1997–98 Chicago Bulls season | |
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NBA Champions
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Conference Champions
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Division Champions
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Sixth NBA Championship Second and final Three-peat since 1991-93 with Michael Jordan Michael Jordan's final season with the Bulls Scottie Pippen's final season with the Bulls until 2003-04 Dennis Rodman's final season with the Bulls Phil Jackson's final season coaching the Bulls The End of the Bulls Dynasty |
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Head coach | Phil Jackson |
Owner(s) | Jerry Reinsdorf |
Arena | United Center |
Results | |
Record | 62–20 (.756) |
Place |
Division: 1st (Central) Conference: 1st (Eastern) |
Playoff finish |
NBA Champions (Defeated Jazz 4-2) |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com |
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Local media | |
Television | Fox Sports Chicago, WGN |
Radio | WMVP |
The 1997–98 NBA season was the Bulls' 32nd season in the National Basketball Association. During the offseason, the Bulls acquired Scott Burrell from the Golden State Warriors. Without All-Star forward Scottie Pippen for the first half of the season due to a back injury sustained from the 1997 NBA Finals, the Bulls played around .500 with a 9–7 record in November. However, Pippen would eventually return as the Bulls posted a 13-game winning streak between March and April, as they finished first place in the Central Division with a 62–20 record. In the playoffs, the Bulls defeated the New Jersey Nets 3–0 in the first round, the Charlotte Hornets 4–1 in the semifinals, and then the Indiana Pacers 4–3 in the Conference Finals en route to advance to the NBA Finals. In the Finals, they met the Utah Jazz in a rematch from last year's NBA Finals and just like last year, they would go on to defeat the Jazz in six games to win the championship. The championship was their sixth in eight years and completed the franchise's second "3-peat".
This was Michael Jordan's last season as a Bull, as he announced his second retirement after it was over—however, he did make a second comeback with the Washington Wizards in 2001. Also leaving Chicago after the season were starters Pippen and Dennis Rodman as well as head coach Phil Jackson—however, he did return to coach the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999. Because of these departures, this was the last season for the Bulls dynasty that had headlined the NBA throughout the 1990s. What followed was a long rebuilding process between 1998 and 2004, and the Bulls did not return to the postseason until 2005. The season also saw Jordan earn his fifth and final NBA Most Valuable Player Award, while being selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game where he also won his third and final All-Star Game MVP Award.