1997–98 NBA Championship
The Chicago Bulls captured their third straight NBA championship in 1998, completing a second three-peat and ending an era.
The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season ended with the Chicago Bulls winning their third straight championship and sixth in the last eight years, beating the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the 1998 NBA Finals. It also marked the temporary departure of Michael Jordan and the end of the dynasty for the Chicago Bulls.
- Season
- 1997–98
- Finals_Opponent
- Utah Jazz
- Series_Result
- 4–2
- Regular_Season_Record
- 62–20
- Coach
- Phil Jackson
Lore & Background
The Chicago Bulls won their third straight championship and sixth in the last eight years in the 1998 NBA Finals, defeating the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2. This was the last time that both NBA and NHL regular seasons ended on the same day. The Bulls and Jazz shared the league's best record at 62–20, with the Jazz having home-court advantage by virtue of a better conference record as the primary tiebreaker. Two new records were set in Game 3 of the Finals: biggest margin of victory (42 points) and fewest points scored in an NBA Finals game (54) in the Bulls' rout of the Jazz. Following head coach Phil Jackson's decision to not return to the Bulls, Michael Jordan announced his second retirement from the NBA during the following offseason. This was Jordan's final season with the Chicago Bulls. Scottie Pippen was traded for Roy Rogers (who was waived in January 1999) and a conditional second-round draft pick from the Houston Rockets. Dennis Rodman was not re-signed either, leading to the end of an era for the Bulls and the NBA.
In Their Own Story
The arena hummed with tension in the final minutes of Game Six. Michael Jordan dribbled near half-court, eyes locked on the defense. He signaled a play, but instead he drove, drawing two defenders before kicking it out. The ball found Steve Kerr at the elbow. A quick release, nothing but net. The crowd erupted as the lead held steady. In the locker room afterward, the silence was heavy with realization; they had done it one last time together.
Reader's Guide
The 1997–98 Chicago Bulls won their third straight championship and sixth in the last eight years. The Bulls removed the pinstripes from their black alternate uniforms. Michael Jordan won the NBA Most Valuable Player award and his third All-Star MVP. The Bulls' dynasty ended after this season with the departures of Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, and coach Phil Jackson.
Did You Know?
- The Bulls and Jazz both finished with a 62–20 record, the best in the league.
- Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals set records for biggest margin of victory (42 points) and fewest points scored in a Finals game (54).
- Michael Jordan passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leader in points scored in the NBA Playoffs during this season.
- The Bulls' third straight championship was their sixth title in eight years.
More in Honours & Records
Elsewhere in the Chicago Bulls universe
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