I was watching a tribute special for the Chicago Bulls of the 90’s Friday night, and the show made me reminisce of the excitement, thrills and goosebumps of those times. I was just eleven years old when the Jordan-led Bulls won their first championship against, ironically, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bulls lost the first game in Chicago, when Jordan muffed the potential game-winning jumper. Chicago then swept the next four games.

But before the Bulls dominated the NBA in the 90’s, they underwent through a lot of struggles, obstacles and hindrances. The biggest hindrance of them all were Isiah Thomas and the “Bad Boys” of Detroit. They faced the Pistons twice in the Eastern Conference Finals for two straight postseasons, and twice they were denied the right to go to the NBA Finals. They were also criticized as being just a Michael Jordan team. Detroit swamped on Jordan in almost every possession to the frustration of His Airness. They even named one of their defensive set, the “Jordan trap.” As Joe Dumars used to exclaim, “95% of the time, the ball goes to Jordan, and in the other 5%, the ball ends up in his hands anyway.”

With that mind, Coach Jackson and his assistant Tex Winter constructed a set of offensive plays which would involve all five players on the floor. They called it, the “Triangle Offense.” And the result, the Bulls became a different team at the onset of the 1990-91 season. Jordan did not have to score 35 points every game. Forwards Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant became a force of their own. Center Bill Cartwright became a post option, and guard John Paxson became so deadly, that he made his guards pay when they left him wide open.

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All five guys became threats, that it became hard to stop the rampaging Bulls. Not to mention the contribution of their bench players, especially that of Randy Levingston, who at some nights, energized the team leading to victories. The Bulls cruised to a 61-win season, and swept the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls dominated the decade winning six championships in eight years.

Similarly, the Los Angeles Lakers are seemingly gearing towards that same fate. After winning three titles in 2000-2002, the Lakers lose to the San Antonio Spurs in the second round of 2003, and lost the championship ring to the Pistons in 2004. Jackson, dominant center Shaquille O’Neal, starters Robert Horry, Rick Fox and Derek Fisher, all significant contributors in their three-peat, left the Lakers in the 2004-05 season. The team was entrusted solely to Kobe Bryant. Former Houston Rockets champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich and Frank Hamblen took turns in guiding the Lakers that season to no avail. They failed to reach the postseason wars for the first time in more than ten years in franchise history.

Then, Jackson came back to the Lakers fold last season, and led Los Angeles back to the playoffs. They gave the Phoenix Suns a scare, even leading 3-1 at one point in the series. They faltered in the end loosing three straight. But the pieces are slowly molded into the Lakers system. It was the start of greater things to come.

Bryant last season had to score 35 points a night for the Lakers to reach the playoffs, much like what Jordan had to do in his time. This season, though, Bryant is just averaging 21 points per game. And they have an awesome 7-3 record to start the season. Lamar Odom has become the star everyone expected him to be. He has transformed to be the all-around player supporting Bryant as Pippen was for Jordan. He has racked impressive numbers in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and threes. Luke Walton has scored more than 20 points thrice this season (this early), and Smush Parker is contributing heavy numbers from the guard spot. Kwame Brown has produced double-doubles. Vladimir Radmanovic, Jordan Farmar, Brian Cook and Maurice Evans have steadily performed well for Jackson.

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The Lakers may not be a championship contender this year, not yet. But they will be in three to four years max. Just like the Bulls then, this Laker team will hurdle every forthcoming obstacle. The Suns might be their Pistons, and the Suns may bow down in the future especially with two-time MVP Steve Nash aging. But this year, a Western Conference Finals berth is still wishful thinking. But definitely, they will reach the second round of the playoffs. (pics courtesy of topbuzz.com)

Sir Charles Barkley, as he was widely known, was just recently inducted to the Hall of Fame together with Dominique, The Human Highlight Film, Wilkins and Joe Dumars last week. Sir Charles had the chance of winning the title during the 1992-1993 season, where he was named MVP, and his Phoenix Suns having the best record and home court advantage all throughout the playoffs. But His Airness had other plans. He wanted to have his third championship and led the Bulls to the title in six games.

Ewing and Starks spent most of his career with the New York Knicks, and in more the one occasion, faced the Bulls in the playoffs. Jordan had a number of career games at the Madison Square Garden highlighting his heralded rivalry with the Knicks. Chicago was to New York the most annoying hindrance to their NBA championship dream as Detroit was to Chicago. The Bulls, under the leadership of Michael Jordan, were frustrated by the Pistons three straight times during three straight Eastern Conference Finals. Chicago, however, was able to eliminate the Piston ghost by sweeping them during the 1991 Playoffs en route to their first title. New York, on the other hand, failed to advance to the NBA Finals each time they met the Jordan-led Bulls. They had the chance to claim NBA Supremacy during the 1994 NBA Finals, where they beat the Jordan-less Bulls in the second round. They were just beaten by a Hakeem Olajuwon follow-up during the last seconds in overtime in Game Seven of their series against the Houston Rockets. As Jordan used to say when asked about the championship chances of his best friend Ewing, “He had his chance while I was away.”

After retiring for one and a half season, Jordan led the Bulls to a brilliant record-setting 72 win season and their fourth title, this time at the expense of Payton, Kemp and Seattle Supersonics. Jordan romped to win the title in six games.

Mourning, like Ewing, also faced Jordan and the Bulls every time they advance in the playoffs, this time during Jordan’s second 3-peat. Mourning and the Heat were swept by the Bulls during their first round encounter in 1996. Mourning’s biggest chance at the title was when his Heat reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 1997. They lost however to the Bulls in five games.

Reggie Miller had an awesome 1997-1998 season, leading his Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals. They pushed the Bulls to the limit, extending the series to a decisive seventh game. Jordan made a beautiful pass to Luc Longley who was waiting at the baseline for the winning jump shot and the trip to their sixth NBA Finals.

Malone and Stockton had two cracks at the Larry O’Brien trophy during their back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. They were defeated by the Bulls in six games for both series. Malone even won the MVP honors in 1997. Jordan was at his best once again in a crucial game five of the 1997 Finals. Despite being hit by a stomach virus, Jordan shrugged off the pain and hit a crucial three pointer in the dying seconds to lead the Bulls to the win and the 3-2 edge in the Finals. Jordan scored 38 points in that game where he appeared to be in serious pain. He could barely walk to the side line. His will just powered him to do his usual heroics in the court.

Jordan ended his Chicago Bull career in a memorable fashion. His Bulls were down by three in the final seconds against Utah in game six of the 1998 NBA Finals. Jordan made a lay-up, stole the ball away from Malone that staged the classic jump shot over Bryon Russell for his sixth championship ring, ending the hopes of Malone and Stockton for that ultimate NBA dream. Stockton never went to the NBA Finals after that. Malone had another chance in 2004 when he teamed up with Payton, O’Neal and Kobe Bryant donning the L.A. Laker Jersey this time. They were, however, beaten by the Detroit Pistons in five games. (pics courtesy of nba.com)