1997 NBA PLAYOFFS
Eastern Conference
Chicago Bulls over Washington Bullets : 3-0
Game 1: Bulls 128-91 Bullets (Webber puts up 26 points and 16 rebounds but Jordan and Pippen score a collective 67 points.)
Game 2: Bulls 119-76 Bullets (Rodman this time locks down Chris Webber who only scores 14 points and the Bulls easily win game 2.)
Game 3: Bullets 91-98 Bulls (A hard fought contest until Michael Jordan took over in the last 4 minutes of the game scoring 15 of his 40 points, including 4 threes.)
The Bulls cruise to a sweep even when Chris Webber tried to carry his team against them.
Atlanta Hawks over Orlando Magic : 3-2
Game 1: Magic 92-78 Hawks (Penny Hardaway with 27 points 10 assists.) 0-1
Game 2: Magic 109- 95 Hawks (Penny Hardaway dominates again this time with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists) 0-2
Game 3: Hawks 90-80 Magic (The Hawks put out a great defensive effort holding Penny to just 17 points) 1-2
Game 4: Hawks 98-69 Magic (Once again holding Penny to just 6 points before he went out with a ankle injury early in the third quarter) 2-2
Game 5: Hawks 88-70 Magic (Without Penny the Magic just can't get it going on offense and collapse.) 3-2
The scrappy Hawks scrap to a comeback win which seemed certain once Penny Hardaway went out in game 4.
Miami Heat over Charlotte Hornets : 3-0
Game 1: Heat 122-80 Hornets
Game 2: Heat 101-71 Hornets
Game 3: Heat 113-86 Hornets (Alonzo Mourning put up 19 points 15 rebounds and 10 blocks)
Just like the bulls the Heat sweep their opponents easily.
Detroit Pistons over New York Knicks: 3-1
Game 1: Knicks 99-98 Pistons (Allan Houston hits last minute three with o.2 seconds left after Ewing tears his ACL in the the third quarter and George Hill leads comeback with 29 points.)
Game 2: Pistons 86-81 Knicks ( A brawl late in the fourth quarter near the Knicks bench escalates to where many players on the bench :Chris Childs, Larry Johnson, John Starks and others are ejected and later suspended for two games.)
Game 3: Pistons 107-75 Knicks (Grant Hill puts up 45 11 and 7 in a legendary performance.)
Game 4: Pistons 100-71 Knicks (Grant Hill puts up 41)
In a huge upset led by Grant Hill, the Pistons go to the second round after a very tough and physical series.
Second Round
Chicago Bulls over Atlanta Hawks: 4-1
Game 1: Hawks 86-85 Bulls (Jordan misses the would-be game winner after being hit with no foul called.)
Game 2: Bulls 137-79 Hawks ( Jordan explodes with a vengeance with 69 points 11 rebounds and 10 assists, showing the world he was the best. He then with 3 seconds left hit a jumper over three players who were smothering him to add insult to injury.)
Game 3: Bulls 118-101 Hawks ( Jordan with 50 points)
Game 4: Bulls 124-111 Hawks
Game 5: Bulls 98-77 Hawks
The Bulls dominate, as Jordan once again has legendary performances.
Miami Heat over New York Knicks: 4-3
Game 1: Heat 88-79 Pistons : 1-0
Game 2: Pistons 88-84 Heat : 1-1 (Grant Hill with 34 points Mourning with 27 points and 13 rebounds.)
Game 3: Pistons 77-73 Heat : 1-2 (Hill with 25)
Game 4: Heat 89-86 Pistons: 2-2 (Hardaway with 38 points, Hill with 29)
Game 5: Heat 96-91 Pistons: 3-2
Game 6: Pistons 95-90 Heat: 3-3 (Hill with 30 and 12 rebounds, Hardaway with 21 points and 10 assists.)
Game 7: Heat 101-92 Pistons: 4-3
The Heat win a very physical, tough and draining series where 5 games were decided by 5 or less points. Grant Hill is being called by many to be the next big thing in the NBA.
Conference Finals
Chicago Bulls over Miami Heat: 4-0
Game 1: Bulls 84-77 Heat (Jordan 37 points)
Game 2: Bulls 75-68 Heat
Game 3: Bulls 98-74 Heat (Jordan with 39 points, Hardaway with 25)
Game 4: Bulls 80-79 Heat (Jordan hits a fadeaway at the buzzer over Alonzo Mourning.)
The Bulls go to their fifth final to compete for their fifth championship
Western Conference
First Round
Utah Jazz over Los Angeles Clippers: 3-1
Game 1: Jazz 106-96
Game 2: Clippers 107-105 Jazz ( Karl Malone has 21 points and 17 rebounds but Malik Sealy hits deep three with 2.1 seconds left)
Game 3: Jazz 104-92 Clippers
Game 4: Clippers 100-89 Jazz
The Jazz beat the Clippers in a somewhat competitive series.
Los Angeles Lakers over Portland Trail Blazers: 3-1
Game 1: Lakers 95-77 Blazers
Game 2: Lakers 107-93 Blazers (Shaq hits 30 points and 13 rebounds)
Game 3: Blazers 98-90 Lakers
Game 4: Lakers 96-91 Blazers
Shaquille O'Neal carries his new team to an easy win.
Houston Rockets over Phoenix Suns: 3-0
Game 1: Rockets 122-95 Suns (Olajuwon with 46 points and 20 rebounds)
Game 2: Rockets 101-87 Suns
Game 3: Rockets 125-99 Suns
The Rockets win easily.
Seattle Supersonics over Minnesota Timberwolves: 3-1
Game 1: Sonics 106-101 Timberwolves
Game 2: Sonics 118-78 Timberwolves
Game 3: Timberwolves 110-103 Sonics
Game 4: Sonics 127-110 Timberwolves
The Supersonics defeat the young Timberwolves in 4.
Second Round
Utah Jazz over Los Angeles Lakers: 4-2
Game 1: Jazz 93-77 Lakers : 1-0
Game 2: Jazz 103-101 Lakers : 2-0 (Malone has 33, Shaq 27 and 12 rebounds)
Game 3: Lakers 104-84 Jazz : 1-1 (Shaq has 35 points, 10 rebounds and 8 blocks)
Game 4: Jazz 110-95 Lakers
Game 5: Lakers 98-93 Jazz
Game 6: Lakers 100-92 Jazz
Karl Malone nearly chokes as Shaq dominates in the post but the better team wins out in the end.
Houston Rockets over Seattle Supersonics 4-3
Game 1: Rockets 112-102 Sonics :1-0
Game 2: Sonics 106-101 Rockets: 1-1
Game 3: Rockets 97-93 Sonics : 2-1
Game 4: Rockets 110-101 Sonics : 3-1
Game 5: Sonics 100-94 Rockets : 3-2
Game 6: Sonics 99-96 Rockets : 3-3
Game 7: Rockets 116-91 Sonics : 4-3 (Olajuwon puts up historic clutch performance with 33 points and 14 rebounds)
In an all out war the Houston Rockets just make it past the Seattle Supersonics.
Conference Final
Utah Jazz over Houston Rockets: 4-3
Game 1: Jazz 101-86 Rockets : 1-0
Game 2: Jazz 104-92 Rockets : 2-0
Game 3: Rockets 118-100 Jazz : 2-1
Game 4: Rockets 95-92 Jazz : 2-2 (Olajuwon goes for 22 points and 16 rebounds and Drexler drives and gets an and one layup with 2.4 seconds left.)
Game 5: Jazz 97-91 Rockets : 3-2
Game 6: Rockets 105-100 Jazz : 3-3
Game 7: Jazz 106-105 : 4-3 (Stockton hits a three at the buzzer)
Another all out war but this time the Rockets were too drained to pull of the victory.
NBA Finals
Chicago Bulls over Utah Jazz : 4-1
Game 1: Bulls 84-82 Jazz ( Jordan with 29, Malone with 31)
Game 2: Bulls 97-83 Jazz (Jordan with 38)
Game 3: Jazz 104-93 Bulls (Malone with 37)
Game 4: Bulls 78-73 Jazz
Game 5: Bulls 90-88 Jazz ( Jordan with a classic game, even when he was ill, Jordan scored 40 points and then hit the buzzer beater to win the game winning his fifth game.)
Jordan shows the world why he was to be the MVP and not Malone with one of his most dominant performances landing himself finals MVP.
NBA CHAMPION: CHICAGO BULLS