USA TODAY Sports (c) Copyright USA TODAY Sports
25 Years Ago Today: Bulls Eliminate Hawks
In this story:
The NBA is nearing the conclusion of its 75th season. It's no secret that I'll be sad to see it go. The diamond logos, tributes to legendary players, and amazing commercials have made the entire season so much.
But before we move forward, let's look back to 1997 when the NBA was celebrating its 50th season. Exactly 25 years ago today, the Chicago Bulls eliminated the Atlanta Hawks with a decisive 107-92 Game Five victory. You can watch the entire game in the YouTube video below.
First of all, those Hawks uniforms were amazing. Yesterday, I spoke with Tom O'Grady, the NBA's first creative director. He is the mastermind behind all of those glorious uniforms from the league's golden era. Check out the full interview here.
As for the game, it's no surprise that the Bulls were dominant. They led 60-44 at halftime and cruised to victory in front of their home crowd in the United Center. Michael Jordan scored an inefficient 24 points, but he did uncork a nasty dunk over Hawks center Dikembe Mutombo and trolled him with the finger wag.
What's interesting is the Hawks only used seven players. Every starter played 42+ minutes, with Mutombo logging 47 grueling minutes. As for the Bulls, the rest is history. They defeated the Miami Heat 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals, and everyone remembers the 6-game battle against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals.
Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper, & Phil Jackson.
Anne Ryan-USA TODAY
It was the Bulls' fifth NBA Championship in seven years and essentially the beginning of The Last Dance documentary. If the NBA's 75th season ends in as epic fashion as the 50th season did, then we are in for a treat in the coming weeks. Stay locked into AllHawks.com for breaking news, highlights, and analysis.
Recommended For You
Untold Stories Behind 90s NBA Uniforms
Snakes, Waffles, Secret Doors: Kobe Bryant's Final Game in Atlanta
