Few teams ever get the luxury of building around two of the NBA’s 50 greatest players. The Chicago Bulls had that in the ’90s with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, and for teammates like Horace Grant, winning often felt inevitable.
“When you got a leader like Michael Jordan and a number two guy, Scottie Pippen, when you step on that court, you have confidence,” Grant said on “Urban Grind TV.” “It’s not when or how you win; it’s that you’re gonna win. That’s the confidence we had, especially after we won that first one. The confidence was beautiful.”
The Bulls, behind Jordan and Pippen, had to go through the grinder before they experienced success. The pair went through three deep playoff runs but fell short each time until they got over the hump in 1991.
From that point onward, as Grant mentioned, the Bulls played with an edge that convinced them victory was always within reach.
Grant’s confidence was not misplaced
Jordan’s leadership skills were legendary, for better or worse. He saw the game through a completely different lens, and his confidence was otherworldly. A pack often takes the personality of its alpha, and that’s why Chicago assumed MJ’s mindset when taking on foes.
Evidently, Grant’s belief was not unfounded.
Time and again, Jordan and Pippen pulled Chicago back from the brink of defeat in the biggest moments. In Game 2 of the 1991 NBA Finals, the Bulls responded to a tough opening loss by throttling the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jordan was unstoppable, hitting 13 straight shots and putting the game away with his midair switch-hand layup. At the same time, Pippen’s defense on Magic Johnson set the tone for the rest of the series.
Two years later, it was Pippen’s turn to lead the charge. In Game 6 of the 1992 Finals against Portland, the Bulls fell behind by 15 in the fourth quarter with Jordan resting on the bench. Pippen’s defense and playmaking sparked a furious rally that flipped the game before Jordan returned to finish the job. Chicago won 97-93 and sealed its second straight title.
The Bulls showed the same resilience in the 1993 Eastern Conference finals. After falling into a 0-2 hole against the Knicks, Chicago needed a spark at Madison Square Garden in Game 5. Guess who answered the call? Jordan delivered a 29-point triple-double, Pippen came up with timely plays on both ends, and the Bulls stole a 97-94 win that completely changed the course of the series.
Those moments showed why Grant and the rest of the Bulls never doubted the outcome with Jordan and Pippen on their side.
Even fractured ties couldn’t erase Grant’s appreciation for MJ
Grant has been candid about the fallout between him and Jordan. The two are not on friendly terms today, stemming from the polarizing episodes of “The Last Dance,” the highly popular Netflix documentary about Jordan’s exploits released in 2020.
​What stands out, however, is that when Grant discusses those early 1990s Bulls teams, his praise for Jordan and Pippen is consistent. The two stars set the tone that carried the team through tense playoff moments and demanding stretches, time and time again.
​That kind of respect doesn’t need friendship to survive. Grant may not get along with Jordan now, but he still recognizes what it meant to share the court with him and Pippen.