The1997–98 Chicago Bulls season was the 32nd season for theChicago Bulls in theNational Basketball Association.^[1] The Bulls entered the regular season as the two-time defending NBA champions, and in the Finals, they met the Utah Jazz in a rematch from the prior year's NBA Finals and just like that year, they would go on to defeat the Jazz in six games to win their sixth championship in eight years and complete the franchise's second "3-peat".

During the off-season, the Bulls acquiredScott Burrell from theGolden State Warriors,^[2][3][4] and signed free agentJoe Kleine.^[5] However, All-Star forwardScottie Pippen would miss the first half of the regular season due to an injured toe on his left foot sustained from the1997 NBA playoffs.^[6][7][8]

Without Pippen, the Bulls started by winning the1997 McDonald's Championship overseas inParis, France in October, with Jordan being named the MVP.^[9] In the regular season, the team started with a slow 9–7 record in November, but then would go on a 15–4 run until Pippen returned in January. However, three-point specialistSteve Kerr went down with a fractured collarbone in January, and played just 50 games.^[10][11][12] Despite the injuries, the Bulls held a 34–15 record at the All-Star break.^[13]

At mid-season, the team tradedJason Caffey to theGolden State Warriors in exchange forDavid Vaughn.^[14][15][16] Vaughn would play just three games with the Bulls before being waived on March 2, 1998. Also in early March, the team re-signed former Bulls reserve forwardDickey Simpkins, who was previously released by the Warriors, and played in the final 21 games of the regular season.^[17] The Bulls posted a 13-game winning streak between March and April, and still finished in first place in theCentral Division with a 62–20 record, earning the first seed in theEastern Conference.^[18] The Bulls had the third best team defensive rating in the NBA.^[19]

Michael Jordan once again led the league in scoring averaging 28.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, as he was named to theAll-NBA First Team, and to theNBA All-Defensive First Team, and also won his fifth and finalNBA Most Valuable Player of the Year award.^[20][21][22] In addition, Pippen averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game in 44 games, and was named to theAll-NBA Third Team, and also to the All-Defensive First Team, and rebound-specialistDennis Rodman once again led the league in rebounding with 15.0 rebounds per game. Meanwhile,Toni Kukoč provided the team with 13.3 points per game, playing most of the season as the team's starting small forward in Pippen's absence,Luc Longley averaged 11.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game,Ron Harper contributed 9.3 points and 1.3 steals per game, and Kerr contributed 7.5 points per game off the bench.^[23]

During theNBA All-Star weekend atMadison Square Garden inNew York City, New York, Jordan was selected for the1998 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team;^[24][25][26] Jordan scored 23 points along with 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals, and won his third and finalNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award, as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 135–114.^[27][28][29] Jordan also finished in fourth place inDefensive Player of the Year voting, while Rodman finished tied in fifth place, and Pippen finished tied in ninth place;^[30] Pippen also finished in tenth place inMost Valuable Player voting,^[30] and head coachPhil Jackson finished tied in seventh place inCoach of the Year voting.^[30]

In the1998 NBA playoffs, the Bulls swept theNew Jersey Nets, 3–0 in the Eastern Conference First Round,^[31][32][33] defeated theCharlotte Hornets, 4–1 in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals,^[34][35][36] despite losing Game 2 at theUnited Center, 78–76,^[37][38][39] and then defeated theIndiana Pacers, 4–3 in the Eastern Conference Finals en route to advance to theNBA Finals.^[40][41][42] In the1998 NBA Finals, they met theUtah Jazz in a rematch fromthe prior year's NBA Finals and just like last year, they would go on to defeat the Jazz in six games to win the NBA championship; the championship was their sixth in eight years and completed the franchise's second "3-peat".^[43][44][45]

At an average age of 32.096 years old, the Bulls became the oldest team to win an NBA championship.^[46] The Bulls also led the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 983,444 at the United Center during the regular season.^[23][47]

This was Jordan's last season as a Bull, as he announced his second retirement after it was over.^[48][49][50] However, he did make a second comeback with theWashington Wizards in2001.^[51][52][53] Following the season, Jackson resigned as head coach after nine seasons with the Bulls,^[54][55][56] while Pippen was traded to theHouston Rockets,^[57][58][59] Rodman left for theLos Angeles Lakers as a free agent,^[60][61][62] Longley was dealt to thePhoenix Suns,^[59][63][64] Kerr was traded to theSan Antonio Spurs,^[65][59][66] Burrell signed with theNew Jersey Nets,^[67]Jud Buechler signed with theDetroit Pistons,^[68] and Kleine re-signed with the Suns, his former team.

Because of this dismantling of the team, 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 until2005.

The story of this season was captured inESPN'sThe Last Dance, which aired in April 2020.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club team
1	28	Keith Booth	SF	United States	Maryland
2	58	Roberto Dueñas	C	Spain	FC Barcelona(Spain)

• Power forwardDavid Vaughn was waived on March 2, 1998.

Player Statistics Citation:^[23]

Legend: OT denotes a game decided inovertime

Bulls win series 4-2

This was the first time in the 1990s that the same two teams played each other in two consecutive finals. The Jazz had won both regular season match-ups, and many analysts predicted a hard-fought seven-game series. Predictions of a Jazz championship were strengthened with their game one victory in overtime in Utah. The Bulls would tie the series in game 2 putting together a fourth quarter run to silence the Delta Center and holding on to win 93–88, finally securing their first victory against Utah all season.

The Finals would move to Chicago with control of the series at stake in Game 3. Though anticipation was high, no one could have expected a blow-out of the proportions seen in Game 3. With a 96–54 triumph over Utah, the Bulls would help the Jazz set an embarrassing record for the lowest points scored in Finals history and biggest margin of defeat, while everyone on the Bulls scored. The Jazz would pull themselves together in Game 4 in a better attempt to tie the series, but lost 86–82.

The early Jazz series-lead seemed like a distant memory, a false indication of a tough series as they hit the floor for Game 5 behind 3–1. Chicago fans prepared for the last game they would host with the Jordan-led Bulls of the 1990s. But any notions of a championship at the United Center would be snuffed out when, with 0.8 seconds on the game, Michael Jordan airballed an off-balance 3 to the right of the basket giving the Jazz a narrow 83–81 win. The play might have been for Toni Kukoč to shoot a three. With the series shifting back to Utah with a far more generous 3-2 Bulls advantage, the promise of another Chicago championship was not so certain.

The Chicago Bulls had never let a Finals series go to a Game 7.

As they arrived at the Delta Center for Game 6, things didn't look good for the Bulls. Scottie Pippen's back gave out when he dunked the opening basket of the game and he was slowed down and held to just 8 points. The Jazz suffered a bad break when the referees incorrectly nullified a Howard Eisley three-pointer that, replays showed, was clearly released just before the 24-second clock expired. In the 4th quarter, the Bulls closed the gap as Michael Jordan tallied many of his 45 overall points. Then things got worse for Chicago when John Stockton hit a clutch 3 with 41.9 seconds left to give Utah an 86–83 lead as the Delta Center crowd roared happily. Down by 3, the Bulls had one last chance to stay alive. Running perilously low on energy, it would be imperative for Chicago to win the series before the game went into OT, and also for the Bulls to avoid a Game 7 on the road when Scottie Pippen was so badly injured and their entire lineup was exhausted.

After Michael Jordan made a quick layup to cut the Jazz lead to one, the Bulls needed to stop the Jazz from scoring again. When John Stockton passed the ball to Karl Malone, Michael Jordan stole the ball away and dribbled to the front. Guarding him wasBryon Russell, one of the Jazz's best perimeter defenders. Jordan drove inside the 3-point line, executed a quick cross-over, and drilled a 20-ft. jump shot to give the Bulls an 87–86 lead with 5.2 seconds left. After Utah took a timeout, Stockton's 3 hit the rim and bounced away, giving the Bulls their 6th title in 8 years. Thefamous winning shot has been immortalized in many records, as Jordan completed a perfect sextet: 6 NBA Finals, 6 championships, and 6 NBA Finals MVP trophies.^[69]

• 1997 McDonald's Championship Winners
• Michael Jordan, McDonald's Championship MVP
• Michael Jordan,All-NBA First Team
• Scottie Pippen,All-NBA Third Team
• Michael Jordan,NBA All-Star Game MVP
• Michael Jordan,NBA MVP
• Michael Jordan,NBA Finals MVP
• Michael Jordan,NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Scottie Pippen,NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Michael Jordan,Favorite Male Athlete
• Chicago Bulls,Favorite Sports Team

• Michael Jordan, Guard

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• Bulls on Database Basketball
• Bulls on Basketball Reference
• "The Last Dance",Netflix

• Chicago Bulls seasons
• 1997 in Chicago
• 1997 in sports in Illinois
• 1997–98 NBA season by team
• 1998 in Chicago
• 1998 in sports in Illinois
• Eastern Conference (NBA) championship seasons
• NBA championship seasons

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