NBA Betting

History of the NBA Finals

Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz - 1997

It seemed impossible before the start of the 1997 NBA Finals that Michael Jordan could do anything surprising. He entered the season with the highest playoff scoring average in league history at 33.9 points, had led his Bulls to four championships, had won a record four Finals MVP awards and his 41.0 scoring average in the 1993 Finals was the highest ever. Add to that his 63-point performance against the Celtics in 1986, the most points in playoff history. His legend was already Paul Bunyan-esque.

As the Finals unfolded, though, Jordan added to his personal lore. The Bulls beat the Jazz in six games for their fifth title in seven years. Jordan was a modern mythical hero, part Odysseus, part Beowulf, part Casey Jones. He was not only Paul Bunyan, he was Babe the Blue Ox.

In the regular season, Jordan and Scottie Pippen were the only constants for a Bulls team coming off a year-long high. They won 72 games the previous year and coasted through the playoffs for their fourth championship. In 1996-97, the Bulls had a bumpier ride, with injuries to Luc Longley and Toni Kukoc, as well as the varied absences of Dennis Rodman. Still, they won 69 games. Jordan and Pippen didn't miss a game and Jordan again led the league in scoring, but it was not the halcyon season 1995-96 was. "Last year was fun," Steve Kerr said. "This year was a grind."

It was a different story in the West. The Jazz entered the Finals with their own legend, but it was one of unfulfillment -- good regular seasons followed by playoff shortcomings. Salt Lake City, Utah, the NBA's smallest market, has been one of the league's most successful franchises in recent years. They had made the playoffs 13 consecutive years and had won 50 games seven of the last eight seasons. For all that success, they made just three appearances in the conference finals and had yet to advance to the NBA Finals.

Karl Malone and John Stockton have been the bearers of the postseason frustration for the Jazz. They are the most visible Jazz players, with 19 All-Star Games between them, but their achievements had been tempered by the failure of their team to win the West. Malone especially was on the hot seat, having won the MVP award that many felt should have gone to Jordan. This postseason represented a validation for the Utah franchise and for the careers of Malone and Stockton, its biggest stars. The Jazz could not follow their 64-18 regular season with another playoff exit.

They came through. The Jazz rolled through their first three playoff series with just three losses and, for the first time in franchise history, they were headed to the Finals. Stockton, set free on a pick by Malone, delivered the opus magnus of his career -- a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Rockets in the sixth and final game of the conference finals.

But the Jazz could not spend much time reveling in redemption. They had to play the Bulls, winners of four championships in six years, a perfect 4-0 in Finals matchups. "Against a team like the Bulls, you have to take advantage of the chances when you get them," Stockton said, "because you don't get many."

The Jazz had a chance in Game 1 at the United Center, but could not capitalize. With Pippen hobbled by a sprained left foot and Jordan off to a slow start, the Jazz jumped to a 39-32 second-quarter lead. But Malone had his own shooting woes, starting 3-for-il from the field, and Stockton was having trouble in his area of expertise -- ballhandling. He committed seven turnovers in the game, and the Jazz were unable to pull away from the faltering Bulls.

With 35 seconds left, the teams were stalemated at 82-82. From there, the legends continued to build -- the legend of an invincible Jordan on one hand and that of disappointment for Stockton and Malone on the other.

First, Stockton had the chance to put the Jazz up with a three-pointer. He missed. Then Malone rebounded and was fouled by Dennis Rodman. "It was just me up there," Malone would later say. "They felt good." But they were not good. Malone missed both free throws with 9.2 seconds left and the Bulls rebounded, setting the stage for the predictable part of the legend, the part where Jordan is invincible.

After a timeout, Pippen inbounded to Toni Kukoc, who got the ball to Jordan. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan elected to play Bryon Russell one-on-one against Jordan, who took a crossover dribble, pulled up and sank a 20-footer as the buzzer sounded. The Bulls won, 84-82, and Jordan's monumental myth was magnified. It would be easy to second guess Sloan's decision not to double up on Jordan, given his track record. In fact, Sloan second guessed himself. "We tried to play him as straight as we could," lie said. "We probably made a mistake."

Lost in the euphoria of Jordan's clock-beater was the performance of the injured Pippen. Jordan scored 31 points, but Pippen, who looked hesitant at times on the sore foot, scored 27 points, many when the Bulls needed him most. No other Bull scored more than six points. "This is the part of the season whore I would play with just about any injury," Pippen said.

Game 2 provided more legend-building, but without the drama. The Bulls took advantage of a Jazz team that seemed demoralized by their Game 1 defeat, opening a 16-point lead in the first half and barreling to a 97-85 victory. Jordan had 20 first-half points and the Bulls played pesky defense that upset Utah's usually precise offense. Leading the way was Ron Harper (13 points), who played Stockton (14 points) to a draw.

"We were deflecting balls," Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. "We were active with our hands and we made it tough for them to get the ball where they wanted to get the ball on the offensive end."

Jordan finished with 38 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. On the other side, Malone continued to struggle. He scored 20 points, shot 6-for-20 from the field and delivered a postgame mea culpa: "I'm stinking it up right now. I don't have any excuses."

Maybe it was the change of scenery. Maybe it was the fans. Maybe it was the fireworks show before the game. Whatever it was, it woke Malone and the Jazz up, enough to spur them to a 104-93 win in Game 3 as the Finals went to Salt Lake City for the first time. Malone put up 37 points and 10 rebounds, including 22 in the first half, when the Jazz built a 24- point lead. Center Greg Foster put in a surprising contribution, scoring 15 of his career-high 17 points in the first half.

"The big guys whipped on us tonight," Jackson said. "Foster and Malone both did a great job out there. They did the things that make them a great team."

The Bulls made a run in the fourth quarter, getting as close as 90-83, but the Jazz were able to go to their strength -- outside shooting by Stockton, who had 17 points, inside scoring by Malone and the support of 19,911 frenzied fans -- to maintain their lead and the franchise's first-ever Finals victory.

"The fans are really knowledgeable about the game." Foster said. "They really get after it. This is the only show in town, and they're behind us all the way."

Game 4 was not as spectacular for the Jazz. They were outplayed by the Bulls most of the way. Malone was held to 23 points and shooting guard Jeff Hornacek had just 13. Going into the fourth quarter at the Delta Center, Stockton had 11 points and five assists. With 2:42 to go, the Bulls led, 71-66, and seemed to have the game in hand.

But it was a night of role reversal. Unlike Game 1, it was the Jazz who recovered and the Bulls -- and Jordan -- who failed to finish out what could have been a win. After the Jazz got a free throw to make it 73-69, Jordan held the ball, looking to use up some of the clock and ice the game. Stockton stripped Jordan and drove to the basket, getting fouled on the way. He made one of the shots, then followed a Pippen miss with two more free throws, cutting the deficit to 73-72 with 1:03 to play.

There were more heroics for Stockton. Jordan missed a jumper and Stockton was able to track down the rebound. He saw Malone breaking toward the other end of the floor and lofted a perfect 50-foot pass just out of Jordan's reach to Malone, who was fouled going to the hoop. "Out of all the great ones he's made, I'll remember this pass probably for the rest of my career," Malone said. This time, unlike Game 1, Malone made both free throws and the Jazz went on to win, 78-73. The Jazz were not through. The series was tied at two.

"I've never seen them with any fear in their eyes," Pippen said of the jazz. "We realized that this series never was over when we left Chicago. We know how well this team plays at home."

Game 5 was one for more legend building. It was the kind of game that grandfathers will tell their grandchildren about, and the grandchildren will think they are being duped with hyperbole. Before the game, there was some doubt about whether Jordan would play -- he had the stomach flu and was sick in the locker room before tipoff. But if you think he didn't play, you don't know Michael Jordan.

Exhausted and eyes yellowed, Jordan scored 38 points and played 44 minutes, leading the Bulls to a 90-88 victory over the Jazz at the Delta Center. The Bulls overcame a 16-point deficit in the second quarter, with Jordan carrying the offensive load. "I almost played myself into passing out," he said. "I came in and was almost dehydrated and it was all just to win a basketball game. I couldn't breathe."

The legions of Bulls fans back in Chicago couldn't breathe, either, when Jordan went to the free throw line with 46 seconds left. He made the first, tying the score at 85-85, but came up short on the second and got his own rebound. He passed to Pippen, who returned the pass behind the three-point stripe to a wide-open Jordan. If you think he didn't make the shot, you don't know Michael Jordan. The Bulls won, and took a 3-2 lead back to the United Center.

Game 6 looked suspiciously like Game 1, only with a different hero. Jordan posted his usual spectacular numbers-39 points and 11 rebounds-but this time, he would be remembered for the shot he didn't take.

Like Game 1, the Jazz got off to a fast start while the Bulls struggled, shooting 11-for-32 (34 percent) in the first half. And like Game 1, the Jazz could not deliver a knockout blow, leading 44-37 at the half and unable to push the lead past eight points. The Bulls kept it close by hitting 13-of-16 free throws, while the Jazz were 12-of-22 from the line, including 4-of-11 for Malone.

The Bulls crept closer during the second half, but did not grab the lead until the fourth quarter, with Jordan on the bench. The Bulls, led by Pippen, who finished with 23 points, ran off 10 consecutive points and took a 74-73 advantage with 8:54 to play. The teams traded leads for the rest of the way, coming to an 86-86 deadlock with 1:44 to go. After a Bulls miss, the Jazz got the ball to a wide-open Shandon Anderson. The rookie had an off night, shooting 2-for-lO from the field and had blown a layup earlier in the game. He blew another, and the Bulls rebounded with the game still tied.

With 26 seconds left, the Bulls called timeout and set up their final play. Recall Game 1, when the Jazz were in the same situation and elected not to double-team Jordan, which Sloan described as, "a mistake." They would not make the same mistake again, and Jordan knew it.

"He said, 'You be ready, Stockton is going to come off you,'" Bulls guard Steve Kerr said. "I said, 'I'll be ready.'"

Sure enough, the Jazz did double Jordan after the inbound play and it was Stockton who rotated off Kerr. Kerr had an open 17-footer, just behind the foul line. He was ready. He hit the shot. The Bulls won, 90-86, and they were champs for the fifth time in seven years. It's old hat by now, these Chicago championships, but not for Jordan.

"When it gets to six it's going to be better," he said. "They just keep getting bigger and bigger as we keep winning and winning."

When it was over, it was clear Michael Jordan could still surprise us. There was room for his folk lore to amplify. He averaged 32.3 points in the Finals, outplaying MYP Malone and winning his fifth Finals MVP award. In fact, fans were not the only ones who were dumbfounded by his latest feats.

"Michael's legacy continues to grow," said Pippen, who has played alongside Jordan for nine seasons. "As long as he plays the game, he will amaze us, no matter what."