Things began to turn in the second quarter. On the “I remember the day before the game we had our walkthrough, our practice, and I remember Phil called us in, and in typical Phil fashion, he’s trying to get our minds right.
He’d hit 5-of-7 from the line and wrestled momentum away.Jordan finished with 28 points and became the NBA's all-time leading playoffs scorer.For the third time in five years, the Pacers' season ended in the Eastern Conference finals. In Jordan's 12 previous seasons, the Pacers reached the postseason seven times. Enter Dale Davis and his 19 points and eight rebounds.Jordan scored 35, but for the first time since 1992, a team had pushed him to a Game 7.
The Bulls staggered to the finish. And it's not like the Pacers weren't making the playoffs.
"We knew they were going to make runs," Miller said.
Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Bulls and Pacers, which NBC Sports Chicago will rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Thursday, produced a final score of 88-83. In the NBA, the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors registered higher valuations than the Bulls.
"It was a hard-fought victory," Jordan said after contributing 28 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and strong defense on Pacers top gun Reggie Miller. But for me, I felt like with no message, with no name, it’s going back to like who I was.
Jordan delivered, but he had a lot of help.
It’s a statistic almost as impressive as the titles themselves.The first came against the New York Knicks in 1992, but the outcome of that game was hardly ever in doubt. All rights reserved. Back in 1998, it was Michael Jordan vs. Pacers Michael Jordan attends a press conference before the NBA Paris Game match between Charlotte Hornets and Milwaukee Bucks on … We were just overmatched. "They were big, they were strong, they were physical.”And then this from Jordan: “If I had to pick a team that gave us the toughest time in the East, Indiana was probably the toughest — outside of (Bad Boys) Detroit.”Here's a look back at the series that could have finished off a dynasty without the storybook ending.Heading into the 1998 Eastern Conference finals, Michael Jordan had played 166 career NBA playoffs games. He said he hopes the league changes its position and hasn't ruled out making the same symbolic act before each tipoff even if the league doesn't. It’s a statistic almost as impressive as the titles themselves. The Bulls were called for 27 and shot 39 free throws.The Pacers, led by their hobbled star, brushed aside any notion of a sweep and played their way back into the Eastern Conference finals.Miller sprained his ankle after landing on the outside of Jordan’s foot midway through the third quarter.
Please review the Unable to verify your NBA partner. In Forbes’ The NFL boasted 27 teams in Forbes’ top 50, by far the most of any sports league (the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans were the only clubs not represented). As good as they were, the Bulls were that horrible, hitting five of 19 first-quarter shots. But a Bulls Game 7 … Not only did the Pacers commit a season-high 26 turnovers, Jordan woke up after the break, scoring 25 points in the second half.The Pacers got back within one point in the fourth quarter on Dale Davis’ rebound basket with 8:50 remaining, but Jordan resumed command.After Game 1, the Pacers weren't ready to cry foul. It wasn’t a great game, but it was hard-played.” The Bulls won it — and the Pacers lost it — on the boards.