Bulls Nation

Life after Jordan: The Bulls' 55-win season and a playoff run without their legend.

The 1993–94 Chicago Bulls season was the 28th season for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association. The Bulls entered the regular season as the three-time defending NBA champions, having defeated the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals in six games. This was the first season without All-Star guard Michael Jordan since the 1984–85 season, as he retired during the off-season to pursue a baseball career after the murder of his father. The Bulls finished in second place in the Central Division with a 55–27 record, earning the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Lore & Background

The Bulls swept the Cleveland Cavaliers 3–0 in the Eastern Conference First Round, winning Games 1 and 2 at home and Game 3 on the road 104–92 in regulation. In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the Bulls lost to the New York Knicks in seven games, losing Game 7 at Chicago Stadium 87–77. A notable incident occurred in Game 3 of that series: Scottie Pippen refused to enter the game after a play was designed for Toni Kukoč to take the game-winning shot; Kukoč hit the buzzer-beater to win 104–102.

Reader's Guide

Scottie Pippen averaged 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.9 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive First Team. Horace Grant averaged 15.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. B. J. Armstrong provided 14.8 points and 3.9 assists per game. Off the bench, Toni Kukoč averaged 10.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Steve Kerr contributed 8.6 points per game, Pete Myers 7.9 points per game, Bill Wennington 7.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, and Bill Cartwright 5.6 points per game in 42 games.

Did You Know?

Scottie Pippen was named NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 1994, scoring 29 points with 11 rebounds and 4 steals.
Toni Kukoč made his NBA debut this season after being drafted by the Bulls as the 29th overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft.
The Bulls traded Stacey King to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Luc Longley.
This was the Bulls' last season at the Chicago Stadium before moving to the United Center.