Everyone talks about the 1990s as if it was one long, continuous victory lap for Michael Jordan. It wasn't. Honestly, the three peat Chicago Bulls era was actually two distinct, grueling wars that almost broke the people involved.
We look at the six rings now and see a inevitable destiny. But back then? It was chaos.
The First Three Peat: Proving the Critics Wrong (1991-1993)
Before 1991, the narrative was that Michael Jordan was "just" a scorer. He couldn't win the big one. He was too selfish. Then, everything clicked.
The 1991 Finals against the Lakers felt like a passing of the torch. Magic Johnson was the old guard; Jordan was the hurricane. Most people remember the "spectacular move" layup where MJ switched hands mid-air, but the real story was his passing. He averaged 11.4 assists in that series. He finally trusted his teammates.
Then came 1992. "The Shrug."
Jordan hit six three-pointers in the first half of Game 1 against Portland. He wasn't even known as a deep threat! He just looked at the broadcast table and shook his shoulders like, "I don't know what to tell you."
By 1993, the exhaustion was real. The Bulls weren't the #1 seed; that was Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns. Jordan had to average a mind-numbing 41.0 points per game in that Finals series just to survive. John Paxson hit the series-clinching three, but the engine was burnt out. Jordan retired right after. He'd done it. The first three peat Chicago Bulls mission was complete, and he had nothing left.
Why the Second Run Was Different
When Jordan came back in 1995, he wasn't the same. He was wearing #45. He lost to the Orlando Magic in the playoffs. People thought the magic was gone.
The 1996-1998 run wasn't about "Air Jordan" anymore. It was about a psychological machine. They added Dennis Rodman, which sounds like a circus act, but the guy was a rebounding genius.
- 1996: The 72-10 season. Total dominance. They beat Seattle in six.
- 1997: The "Flu Game." Jordan was literally collapsing in Scottie Pippen's arms. He still dropped 38 points on Utah.
- 1998: "The Last Dance." Everyone knew the team was being broken up.
In that final 1998 series, Scottie Pippen’s back was essentially a pile of glass. He could barely run. Jordan had to carry the entire scoring load in Game 6, finishing with 45 of the team’s 87 points. That final steal on Karl Malone and the jumper over Bryon Russell? That wasn't just skill. It was pure, unfiltered will.
The Supporting Cast Nobody Credits
It's easy to say "Jordan did it," but that's lazy. You've gotta look at the specialists.
Horace Grant was the unsung hero of the first run. He was a defensive wall. Without him, the Bulls don't get past the Pistons. In the second run, you had Luc Longley—a 7-foot-2 Australian who just took up space and hit mid-range shots—and Steve Kerr, who hit the biggest shot of the 1997 Finals.
And then there's Toni Kukoc. People forget how controversial it was to bring him over from Europe. He was a 6-foot-11 forward who played like a point guard. He was the "Sixth Man of the Year" for a reason. He gave them a dimension that other teams couldn't guard.
The Misconception of "Ease"
People think the Bulls just coasted. They didn't.
The 1992 Knicks took them to seven games in a series that looked more like a wrestling match than basketball.
The 1998 Indiana Pacers had them on the ropes in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Reggie Miller almost ended the dynasty a year early.
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The three peat Chicago Bulls survived because they had a coach in Phil Jackson who managed egos like a zen master. He let Rodman go to Vegas mid-season. He convinced Jordan to share the ball. He made a bunch of millionaires believe in "The Triangle" offense.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Students of the Game
If you're looking to truly understand the depth of this era beyond the highlight reels, here is how to dive deeper:
- Watch Full Games, Not Just Clips: High-speed highlights hide the fatigue. Watch Game 5 of the 1997 Finals (the Flu Game) in its entirety. See how long Jordan spends bent over clutching his shorts. It changes your perspective on "greatness."
- Study the 1993 Suns Series: This is arguably Jordan’s peak. His 41 PPG average is a record that might never be broken in a Finals series.
- Analyze the Defensive Ratings: The 1996 Bulls weren't just great because of scoring. They had Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman—all on the All-Defensive First Team. That’s three of the five best defenders in the world on one roster.
The legacy of the three peat Chicago Bulls isn't just about the rings. It's about the fact that they did it twice, with two different rosters, separated by a retirement. That level of sustained mental pressure is something we probably won't see again in the NBA.
To really appreciate it, you have to look past the shoes and the jerseys and see the exhaustion on their faces in June of 1998. They weren't celebrating because it was fun; they were celebrating because they could finally stop.