The best ever? Perhaps but probably not. My pick? Read on to find out.
ESPN’sdocumentary series The Last Dance has entertained millions of viewers by offering a compelling and comprehensive portrait of the Chicago Bulls’ 1997-98 season.
Courtesy: Sports Illustrated
The first two episodes aired on April 19, and they achieved record-breaking viewership figures. The show has gained impressive momentum in the subsequent weeks, and it has now swept aside Tiger King to become the world’s most popular documentary.
The timing of the release was impeccable. The NBA season is suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, March Madness was scrapped, and hoops fans were desperate for entertainment to break the monotony of the lockdown.
The Last Dance takes them back to the fall of 1997 as Michael Jordan, and his all-conquering Chicago Bulls team embarked on a bid to win a sixth NBA Championship title in eight years. It was Jordan’s final season, but the time was overshadowed by tension with the club’s front office, which created an absorbing narrative.
The Making of a Legend
Jordan is the star of the show. It delves into his astonishing career, which saw him become a 14-time NBA All-Star, five-time NBA MVP, two-time Olympic gold medallist, and an all-round cultural icon. Mesmerizing montages show him dismantling opponents.
But interspersed with those images is never-before-seen footage from that fabled 1997-98 season. It shines a light on Jordan’s ferocious competitive streak and his astonishing work ethic. The portrayal of Jordan borders on the supernatural and the documentary reintroduces awe-struck viewers to his peerless talent.
Yet the best dances require partners, and the supporting cast is also painted vividly. It delves into the woefully underpaid Scottie Pippen and shines a light on many of Dennis Rodman’s quirks and coach Phil Jackson’s Zen philosophies.
It is undoubtedly a cast of cool cats and kittens, worthy of toppling Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. But just how good was the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s?
The Best Team Ever?
By 1997-98, the famous Chicago Bulls were on their last legs, and Jordan dragged them to a third straight NBA Championship through sheer force of will. They scraped past the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals, and Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP. The Bulls went on to defeat the Jazz in six games to win the championship.
The documentary provides a fascinating insight into the mental strength, endurance, and determination possessed by that team. However, they were also clearly past their collective peak.
The Bulls dynasty reached its zenith in 1995/96 when they racked up a 72-10 regular-season record, and then surged through to the NBA Finals with only one game dropped, to beat the Sonics 4-2 in the Finals.
The 1995/96 Chicago Bulls team is the consensus choice for the best team in NBA history. Jordan orchestrated the offense with incomparable aplomb, and he made the difference in close games.
Pippen was a defensive menace, but he also scored in high volume. Rodman was a defensive legend. The squad featured Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr, and Luc Longley, and they had enough quality to blow their rivals away.
Some hoops fans may argue that the Warriors of 2016-17, the Lakers of 1986-87, or the Celtics of 1985-86 were superior, but the Bulls circa 1995-96 top most lists of the greatest teams of all-time.
A Time of Remarkable Consistency
The Bulls of the 1990s should be considered the second most successful dynasty in NBA history. They won six NBA Championships in eight years and featured a pair of three-peats. Had Jordan not taken a two-year sabbatical and played minor-league baseball, it might have been eight consecutive titles.
But as good as that is, it’s still not good enough to top the feat achieved by the legendary Boston Celtics team, which won 11 NBA titles in 13 years between 1957 and 1969.
Dynasties have come and gone since then, but none has been as successful. The Warriors looked invincible for a few years but then fell apart. They currently sit bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 15-50 record, massive underdogs in the sporting index fixed-odds whenever they face a big team.
GS won three titles in four years between 2015 and 2018, but it all came crashing down in the wake of last year’s defeat to the Raptors. The NBA now looks wide open, and it is hard to imagine any team dominating like the Jordan-era Bulls any time soon.
The Celtics (photo, The Register-Guard)
You could also argue that the Bulls played in a more competitive era than the Celtics team of the late 1950s and 1960s. The indomitable Bill Russell led that Celtics team to greatness, but he is rarely mentioned in the same breath as Jordan when it comes to anointing the best basketball player in history.
Some fans would opt for LeBron James, but once again, Jordan is the consensus pick. Pippen is a top 30 player of all-time and Rodman is arguably the most underrated player in NBA history, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and a seven-time rebounding champion.
The Bulls had genuine superstars in Jordan and Pippen, but the entire squad also gelled well. The team operated as a very capable unit under Jordan’s leadership. They had just one losing month in their six championship seasons, and that consistency is yet another indicator of just how successful they were.
We cannot enjoy live NBA action right now, so the best thing to do is immerse yourself in this fascinating documentary, which should dazzle super fans and casual viewers alike.
