Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen once gave each other nicknames after going a combined 13-of-36 from the field against the Heat.
Advertisement
Scottie and MJ both top-scored for the Bulls with 23 points each on the night in question. Jordan shot a torrid 4-of-15 and was only saved by his good free throw conversion. Pippen was a good bit better, but still inefficient as he went 9-of-21.
It was a really defensive game all in all as the Bulls won a low-scoring outing by 75-68. Modern NBA fans would be genuinely shocked, for this is two teams’ typical score midway through 3rd quarters these days.
The Bulls would go on to win the 1997 NBA title after seeing the Heat off in 5 games during this Conference Finals matchup. The likes of Tim Hardaway Sr and Alonzo Mourning didn’t have much in their arsenal to stop the rampaging Bulls.
Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen give each other nicknames after torrid shooting night
This championship Bulls team had the kind of pedigree that nobody else had at the time. This enabled them to take jokes upon themselves in good humor, even though they’d trash talk opponents all the time. Jordan and Pippen went one step further this time, nicknaming each other.
Jordan: “I played like doodoo. It’s simple. I made some free throws down the stretch, but other than that, they did it without me tonight.”
Scottie: “It was an ugly game for us. Nobody shot the ball well for us tonight. You know we’ve already given each other names in the locker room.”
Jordan (interjecting): “I’m Doodoo and he’s Shitten.”
The Bulls would face even more trying times in the Finals as MJ played Game 5 with a stomach bug or flu-like symptoms. He led them in that game with 38 points and put in a performance for the ages to see them through.
