Symbols of the Bulls’ heyday in the 1990s, the 1996 squad, which won 72 regular season games before gleaning the title, remains a myth to this day. An unbeatable team? This is not what another huge legend thinks …
“It don’t mean a thing without the ring”, namely: “it is worth nothing without the ring”. The most extraordinary regular seasons in NBA history haven’t all been crowned with a ring, yet that’s what makes the difference: where the 2016 Warriors failed, the 1996 Bulls , them, did not tremble and validated the exploit.
Since that day and this 4-2 victory in the Finals against Seattle, Michael Jordan and its click appear as a sort of point of measurement and absolute reference. But Magic Johnson doesn’t give up that easily. Asked about the differences between the Chicago of the 1990s and its Lakers of the 1980s, the Showtime frontman was cash:
Sometimes the Bulls relied a little too much on Michael Jordan. What I’m saying is if there are my 87 Lakers against the 96 Bulls, and me and Michael are both fouled and we have to get out … you would see what it happens. Our team would dominate. Who can stop Kareem? We had a lot more weapons.
And even if he could have played the game normally, of course Michael would have put 50 points on us, as he could give them to anyone. But we would have made sure the rest of the team was contained.
The Magic Man’s arguments are far from uninteresting, and end up leaving us with a taste of unfinished business and regret not having seen it “for real”.
Lakers and Bulls did face each other in the NBA Finals, but that was 1991: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was retired, and Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Byron Scott were aging, far from their prime. In 1987, on the other hand, the purples and golds were at their peak, and one longs to imagine the opposition between them and the 1996 Bulls.
On paper, the Angelinos indeed seem to be the most talented team, with the athleticism of a Worthy, the talent of Kareem, and the shoot of Michael Cooper, Scott and co. Be careful not to underestimate Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper’s suffocating defense, or even the huge impact of a Dennis Rodman in a racket. In short, we would have enjoyed ourselves!
Magic Johnson is convinced that he and his gang could have brought down Michael Jordan and the 1996 Bulls. A confident statement that would surely make His Majesty smile!
