98 Pacers were the only legitimate threat to the 90s Bulls

[Miggs]

You're forgetting about the 92 Knicks that took them 7 games.

93 Knicks were a better team and did worse against them....

 

[Miggs]

That Pacers team was tough.

What is interesting is that not a single Bulls Finals opponent would win a championship today.

For all the talk of how good and deep that era was, every 90s championship runner up would get waxed in 2022 by this year’s Warriors. The worst iteration of the championship Warriors, mind you. The game has come a long way.

You could say that about any league or sport tho....no finalist from 30 years ago would win in todays game ANY sport.
I dont know why this is used so much in NBA circles when its basically across the board...

 

[Remote]

YOu could say that about any league or sport tho....no finalist from 30 years ago would win in todays game ANY sport.
I dont know why this is used so much in NBA circles when its basically across the board...

The big red machine would beat a lot of recent world series winners.

 

[Miggs]

The big red machine would beat a lot of recent world series winners.

I dont think so the pitching is so advanced now compare to the 70s...

 

[MikelArteta]

Almost doesn't count

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

The narrative that they beat bums is way overblown

Suns, Jazz and Sonics were great teams that easily could have won championships if they didn't have to play the GOAT

Portland was really good too, made 2 Finals in 3 years and just had the misfortune of playing two of the GOAT teams once they got there

Lakers were on the downside and any chance they had of making it a series disappeared once Worthy and Scott went down but that was still a very good team loaded with championship experience

Seattle, Utah, and Portland all were teams that consistently blew it in big games regardless of if they were playing the bulls or not. Look at how ugly their non bulls losses in those years were. Those jazz had 9 first round exits together with 5 of those 9 losses being to a lower seed. They had a losing record in every round of the playoffs. Portland’s own media talked about them having a low basketball IQ and beating themselves late in big games. Seattle was coached by a guy who was fired midseason twice, missed the playoffs entirely 4 times, had 14 first round exits in his career, and just 2 years prior to that finals trip he was the first coach to ever lose in the first round to an 8 seed. Then two years after the finals as a 61 win team they lost in the first round again.

Orlando would’ve had next though if Shaq didn’t go to LA and if Penny’s knee didn’t give out. I think they’d have beaten the bulls in 1997 or 1998. The 90’s Magic have to be for me one of the 3-4 biggest what if scenarios in league history. The ripple effect of Shaq leaving for LA was still being felt in some way or another 15-20 years later.

I don't think so the pitching is so advanced now compare to the 70s...

Just look at how much harder the average pitcher throws. Even 30 years ago the average pitcher threw his fastball around 88-92mph. Lot of guys throw their changeup and slider around that now. You gotta go another 15-20 years back from that to get to the big red machine reds teams.

 

[R=G]

When it came to crunch time, nobody got it done better. I really thought Clyde's Trailblazers coukd beat them. Didnt turn out like that.

 

[K-Apps]

Honestly, had Stockton hit that 3 in Game 6 and Jazz won that game. I think they blow out the Bulls in Game 7 imo, can’t see Jordan scoring 40+ again and with no Scottie too.

 

[NYC Rebel]

Portland should've made it to the finals in '91 but they choked against the Lakers. Blazers started 19-1 to start that season. Everyone got the they wanted in '92 though.

Yeah, the Bulls were not expected to beat Detroit, let alone sweep them in 1991. Lakers were favored too in that finals (Choked in '90 vs PHX ) .

You were right except this. It was expected. It was the first time the Bulls faced them with home court advantage

 

[NYC Rebel]

When it came to crunch time, nobody got it done better. I really thought Clyde's Trailblazers coukd beat them. Didnt turn out like that.

The Blazers were the biggest chokers behind the Jazz. Prolific chokers

 

[NYC Rebel]

And when they came up on Spree and he had that Broken Wrist and Nothing Was The Same after that

I used to shyt on Pat because he used to choke at times but he was really all alone.

 

[Crude]

Only time I seen MJ and them really on the ropes during his run.

That Pacers team doesn’t get talked about nearly enough.

 

[premier58]

You were right except this. It was expected. It was the first time the Bulls faced them with home court advantage

Came in here to say this. Isiah was an injured shell of himself, while the Bulls were in full ascension.