The Indiana Pacers entered the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals with a lot of confidence. It didn’t matter to them that they were facing the mighty Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan.
After all, the Pacers had Larry Bird as their coach, and they also had a formidable roster that could push anyone, including the five-time Champions (at the time), to their limits.
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Indiana had secret weapons
All eyes were locked on Reggie Miller, Chris Mullin and Rik Smits. But behind the Pacers’ stars were solid role players, Travis Best and Jalen Rose. Pacers general manager Donnie Walsh knew coming into the series, they had a good shot at eliminating the defending champions, looking to three-peat again.
“We knew we had a good bench going into the series and knew they’d make a difference,” Walsh said in 2020, via the New York Times. “I thought Jalen and Travis could take advantage and that proved to be true.”
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Walsh recalled how easily Rose scored on Scottie Pippen, one of history’s greatest defenders. Meanwhile, Best, despite standing just 5’11”, could do pretty much anything he wanted on the court.
“I remember Jalen got in the game and he went past Pippen like it was nothing, and I didn’t think he’d have a chance to do that going in,” he said. “And Travis, I realized from the regular season, they had nobody who could guard Travis. He was so quick and strong. He was built like a football player.”
There were times Best matched up with Jordan. The Bulls icon had the upper hand on paper. However, the legendary head coach Phil Jackson didn’t want his superstar to exchange blows with Travis.
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“I didn’t like the matchup with (Travis) Best and Michael. I like Steve Kerr on Best; he was doing a good job for us,” Jackson said, via the Chicago Tribune.
Almost beating the Bulls
The series was filled with great plays, including Miller’s game-winner in Game 4, which came after he pushed away Jordan. The duel reached a do-or-die Game 7. Walsh said MJ approached Bird, admitting he was petrified of facing his team, primarily because of Best and Rose.
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“Larry told me after the series was over that Jordan grabbed him and told him he was scared about the seventh game because they (the Bulls) had no answers for Travis Best and Jalen Rose,” Walsh said. “And they didn’t.”
Rose understood Jordan’s fears. He knew he was part of a well-constructed team that could oust the champions. Jalen stood 6’8″ but could shoot, dribble and run plays like a point guard. Meanwhile, Best was just a beast on the hardcourt. When they combined their talents with Miller and the rest, the Pacers had a well-oiled machine run by a proven winner in Larry Legend.
“I mean, it was tough. Travis could get the ball up against anybody. I was a point forward and could get it up against anybody,” Rose said. “But you’ve got to go with the guys who got you there, and Mark (Jackson) and Chris (Mullin) were those guys. This is Larry Legend on the sidelines. He’s the only guy who won MVPs, coach of the year and executive of the year.”
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The Bulls clawed their way to a Game 7 victory to book another ticket to the NBA Finals. Though the Pacers went home heartbroken, they earned the respect of their peers and they still remain one of the few teams that almost dethroned the mighty Bulls.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.