CHICAGO -- It's MAGIC's best team vs JORDAN's best team. The 1987 Los Angeles Lakers vs the 1996 Chicago Bulls. Best-of-7. NBA Finals. Game 1. It was a thriller!
Game link: https://youtu.be/FdJZsjMJFnI
The Lakers dictated the tempo of the game early on. THey were great at pushing the ball down the court, leading to fastbreak points while the Bulls appeared sluggish, especially Jordan who was just 2/8 from the field in the 1stQ, with 2 turnovers. Lakers were up by as much as 9, and led by 7 going into the 2ndQ.
MJ was determined to make up for a poor 1stQ and came out the 2nd firing. He would score 6 straight and help Bulls regain the upper hand early on. He had the Bulls up 5 late with a late spurt offensively, but Worthy and Magic Johnson would come back to match his intensity. A last second layin by Kareem put the lakers back on top going into the half, 46-45.
THe Bulls opened up the third quarter on an 11-2 run, led by Jordan who had 6 and Toni Kukoc. They led by as much as 13 with 4 mins left, before the Showtime Lakers started to run and push the tempo more. Lakers were quick, getting every def rebound and pushing the ball down on athe break. The SHowtime rally came fast, as they and the 3rd on a 17-4 run to tie the game heading in to the 4tQ, 71-71.
Both teams fought it out in the 4th quarter with tight defense and limted offense, got into a standstill tie about halfway thru the 4thQ. Both teams struggled, but it was the Lakers who were able to force the Bulls into turnovers and went on their trademark fastbreak. THey went on a quick 7-0 run to go up by 7 with 5 mins to go. The Bulls struggled on their offense but they were able to grind it out and cut the lead to 3, 90-87 with 3 mins to go. Both teams could not score after that, until Magic Johnson was able to drive and draw a foul on Jordan for 2FTs that would give LA a 5-pt lead with less than a minute to go. On the next possession, the Bulls again failed to score, but thanks to the tenacity of Dennis Rodman on the offensive glass, they were able to finally score on a putback form Dennis to bring them to within 3 with 29 secs to go.
29 secs and LA with a 3-pt lead.
Lakers run down the clock. ENd up in Magic's hand in the post against Jordan, made his move and layup but he misses! MJ grabs the rebound with 3.0 secs left and calls timeout.
Bulls gets it to Jordan at the top of the key who shoots a 3, and MAKES IT! TIed game with 0.7 secs left!
On the last play, Bryon Scott got it at the corner and shot the 3. HE MAKES IT!! BUt after a review, he was shown to have ran out of time and the game stays tied.
We go to OVERTIME!
THe first 3 mins of OVertime was back and fourth as leads changed hands, and no team led by more than 2 pts. Kerr was ablte to hit 2 consecutive 3's to finally put the Bulls up by 4 with 2 mins remaining. However, Scott was able to attack Kerr on defense and scored 4 straight to tie the game once again with 1:30 remaining.
This has become a battle of wills at this point and the two superstars on each team would not quit. Jordan and Magic Johnson would exchange tough baskets in the final seconds, and game remained tied until Kukoc missed in a cutting layup, and then WOrthy ran down the court to score on a 15-footer on the break to give the Lakers a 2-pt lead with 22 secs left. ONe last chance for Chicago. THey got JOrdan in the left shoulder against Bryon Scott. He makes his move and shoot shis patented fadeaway jumper with 3.2 secs left. GOOOOD!!
One last play for the Lakers. 3.2 secs left THey ran a perfect given and go play between AC Green and Scott on the inbounds. But Luc Longley was there to block AC Green's potential gamerwinner!
We go to another OVERTIME!
James Worthy and Magic Johnson played big in the 2nd Overtime hitting some big shot and giving LA a 7-pt lead with just 2 mins to go. It appeared the game was slipping away for the Bulls. But they still had Jordan, and Kukoc, who led the Bulls with one final push to try to win this game. Kukoc hit 2 3-pters and Jordan a tough jumper and the Bulls were down by just 1 with 26 secs to go. Bulls dont call a timeout and run a play to get MJ open at the top of the key. As he always does, Jordan drains the clutch jumper to give the home boys a 1-pt lead with 9.9 secs left.
Another improbable comeback!
But the other side also had Magic Johnson and he was a no stranger to gamewinner.
It was Magic guarded by Jordan with 9 secs left, for the win.
WHat a game!
Michael Jordan had a game high 56 pts in double OT, to go along with 9 assists. Pippen had 19. Rodman had a monster double-double with 14 pts and 23 rebs.
Magic Johnson finished with 39 pts 10 assists. He was 5/5 from the field to power the Lakers to the W.
Game link: https://youtu.be/FdJZsjMJFnI
The Lakers dictated the tempo of the game early on. THey were great at pushing the ball down the court, leading to fastbreak points while the Bulls appeared sluggish, especially Jordan who was just 2/8 from the field in the 1stQ, with 2 turnovers. Lakers were up by as much as 9, and led by 7 going into the 2ndQ.
MJ was determined to make up for a poor 1stQ and came out the 2nd firing. He would score 6 straight and help Bulls regain the upper hand early on. He had the Bulls up 5 late with a late spurt offensively, but Worthy and Magic Johnson would come back to match his intensity. A last second layin by Kareem put the lakers back on top going into the half, 46-45.
THe Bulls opened up the third quarter on an 11-2 run, led by Jordan who had 6 and Toni Kukoc. They led by as much as 13 with 4 mins left, before the Showtime Lakers started to run and push the tempo more. Lakers were quick, getting every def rebound and pushing the ball down on athe break. The SHowtime rally came fast, as they and the 3rd on a 17-4 run to tie the game heading in to the 4tQ, 71-71.
Both teams fought it out in the 4th quarter with tight defense and limted offense, got into a standstill tie about halfway thru the 4thQ. Both teams struggled, but it was the Lakers who were able to force the Bulls into turnovers and went on their trademark fastbreak. THey went on a quick 7-0 run to go up by 7 with 5 mins to go. The Bulls struggled on their offense but they were able to grind it out and cut the lead to 3, 90-87 with 3 mins to go. Both teams could not score after that, until Magic Johnson was able to drive and draw a foul on Jordan for 2FTs that would give LA a 5-pt lead with less than a minute to go. On the next possession, the Bulls again failed to score, but thanks to the tenacity of Dennis Rodman on the offensive glass, they were able to finally score on a putback form Dennis to bring them to within 3 with 29 secs to go.
29 secs and LA with a 3-pt lead.
Lakers run down the clock. ENd up in Magic's hand in the post against Jordan, made his move and layup but he misses! MJ grabs the rebound with 3.0 secs left and calls timeout.
Bulls gets it to Jordan at the top of the key who shoots a 3, and MAKES IT! TIed game with 0.7 secs left!
On the last play, Bryon Scott got it at the corner and shot the 3. HE MAKES IT!! BUt after a review, he was shown to have ran out of time and the game stays tied.
We go to OVERTIME!
THe first 3 mins of OVertime was back and fourth as leads changed hands, and no team led by more than 2 pts. Kerr was ablte to hit 2 consecutive 3's to finally put the Bulls up by 4 with 2 mins remaining. However, Scott was able to attack Kerr on defense and scored 4 straight to tie the game once again with 1:30 remaining.
This has become a battle of wills at this point and the two superstars on each team would not quit. Jordan and Magic Johnson would exchange tough baskets in the final seconds, and game remained tied until Kukoc missed in a cutting layup, and then WOrthy ran down the court to score on a 15-footer on the break to give the Lakers a 2-pt lead with 22 secs left. ONe last chance for Chicago. THey got JOrdan in the left shoulder against Bryon Scott. He makes his move and shoot shis patented fadeaway jumper with 3.2 secs left. GOOOOD!!
One last play for the Lakers. 3.2 secs left THey ran a perfect given and go play between AC Green and Scott on the inbounds. But Luc Longley was there to block AC Green's potential gamerwinner!
We go to another OVERTIME!
James Worthy and Magic Johnson played big in the 2nd Overtime hitting some big shot and giving LA a 7-pt lead with just 2 mins to go. It appeared the game was slipping away for the Bulls. But they still had Jordan, and Kukoc, who led the Bulls with one final push to try to win this game. Kukoc hit 2 3-pters and Jordan a tough jumper and the Bulls were down by just 1 with 26 secs to go. Bulls dont call a timeout and run a play to get MJ open at the top of the key. As he always does, Jordan drains the clutch jumper to give the home boys a 1-pt lead with 9.9 secs left.
Another improbable comeback!
But the other side also had Magic Johnson and he was a no stranger to gamewinner.
It was Magic guarded by Jordan with 9 secs left, for the win.
WHat a game!
Michael Jordan had a game high 56 pts in double OT, to go along with 9 assists. Pippen had 19. Rodman had a monster double-double with 14 pts and 23 rebs.
Magic Johnson finished with 39 pts 10 assists. He was 5/5 from the field to power the Lakers to the W.
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