The 1998-1999 Bulls pre-demolition

[MrRogers]

Why do people feel that if the Bulls had not have broken up after the final title season in 1998, that they would have came back for the Lockout season of 1999 and just run over the NBA? I think they would have made the Finals, but would have gotten smacked by a quasi younger Spurs team or a Lakers team that had not traded Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell yet

They were running on fumes! They needed 7 games to beat Indiana and 6 to beat Utah. They barely got past those two teams

Dennis Rodman was 37 and was coming off the bench for the majority of games the Bulls played duing the 97-98 season and playoffs

Scottie Pippen's back was hanging by shoe string and bubble gum by the time the Bulls reached the Finals

MJ is black jesus but even jesus gets tired and during the entire season, he took 23.1 shots per game that season due to him having to carry the offense, guard the opposing team's opposing PG or best wing player, it sapped alot of his energy. Revisionist don't want you to know that MJ was getting served alot of games. Mitch Richmond (Who's vastly underrated and is a HOF player) gave MJ 30 in Chicago for example.

[Smoke117]

The east was weak so I'm sure they would have got to the finals. Could they have beat the Spurs? Who knows. Rodman was the one who was falling off the most, so I think it would really depend on whether or not he could be the Dennis they need for a 7 game series that year vs the Spurs. Your remark on Pippen is baseless...he played a every single game of the shortened 99 season and led the rockets with 40.2mpg. He was fine. The fact that the season was shortened only helps the Bulls too...less wear and tear throughout the season. It isn't like they needed time to get their chemistry together.

[JT123]

Agreed. The Bulls MIGHT have been able to get back to the Finals, but the Spurs would have destroyed them. Jordan stans should be happy about Bulls ownership breaking up the team when they did, cause if they hadn't Jordan wouldn't have that perfect finals record they are always bragging about.

[SamuraiSWISH]

They wouldn't have run it over. Fairly certain they could've got to the Finals. Also they would've been able to use experience, and savy against the Spurs.

Pippen unfortunately by '99 had become a shell of himself. Offensively since the '96 Playoffs due to back injuries he was kind of atrocious. Rodman was showing steep signs of decline after the 1996 season as well. By '98 he was really inconsistent, and losing it mentally.

But all Chicago needed to do was re-sign Scottie, Phil, and Mike while adding some youth around them.

If the '98 Knicks, an 8th seed, sans their best player made the Finals. I'm more than positive Chicago had enough in the tank in a shortened season with many of the league's players horrendously out of shape, while Chicago's best players being work horses would have been able to get out of the East.

It's no guarantee, but they probably could've beat the '99 Spurs too.

[JT123]

They wouldn't have run it over. Fairly certain they could've got to the Finals. Also they would've been able to use experience, and savy against the Spurs.

Pippen unfortunately by '99 had become a shell of himself. Offensively since the '96 Playoffs due to back injuries he was kind of atrocious. Rodman was showing steep signs of decline after the 1996 season as well. By '98 he was really inconsistent, and losing it mentally.

But all Chicago needed to do was re-sign Scottie, Phil, and Mike while adding some youth around them.

If the '98 Knicks, an 8th seed, sans their best player made the Finals. I'm more than positive Chicago had enough in the tank in a shortened season with many of the league's players horrendously out of shape, while Chicago's best players being work horses would have been able to get out of the East.
Jordan would have been out of shape too. I remember while the lockout was going on it was being reported that Jordan hadn't done any work on a basketball court in months.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Jordan would have been out of shape too. I remember while the lockout was going on it was being reported that Jordan hadn't done any work on a basketball court in months.
He was still in fine physical shape. You weren't watching basketball then, stop. His entire training was contingent on the Bulls re-signing his coach, and his teammate. Which they made abundantly clear wasn't going to happen when they signed Tim Floyd.

[97 bulls]

The Spurs werent spring chickens by any means. They all were in their mid 30 after Duncan. Sean Elliot had recently beaten kidney disease, David Robinson was a shell of himself, and they were surrounded by a bunch of CBA standouts like Jarren Jackson.

Om the Bulls side, theh were aging, but they still would've beat San Antonio. They couldve allowed Kukoc to take a bit more of the offensive load, and allow Pippen to concentrate more on defense.

The Bulls won 62 games in 98 with Pippen missing half the season. Give them Pip the whole year and theyd probably push 70 again in 98.