Michael Jordan displaying his emotional side after winning his 1st NBA title was quite alarming for his Bulls teammates, who never saw this side of the superstar.
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MJ is undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever to play the sport of basketball. The Bulls legend played a major role in popularising the sport across the globe.
In 1991 the Chicago Bulls finally beat the bad boy Pistons after losing to them on several occasions. The Pistons had for a long time been a roadblock for the Bulls’ ticket to the NBA Finals.
Jordan won his 1st NBA championship in 1991 against the LA Lakers, defeating them in five games. The series would mark the end of the Lakers’ showtime era.
The superstar was crowned Finals MVP as he averaged 31.2 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.8 SPG, and 1.4 BPG on 56.8% shooting from the field and 50.0% from the 3-point line.
Jordan’s 1st NBA championship was the beginning of the Bulls’ era in the NBA. The team would go on to win 6 championships between 1991-1998.
Michael Jordan displaying his sensitive side had his teammates taken aback
MJ was known to be an assassin on the court. The Bulls superstar never displayed any emotions other than aggression on the court.
However, this changed when Jordan won his 1st NBA champion after defeating the Magic Johnson-led LA Lakers. The superstar was seen weeping in the locker room with the championship trophy in his hands.
Wills Perdue and his teammates were stunned to see this side of the Bulls legend as Jordan would never let his emotions get the better of him, especially on the court.
“Everybody has the picture in their mind of when we beat Cleveland on that last shot, and he’s punching the air, he’s all excited,” Perdue said.
“That’s who we knew, the competitive Michael Jordan. The win-at-all-costs Michael Jordan. Sometimes we’d question whether he was human, whether he had feelings. A guy that was totally focused on one thing and one thing only. The only emotion we had ever seen out of him was anger or frustration. We were literally stunned to see those emotions.”
The Chicago Bulls 3-peated twice
The Bulls would go on to win 6 championships between 1991-1998, solidifying themselves as a dynasty. MJ, who had taken a sabbatical for a year and a half, would eventually return in time for the 1995 NBA Playoffs.
The superstar, who was returning from his short stint in baseball, would eventually lose to the Orlando Magic in the ECF. One of the major reasons considered for the loss was Jordan having limited time to find his rhythm back in the game.
However, the following season saw the superstar motivated more than ever. The Bulls would have a historic season with a 72-10 record.
The Chicago team would get their revenge in the ECF by sweeping the Orlando Magic. The Bulls would go on to defeat the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA Finals. Jordan would win his 4th title on Father’s Day, which was emotional for the superstar, who had lost his father in a tragedy.
The Chicago Bulls would go on to 3-peat twice, winning 6 NBA titles, with Jordan being the Finals MVP each time.
The Bulls never lost in an NBA Finals and would never let any of the Finals go till a Game 7.
