From 1996 to 1998, Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to three more NBA titles
From 1996 to 1998, Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to three more NBA titles. The Bulls had a 69-11 record in 1996-97 but lost their final two games to conclude the season 69-13, missing out on a second consecutive 70-win season. The Bulls advanced to the NBA Finals once more, this time against the Utah Jazz. The series against the Jazz included two of Jordan's most memorable clutch moments. With a buzzer-beating jump shot, he won Game 1 for the Bulls. The Bulls won the series in six games, winning 90-88. Jordan was named Finals MVP for the fifth time in as many Finals appearances. During the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, Jordan recorded the first triple-double in All-Star Game history, although Glen Rice was named MVP.
Jordan and the Bulls finished the 1997-98 season with a 62-20 record. Jordan led the league in scoring with 28.7 points per game, earning him his seventh regular-season MVP award, as well as All-NBA First Team, First Defensive Team, and All-Star Game MVP awards. The Bulls won the Eastern Conference Championship for the third consecutive season, including a seven-game series victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals; it was Jordan's first Game 7 appearance since the 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals with the New York Knicks. After winning, they advanced to the Finals to face the Jazz again.
On June 14, 1998, the Bulls returned to the Delta Center for Game 6, leading the series 3-2. Jordan made a series of moves that are widely regarded as one of the finest clutch performances in NBA Finals history. With 10 seconds left, Jordan began to dribble right, then crossed across to his left, possibly shoving off Russell, though no foul was called. Jordan hit the game-winning shot of his Bulls career with 5.2 seconds remaining, a top-key jumper over a collapsing Russell to give Chicago an 87-86 advantage. Jordan was named Finals MVP for the second time, after averaging 33.5 points per game, including 45 in Game 6.
