1997 NBA Playoffs

[Da_Realist]

I'm going to post some games here in this thread that I'm uploading from the 97 Playoffs. This year had everything -- MJ is better this year than he was in 96, Pippen at his best, Shaq in his prime before Phil Jackson gets there, Kobe shows potential, Knicks/Heat, Stockton-to-Malone, KJ/Nash/Kidd, Olajuwon/Barkley/Drexler and Webber/Howard/Strickland on the same teams. Even a little Payton and Shawn Kemp. Great playoff season.

I'll just post the games in this thread. Enjoy.

[Da_Realist]

Washington Bullets @ Chicago Bulls
1st Round Game 1
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjhunt76...2FB843037242B8

Jordan puts the clamps on Rod Strickland

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...704250CHI.html

[Da_Realist]

Portland Trailblazers @ LA Lakers
1st Round Game 1
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjhunt76...C42AD01341B54E

Shaq -- 46 points, 11 rebounds

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...704250LAL.html

[Da_Realist]

Washington Bullets @ Chicago Bulls
1st Round Game 2
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjhunt76...518A92B8D8B53F

Jordan with an amazing performance here -- 55 points on 63% shooting. I'll just link to a previous thread -->

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=188563

[che guevara]

Round Mound made a thread yesterday about Jordan's 55 point game, here was my post:

55 points with just one made three - Jordan put on a clinic in midrange shooting that game. The Bullets played the Bulls surprisingly tough in that series even though they got swept. Also on display in that game is Webber's phenomenal passing, and he hit 3 threes despite bricking 4 of his 6 FTs.

Curious, what's your opinion on the '96 vs. '97 Bulls? I know the Bulls had a better record in '96 and lost one less playoff game, but their competition was better in '97 and Jordan/Pippen both played better. Brian Williams was also better off the bench than Wennington.

[DatWasNashty]

These were probably my favorite playoffs along with the '91, '93, '94, '95 and '06. Chapman was ballin in that postseason. Suns could've beat Seattle in game 4 after Chapman hit that miraculous three. Didn't get the job done in OT. We got blown out in game 5. Only thing I hated was how the Rockets didn't get it done against the Jazz. I remember Barkley having little success against Malone down low which led to stagnating the offense a bit and Stockton had his way with Maloney. Drexler was also having trouble against the combo of Russell/Anderson and he was fairly limited through games 1-5. The Knicks would've also beat the Heat if it wasn't for those suspensions. And a Bulls/Knicks series > Bulls/Heat.


che guevara, I feel the '97 Bulls were better because they had another threat lowpost threat and a rebounder in Brian Williams that they picked up late in the season. Given more time, he could've understood the triangle a bit better and had more of an impact if given the minutes. This was a guy who put up good numbers on a playoff team in the next season. And the chemistry between Jordan and Pippen was at its peak. Rodman wasn't up to his standards this postseason but he did a good job getting under Zo's skin in the ECF and troubled Malone in the finals. They could've also won 70+ games if Kukoc, Longley and Rodman were healthy. That said, I feel the second 3 peat Bulls are overrated in general. First 3 peat Bulls were better because they were younger, more athletic and MJ had that 6th gear that he didn't possess in the 2nd 3 peat years.

[Da_Realist]

Curious, what's your opinion on the '96 vs. '97 Bulls? I know the Bulls had a better record in '96 and lost one less playoff game, but their competition was better in '97 and Jordan/Pippen both played better. Brian Williams was also better off the bench than Wennington.

--->

che guevara, I feel the '97 Bulls were better because they had another threat lowpost threat and a rebounder in Brian Williams that they picked up late in the season. Given more time, he could've understood the triangle a bit better and had more of an impact if given the minutes. This was a guy who put up good numbers on a playoff team in the next season. And the chemistry between Jordan and Pippen was at its peak. Rodman wasn't up to his standards this postseason but he did a good job getting under Zo's skin in the ECF and troubled Malone in the finals. They could've also won 70+ games if Kukoc, Longley and Rodman were healthy. That said, I feel the second 3 peat Bulls are overrated in general. First 3 peat Bulls were better because they were younger, more athletic and MJ had that 6th gear that he didn't possess in the 2nd 3 peat years.

^^^ This is exactly how I feel -- except for that "2nd 3Peat Bulls are overrated" part. I will say this, though. MJ was a boss in 97. More spring in his legs, quicker and stronger. There is a noticeable difference from 96 if you watch enough games. It sounds unbelievable, but I think he was still working himself back even throughout the 96 season.

Which means, we lost 3 seasons where MJ was either not playing or he was playing at less than his full capacity. I think 97 was his first real season back.

[KenneBell]

Nah, I think he was better in '96. I do believe that Jordan could have been more prepared for the long playoff run in '97 though.

[Da_Realist]

Washington Bullets @ Chicago Bulls
1st Round Game 3
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjhunt76...BABE0CC2A59216

Great game by both teams. Washington was better than people remember. Chris Webber was 8-10 this game and Rod Strickland had 24 points, 9 assists. MJ and Pippen led the way for the Bulls. The last few minutes of the fourth when the Bulls came back from a significant deficit to win the game is a must-see. Pippen saves the day with a back breaking layup to win the game.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...704300WSB.html

[OldSchoolBBall]

Nah, I think he was better in '96. I do believe that Jordan could have been more prepared for the long playoff run in '97 though.

He definitely had better hops in '97 than '96. It's very noticeable. He may have been a tad faster as well. But leaping-wise, he definitely had his basketball legs back more in '97 than '96.

[Samurai Swoosh]

He definitely had better hops in '97 than '96. It's very noticeable. He may have been a tad faster as well. But leaping-wise, he definitely had his basketball legs back more in '97 than '96.

WHAT .... Loki, stop it. Each year saw Jordan decline in athleticism when he came back. Hell, "basketball shape" aside ... he was still making more athletic plays in April and May of 2005 while wearing #45 in the playoffs than he did in 1996. Do you want me to show you the clips?

[OldSchoolBBall]

WHAT .... Loki, stop it. Each year saw Jordan decline in athleticism when he came back. Hell, "basketball shape" aside ... he was still making more athletic plays in April and May of 2005 while wearing #45 in the playoffs than he did in 1996. Do you want me to show you the clips?

No - he was definitely more athletic in '95 than '96, but his hops in particular I felt were better in '97 than '96. In '96, especially in the playoffs, there were a few dunks where he barely got air (think of the famous dunk on Orlando when Pippen grabbed Penny on the break to stop him from challenging). In '97 he had more spring to his step imo. But no, he was never as quick as he was during that '95 comeback run again. I think it was because he bulked up more after that.

[DuMa]

juwan howard sighting!!!!!

[Da_Realist]

WHAT .... Loki, stop it. Each year saw Jordan decline in athleticism when he came back. Hell, "basketball shape" aside ... he was still making more athletic plays in April and May of 2005 while wearing #45 in the playoffs than he did in 1996. Do you want me to show you the clips?

I've watched a ton of games from 95 - 97 recently. He's a better overall player in 97 than he was in either 95 or 96. That's just my opinion. He did lose something due to age, but overall he was a better player in 97. Whatever he lost in pure explosiveness, he gained through strength and discipline. And he attacked the rim like in the old days. He killed the Bullets in the first round. Against the Hawks, Rodman stops rebounding and MJ goes out and grabs 11 boards in game 1, then grabbed 16 in game 2. I don't think he had less than 8 throughout the whole series. I'm not sure Jordan had that extra gear in 96.

[Da_Realist]

Seattle Supersonics @ Phoenix Suns
1st Round Game 4
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjhunt76...E89BFE97F51264

Rex Chapman!!! I was a junior in undergrad watching the game in our student center. When Rex hit that shot, the building went NUTS! This was back when the NBA had multiple games on every night and this was the late game. The student center was supposed to shut down at midnight, but we were in there well past 1am. A great experience matched only by the one where I watched Game 1 of the 93 Finals at Boys State. But that's a different story. Anyway, great shot by Rex.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...705010PHO.html