Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen claimed he would have still won six NBA championships without longtime teammate and partner Michael Jordan.
Whenever basketball fans reminisce about the Chicago Bulls dynasty, Michael Jordan’s name is usually the first that pops up. Yet, others were in the background, particularly Scottie Pippen, who was seen as M.J.’s backup or sidekick. However, there have been various discussions on whether there would have been a dynasty without the five-time league MVP in the picture.
Winning without Jordan
The Bulls became title contenders when Pippen joined the team in 1987, three years after Jordan had been drafted. Before the forward’s arrival, Chicago had shown promise but struggled to advance in the playoffs.
With Jordan already a scoring machine, Pippen’s versatility and defensive prowess elevated the Bulls to neck-and-neck with the East-ruling Detroit Pistons, who captured a pair of titles at Jordan and Pippen’s expense in the late 1980s. Over the course of a decade, the team won six NBA titles. The 6-foot-8 forward believes it would remain the same without his Hall of Fame teammate.
“I still get my six [championships],” Pippen said. “Three, three, thought you knew. [Jordan] may be somewhere with LeBron [James]… I feel like I’m a get my six.”
This hypothetical scenario played out for one season. In October 1993, Jordan abruptly retired to pursue a baseball career, leaving Pippen to lead the team. Despite the sudden shift, the Bulls performed admirably under the makeshift leadership, finishing the regular season with a 55-27 record.
Pippen played some of his best basketball, averaging 22 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. He earned his first All-Star Game MVP award and finished third in MVP voting.
However, it wasn’t always smooth. In Game 3 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks, Bulls coach Phil Jackson designed a play for Toni Kukoc instead of their leader. Feeling disrespected, Pippen refused to take the court for the final possession with his team trailing.
Although the Bulls reached the playoffs, they failed to make it past the second round, losing to the Knicks in seven games. The following season, with Jordan still absent for most of the year, the Bulls again fell short, finishing 47-35 and losing in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Vital piece
Although the Bulls were eliminated in the 1995 playoffs by the Orlando Magic, M.J.’s full-time return for the 1995-96 season revitalized the team. With Jordan and Pippen back together, the Bulls achieved a historic 72-10 record and captured three consecutive championships from 1996 to 1998.
Pippen’s claim that he could have won six titles without his legendary partner is difficult to substantiate. During the two years without Jordan, the Bulls remained competitive but lacked the finishing touch to dominate the playoffs.
Pippen’s contributions to the Bulls’ dynasty cannot be overstated. His defensive mastery, basketball IQ, and ability to perform on both ends of the court were instrumental. However, whether the seven-time NBA All-Star could have won six championships on his own is highly debatable.
He could only go as far as the first round in his lone season at the Houston Rockets in the post-Chicago era. He had a few solid postseason moments for the Portland Trail Blazers — a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2000 — but couldn’t add more hardware to his collection.