We were riding to school the other day. I told my son: I love this time of year. Once the calendar flips to June, Twitter becomes a better place for a couple weeks. June is when the NBA title is won; we have 6x the June memories of those in Chicago. Sit back and enjoy!
Can you believe we’re 30 years removed from the 1990s? That’s crazy. It’s actually the 30th anniversary of the Bulls 3rd title over the Suns in 1993; it’s the 25th anniversary of the Last Dance in 1998 against the Jazz. We can do this all day. Yes, each and every day throughout the first 20 days of June will be something Bulls championship related. Let’s begin shall we:
June 1st- The 1997 NBA Finals kicked off w/a Bulls victory over the Jazz. Where were you when MJ hit his first game winner over Bryan Russell? And oh yeah… about the mailman and delivering on Sundays…
June 2nd- The 1991 NBA Finals kicked off. How emotional was that first one? And then to lose it, with MJs game winning shot hitting every part of the rim and coming out? Of course, that would be the only game we lost that year in the Finals.
June 3rd- The kickoff date for the 1992 and 1998 Finals. Although you may not remember the Bulls losing Game 1 in 1998 to Utah in Utah, I’m sure you remember that first one against the Trailblazers… the shrug ring a bell?
June 4th- Game 2 of the 1997 Finals… another victory for the Bulls to go up 2-0 on the Jazz. I remember that year thinking… damn we’re spoiled; when will this series get exciting?
June 5th- Busy day in Bulls history. Game 2 in 98, the Bulls evening up the series. Game 2 in 92, the Blazers evening up the series. Game 2 in 91… the blowout, the shot, the Stadium fricking rocking for that first ever NBA Finals victory for the franchise. This was also the day the Sonics series started in 1996; would the 72-10 record mean a thing? Bulls won by 17 points.
June 6th- Only one game on this day, Game 3 of the 1997 Finals. The Jazz actually won a game, cutting the Bulls series lead in half at 2-1. Worried yet?
June 7th- Another busy one. Game 3 in 98… a 42 point victory as the Bulls exerted their will on defense holding the Jazz to 54 points; still the lowest points ever scored in an NBA Finals game. In 1996, the Bulls would prevail over the Sonics again, going up 2-0 before heading Northwest. The Bulls would take the series lead in Portland on this day in 1992, winning Game 3. And finally, in 1991, maybe my favorite Bulls game of all-time, the Game 3 OT winner over the Lakers; the MJ shot over Divac to send that game to OT is definitely one of the most underrated of his career.
June 8th- Back to 1997… the Jazz evened the series; wtf?!?! This was supposed to be easy, and now, a pivotal Game 5 awaited the Bulls in Utah. Don’t order that pizza MJ…
June 9th- In 1996, the Bulls kicked the shit out of the Sonics in Seattle; the Sonics were a really good team, but this game, another one of my favorites, shows just how good the Bulls were that year. Of course the series couldn’t end in a sweep… no, no NBC would not allow that. Game 4 in LA in 1991 was a beauty, putting the Bulls on the brink of their first ever title. And finally, the 1993 NBA Finals kicked off against the Suns… another Bulls win. Overall, the Bulls were 4-2 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Are we there yet? OK, let’s stop for now, and pick this up later. I got us through the first 9 days of the month. Let me tell you, although I had to check a couple of the results, the memories of these games live vividly in my head… and will forever. Nothing can kill off those brain cells, let me tell you. It’s fun looking back, especially when the present day for the Bulls looks so crappy. We’ll always have the 90s…
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