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When Steve Kerr led a Chicago Bulls comeback without Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
On a Chicago Bulls squad that has Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, it's a given that the two superstars will get the bulk of the attention and the shots. However, there are rare moments when role players can perform feats that are just as impressive - like when Steve Kerr led the Bulls to a comeback win over the Dallas Mavericks with MJ and Pippen sitting on the bench.
Down in the fourth
On this particular March evening, things did not look good for the Bulls as they trailed a rugged Dallas squad, 71-78, at the start of the fourth quarter. With young gun and Illinois native Michael Finley having a grand homecoming, making the United Center his playground, the Bulls were in a tough battle. But Kerr had other ideas.
With His Airness and Pippen on the bench, Kerr sparked the Bulls' run with a couple of three-pointers. Before long, Kerr was on a roll, hitting pull-up jumpers and setting up teammates for easy points. The Bulls continued to make plays on both ends of the court, and soon they had erased the deficit and taken a 94-92 victory.
Kerr finished the game with 20 points, 15 of which came in the last 12 minutes of the match. He was nearly flawless during that stretch, making eight of his 10 shots, including going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. That performance capped off a sizzling run by Kerr, wherein he averaged 12.8 points per game on 64% shooting.
It wasn't the last time
That wasn't the last of Kerr's clutch performances, as he also served as a key contributor during the Bulls' second three-peat. His playoff heroics included giving the go-ahead basket in Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals, helping Chicago secure its fifth championship in seven years.
Kerr's ability to perform when it mattered most was an invaluable asset to the Bulls and made him one of the team's most beloved and respected players.
He taught fans an important lesson: being a star isn't the only way to make a major difference in an NBA game. His performance against Dallas proved that even the unlikeliest of heroes could rise and be a savior when needed.
