Top 5 playoff runs that you watched live.

[SamuraiSWISH]

1991 Michael Jordan
2001 Shaq O'Neal
1994 Hakeem Olajuwan
2012 LeBron James
1991 Scottie Pippen

One of these doesn't belong.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

One of these doesn't belong.

Is it Jordan? We all know he was carried by Dirk, Magic, and Wade-caliber players.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Is it Jordan? We all know he was carried by Dirk, Magic, and Wade-caliber players.

[moe94]

Is it Jordan? We all know he was carried by Dirk, Magic, and Wade-caliber players.

[97 bulls]

One of these doesn't belong.

How so?

[SamuraiSWISH]

How so?

1991 MJ:

MVP, Finals MVP

2012 LeBron:

MVP, Finals MVP

1994 Hakeem:

MVP, Finals MVP

2001 Shaq > 1991 Pippen

How on earth could '91 Scottie Pippen be the fifth most dominant run through the playoffs, and Finals when he was clearly the second best player on his own team? Makes no sense.

Each one of those guys was the best player in the league, put up amazing performances, and memorable games. Pippen while one of the best supplemental players ever, didn't have games / performances like that in 1991. He wasn't Alpha.

Given context, I mean ... 2000 Shaq, 2001 Iverson, 2009 Kobe, 2010 Kobe. Hell, if we're going on sidekicks: 2001 Kobe, and 2002 Kobe are better than '91 Pippen. Possibly even 2012 D. Wade.

That's just 90's and beyond. Are we talking pre-1990 too? That's really the fifth most dominant run through the playoffs you've ever seen? No bias?

[Genaro]

Shaq 2000
Duncan 2003
Kobe 2008
Dirk 2011
Lebron 2012

[97 bulls]

1991 MJ:

MVP, Finals MVP

2012 LeBron:

MVP, Finals MVP

1994 Hakeem:

MVP, Finals MVP

2001 Shaq > 1991 Pippen

How on earth could '91 Scottie Pippen be the fifth most dominant run through the playoffs, and Finals when he was clearly the second best player on his own team? Makes no sense.

Each one of those guys was the best player in the league, put up amazing performances, and memorable games. Pippen while one of the best supplemental players ever, didn't have games / performances like that in 1991. He wasn't Alpha.

Given context, I mean ... 2000 Shaq, 2001 Iverson, 2009 Kobe, 2010 Kobe. Hell, if we're going on sidekicks: 2001 Kobe, and 2002 Kobe are better than '91 Pippen. Possibly even 2012 D. Wade.

That's just 90's and beyond. Are we talking pre-1990 too? That's really the fifth most dominant run through the playoffs you've ever seen? No bias?

Well.....

I look at both sides of the ball. Pippen avg 22/9/6 and be the best defender in the playoffs. Now let's consider games.

Pip had some monumental games while helping lead the Bulls past their bitter rival the Pistons and then beat the dynasty of the 80s in the Lakers.

The way I see it, the Bulls had three games that were their most important to winning that championship. The 91 Eastern finals game 3, the 91 NBA Finals game two, and obviously the closeout game 5 in LA. Pippen led the Bulls to wins in all three of these games.

In remember when the Bulls took that 2-0 lead vs Detroit. The bug question was how would they play the Pistons when they went on the road. I remember an interview with Isaiah Thomas in which he stated they still had to go to Detroit. Im sure the Pistons believed all they needed to do was win game three and based on past results, the Bulls would feel the pressure and be in a dog fight. Pippen came out and set the tone for the Bulls with his scoring. Every run the Pistons made was snuffed out by Pippen. Either by making a clutch shot, or a key defensive play. When Vinnie Johnson got hot and made three to four straight baskets, Jackson put Pippen on him and he was shut down. Do you remember this game? After game three, the Pistons spirit had clearly been broken and in game 4, they clearly gave up.

Then the Bulls moved to the Finals. The big question was how the baby Bulls would respond to playing on such a big stage for the first time vs Lakers who were chalked full of established vets who had been there. Then even more pressure was added when they lost game one at home. Then even more pressure was added when Jordan got into early foul trouble. Jackson put Pippen on Magic and he shut him down while scoring 20 pts and grabbing 10 rebounds. Magic himself said Pip gave him fits in that game. Just think what would've happened had the Bulls lost that game. Down 0-2 with three games in LA?


The final game was game 5 of the Finals. Pippen led the Bulls in scoring, and rebounds I believe. He had 32/13/7 with five steals. And once again set the tone in a close game when he scored 13 pts in the third quarter.

That run was monumental not only due to stats, but because what those key wins meant to the Bulls. Its snuffed out two Dynasties and ignited another.

Thats why I put so much stock in that run.