Bulls ’95-’96 Team Named The Greatest Team In NBA History

The Sporting News magazine is spending the year solving debates in the sports world, in commemoration of their 125th anniversary. This month’s debate focused on the NBA, with the magazine tackling the debate of who the greatest single-season team in NBA history was.

In what is sure to be one of a few representatives from Chicago amid the “Greatest of All Time” debates they will solve, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls squad was named the greatest team in NBA history.

It’s not that difficult to see why the Bulls were able to beat out great Los Angeles Lakers or Boston Celtics teams from years and decades before.

Of course, it was a team that featured Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, as well as Dennis Rodman in his first year as a Bull after being traded by the San Antonio Spurs.

It was a team that featured several records and accolades, from up and down the roster. Jordan averaged over 30 points per game, as well as just over two steals per. Rodman was good for 15 boards a game, while Pippen and Tony Kukoc were the only two other Bulls to average in double figures in terms of scoring, with 19 and 13 PPG, respectively.

For the team that won 72 games, and NBA record, they certainly weren’t generous in sharing awards. Jordan won three different MVPs, taking it home for the NBA’s regular season, the NBA Finals, and the All Star Game. He was also named to the All-NBA defensive team, as well as the All-NBA team, as he led the entire league in every scoring category.

But Jordan wasn’t the only one to take home some accolades from that season. Phil Jackson was named Coach of the Year. Pippen joined Jordan on the All-NBA first team, and both he and Rodman were featured on the NBA’s All-Defensive team as well. And Kukoc was named Sixth Man of the Year.

The ’95-’96 Bulls team was the only non-Lakers or Celtics team in the top five, but they weren’t the only Chicago team in the Top 10. The ’91-’92 team, which was the season in which the Bulls won their first NBA title, was ranked No. 9.

That 72-win team continues to be the benchmark for these powerhouse teams like the Celtics’ Big Three in ’07, and this year’s Big Three for the Miami heat. Neither team was able to eclipse the mark, and it remains to be seen if anyone will ever be able to even touch it, let alone beat it.

Bulls Season In Review: Taj Gibson

Heading into the 2010-2011 season, the future of Taj Gibson was an uncertain one. Despite his rookie success as Chicago’s second pick in the 2009 NBA draft, behind James Johnson, there was talk that Gibson could find his way out of the Windy City.

The fact that he was such a young player, who showed a great deal of potential, and can play multiple positions down low made him a valuable asset as the Bulls were seeking out trading partners, most notably for a scoring guard.

While guys like Joakim Noah and Luol Deng were also mentioned in these types of rumors, Gibson’s name was the one that appeared most, with the Bulls not looking like they would be able to get much in return unless Gibson, a former USC product, was involved in such a deal.

But the Bulls held on to Gibson. And surprisingly, they would not make a trade for the entirety of the season, even at the trade deadline when everyone was expecting it. And much to the delight of a majority in Chicago, Gibson remained a Bull for the 2010-11 season.

His value to the Bulls was evident right off the bat. With Carlos Boozer nursing an injury for the first month of the season, it was Gibson that was forced into a starting role for these Bulls. Taj posted four double-doubles in Boozer’s absence, with the best of his performances coming in a 17 point, 18 rebound win over the Dallas Mavericks in which Gibson grabbed eight offensive boards.

Once Boozer returned, Taj’s minutes became a bit more inconsistent, but still proved that he was capable of producing off the bench, especially in terms of rebounds. Even with those inconsistent minutes after starting for a month, Gibson finished the season with 458 total rebounds. As a comparison, he wasn’t too far behind the 565 Boozer posted on the season.

But it was during the playoffs that Gibson really proved his worth to this team. What Gibson brought couldn’t always be measured in terms of scoring, though. What he did always provide for the Bulls in the postseason was an emotional presence off the bench, which was particularly noticeable in the Eastern Conference Finals against Miami.

That could not have been more evident than it was in Game 1. Locked in a shot-for-shot game, which was the trend in their series against the Heat, Gibson’s emphatic dunk on Dwyane Wade gave the Bulls all the momentum they would need to run away with the series opener. He wasn’t done with the high-flying antics, though, as he grabbed a one-handed rebound and put it back down to further the Bulls’ lead.

Unfortunately for the Bulls, they would go on to lose the series in five close games, and Gibson wouldn’t see extremely consistent minutes for the rest of the series, which may have played some sort of part in it.

And now, once again, the future of Gibson as a Bull is something that has been left in the air, with many expecting the Bulls to take the necessary measures to get past the Heat. However, there are many that think Gibson is a talent capable of starting, and should be given the job over the 75 million dollar man, Carlos Boozer.

There’s certainly a case to be made there. Gibson plays consistently and has proven to impact the team in a positive way emotionally, unlike Boozer who seems to have a difficult time rallying the team around him. Boozer’s scoring is completely inconsistent, as is his health. The Bulls could seek a trade option for one of them, but it’s likely that both will return for next season.

Of course, the Bulls could decide that they won’t be able to afford Gibson once his rookie deal is up, which would be an extremely unfortunate turn of events for Gibson and Chicago. Either way, we should know the future of this former Trojan before the summer months are over.

Season In Review: Keith Bogans

Every fanbase needs some sort of scapegoat, whether the team or good or bad. Someone that the fans can blame for anything and everything, joking or otherwise. For the Cubs, that guy is Alfonso Soriano. Nick Boynton spent his tenure as that guy with the Blackhawks, which was validated in some cases (ask Marian Hossa).

For the Bulls, that guy was Keith Bogans this season. Really the old man of this year’s Bulls squad, Bogans was one of several role players brought in this offseason in Chicago’s massive makeover.

Most expected Bogans to be a solid veteran presence off the bench, but few expected him to see much playing time, and rightfully so. When you look at the starting shooting guards throughout the contenders in the NBA, Bogans doesn’t exactly set the world on fire.

But injuries to Ronnie Brewer and a lack of any other options resulted in the starting two-guard gig being dropped squarely in the seasoned hands of Keith Bogans for the 2010-2011 season.

Despite his crtics, Bogans actually performed admirably in his role for the Bulls, given his somewhat limited skill set. He didn’t see as many minutes as the rest of the starters, with Kyle Korver and Brewer also seeing time at that spot, but still performed better than most might realize.

Bogans’ impact stretched beyond his scoring totals, which weren’t much. Other than a couple of shots from beyond the arc a game, Bogans didn’t provide much offense, averaging just over four points a game. His biggest game came against the Washington Wizards, in which he scored 17 points, and all of his shots from the field came from long distance.

But what Bogans brought to the Bulls can definitely be measured in terms of defense. On a team that carried a defensive mentality all season, Bogans was a perfect fit at the two guard. Bogans was one of a number of Bulls that received a vote for Defensive Player of the Year.

Bogans started all 82 games for the Bulls, and he committed barely over a foul per game. In fact, believe it or not, the Bulls could have probably used a little more Bogans down the stretch of that Miami series in the Eastern Conference finals, as he was capable of doing a much better job guarding Dwyane Wade than Korver was.

The question for Bogans, however, is whether or not he will be back with the team next year. While many are certainly ready to dump him due to his low offensive output, I doubt the Bulls’ front office would be so quick to pull the trigger on cutting the veteran guard loose.

He’s a great veteran presence in the lineup and his defense and specific shot selection could make him a strong asset off the bench for the Bulls, and he would be cheap. I would not be surprised at all to see Bogans back with the Bulls next year in a reserve role, though it’s very, very unlikely he’ll be on the floor to start games next season.

Dwyane Wade’s NBA Finals Success Proving Defensive Strength Of Bulls

The Bulls lost to the Miami Heat in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals. That much we know. While it won’t appear that way in the history books, the Eastern Conference Finals matchup between Chicago and Miami was much closer than many realize.

The reason for that was their defensive strength. It carried them throughout the season, and while Miami’s “Big Three” proved too strong for the Bulls, that defense kept them in those games in which, offensively, they played very poorly.

When Tom Thibodeau was hired everyone knew the Bulls would be a team predicated on defense. Adding a defensive-minded coach to a team already boasting strong defensive talent like Joakim Noah and Luol Deng assured that. Chicago took it a step further in free agency and the draft, adding defensively strong guys like Keith Bogans, Ronnie Brewer, and Omer Asik.

Even now, in the middle of this year’s NBA Finals between the Heat and the Dallas Mavericks, a statement is being made about these Bulls and the strength of their defense. The proof of such a statement revolves heavily around Miami superstar Dwyane Wade and the disparity between his performance in the Eastern Conference Finals and the first three games of these NBA Finals.

For the majority of the meeting between Chicago and Miami in May, Dwyane Wade was a ghost. He was scoring, but not at a pace that really speaks to the caliber of player that Wade is, and the most notable thing Wade truly did in the series was get put on a poster by Taj Gibson, all while LeBron James decided to come up clutch in the fourth quarter for a change.

So far in the Finals, Wade has been a complete contrast to the one that we saw in the ECF. His scoring up up, his highlights are up, and he has taken back the fact that this is his team, dominating in the fourth quarter, as opposed to James, as it was against Chicago, at least on the scoring end.

Perhaps this speaks to the defensive skill of no one more than Ronnie Brewer. The former Utah Jazz swingman was brought in this offseason, and could have started at the two-guard if not for injuries during training camp and early in the season, which led to Bogans grabbing the job. Brewer was brought in for that defensive strength, and he was one of those that guarded Wade in the ECF.

You need look no further for proof of this than a quick look at the box score for five games against Chicago and these first three against Dallas to see Wade is enjoying his matchup against DeShawn Stevenson more than he did against anyone in Chicago.

Wade has easily been the Finals MVP for Miami scoring 22 in Game 1, before exploding for 36 on 13-of-20 shooting in Game 2. He added another 29 on Sunday night, in Dallas. Compare that to the games against Chicago, three of which he scored less than 20, and none of which he scored more than 25, and you know all you need to about the defense of these Chicago Bulls.

Despite their shortcomings this season, and a lack of scoring that cost them dearly in the end, the Bulls have established themselves as, quite possibly, the best overall defensive team in the NBA. Moving forward, that’s something that shouldn’t change, and teams like Miami better get used to seeing it.

Bulls Season In Review: Joakim Noah

Like most of the small amount of players that made it through the Bulls’ roster turnover from the 2009-10 to 2010-11 season, there was a certain degree of uncertainty as to whether or not Joakim Noah would be a Bull this season.

Despite the reluctance to cut him lose by many fans and those involved within the organization, Noah looked like he was going to be the key centerpiece of a potential deal to acquire former Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony. Before the season began, many were almost hoping for Noah to be cut lose in favor of Anthony.

But rather than alienating Noah with these types of trade rumors, the Bulls rewarded him with a contract extension last summer, signing the former Florida Gator to a five-year extension, worth $60 million.

The good news didn’t end there for Noah, as he finally got a little help in the paint. The Bulls made Carlos Boozer their big free agent acquisition last summer, locking him up for five years and $75 million. Many assumed that with the defensive dominance of Noah and Boozer, combined with the offense that the former Utah Jazz forward brought, the Bulls would have an unstoppable duo up front.

Those expectations failed to be realized, for the most part. Boozer missed the first month of the season, which was followed by a slew of injuries for Noah.

The intense center for the Bulls would go on to play a career-low 48 games. Even in those games, Noah wasn’t exactly the same, and his intensity was noticeable lower in consistency, no doubt due to the string of injuries he experienced this season. The worst of those injuries included a thumb injury, for which Noah underwent surgery and missed 30 games.

His stats on the season were about what you would expect from Noah, save a hope for a little more out of his offensive skills this year. He still averaged 10.4 boards per game, but that went along with just under 12 points per game. Like Kareem Abdul-Jabaar said recently, if Noah focused on his offensive game this summer, he could be a monster in the paint.

In the playoffs, one event marred the whole run for Noah and the Bulls, more for the former than the latter. Noah was seen on television calling a fan a vulgar name, most likely relating to the homosexual community. As it so often does today, the term Noah used was treated with great scrutiny, and he incurred a hefty fine and had some apologies to make following the incident in Miami.

The summer to get healthy should do wonders for Noah. But there are certainly things he needs to improve upon in the offseason if he wants to help the Bulls take the next step. If Carlos Boozer is still with the team, barring some miraculous trade of the veteran big man, Noah will have to work on his play with his running mate, whom he never completely gelled with this season.

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