Coming off a spectacular 1995-96 season, the Chicago Bulls knew things would get only harder after bagging the championship. Winning a second consecutive title wasn’t easy, but Dennis Rodman remained confident in the Bulls’ chances of winning the 1997 title.
Rodman was a key player for the Bulls in their 1996 title run, but knew that the team had to play it smart if they wanted to repeat. They were one of the oldest squads in the league, and matching up against young guns was a concern. For him, it was something they could easily remedy.
“We know how to win, we know how to move and think on the basketball court,” Rodman, the oldest player on the roster, said via the New York Times.
But to achieve that, the Bulls needed to focus. That included Rodman, who wasn’t exactly in his best behavior that season. He missed several games due to injury and suspensions, casting doubts on Chicago’s chances at the 1997 title.
Dennis was not at his best behavior
Despite his high confidence in his team, Rodman caused the Bulls a lot of problems. He played in only 55 games, missing some due to injury or suspension. Worse, Rodman was back to his uncanny ways. Most infamous moment that year was when he kicked a cameraman in the groin during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Worm drew a hefty $25,000 fine for that incident and was suspended for 11 games.
Rodman’s also missed games due to technical fouls he received during games and knee issues, which the Windy City squad certainly did not need at the time.
With Rodman in and out of the team, Phil Jackson was forced to make adjustments, relegating the Bulls’ enforcer to a backup option. With him clearly losing focus, the Zen Master had to change the team’s player rotation.
Chicago survived sans Rodman
Thankfully, the Bulls had a good backup crew to work with. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen led the way with Toni Kukoc, Luc Longley and Ron Harper helping out. That adjustment worked and the Bulls remained on course.
The Bulls ended the 1996-97 regular season with the best record again, 69-13. It proved that the Bulls’ foundation was so solid that Chicago was ready to face all challengers.
In the 1997 Finals, the Utah Jazz were the Bulls’ worthy competitor. With Karl Malone and John Stockton leading the way, the two teams battled an intense series. But in the end, Chicago was just too much for the Jazz to handle, completing the back-to-back title goal and handing the franchise its 5th NBA championship.
That run only showed that even if a top star was underperforming, the Bulls had more than enough players to fill in the void. Jordan and Pippen led the team as expected, but the contributions of their backup cast also mattered.
Hence, despite concerns about the Bulls roster’s declining depth, Rodman’s bold message was justified. The ’90s Bulls were far too dominant and undeniably prepared for whatever challenges opposing teams brought to the table.