mobile app bar

“Bulls had the worst game in NBA history without Michael Jordan”: How the Jordan-less Bulls scored only 49 points against the Miami Heat

Samir Mehdi
Published

“Bulls had the worst game in NBA history without Michael Jordan”: How the Jordan-less Bulls scored only 49 points against the Miami Heat

The Chicago Bulls scored merely 49 points in a game against the Miami Heat in April of 1999, less than a year after Michael Jordan retired. 

The Chicago Bulls put the entirety of the NBA in a chokehold during the 1990s as they won 6 championships in a span of eight seasons with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen at the helm. Legends such as Karl Malone, Reggie Miller, John Stockton, and Patrick Ewing would eventually retire ring-less due to Jordan’s dominance. 

Unfortunately, every dynasty has to come to an end and the Chicago Bulls weren’t exempt from this. As heavily detailed in the ‘Last Dance’ docuseries, Jerry Krause made it very clear that Phil Jackson would not return as head coach in 1999, regardless of the outcome of the prior season.

Also read: “Andrew Wiggins was acquired because of the virtue of being a versatile defender”: Steve Kerr reveals the reason why the Warriors added Canadian forward to the roster

Michael Jordan famously said that he would not return to the Chicago Bulls if Phil wasn’t the HC. So, despite winning the 1998 NBA championship, the title core disbanded with the ‘GOAT’ retiring for a second time, Dennis Rodman going to the Lakers, and Pippen signing with the Rockets. 

How the Bulls had one of the worst games in NBA history the season after Michael Jordan left. 

Who would’ve thought that the Chicago Bulls would become a poverty franchise after Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Phil Jackson all left at the same time. In all seriousness, it was pretty easy to predict that the 6x champs would be a lottery team going into the 1998-99 season. 

However, what happened on April 10th, 1999, was quite unprecedented, even for a team with as low talent as the Bulls. 

The Miami Heat faced off against Chicago on this night and handily beat them 82-49, making it the lowest scoring game for a team since the shot-clock era. They also posted the worst field goal percentage for a regular season game in NBA shot clock history at a measly 23.4%.

Also read: “Wilt Chamberlain is still the most imposing physical player that ever played this league, period!!”: Bill Russell remembers former Lakers, Sixers and Warriors superstar’s dominance on the basketball court

The leading scorer for the Bulls was Kornel David, a man who spent merely 2 years in the league, who had 13. Toni Kukoc contributed 10 points while going 4-16 from the field. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

instagram-icon

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

Share this article