Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson was known for his tough love and rigorous approach toward the team. He did not hold back from correcting even the superstars on the roster, including Michael Jordan. Jackson’s multiple strategies for making the team cohesive surely worked out in the franchise’s favor, winning them six championships. In one such instance, Jackson once ridiculed and called out MJ on his performance using a “Wizard of Oz” reference. In his book Jordan Rules, Sam Smith further detailed this incident.
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When Jackson joined the Bulls in 1989, one of the biggest challenges in front of the franchise was overcoming the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons and their ‘Bad Boys’ were a major obstacle for the Bulls in winning their first championship title. Jackson’s rigorous strategies and honing of personalities, such as Jordan, helped the Bulls in their two three-peat successes.
Phil Jackson once used a “Wizard of Oz” reference to call out Michael Jordan
During the latter half of the 1980s, the Pistons were the Bulls’ greatest rivals. The Pistons had humiliated the Bulls several times, notably in the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals and the 1989 and 1990 Eastern Conference Finals. This had struck the ego of star players such as Jordan. Coach Jackson had a heavy task – to completely revamp the team.
During the 1990 season, when the Bulls fell behind two games to none against the Pistons, Jackson noted several anomalies in Michael Jordan’s game performance. To humble the great Jordan, Jackson took it upon himself to find an ingenious way to call out ‘His Airness.’ Jackson edited the clip from the game replay and inserted a Wizard of Oz reference to ridicule Jordan. Sam Smith described this incident in the book Jordan Rules, an excerpt of which can be found below:
“After the Bulls had fallen behind two games to none in the 1990 playoffs against Detroit, Jackson decided he’d edit the game film himself for the next day’s meeting. First there was Joe Dumars slashing by Jordan for a basket. Then came a snippet from the movie The Wizard of Oz, with the Tin Man talking about not having a heart. The players laughed loudly.”
Jordan might have taken this insult personally. The 1990 ECF was the last time the Bulls lost to the Pistons in that season. In the following season’s ECF, the Bulls swept the Pistons 4-0 and won their first NBA title. Their success knew no bounds as they would continue this feat for two more seasons, eventually earning themselves a three-peat.
Michael Jordan and the Bulls humiliated the Pistons in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals
The 1990 Eastern Conference Finals was devastating for Michael Jackson and the Bulls, as Isiah Thomas’ Pistons defeated them 4-3 in the series. The Detroit Pistons won their second consecutive NBA title that season, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 4-1 in the Finals series.
The next season Chicago’s chance to gain redemption from the Pistons. Meeting once again in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, Michael Jordan and the Bulls swept Isiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman’s “Bad Boys” 4-0 in the series.
Subsequently progressing to the NBA Finals, the Bulls beat Magic Johnson’s Lakers 4-1 in the series, winning the first of their six championship titles.
