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1990–91 Chicago Bulls season

The 1990–91 NBA season was the Bulls' 25th season in the National Basketball Association.[1] During the off-season, the Bulls acquired Dennis Hopson from the New Jersey Nets,[2][3] and signed free agent Cliff Levingston.[4][5] The Bulls overcame a slow start, losing their first three games of the season,[6] as they later on went on an 11-game winning streak between February and March,[7] held a 32–14 record at the All-Star break,[8] then posted a nine-game winning streak also in March.[9] The Bulls finished in first place in the Eastern Conference with a 61–21 record,[10] surpassing their previous franchise-best from the 1971–72 season.[11] Widely regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time, the Bulls had the best team offensive rating and the seventh best team defensive rating in the NBA.

Michael Jordan averaged 31.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.7 steals per game, and won another scoring title and his second Most Valuable Player award,[12][13][14][15] while being named to the All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Defensive First Team, and was selected for the 1991 NBA All-Star Game.[16][17] Scottie Pippen averaged 17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.4 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, while Horace Grant provided the team with 12.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and Bill Cartwright contributed 9.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.[18] Three-point specialist Craig Hodges won the Three-Point Shootout for the second consecutive year during the All-Star Weekend in Charlotte,[19][20] and head coach Phil Jackson finished in fourth place in Coach of the Year voting.[21][22]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Bulls swept the New York Knicks in three straight games.[23][24][25][26] Then in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, they defeated Charles Barkley and the 5th-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in five games.[27][28][29][30] In the Eastern Conference Finals, they swept the defending champion Detroit Pistons in four straight games, and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time.[31][32][33][34]

After losing Game 1 at home, 93–91 to Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers,[35][36] the Bulls would win the 1991 NBA Finals in five games, winning their first ever championship in franchise history.[37][38][39][40][41] This season was the first of three consecutive NBA titles for the Bulls, as well as marking the beginning of the legendary Bulls dynasty, which would net the team another five more championships over the next seven seasons. In 2024, following the Boston Celtics winning their 18th NBA Finals championship, this Chicago Bulls squad would tie that same Celtics team for the 20th easiest route to the NBA Finals championship according to HoopsHype, with Chicago being docked due to their first round opponent, the New York Knicks, having a losing record that season.[42]

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Regular season

Playoffs

Player stats

Regular season

Playoffs

NBA Finals

Game 1

Sunday, June 2, at the Chicago Stadium

Game 2

Wednesday, June 5, at the Chicago StadiumThe Bulls shot a Finals record 61.7% from the floor, with a Jordan layup over Sam Perkins a highlight.[43]

Game 3

Friday, June 7, at the Great Western Forum

Michael Jordan sends Game 3 to overtime with a pull-up jumper with 3.4 seconds to go.[44]

Game 4

Sunday, June 9, at the Great Western Forum

Game 5

Wednesday, June 12, at the Great Western Forum

The Lakers were facing elimination, and the lack of Worthy and Scott was not any help to the Lakers. This would not stop Magic Johnson as Johnson had 20 assists in the game, but it was not enough. Elden Campbell outscored Michael Jordan with 13 points in the first half, but it was not enough. The Lakers still fought and even led 93-90 in the fourth quarter, but a Bulls 9-0 run, and Paxson's 10 points in the final half of the fourth quarter helped secure the Chicago Bulls', and Michael Jordan's first NBA title.[38]

Award winners

NBA All-Star Game

Transactions

References

  1. ^ "1990-91 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats".
  2. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 27, 1990). "Nets Continue to Deal, Trading Hopson to Bulls". The New York Times. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  3. ^ "2 Dennis Hopson". Chicago Tribune. November 2, 1990. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  4. ^ McKibben, Dave (August 14, 1990). "NBA Stars Near San Diego Sellout". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  5. ^ Smith, Sam (October 2, 1990). "Bulls Close in on Levingston". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  6. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Celtics Beat Bulls at Buzzer". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 7, 1990. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  7. ^ Murphy, Robert J. (March 2, 1991). "Bulls 109, Mavericks 86". United Press International. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  8. ^ "NBA Games Played on February 7, 1991". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  9. ^ Murphy, Robert J. (March 20, 1991). "Bulls 129, Hawks 107". United Press International. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  10. ^ "1990–91 Chicago Bulls Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  11. ^ "Chicago Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  12. ^ Brown, Clifton (May 21, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Amid Pressing Matters, Jordan Accepts M.V.P." The New York Times. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  13. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (May 21, 1991). "NBA PLAYOFFS: Jordan Is MVP in Landslide Vote". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  14. ^ Smith, Sam (May 21, 1991). "Jordan MVP by a Landslide". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  15. ^ "NBA MVP & ABA Most Valuable Player Award Winners". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  16. ^ Smith, Sam (January 30, 1991). "Pippen Bypassed for All-Star Team". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  17. ^ "1991 NBA All-Star Game: East 116, West 114". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  18. ^ "1990–91 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  19. ^ Brown, Clifton (February 10, 1991). "PRO BASKETBALL; Rookie Wins Dunk Contest". The New York Times. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  20. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (February 10, 1991). "Celtics' Brown Makes Dunking Dee-Lightful: All-Stars: At 6-1, He Uses Creativity to Beat Seattle's Kemp. Hodges Wins Shootout Again". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "Chaney Gets Coaching Award, New Contract". United Press International. May 23, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  22. ^ "Rockets' Chaney Named Coach of Year". Chicago Tribune. May 24, 1991. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  23. ^ Schabner, Dean (April 30, 1991). "Bulls 103, Knicks 94". United Press International. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  24. ^ Brown, Clifton (May 1, 1991). "BASKETBALL; No-Good-Knicks: Bulls Complete a Playoff Sweep". The New York Times. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  25. ^ Smith, Sam (May 1, 1991). "How Sweep It Is! Bulls Beat Knicks". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  26. ^ "1991 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Knicks vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  27. ^ Murphy, Robert J. (May 14, 1991). "Bulls 100, 76ers 95". United Press International. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  28. ^ Brown, Clifton (May 15, 1991). "BASKETBALL: THREE TEAMS ADVANCE TO CONFERENCE FINALS; Jordan's Punch Knocks Out the 76ers". The New York Times. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  29. ^ "Jordan's 38 Points, 19 Rebounds Fuel Bulls: Eastern Conference: He Takes Advantage of 76ers' Limping Hawkins as Chicago Advances with a 100-95 Victory". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 15, 1991. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  30. ^ "1991 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals: 76ers vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  31. ^ Brown, Clifton (May 28, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Bulls Brush Aside Pistons for Eastern Title". The New York Times. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  32. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (May 28, 1991). "NBA PLAYOFFS: Bulls Erase the Last Doubt: Eastern Conference Finals: Bulls Extinguish Piston Hopes for a Third Consecutive Title, 115-94, and Make Their First Trip to the Championship Series". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  33. ^ Wilbon, Michael (May 28, 1991). "Bulls Handle All Pistons' Shots, Sweep Them". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  34. ^ "1991 NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Pistons vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  35. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 4, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Jordan, Jordan, Jordan Needs a Hand Out There". The New York Times. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  36. ^ Heisler, Mark (June 7, 1991). "NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Bulls: GAME 1: Perkins Shoots Down Bulls from Afar, 93-91". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  37. ^ Barnes, Mike (June 12, 1991). "Bulls Beat Lakers for Title, 108-101". United Press International. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  38. ^ a b Brown, Clifton (June 13, 1991). "Jordan Crowns Career and Bulls Reign in N.B.A." The New York Times. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  39. ^ Heisler, Mark (June 13, 1991). "NBA FINALS: LAKERS vs. CHICAGO BULLS: Bulls' Decree: Jordan Rules: Game 5: Chicago Wins First Championship by Sweeping at Forum, 108-101, But Depleted Lakers Go Down Fighting". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  40. ^ Aldridge, David (June 13, 1991). "Jordan, Co. Complete NBA Title Run, 108-101". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  41. ^ "1991 NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  42. ^ "Ranking the easiest paths to an NBA title ever". HoopsHype. June 18, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  43. ^ Goldaper, Sam (June 6, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Pippen Performs Magic on Defense". The New York Times. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  44. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 8, 1991). "Extra! Bulls Rally Then Down Lakers in Overtime". The New York Times. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  45. ^ Associated Press Athlete of the Year (male)