1997 NBA Finals - Bulls Defeat Jazz

Game 1

Despite having a toe injury earlier, Scottie Pippen helped the Bulls to a 84-82 win over Utah on Sunday night. Pippen scored 27 points while Jordan scored 31. The Bulls trailed 79-78 in the fourth quarter, yet were able to come back after Pippen blocked Antoine Carr's jump shot and after an assist from Ron Harper when Pippen would make his third 3-pointer of the night. With the game tied, and only seconds remaining, Karl Malone, whose nickname was "The Mailman" (because "He delivers"), was fouled and had a chance to give the Jazz the lead. Scottie Pippen famously psyched him out by telling him "Just remember, The mail man doesn't deliver on Sundays, Karl." while Malone was at the free throw line. He missed both free throws and the Bulls rebounded and quickly called a time-out. With the game on the line, Chicago put the ball into the hands of Michael Jordan. M.J. dribbled out most of the waning seconds and then launched a 20 footer that swished in at the buzzer, as the Chicago Bulls took the first game of the 1997 NBA Finals.

Game 2

The Chicago Bulls simply dominated Game 2. Jordan scored 38 points. After a hard fought first quarter, the Bulls took control of the game with a 12-0 run in the second quarter with Michael Jordan whipping a great pass to Scottie Pippen for a one handed dunk. The Jazz's 31 points in the first half was only one point above an NBA low. Karl Malone, who missed two key free throws in the last game, would have another bad night, going only 6 for 20 shooting. Dennis Rodman nailed a late 3-pointer to put the Bulls up 97-83. The game gave the Bulls a 2-0 lead.

Game 3

The Chicago Bulls would start off the first three quarters with mediocre play, despite Scottie Pippen tying the NBA Finals record with seven 3 pointers. Utah was led by Karl Malone who scored 37 points and had 10 rebounds. Chicago attempted a 4th quarter comeback cutting a 24 point deficit to 7, but ultimately Utah would win their first game of the series. The...

MJ Adds More Finals Heroics to His Legacy
What more could Michael Jordan do?

He already had led the Chicago Bulls to four championships, winning Finals MVP honors each time. He owned nine NBA scoring titles, four MVP awards, two Olympic gold medals and a host of additional honors and records, yet the 1997 NBA Finals would provide a platform for him to add to his amazing story.

Jordan had been dethroned as MVP by Utah's Karl Malone during the 1996-97 regular season, but the Finals matchup between the Bulls, a league-best 69-13 in the regular season, and Jazz, a franchise-best 64-18, gave MJ an opportunity to reclaim his position as the game's premier player.

Jordan battles flu, makes Jazz sick

by Rick Weinberg

He remembers waking up in the middle of the night, sweating profusely, shaking, and feeling as if he was going to die. "I was scared; I didn't know what was happening to me," Michael Jordan would say.

At first, he thought it was a nightmare. Then he realized it was real, that he was seriously ill. "I felt partially paralyzed," he would later say.

When he lifted himself up from his bed in his Utah hotel room, his head began spinning. He'd never been so nauseated before. He feared that somehow, some way, someone had slipped some kind of drug in something he ate.