The final two episodes of “The Last Dance” documentary about Michael Jordan and the 90s Chicago Bulls dynasty will air Sunday Night. Jordan’s legacy as the greatest basketball player ever has been solidified by the 10 episode documentary. The last two episodes will detail the 1998 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers and the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. In those two series, there were two missed shots by Jordan that would have made his title as the greatest basketball player ever undisputed but made him the greatest ever in sports history.
At the end of game four of the Eastern Conference Finals, Pacers’ legend Reggie Miller hit a game-winning three-pointer with 0.7 seconds left to give Indiana a 96-94 lead over Chicago. The Pacers fans erupted as it was the rare times an opponent had hit a game-winning shot over Jordan and the Bulls. Miller was ecstatic as he ran down the court and jumped in circles due to the excitement following the basket.
Now, most people forget that the Bulls still had another opportunity to win the game as there was time still left on the clock. Jordan proceeded to take the in-bounded pass and lofted a difficult three-point shot that rimmed out of the basket as time expired. The Bulls legend caught and shot the ball while on the run, and even with difficulty, nearly landed a perfect shot. Had the ball gone in, it would have been arguably the most memorable shot of Jordan’s career. It also would have shortened the series from a seven-game series to a five-game series. Chicago, with a 3-1 game lead in the series following the miraculous game-winner, would have closed out the series at home with a win in game 5.
Miller’s antics would have only heightened the magnitude had Jordan’s shot gone in. The Hall of Fame shooting guard was one of the best at trash-talking and showboating as a way to anger opposing players. Miller was in a similar situation in Chicago back in 1994. He had hit a game-winning shot leaving the Bulls with less than two seconds to come back. Believing the game was over, Miller bowed to the crowd following his shot. Karma would come back to get him, as Bulls star Toni Kukoc hit an improbable game-winning shot as time expired to the dismay and embarrassment of Miller.
The other missed shot that would have added to Jordan’s god-like legacy came at the end of game 5 of the 1998 Finals against the Utah Jazz. Down by two points with 0.8 seconds left, Jordan attempted a long three-point attempt that resulted in an airball. The Jazz held on to win the game 83-81. Had the shot gone in, it would have clinched the Bulls’ sixth NBA championship in front of the home crowd at the United Center. Given the circumstances involved, the celebration that would have ensued had Jordan made the shot, would have been bigger than the prior five championship celebrations. Given the impending dismantling of the team, A game-winning shot by Jordan would have been the perfect storybook ending for the dynasty.
It would have also added to how dominant the Bulls were as a team as they would have won both the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals in five games, against teams that were perennial championship contenders. The almost game-winning shots would have also solidified how unbeatable the Jordan Bulls were and how they would be remembered going forward.
Although the missed shots had little influence on how people remember the Bulls dynasty, had the shots been made, the two shots would have been some the most highlighted moments of the championship run. Jordan’s legacy would have been insurmountable had he had made those shots, but it goes to show that even the greatest basketball player ever wasn’t perfect all the time.
