Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

[Dice]

http://www.nba.com/pacers/video/2012/02/03/billsimmonsflv-1987924/index.html

The interview is like 5 minutes long but in it he thinks that the Pacers in 98 was better than the Bulls that same year.

I somewhat disagree BUT I don't think he was off his rocker. That 98 Pacers team was probably the best Pacers team I've seen play. If anything, those two teams was probably the best two teams in the NBA that year. I truly believe that if the Pacers knocked off the Bulls that season they would have beaten the Jazz in the Finals.

Out of the 6 championships that the Bulls won, there were two games I had doubts about the Bulls pulling out the series and ending their championship run. The first one was Game 7 of the 1992 Conference Semi-Finals against the Knicks. And the other was 1998 game 7 of the ECF against the Pacers. I believe those were the only two moments were the Bulls championship run was being seriously threaten.

[23]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

Yeah but too bad they let Reggie push off to get that shot off too or the series would've been shorter.. but that Pacers team was scary good

[st0rmb11]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

I agree that, as a team, Indy was better. Jordan & Pippen single handedly won that series for the Bulls (especially Game 7).
I also agree that those Pacers were a legit threat to the Bulls in 1998. I disagree that the Pacers would have beaten Utah. Bryon Russell could have held Reggie in check, Malone would have had a much better series against Antonio & Dale Davis than he had against Rodman. I think the point guard match up would have been a wash (if Mark Jackson was on that Pacers squad..can't remember.) The Pacers' best chance at winning would be Rik Smits having his way with Ostertag & Keefe. I just can't say that Indy would've won that series.

I do think they had a better team than Chicago in '98, but it was a bad match up. There worst 2 defenders (Miller & Rose) were guarding Chicago's best 2 offensive players.

I will also disagree with your opinion that the '98 Pacers was their best squad - that team in '05 was MUCH better than Detroit, and would have run to the Finals that season, had Metta World Peace, Stephen Jackson, and whoever else not gotten suspended. They had World Peace in his prime, Jax near his prime, Jermaine O'Neal in his prime, Miller was still contributing, Jamaal Tinsley was in his prime..they were a loaded team.


(and yes, I made it a point to say Metta World Peace, rather than Ron Artest. )

[sportjames23]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

The interview is like 5 minutes long but in it he thinks that the Pacers in 98 was better than the Bulls that same year.

If they were better, they would have won. The better team always wins, so Simmons needs to STFU with that garbage.

[sportjames23]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

Yeah but too bad they let Reggie push off to get that shot off too or the series would've been shorter.. but that Pacers team was scary good

This. Folks like to bitch about Jordan's "push off" on Russell, but Reggie's push was so damn blatant.

That series should have been over in 5 games. I think to this day, that the League wanted that to go as long as possible since they knew that the Bulls dynasty was nearing the end and wanted as many games with MJ's Bulls as possible.

Of all the series the Bulls had during the championship years, that's the only one that pissed me off. Even with us winning, I still get pissed thinking about it.

[ehh]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

Of all the series the Bulls had during the championship years, that's the only one that pissed me off. Even with us winning, I still get pissed thinking about it.

Probably because it was impossible to like those Pacers teams.

Of all the great rivalries the Knicks had in the 90's (Chi, Indy, Miami), the Pacers were by far the team I hated the most.

[sportjames23]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

LOL, I hear you on that, bro. Hell, as a Bulls fan, even I was cheering for the Knicks over the Pacers back then.

[ballsohard]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

This. Folks like to bitch about Jordan's "push off" on Russell, but Reggie's push was so damn blatant.

...and Jordan's wasn't?

[Hotobu]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

...and Jordan's wasn't?

There are several huge differences.

Jordan's was with 1 hand that was already extended Reggie's was with 2.

Reggie made Michael Jordan completely change his trajectory, Russel was already going that way.

The camera angle for Reggie's was perpendicular to the action so it was much easier to see. Because of the aforementioned differences and this one it makes it look ambiguous as to just how much of an impact Jordan's push had on Russell's trajectory whereas with Reggie on Jordan there was no doubt.

[ballsohard]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

Sorry, I don't buy that. They were both blatant push offs.

[stlpimpmonsta]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

Yeah but too bad they let Reggie push off to get that shot off too or the series would've been shorter.. but that Pacers team was scary good

Bulls fan talking about push offs.............really

[sportjames23]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

Sorry, I don't buy that. They were both blatant push offs.

Really, son?

Check out Reggie's again, @ 36 seconds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWNuB6zHAJ0&feature=related

Now, look at MJ's @ 36 seconds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRCTp57LQro&feature=related

Reggie cleared MJ the hell out of his way. MJ wasn't even touching Reggie AT ALL. MJ got Russell, who was hanging all over him, off to gather himself for his last shot.

Now, tell me which one was more blatant.

[sportjames23]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

Bulls fan talking about push offs.............really

Yeah, really. See my reply to ballsohard.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

If they were better, they would have won. The better team always wins,

That is not even close to being true.

[Outcast]

Re: Interesting take from Bill Simmons on the 1998 ECF

If they were better, they would have won. The better team always wins, so Simmons needs to STFU with that garbage.

Oh my, aren't we naive today...