game 7." And I was like "Jordan is done, when the game is over, not a second before that." Greets from Germany! We watched the whole series during the nights, me and 4 other crazy dudes that didn't care about the next day, just because of MJ.

Russell said he didn't feel the push. And we should take into account that the opponent was already sliding with speed in that direction, so Jordan's hand had no way to really push him.

Nobody from that era is crying about a push off on Jordan because it was a far more physical game then!!! The only people crying "Push Off" are these clowns who have to find something to discredit Jordan for so they can prop up a man who got swept TWICE in the Finals and also went out 4-1 TWICE in his finals career!! LeFlop James has Kyrie Irving not at 100% and his fans use that as an excuse for his failures in the Finals even though he still had far more help without Kyrie than Jordan did with Pippen on the floor!! What you won't ever hear a LeFlop James fan say is how in 1998 JORDAN PLAYED ALMOST THE 1ST HALF OF THE 98 SEASON WITHOUT PIPPEN BECAUSE PIPPEN WAS CRYING ABOUT A CONTRACT THAT THE DAMN OWNER OF THE BULLS TOLD HIM HE SHOULDN'T SIGN AND IF HE DOES SIGN IT THEN HE DOES NOT WANT HIM TRYING TO RENEGOTIATE LATER FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT HE WAS TOLD UP FRONT TO NOT SIGN IT!!! ALSO THEY'LL NEVER MENTION HOW JORDAN CURB STOMPED THE EASTERN CONFERENCE DAMN NEAR BY HIS SELF IN THE PLAYOFFS TO MAKE IT TO THE FINALS AGAIN AND THEN CURB STOMP THE JAZZ IN THE FINALS DAMN NEAR BY HIS SELF TOO BECAUSE PIPPEN WAS CRYING ABOUT HIS BACK THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS!!! You'll never hear any of that from a LeFlop James fan BECAUSE THEY STILL COULDN'T STOP MICHAEL JORDAN NO MATTER WHAT WAS HAPPENING and all of these clowns who are out here acting like LeFlop James is doing something unprecedented at the age of 38 yrs old are purposefully ignoring the fact that Jordan was 36 yrs old in the 98 season!!! There's absolutely NOTHING that LeFlop James has ever done that washes Jordan accept for how hard he recruited for "Super Team's" and HE STILL COULDN'T ACCOMPLISH OR EVEN COME CLOSE TO ACCOMPLISHING WHAT MICHAEL JORDAN DID IN DAMN NEAR HALF AS MANY YEARS IN THE NBA!!! There is no GOAT debate between Michael Jordan & LeFlop James and there shouldn't have ever been one period!!!

I loved watching this game, whole family were season ticket holding Jazz fans. I was 16 an was the only Bulls fan at Grandmas packed house. 😅 an those 96-98 jazz were so solid. But it always felt like Jordan had the game rigt where he wanted it. He was so dangerous an everyone knew it. good memories

Good commentary on the game. A couple of additional thoughts. 1: During your breakdown of the screen for Malone look at how the defense (Rodman) is able to get his knee underneath Malone and use his forearm to control Malone' movement. See how Malone is also able to hook Rodman, using his elbow, to fight for position. None of this in-fighting is called by the refs. This speaks to the physicality of the game. 2: Remember, Jordan went to the line 8x in the quarter. He was able to score points from the line, but each missed FG was counted as an attempt. So his shooting percentage may not have been good, but it nonetheless resulted in points for his team, so the affect on the game was a net positive, because he scored and got the other team into additional foul trouble. This is why being a good FT shooter is important. 3: Many people don't look at Russell's defense during the Last Shot. He actually handchecks Jordan on the shoulder, arm, and chest. All of this is done to keep Jordan from driving right. Russell is committed to the drive and, imo, his momentum, which is partially caused by trying to keep Jordan from going right, makes the pullback, crossover the correct move for Jordan. Imo, Jordan's hand is a check, to make sure his head has clearance and doesn't hit Russell's hip during the move. The fact that you have to slow the play down to actually see it as a push, speaks to this argument.

Bro, you already called the last shot "momentum", so it can't be a push off. Think about it scientifically, no different than a car crash, if you're going 100 mph and try to turn at that speed, what would logically happen? The car will roll, flip or crash out into it's surroundings. Well, look at MJ breaking hard to the right, Russell breaking hard to the right with MJ, but MJ stops on a dime, and Russell's momentum keeps him going right while MJ's left hand is preparing to catch the ball and gather to shoot the perfect open shot. MJ's hand is really just in the way of the snatch back jump shot that came last. No push off, just momentum playing it's part in the sports arena. GOAT 🐐

There's an entire art to the ref not seeing it.

Not a bad last play from jazz, Stockton sunk same 3 ball to win series against rockets

Stockton had to shoot over the screen. The Bulls had the perimeter covered and with only 5.secs left, they couldn't do anything if that screen wasn't cleared.

There is another camera angle on the last shot where it does not look like a push off. You could probably find it somewhere on youtube? Sometimes they take those things down. You know, there use to be the WHOLE practice game up on the internet of the Olympic 1992 Monte Carlo practice. I've looked and looked, but it's down. Good analysis btw.

That was not a push-off. That was like how a waiter would show you to your seat, and Russell's momentum was going that way anyway. Russell himself said it wasn't a push-off. Anyway, that was the greatest three-sequence fairytale ending for the GOAT, and for all he has accomplished and all he has done for the game, he deserved that.

Patented Utah play, screen pick & roll

First, there is no such thing in basketball as a "challenge" to a call. Secondly, if you paid attention, NO ONE from Utah even made a face or complained about that play. That right there indicates they didn't even think it was a push off

The Bulls were kinda small ball b4 small ball lineups were a thing.💯🔥🔥🔥

There’s not more scorers today they changed the rules to create that..once you add contact you decrease efficiency. Has nothing to do with the players today or then

I agree MJ THE GOAT 🐐

With The triangle offense it’s possible to create unlimited plays but like all good teams you make the best dozen or so plays that work at hi volume to keep when needed. You think todays era of iso ball runs more plays lol

He didn't shoot because his legs was getting tired. He knows the refs will call foul if he drives.

MJ’s arm never crossed his body. Doesn’t look like a push off to me. It’s basically the same rule for NFL receivers.

Aah they got so quickly. This "tough" era would've allowed to "act up" on the floor for at least 5-10 mins. You know, "hurt"..😂

React to What They Won’t Tell You In The Bulls Documentary that’s the title of the video it’s amazing.

He played all 82 games from 96-98 including playoffs and finals. Mike was tired!

If you didn't commit to a double team, illegal defense would be called. The got the Bulls on a few of them calls back in Chicago

Pippen had to double Malone because Rodman had 5 fouls and couldn't afford to leave the game for obvious reasons

There wasn't a limited amount of plays back then, even teams today run certain plays over and over again and have a style of play the difference is what we all call basketball I.Q. the greatest players all have tremendously high Bball I.Q.'s. Another thing I would point out to you is on the play you said Jordan could have taken the shot on Russell but drove to the basket...again the difference with playoff ball now and then to me is the players back then drove to the basket in late game situations to draw the all important foul, stopping the clock and possibly getting the other team in foul trouble which changes the dynamic of the late game a lot, today's NBA shoots way too much allowing the other team chances at rebounding or/and change of possession. Bball I.Q.

Have to understand Since Russell was guarding Jordan. Jordan always had Russell on skates. Check the games between them b4 and after this game. Jordan was just too much for Russell...Simple.

It wasn't a push, more like a hand sweep.

Paying Rodman, Pippen and Jordan's salary which at the time was I believe 30 million and then keeping the quality role players together how much money did you have to offer a quality big? Trust me as a life long resident of the Windy City for over 5 decades we would have loved to have had a quality big. Can you imagine if Jordan would have had Shaq, David Robinson or even Dikembe Mutombo...damn :) P.S. Also keep in mind Reinsdorf (the owner) was incredibly cheap.

The last true big man the Bulls had was Artist Gilmore

I think Pippen was injured and would be questionable if there was a game 7. So it was a do or die game for Jordan.

I think plays are more easy to see when they're playing for the paint than when they're just spreading the floor for 3s. But like watch the Bucks for instance -- you see plenty of similar plays to what the old-head teams used to run. It ain't no triangle (which ironically is perfect for small ball 3s), but they're doing plenty of pick and roll just like the Jazz and most 80s/90s teams. Your comment on Stockton - LOL - I mean you HAD to be dirty, everyone was a lil' more dirty back in the 90s, EVERYONE at some times, especially the playoffs and most of the time no one complained and it was just a common foul. Remember Reggie slammin' into MJ. It's just by comparison and Malone's flying elbows, or the Bad Boys, that Stockton wasn't DIRTY dirty. If you weren't sweeping the leg, pushing them from behind, clotheslining or KOing people, it was all good. But that's why that last play when newbies watch it and say "that was a push off" it's laughable to people who know what ball was like back then. Between hand checking and wrestling that happened in the post -- there are no refs that would call that kinda light contact a push off, MJ or not.

Limited amount of plays?😂😂😂dude. Teams literally run their best plays OVER ABD OVER when they work. JUST like today’s game. MJ was just such a tape watcher and killer, he put those plays in his pocket to counter at a later time

Nice explanation young fella

Yes on defense you couldn't play off your man. You were either on him or if you came off him you had to commit to the double or triple team.

u said why mj didnt shoot after his jab step?, prior from that,.from the huddle, phil jackson told mj not to settle to elbow shot, just attack the rim and pick up some foul, that was the.last card the bulls had.to do.

Not a lot of scores? Mike couldn't get past Boston. They had 5 hall of famers . Lakers Kareem, Magic, Worthy. That was the hay day of ball. Jordan just kept a lot of Hall of famers winning a ring . Only 2 chances in 8 years .

Toni was a stretch 4

Ken Mauer, former NBA referee, on the "push off".. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8WwCKC8cHLw.html #MJ #GOAT

Bro start the video bro