1998 NBA Finals

Background

The 1997–98 season was widely expected to be the last for the Bulls core of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and coach Phil Jackson, who named the season "The Last Dance" on a chalkboard in training camp. Scottie Pippen's contract status created tension; he delayed off-season surgery, pushing his unavailability into the regular season, and general manager Jerry Krause actively tried to trade him. Pippen demanded a trade and sat out beyond his return to playing condition, ultimately playing only 44 games.

In the playoffs, the Jazz were pushed to five games by the Houston Rockets, then defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4–1 and swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals. The Bulls swept the New Jersey Nets, beat the Charlotte Hornets in five, and needed seven games to overcome the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. This was the first time since 1989 that the same two teams met in the Finals in consecutive years. The Jazz earned the league's best record by sweeping the two-game regular season series with the Bulls, despite both teams finishing with 62 wins.

The Finals logo was embroidered on participants' jerseys for the first time, replacing the Larry O'Brien trophy patch used in 1996 and 1997.

Game summaries

The Jazz and Bulls entered the series as equals, with the Jazz having won both regular season meetings. The Jazz had ten days' rest after sweeping the Lakers, while the Bulls had only two days' rest after a seven-game series with the Pacers. The Jazz won Game 1 in overtime 88–85 in Utah, with Scottie Pippen missing a three-pointer at the buzzer. The Bulls tied the series in Game 2 with a 93–88 victory, their first win against Utah all season.

Karl Malone shot poorly in the first two games, including a layup in Game 2 that hit the underside of the rim. In Game 3 in Chicago, the Bulls won 96–54, setting a record for the largest margin of victory in Finals history (42 points) and holding the Jazz to the lowest points scored in any NBA game since the shot clock was introduced. Chicago won Game 4 86–82, and Utah took Game 5 83–81 despite nearly blowing a seven-point lead in the final two minutes; Karl Malone scored 39 points, and Antoine Carr made all five of his field goal attempts. The series returned to Utah with the Bulls leading 3–2.

Legacy and aftermath

As of 2024, this series remains the last Finals appearance for both the Bulls and Jazz. After the season, the Bulls dynasty broke up; the team missed the playoffs in the lockout-shortened 1999 season, winning 13 of 50 games, and later won the draft lottery to select Elton Brand first overall. The Bulls did not return to the postseason until 2005. Both teams have made only one Conference Finals appearance since: the Jazz in 2007 (lost to the San Antonio Spurs) and the Bulls in 2011 (lost to the Miami Heat).

Phil Jackson declined an offer to coach another season with the Bulls and later became head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999, winning five NBA titles there to reach 11 total, the most for a coach in the four major American sports leagues. Ron Harper followed Jackson to the Lakers and won championships in 2000 and 2001. Michael Jordan announced his second retirement on January 13, 1999, later returning with the Washington Wizards in 2001 for two seasons without a playoff appearance.

Scottie Pippen was traded to the Houston Rockets in the offseason and played his final season with the Bulls in 2003–04.

In Popular Culture

The documentary miniseries The Last Dance, a co-production of ESPN Films and Netflix, aired in 2020. It centered on Michael Jordan’s career, especially his final season with the Chicago Bulls. The series won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series and was praised for its direction and editing, as well as its release during early COVID-19 quarantine. A cinematic version of Game 6 followed the finale.