“When it’s time to take that shot, they’ll have their thumb in their ears” – Charles Barkley predicted the Jordan-less Bulls downfall originally appeared on Basketball Network.
The 1993-94 NBA season was tough for the Chicago Bulls. They entered the season without Michael Jordan, who had decided to retire after powering the team to three straight NBA Championships. Without Mike, the Bulls needed their players to fill in the roles MJ left in offense and defense.
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Clutch genes
Although they were performing well in the regular season, not everyone was confident in their play. Phoenix Suns star Charles Barkley, who had just fallen victim to the Jordan-led Bulls in the 1993 NBA Finals, knew how critical his friend’s contributions were to the team. In his view, the Bulls would falter in the playoffs, as they would miss MJ’s shot-making in the clutch.
“Come June, they’re going to miss that superstar,” said Barkley in 1994, via the Los Angeles Times. “When it’s time to take that shot, they’ll have their thumb in their ears. I don’t think the Suns can win without me, and I don’t think the Bulls can win without Michael. It’s really amazing to me and it confirms what I’ve always thought. Some people are asses.”
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Fresh in Barkley’s memory was Jordan’s scoring barrage in the fourth quarter of Game 6. It was Michael’s hot hand that prompted the Suns’ defense to collapse, which eventually led to a wide-open John Paxson, who knocked down the series-clinching 3-pointer.
Chuck knew the importance of having a star in the postseason, especially in the final moments. A generational player like Jordan can get his team out of the rut.
More optimistic
Interestingly, Barkley’s head coach, Paul Westphal, was more optimistic about the Bulls’ campaign without Jordan. In his view, the team was able to adjust well to its new roster and playstyle. Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, and B.J. Armstrong — the team’s All-Stars — did a great job of being leaders on and off the court.
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“They’re a different team now,” Westphal said. “When they had Michael, I think people could see the team stall and hesitate when he was out, and they assumed they would keep doing that with him gone. What’s happened is they’ve just really grown.”
“They have three All-Stars, that’s a good nucleus. And the guys they’ve added are really just good complimentary players. They know what they’re doing defensively. They play to win. They play together. I think they’ve surprised everybody, probably even themselves.”
A different ball game
The Jordan-less Bulls squeezed out a decent 55-27 record in the 1993-94 season. Pippen finished third in the MVP voting behind David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon, a signal that he wasn’t just a sidekick but a true superstar.
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They carried this momentum into the first round of the playoffs, where they easily dispatched the Cleveland Cavaliers in three games. Whispers of a possible four-peat were slowly unfolding with each passing day.
Those hopes were silenced in the second round against the New York Knicks. The Bulls seemed to lack confidence in the final minutes, and most games were won by single digits. And for the first time in two years, Chicago walked into a Game 7. The Bulls faltered and lost 87-77 in this uncharted territory. Pip shot just 36.4 percent from the field, Grant’s 17 points were decent but nowhere near enough, and Armstrong disappeared with just eight points.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.