Michael Jordan's Universe - Online Youtube Streaming Collection

The 1997 season found the Bulls at the very top of the NBA. After the most successful season the NBA history, they managed to retain their core players. The only changes they made was replacing their front line backups John Salley and James Edwards with the younger Bryan Williams (Bison Dele) in a mid-season trade and the former center of the 80's Celtics, Robert Parish. Even though he was almost 44 years of age and would not see many minutes, Parish ensured that the Bulls front line would have experienced players with championship pedigree. The team faced doubts that they could repeat the performance of the former season, which was exceptional in many ways. Phil Jackson decided not to push the team fro the beginning, trusting their veteran core would let the game come to them. And they would do just that, beginning the season with a 12 game winning streak, the best start in team history. Their consistency was remarkable throughout the regular season, going on several long winning streaks.
	For Michael Jordan, the season was again up to his incomparable standards. Even though for the first time since 1987, his season average would drop below 30 ppg to 29.6, and his field goal percentage would be at .486, he was still spectacular when it really mattered. He topped the 50 plateau 2 times during the season, once at Miami and once against the Knicks in Chicago, where he scored the season high 51. Among other big games, he would have 44 at Utah, 45 against Seattle and Cleveland, and 43 against Charlotte, proving that when facing a tough team and playoff contender, he would elevate his game to new levels. He would not disappoint not even at the All Star Game, where he became the only player ever to record a triple double. The Bulls were on schedule to have back-to-back 70 win seasons, needing 2 victories from their last 4 games. However, they would lose 3 of 4, which made them end the regular season facing doubts, because the 3 teams that beat them (Detroit, New York and Miami) were all possible playoff contenders just days away.
That slip possibly cost Michael Jordan his MVP award as well, which for the season went to Karl Malone. However, as Jordan and Pippen were again voted to the NBA first team and the best defensive team, the Bulls season of 69-13 still was the second greatest in NBA history and deserves to be recognized as such. The Playoffs brought the Bulls face to face with a young team, the Washington Bullets. Led by Chris Webber, Rod Strickland, Juwan Howard and Gheorghe Muresan, the young Bullets posed many problems for the Bulls, especially with Dennis Rodman not 100% physically. Even if the Bulls swept the series, it took heroics from Michael Jordan for the Bulls to move to the next round. After a big 4th quarter in game 1, His Airness exploded for 55 points in game 2 and with the team down by 9 with 5 minutes to go in game 3, him and Pippen would score the last 15 points to seal the series win. Round 2 brought them face-to-face with a familiar opponent, the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks had a solid team, led by Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo, Steve Smith, Mookie Blaylock and Christian Laetner. Even though the Bulls would win game 1 behind Jordan' 34 points, it was clear they were out of sync, and the inevitable loss came at home in game 2. To make matters worse, they found themselves in trouble early in the 3rd game. However, the challenge was made by the two leaders Jordan and Pippen, and the other Bulls stepped up, in a comeback blowout victory. Even if if wasn't carrying the load in scoring, Michael was a daemon in rebounding and on defense in the series, sparkling the Bulls victory in game 4 as well, after a spectacular 27 points. And, to put the finishing touches on the series, MJ would finally get his dunk on Dikembe Mutombo in game 6, a game which the Bulls would win convincingly as well and move to the next round. The Eastern Conference Finals would bring them their most formidable opponents in the East that season, the Miami Heat. Coached by the legendary Pat Riley, the Heat was the only team that was able to beat the Bulls twice in the regular season. They retained the core of the team which was swept by the Bulls in the previous year's playoffs, yet they added point guard Tim Hardway, one of the big reasons for turning the team into a serious contender. Michael Jordan would assert himself offensively with 37 points, as the Bulls would win game 1 84-77. And if the scoring in game 1 was low, it would get uglier in game 2, as neither Michael nor Pippen did shoot the ball well in the second game, but in the end they did enough to win 75-68. Everybody in Miami expected the Heat would finally beat the struggling Bulls in game 3, but led by MJ's newly found touch and 34 points, the Bulls won convincingly in Miami 98-74. Game 4 would prove remarkable. Alonzo Mourning guaranteed victory prior to the game, which Michael Jordan spent the previous day on the golf course. And that seemed to show, as Miami took a 15 point lead in the 3rd quarter, and Jordan was a staggering 2-of-22 from the field at the end of the quarter with only 9 points. However, as he did so often before, he led the Bulls in a furious comeback scoring 20 in the 4th quarter alone. But in the end it wasn't quite enough, so the Bulls needed game 5 in Chicago to close out the series. And they did just that, behind MJ's 28 points, to move back into the NBA Finals. Their opponent in the Finals was just as experienced as they were: the Utah Jazz. Led by the legendary duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton, the Jazz had acquired Jeff Hornacek to be the final piece of the puzzle for a team that was on the brink of success for over a decade, but could never really get over the edge and make it to the Finals. But that seons they had the NBA MVP on their team, and felt good about their chances. But the Bulls, had the home court advantage, and, of course, Michael Jordan. With game 1 tied in the final seconds, Karl Malone was fouled and missed both his free throws, while on the following possession, Michael Jordan would score a buzzer beating game winner over Bryon Russell, a sequence that showed everybody who the real MVP was. Jordan added to his 31 points from game 1, 38 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists in game 2, almost a triple double, in a game which the Bulls won as well 97-85. Games 2 and 3 in Utah were close, but proved that the Jazz were indeed a great team at home. Jordan would try and bring the Bulls back in game 3 after being down by 18, but in end coming short, despite his and Scottie Pippen's efforts. Game 4 was much closer, and it took some great plays by John Stockton for the Jazz to win. With the series tied at 2, game 5 became the most important game of the Finals. Disaster loomed for the Bulls as they realized Michael Jordan was suffering from flu-like symptoms, and his status was uncertain until minutes before the game. He would eventually play, and put on one of the most legendary performances ever. Severely dehydrated and sometimes seemingly on the brink of passing out, he would lead the Bulls with 38 points including the game winning 3 pointer. And thus, with leading the series 3-2, the Bulls knew they had to win in Chicago to avoid the 7th game, where anything could happen. Even if Jordan would have his highest output of the series with 39 points in game 6, it was the shot he didn't take that would win the championship for the Bulls. Aware of John Stockton's double teaming abilities which won the Jazz game 4, Jordan waited for the double-team and then passed the ball to Steve Kerr, who drained the game winner with 5 seconds to go. Finally and inbounds pass steal by Scottie Pippen gave the Chicago Bulls their 5th title in 7 years. Looking back at the '97 season from today's perspective, it looked like a dream season without where the Bulls just cruised through everybody. It wasn't anything like that in reality, and the hard work along with the bumps on the road made it that much sweeter. And also provided the motivation for the Bulls to come back and do it again one last time in the following season, and cement their legacy as one of the sport's greatest dynasties.