Its the NBA FINALS: '96 Bulls vs '17 Warriors - Who will win a 7-game series?

[bulls96]

CHICAGO -- It's the series everyone is waiting for! These 2 teams have perenially been named as the GOAT, but which team will come out in a best-of-7? I'm here to play these two to find out!

Game link: https://youtu.be/5cjo4uP1E6k

The Bulls set the tone early in the 1st quarter as the Bulls defense immediately took hold. Jordan got hot midway, dominated his matchups. He would have 20 1st quarter pts, 18 consecutive in a 21-11 run that had the Bulls up by double figures. Late baskets from Livingston helped narrow the gap somehwat to 8 heading to the 2nd quarter.

No big lead is safe with these Warriors though. WIth KD back and Steph, they got the game tied int her first 3 mins of the 2nd period. Pippen struggled to anchor the offense with KD on him and MJ resting on the bench. They got to within 1 after a 3 from Klay THompson 3 mins into the period. The Bulls would get a much needed jolt from Steve Kerr, whose 3-pointer started a 9-2 run to keep the Warriors at bay. Lead was still at 6 when Jordan came back from the bench with over 4 mins left. A jumper from MJ made it 43-35, but the Bulls would be forced into some tunrovers late, while Kevin Durant would score 7 straight to bring them within one with a minute go.

Bulls would keep a 2-pt lead at halftime. Jordan was having quite a Game 1. He had 24 pts, 20 in the 1st. The Warriors could not really get any offensive momentum yet with the Bulls defense. Lets see how long they will stay cold.

In the third quarter, after initial baskets from Chicago. Klay Thompson would finally catch fire. He would ignite a 7-0 run and give the Warriors their first lead of the game with just 2 mins in the 3rd. Bulls would fight back with some hustle plays to reclaim a 5 pt lead. It was then Draymond Green's turn to make an impact, scoring 7 straight points. It remained close. A Kukoc 3 would give the Bulls a 7-pt advantage and the Bulls take a 4 pt lead into the 4th 79-75.

Down 4 in the 4th, that is nothing to these Warriors. They can score in a hurry. They tied the game within the next 2 mins, and the game was back and forth between a tie and a small lead for the Bulls for much of the quarter. The WArriors would take their biggest lead of the game - 3 pts - with 3:36 to after a 3-pointer from Klay Thompson, forcing an early timeout by Phil Jackson. Jordan would get to work, and would find himself in a battle with Steph Curry in the final moments. Both superstars were aggressive and getting to the line. With Steph starting to get hot, Bulls made a late adjustment, putting Pippen on Steph in the final 3 minutes. Steph would still make a long 3 to give the Warriors a 3 pt lead 3:10 left. Jordan would answer with a basket on the other end and it would be a 1-pt game with less than 2 mins to go.

After a huge defensive possession by the Bulls, they go on the other end and find Toni Kukoc who scores on a HUGE 3 pointer to give the Bulls a 101-99 lead.

Still anybody's ballgame.

Warriors ball and Steph Curry has the ball again in his hand, but this time with Pippen in his face. Another huge stop by Pippen. Warriors also had a stop on the next play, with Jordan missing on a fallaway over KD. KD would then run down the court and give the ball on the wing to Klay in transition who would sink a huge jumper to tie the game with 46 secs left.

Warriors double JOrdan on the next possession and PIppen finds himself with an open 3 at the top of the key. Scottie sinks a HUGE TRIPLE to give the Bulls a 3-pt lead with 33 secs to go.

One more stop is what they needed and they did it, with Pip again forcing Steph to give up the ball, leading to a difficult shot by the last person the Warriors wanted to shoot, Javale McGee. Rebound by ROdman and the Bulls immediately call time. THe Bulls would make the FT's in the end and they hang on.

Bulls win 108-104.

Jordan was phenomenal. He had 46 pts, with 13 assts 7 rebs 2 stls. Pippen added 22 pts and 6 rebs, including Clutch D on Steph in the final minutes as he was starting to get hot, and the biggest 3 of the game to break a tie with 33 secs to go. Kukoc led all bench players with 13 pts. Rodman had 16 rebs.

Steph led the Warriors with 28 pts, 11 in the 4thQ. Klay had 26. KD had a subpar game in Game 1, with 16 pts on 4/16 shooting.

[Ghost Of The Year]

I'm a fan of Jordan's Nineties Bulls and tho I dislike Golden State, I do believe the Warriors would take a 7 game series. But maybe the deciding factor will be who has homecourt advantage.

[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ghost Of The Year

I'm a fan of Jordan's Nineties Bulls and tho I dislike Golden State, I do believe the Warriors would take a 7 game series. But maybe the deciding factor will be who has homecourt advantage.

Knowing the risk of this going far off topic, the deciding factor would be who has home rules. If the Bulls can handcheck on the perimeter would decide the series.

[jeebs9]

Quote: Originally Posted by ggsimmonds

Knowing the risk of this going far off topic, the deciding factor would be who has home rules. If the Bulls can handcheck on the perimeter would decide the series.

Exactly, I think that's the biggest factor. Every Era has it's own rules. I'd love to see a playoff mode where you could change the rules from game to game. Almost like NL vs AL kind of thing. It would make things very interesting.

[bulls96]

Quote: Originally Posted by ggsimmonds

Knowing the risk of this going far off topic, the deciding factor would be who has home rules. If the Bulls can handcheck on the perimeter would decide the series.

not off topic at all.

I think it depends on how well the Bulls can guard the perimeter and chase after Klay and Steph.


The biggest factor in this game was when Pippen switched to Steph in the perimeter.. It was the last possessions and Pip did a great job on Steph.

Can you imagine Pippen hounding Steph IRL? I dont know how Steph can get a shot off with that wingspan of Pip's.

[NYJin2011tm]

Quote: Originally Posted by ggsimmonds

Knowing the risk of this going far off topic, the deciding factor would be who has home rules. If the Bulls can handcheck on the perimeter would decide the series.

That’s what I was going to say… depends which rules would be used on who would win.

[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by bulls96

not off topic at all. I think it depends on how well the Bulls can guard the perimeter and chase after Klay and Steph. The biggest factor in this game was when Pippen switched to Steph in the perimeter.. It was the last possessions and Pip did a great job on Steph. Can you imagine Pippen hounding Steph IRL? I dont know how Steph can get a shot off with that wingspan of Pip's.

I'm a small guard and though I was never good/athletic enough to play basketball at any high level* I can speak from experience in just having a stronger guy constantly keeping their hand on me and how it would restrict my ability to be shifty. There's a reason the league saw an explosion in small shifty guards after the 2000s.

Ron on Steph
MJ on Klay
Pip on Durant

That would slow down the Warriors since I don't see any of those guys being able to consistently beat their guy off the dribble if handchecking is allowed. I think Klay is stronger than people give him credit for, but still at a disadvantage vs MJ.

This is not a knock on today's NBA or to imply it was better in the past. The rule changes are good rule changes because it made it more a game of skill vs a game of strength. It allowed highly skilled small guards like Steph and Kyrie to shine. I think elite defenders of today are more skilled than those in the past. Could you imagine a prime Kawhi being allowed to keep his Jordan-sized hands attached to a offensive player? But putting 6'6 214 lb Ron Harper on a 6'2 185 lb Steph Curry and letting Ron play bully ball would drastically reduce Steph's deadliness.

* Note on playing at a high level, in college I'd run pick up games with some of the guys that played on the college team (Lamar University, a middle of the pack school in the southland conference) and I could hold my own. But people that play organized ball are so much better at analyzing and adapting. Once they realized that there was no one on the court that could match my quickness they changed their approach and jesus was I not ready for that at first. They'd put a bigger guy who still had respectable lateral quickness on me and anytime I tried to use my agility advantage he'd put a hand on me. Never before have I had to work so hard just to get a decent shot off.

[Teleo]

I appreciate both teams for what they would bring to this series but the deciding factor I believe would be Jordan - No one on the warriors would be able to stop let alone contain him offensively.