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Jun

7

6-7-1998: Bulls Rout Jazz by 42 Points

Filed Under On This Day . . ., NBA, Chicago Bulls, Loose Balls

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While the Orlando Magic were blown out by 25 points by the Los Angeles Lakers in Game One of the 2009 NBA Finals, nothing says an NBA Finals blowout like Game Three of the 1998 NBA Finals.

After the first two games of this series between the Utah Jazz and defending champion Chicago Bulls were decided by a combined six points, Game Three was an annihilation of epic and stunning proportions.

Barely getting by the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals, the tired and old Bulls were underdogs against the Jazz in the Finals.

Even after accomplishing a split through the first two games, not even the Bulls could have expected such a dominating performance back home at the United Center in Game Three.

Well, 11 years ago today, the Bulls totally humiliated the Jazz in one of the most satisfying games to watch for this Bulls’ fan.

Chicago crushed Utah 96-54.

So shocking was this score that even Utah Head Coach Jerry Sloan asked if it was correct while meeting with the media afterward.

Clicking on all cylinders, all 12 Bulls played and scored.

Michael Jordan led all scorers with 24 points and got plenty of time to ice his weary knees in the fourth quarter.

Toni Kukoc stroked the ball with great confidence en route to 16 points.

Ron Harper was 2 points and 3 assists shy of a triple double.

In arguably one of his greatest defensive efforts of all time and one of Head Coach Phil Jackson’s most brilliant tactical moves, Scottie Pippen sagged off Utah’s centers for most of the game and flew out at Jazz Hall-of-Fame point guard John Stockton.

Causing immense problems with his length, Pippen helped force Stockton into five turnovers and only 1-0f-4 shooting for two points.

Things were as bad for Utah star power forward Karl Malone, who hit his first six shots in the first quarter but would only finish with two more field goals.

Even worse, Malone had a game-high seven turnovers.

One of the most fundamentally sound teams in the game at the time, the Jazz were so brutal it was hard to believe.

The same goes for how tough Chicago’s defense was.

Utah had 31 points at halftime.

The Jazz would only score 23 points as a team in the second half.

Their 52 points would go down as the lowest point total in NBA history since the inception of the 24-second shot clock.

Their 42-point loss remains the most lopsided defeat in NBA Finals history.

For the Bulls, this dominating performance brought back memories of when Jordan, Pippen and the dynasty were in their first couple of seasons.

But even then, the Bulls were never this good defensively in an NBA Finals game.

Utah just barely shot 30 percent in Game Three.

All in all, this was one of those games that no one saw coming.

For the Bulls, it helped propel them to a 2-1 series lead and an eventual series victory in six games.

For the Jazz, it was hard to forget.

While Utah played better in Game Four, the Jazz hardly had room for moral victories after the four-point loss.

Utah would postpone its funeral with a two-point win in Game Five, but Jordan would deliver the title in a thrilling 87-86 victory in Game Six.

Here are some amazing pieces of information about the defensive slug fest that was the 1998 NBA Finals.

No team cracked 100 points.
Chicago cracked 90 points twice.
Utah scored no more than 88 points in each of the six games.
Utah won its two games by a combined margin of two points.
Excluding the 42-point ambush in Game Three, Chicago won its three other games by a combined 10 points.

If there ever was a series that was all about defense, it was the 1998 NBA Finals.

With that said, Game Three of the 1998 NBA Finals was the carbon copy for defensive excellence from one team (the Bulls) and offensive offense by the other (the Jazz).

Here is the amazing video from Game Three of the 1998 NBA Finals.

If you’re a Bulls fan, enjoy this unforgettable trip down memory lane.

If you’re a Jazz fan, avert your eyes.