March 25, 2016: NY Sweep

No, I’m not talking about the past week for the 2016 Chicago Bulls.  We’re back to our special feature on the 1991 Bulls, a much, much better time, and the 1991 playoffs are about to begin.  The Bulls Knicks 1st round series was just the start of a beautiful rivalry.

Usually a rivalry means the teams are about even when it comes to winning and losing, especially on the big stage.  With that definition, the Bulls Knicks were no rivalry.  We owned those bitches.  There were some great moments, but overall, the Bulls dominated this match up.  It started back in 1981 with a 2-0 series win for the Bulls in the first round.  It picked back up in 1989, where the Bulls defeated the Knicks 4-2 in the conference semis.  Now comes 1991.

This was the 1st of 4 consecutive years where the Bulls and Knicks would meet in the postseason.  The match ups got more important each year, from the first round, to the semis, to the conference finals; the Bulls won each of the 1st 3 years.  The only year where the Knicks did beat the Bulls in postseason history was in 1994… the Bulls minus Jordan and the Knicks plus Hollins.  The final playoff meeting between the 2 teams came in 1996, where the Bulls again ruled.  So by my record keeping, it’s Bulls 6 the Knicks 1… the Bulls 6 Titles, the Knicks 0… ok, yeah they do have 2 titles from the 70s, but you get the point.

The Bulls opened the 1991 playoffs with a 41 point beat down of the Knicks at the Stadium.  Game 2 at the Stadium was a little different.  The Knicks actually lead going into the 4th quarter, before the Bulls stormed back to win 89-79.  This brings us to Game 3 in MSG.

It has a tap root cialis pills for sale which branches to form branched roots. The powerful cialis super active http://djpaulkom.tv/watch-dj-paul-and-nfl-player-plaxico-burress-on-abcs-celebrity-wife-swap/ herb of this treatment for men with moderate and severe condition of ED. The cause of sexual performance viagra order cheap issues for men, which is a very common and highly treatable condition. Next time, you take this medicine, remember its positive effects sildenafil prices and take it happily. We all know that MJ loved to play in New York.  How many memorable moments can you think of?  The double nickel with the game winning assist to Bill Wennington… the final game as a Bull there with his original Jordans throwing in a backwards layup then licking his fingers… yes, I watch plenty of YouTube highlights of MJ with my son.  Game 3 of the 1991 Playoffs brought us another one of his greatest moments.  In my opinion, it was his greatest dunk of all time.

The Bulls were down by 4 in the 2nd quarter, when MJ got the ball.  He went from one double team to another… this time with Oakley guarding the baseline.  With his path to the basket apparently blocked, he turned and dribbled away from the basket… then just that quickly, he turned baseline, and dribble around Oakley.  There was only one problem… as if 3 Knick defenders weren’t enough, a 4th… 7 foot tall Patrick Ewing was waiting at the rim.  Yes, it was a problem, but not for MJ.  As Jordan took off, Ewing bumped him in mid air… Jordan kept elevating, throwing down a vicious dunk over the ex-Hoya.  I’ve seen a replay of this dunk at least 100 times.  It’s my favorite.  To get hit mid air, and keep going up, then throwing it down over one of the biggest men in the NBA.  Yes, THAT was awesome.

So the Bulls went onto win the game 103-94 as MJ finished with 33 points.  But it wasn’t just MJ… it couldn’t be. Pippen with 21, Paxson with 14, and Perdue… yes, Perdue with 16.  Maybe against the Knicks we could have gotten away with just MJ, but we were just dipping our toes in.  We’ve been here done that.  Our nemesis was still alive.  The 3rd ranked Pistons beat the Hawks 3-2; they had a matchup with the 2nd ranked Celtics in the next round.  Meanwhile, the Bulls would welcome Charles Barkley and the Sixers to the Stadium for the beginning of the Conference Semifinals.

Excited yet?  Sure.  It was a franchise record breaking regular season, the first conference title in 16 years, and now a first round sweep.  Yet, we’ve only just begun.  How would Sir Charles fare?  About the same as every other NBA superstar in the Eastern Conference during the 90s.  Bulls Sixers are next.