The 1998 season, the last year of the Bulls dynasty, before the season started, it was already a scene of rain and wind. Most of the core members of the team are "thirties" and one year older. The team also came to a crossroads.
From the perspective of the management, Phil Jackson asked for more than three times the salary of the top coach at the time. The Flying Man signed 30 million a year, and only the sky-high contract at that time could match the Flying Man. This is not difficult to understand. On the contracts of Rodman and others, the team's salary exceeded the salary cap early. Teams and players will inevitably go downhill because of time. Whether to sign one premium contract after another to maintain the championship lineup and make another impact, or to sort out the team’s salary structure and rebuild early while the team’s veterans still have transaction value, the management prefers the latter.
Pippen has long proven that he is one of the best players in the league, but because of his fear of injury in his early years and his fear of not being able to play, he signed a seven-year contract of 18 million yuan. By the 1998 season, he was for the team The champion has paid so much, but he has a salary outside the top 100 in the league. The injustice to himself soon extends to the management, and finally hurts the team. At the time, Pippen deliberately delayed surgery until the start of the season because of a torn tendon in his foot, causing him to miss half of the season.
Due to Phil Jackson's high salary, Bulls general manager Krause had already decided to part ways with Jackson. Finally, the Bulls boss personally came forward and invited Jackson back. In the end, Jackson and Krause reached a contract for the last year. Under such circumstances, Jackson took the annual theme of The last dance up and down the tactical panel of the 98 season.
The Bulls' 1998 season started without Pippen, and the winning rate in the first month was over 50%, and then it gradually became regular. However, just as Pippen admitted his mistake and returned to the team, "Thornhead" Rodman began to look for "freedom" again. Jordan and Jackson freed Rodman and asked him back in person. During that year's Finals, Rodman suddenly disappeared from the series and then appeared in the wrestling ring, before attracting unwanted media attention and causing unexpected trouble. But Rodman is an indispensable puzzle piece for the team. His defense and rebounding are very important to the team. Rodman is such a "love-hate" bad boy. And these are always distracting Jordan and the team to deal with.
Relying on years of championship DNA and winning habits, the team finally tied the Jazz's record and tied for the first place in the league. The Bulls started the playoffs and faced the Nets in the first round. Although they swept the opponent 3-0, the process was not as easy as that. 4-1 victory over the Hornets after the Bulls ushered in the real challenge - the Pacers led by Reggie Miller.
This is a series that Jordan will find extremely difficult in the future. Reggie Miller defeated Jordan's defense in Game 4, and then both sides won one more game each, and finally came to the tiebreaker. In the last game of the series, the Bulls fell behind as soon as they came up. After that, the team was able to take the lead by relying on Kukoc's explosion. In the last quarter, the Pacers fought back, Jordan finally stood up, and finally eliminated with a 5-point advantage. Pacers. In the finals, the Jazz faced last year's old rival.
The Jazz swept the Lakers 4-0 in the Western Finals, and met the Bulls who had just finished the tiebreaker at home. In the first game, the Jazz took away the victory. In the second game, the Bulls took away a victory from the road relying on Kerr's hard work. In the third game, the Bulls showed great power at home, and the Jazz scored only 54 points and won the opponent. In the fourth game, the two sides fought to the end, and finally the Bulls relied on Rodman's rebounds and free throws to get the match point. In the fifth game, Malone smashed the Quartet and brought the game back to Salt Lake City.
In the crucial sixth game, Pippen relapsed with a back injury after a dunk at the beginning of the game, unable to persist and entered the locker room. Jordan struggled to support, the score has been behind. In the end, Pippen returned after a simple treatment, but he could only play a restraining role on the field. Jordan took on more offensive tasks. In the second half, there were repeated short shots, but the game was too anxious. Jackson had no plans to replace Jordan to rest. In the final 40 seconds of the game, the Jazz led by three points. At the end, Jordan came again like a god, and a fast-break layup quickly chased the score to only one point. In the Jazz's offensive round, Malone took the ball and prepared to play Rodman in the low post. Jordan suddenly rushed out from the weak side, stealing the ball, glanced at Jackson and did not intend to call a timeout, dribbled the ball to the top of the arc, and quickly changed direction and swayed. After reaching the defending player, throw the winning goal.
After the season, Jackson left, Jordan retired, Pippen and Kerr were traded to other teams, and Rodman became a free agent. Since then, the Bulls dynasty has completed a journey.
In the end, the Bulls have not been defeated by any team, but the team has won six championships in eight years, and has traveled for a long time with a heavy load. Every player has already won enough honors. Victory depends more on habits, and the desire to win is reduced. Every player has worked hard enough for the championship and deserves extra rewards, but the whole team is also because of this Carrying heavy salary pressure; inside the club, there is always a game between management and players. Players and management have different ways of thinking. Victory can cover up many contradictions, but it cannot eliminate them. When the team begins to decline. At times, the increasingly accumulated contradictions will always break out.
The same problem also existed in the Warriors in 2019. Durant's future at the beginning of the season was unresolved, and Green's off-court news continued. The locker room leader Andre Iguodala and the management's words were inconsistent. Real Madrid has similar problems after winning the Champions League for three consecutive years. The aging of core players and the departure of Zidane. The management believes that the contract that Ronaldo asked for is a premium contract. It is better to take advantage of Ronaldo's huge value. trade away.
It is the champion itself that beats the champion.
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