With all these Game 7s going on, it got me thinking about the Game 7 memories of my teams. Let’s start with the Bulls.
The last Game 7 played for our Bullies was in 2013 against the Brooklyn Nets. This game was played in Brooklyn. This was the series Nate Robinson went off; we were still waiting for Derrick to come back, figuring since he’d been medically cleared, he’d be good to go… well… But yeah, Nate went off, especially in the 3OT special earlier in the series that I was in attendance for at the UC. But Game 7… Joakim Noah basically put us on his back. That was HIS year; he really did it all, with the offense basically running through him at the top of the key; his defense and energy was insane of course. Unfortunately, the Bulls would go down to the Heat the next round, again, which left us wondering, again, what if the Bulls, and specifically DRose would have been healthy. But yeah, Game 7 in Brooklyn… loved it.
The only other Game 7 for that Bulls team was back in 2009. Derrick Rose burst onto the scene that year, taking rookie of the year. The Bulls came in as heavy underdogs against the 2 seed Boston Celtics. Of course, maybe the best game in the series was Game 6 when the Bulls won in 3OT in Chicago to force a Game 7, including the famous Joakim Noah steal and dunk on Pierce highlight. I was living in LA at the time, and got together with my people out there, including a die hard Celtics fan, to watch the action of Game 7. It wasn’t as gut wrenching a defeat as you’d think… the Bulls were just getting started.
Of course, then there was MJ and the dynasty Bulls. I’m sure you know this, but just in case. In the 24 series victories that made up the 6 rings, the Bulls were only pushed to Game 7 twice! The Pacers in 1998 in the ECF and the Knicks back in 1992 in the conference semis. Just crazy to think about! There was of course that one Game 7 sprinkled in there in 1994 against the Knicks where the Bulls without Jordan went down; the series that included the famous Pippen dunk over Ewing and the famous Hue Hollins phantom foul call. Probably the most gut wrenching Game 7 loss in my time as a Bulls fan was back in 1990, the Pippen migraine headache game in Detroit. Thankfully, that was the final dues payment before 6 titles in 8 years… Before that, the Bulls had played in four additional Game 7s. In 1971 & 1973, losing to the Lakers in the conference semis, in 1974 beating the Pistons in the conference semis, and in 1975 losing to the Warriors in the conference finals. So where does that leave us?
The Bulls overall record in Game 7s is 4-6. The real question is when will the next one be? Have to make the playoffs to have a chance… at least the Bulls checked that box this year. Waiting to sit on the edge of my seat again in a winner take all playoff game; time to even up that overall record. See you in the 2023 playoffs… Go Bulls!!!
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