The Bulls then sat back and waited for the team they expected to be their toughest playoff opponent, the New York Knicks. But Chicago had to change plans when the Miami Heat recovered from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Knicks, who were depleted by the suspensions of five players for their actions during a brawl in Game 5. Some of the Bulls made no effort to hide their disappointment at not meeting the Knicks—the closest thing the Chicago dynasty has had to a consistent challenger. "One thing we've got to guard against is letting the fact that we're not playing New York cause us to lose focus," Jackson warned before the Miami series. Jordan wilted in Pippen's arms after winning Game 5. photo by Andy Hayt/NBA Photos Jackson's charges did not heed his warning, and they trailed Miami by 11 points at halftime of Game 1. They continued their habit of atoning for sluggish early play, however, by playing tenacious defense late in the game. Chicago held Miami to 28 points after halftime, including only 11 in the fourth quarter, and opened the series with an 84-77 win. As usual, Jordan took care of most of the offense, with 37 points, and Rodman finally awoke, grabbing 19 rebounds. In Game 2 the Bulls won a 75-68 eyesore, the lowest-scoring playoff game since the introduction of the shot clock, in 1954. The sparse scoring was partly attributable to aggressive defense by both teams, but that didn't account for the open jump shots, layups and even dunks that were missed. "It was awful, terrible," said Kerr. "The fans should get their money back." Two nights later, Miami continued its dismal play while the Bulls dug themselves out of their offensive rut. The result: a 98-74 victory that left the Bulls one win from a sweep. Chicago was beating the Heat at its own game—playing stifling defense. Rodman and centers Brian Williams and Luc Longley had all but shut down Miami center Alonzo Mourning, who averaged just 15.7 points in the first three games and was able to squeeze off only four shots in Game 3. And the 6'6" Ron Harper had blanketed Miami's six-foot point guard, Tim Hardaway, allowing the sharpshooter just two three-pointers in 17 attempts through three games. "That's been the game plan from the start—try to limit Hardaway and slow him down," said Kerr. "And with Harper doing such a good job on him and him not hitting his three-pointers, it takes away from their whole team." Mourning dismissed the notion that Rodman or any other member of the Bulls was affecting his play. "You all know Rodman's tactics," he said. "Anything he does out there doesn't surprise me. Are we worried about Rodman? No. That's the last person on the floor we worry about." Then Mourning dropped a bombshell: "We will win [Game 4] on Monday. I guarantee it." The boast raised a few eyebrows in the Chicago locker room. "We'll be able to find out the truth after the game," responded Pippen. "Obviously, he has nothing to lose but another game. He's only putting pressure on himself and his team." Rodman's rejoinder was a bit more provocative. "That's fine," he said. "He's holding off his burial till Wednesday. Like I always say, 'Insert your foot here.'" Jackson and Jordan embraced the moment. photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBA Photos As it turned out, Mourning was a man of his word. The Heat summoned up enough pride for an 87-80 victory in Game 4. Afterward, Jordan, who had scored 29, faced questions and criticism when he acknowledged that he had played 46 holes of golf the day before. Had the Miami heat sapped his strength more than the Miami Heat? "I'm not going to blame what happened today on what I did yesterday," he said. The game had been physical from the start, and Mourning was one of the more rambunctious players. His third-quarter elbow to Pippen's head left a nasty welt, and his wrestling match with Rodman in the fourth quarter evoked memories of the rumble in the Knicks series. This time, though, no players left the bench to join the fracas. "See what well-trained animals we are?" quipped Longley. Mourning's rough play lit a fire under Jordan, who needed some inspiration after missing 20 of his first 22 shots in Game 4—one of his worst playoff performances ever. "I saw one of my players with a knot on his head, so that makes it personal," Jordan said. "When Scottie got a knot on his head, I got a knot on my head. When Dennis got on the floor and got punched out, we got punched out. When your little brother is being picked on and your older brother is being picked on, it's time for the family to come together and go out and stand strong and be ready to fight." The call to arms worked like a charm. Jordan, who refused to shake Mourning's hand before Game 5, and his mates were strictly business on the court, rolling to a 100-87 victory that put them in the NBA Finals for the second straight year and the fifth time in seven seasons. Their opponent, on the other hand, was making its first appearance in the Finals. But the Utah Jazz was hardly green; well seasoned with savvy veterans, it would force the Bulls to call upon their late-game heroics again and again. And the first hero, not surprisingly, was the incomparable Jordan. With Game 1 tied 82-82 and 7.5 seconds left, Jordan took a pass from Kukoc, calmly took a few dribbles and then buried a 20-foot jump shot over Russell's outstretched hand. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan had decided not to double-team Jordan, and he paid for it. In a nearly identical situation in Game 6, Sloan would call for Jordan to be double-teamed, and he paid even more dearly. That is where the Bulls place their opponents: between a rock and a hard place (in this case between a Jordan and a Kerr). And if the opponent escapes that precarious spot, there, lying in wait, is Pippen. In Game 5 of the conference finals, Pippen had severely bruised his left foot, but in the first game against the Jazz he rallied to score 27 points and grab nine rebounds. In Game 2 the Jazz appeared to be suffering the aftereffects of its heartbreaking opening-game loss. Chicago took control early and coasted to a 97-85 victory at the United Center. Jordan finished with 38 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, and the Bulls won so easily that he and Pippen could joke afterward. Pippen had missed a layup that cost Jordan his 10th assist, and with it a triple double. "He didn't need it," said Pippen. "He already has everything else." As they headed to Salt Lake City, Jordan and the Bulls appeared to have everything they needed to quickly dismiss Utah. But the Jazz would not go quickly. Utah forward Karl Malone, who had edged Jordan to win the regular-season MVP award, had shouldered most of the blame for the Game 1 loss—he had missed two free throws with 9.2 seconds left that could have tied the game. But he redeemed himself in Game 3, scoring 37 points in a 104-93 Utah victory. In Game 4, Stockton was the hero. He hit a three-point shot, stole the ball from Jordan and made a daring length-of-the-court pass to Malone for a layup, all in the last 2:23 of the Jazz's stirring 78-73 win. But when Jordan is involved, there can be only one hero of heroes. Suffering from a stomach virus the day before Game 5 at Utah's Delta Center, he skipped practice and stayed in bed in his hotel room. At game time the next night, he still had a headache and was nauseated. "We had serious doubts about whether he could play," Jackson said later. Jordan sequestered himself in a dark room before the game, then came out and turned in one of the most remarkable performances of his remarkable career. Dehydrated and exhausted, he scored 38 points and hit a three-point shot that put Chicago ahead for good in a 90-88 victory. Said Jackson, "Because of the circumstances, with this being a critical game in the Finals, I'd have to say this is the greatest game I've seen Michael play. Just standing up was nauseating for him and caused him dizzy spells. This was a heroic effort, one to add to the collection of efforts that make up his legend." Jordan's performance in Game 6 wasn't quite as spectacular, but it was brilliant nonetheless. In addition to setting up Kerr's game-winner, he had 39 points and 11 rebounds, and afterward was named Finals MVP. In this game, as he had throughout the series, Pippen played to the hilt his role as the NBA's second-best player; he averaged 20.0 points and 8.3 rebounds against the Jazz. When it was over, Utah was left to ponder how close it had come to victory in three of its four losses. But any number of NBA teams could empathize with the Jazz. In one way or another, the Bulls had frustrated every opponent they had faced in the 1997 playoffs. It was in the Finals, though, that the Bulls had truly demonstrated their status as the dominant team of the decade. If they had seemed to soar above the league on their way to previous titles, they were more earthbound this time, traveling over rougher terrain. They may not have enjoyed every step along the trail, but in the end, the Bulls seemed glad they had done it the hard way. After it was over, a euphoric Pippen said, "Call us survivors, escape artists, whatever name you want to use." Or just call them champions.