Johnson combined skills and size on offense in ways that, at the time, made him the most gifted perimeter playmaker in NBA history. In some ways, Pippen was to defense what Johnson was to offense. Johnson had never seen a defender quite like Pippen. The Bulls won four consecutive games and their first NBA championship. Pippen spent a lot more time guarding, pressing and trapping Magic the rest of the series. "Scottie is more physical than Michael so the matchup was a little different." "They were trying wear me out or take the ball out of my hands, take your pick," Johnson said after the game. They went on to outscore the Lakers 87-68 the rest of the way, with Johnson ending the game having shot 4-for-13. When Pippen took over the Johnson assignment, the Bulls held a narrow 20-18 lead. Johnson dribbled across midcourt and called for timeout.
#SCOTTIE PIPPEN WINGSPAN FREE#
As the Lakers inbounded the ball to Johnson, Pippen was awaiting him at the free throw line. On the other end, Jordan, now liberated from defending Johnson, quickly found Bill Cartwright for an easy layup.
#SCOTTIE PIPPEN WINGSPAN SERIES#
The climate of the entire series was changing. Johnson spun into the paint and forced an impossible shot around Pippen's endless arms. By the time they reached the left block, the Bulls crowd was in a frenzy. The two had bumped and danced for 60 feet all by themselves, with the other eight players watching. Sensing the moment, Johnson never passed the ball. The crowd picked up on the intensity and started cheering on Pippen's effort. After a quick layup by Horace Grant on the other end, Pippen picked up Johnson at three-quarters court, hounding him as he struggled to initiate the Lakers' half-court set.
Pippen and the Bulls immediately forced a shot-clock violation. It was an adjustment made out of necessity, but a masterstroke nonetheless. That's when 25-year-old Pippen slid over to defend the greatest point guard ever.
When Jordan picked up his second foul just eight minutes into Game 2, it appeared that the Bulls were in deep trouble. Jordan was in foul trouble throughout Game 1 and Johnson's triple-double propelled the Lakers to a huge road victory. By that time, Jordan was a perennial first-team All-NBA defender. Win and they would tie the series, lose and they would be down 2-0 to an organization that had won five of the previous 11 NBA titles.Ĭoach Phil Jackson started the series with Jordan on Johnson, which made sense. The Bulls' dynasty started late in the first quarter of Game 2 of the 1991 Finals.Ĭhicago had lost Game 1 at home against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers, making Game 2 the Bulls' biggest game ever.
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