Bulls vs. Knicks: 1998 Eastern Conference Finals Game 6

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Lore & Background

The rivalry peaked in intensity from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, when both teams became huge playoff contenders. This was due to a variety of factors: the great frequency in which the teams competed against each other in high-stakes contests and playoff series; well-known players such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, and John Starks; the reputations of the team's respective cities; and personnel changes and conflicts between the teams. The two teams met in the playoffs during six of the eight years from 1989 to 1996, with the Bulls winning five of those series.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Madison Square Garden was thick with floor wax and suffocating anxiety. With the score knotted at 86-86 and seconds evaporating from the clock, the arena seemed to hold its collective breath. Michael Jordan, knees bent and eyes locked on the rim, dribbled near the top of the key. The Knicks' defense collapsed instantly—hands waving in his face, bodies throwing elbows—but he carved out a sliver of space between Patrick Ewing and Allan Houston. He rose up, the ball leaving his fingertips in that familiar, high-arcing trajectory. As it swished through the net with 3.7 seconds remaining, the roar that erupted wasn't just for a basket; it was the sound of an era's greatest trial finally ending.

Did You Know?

• As of 1998, the Bulls had advanced to the NBA Finals six times (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998), not 13 times.