Chicago tried to prove they could compete without Mike, but the void was too huge to overcome
The Chicago Bulls were a team to be reckoned with during the 1990s, especially when Michael Jordan was leading the way. It's not an accident they had two three-peats with MJ leading the way. However, in a rare instance back in 1993, the Windy City squad had to face a team without "His Airness."
The Bulls hosted the New York Knicks at the time but had to find a way to win without the six-time league-scoring champion. This marked the first time that Chicago played without Jordan at the Chicago Stadium since March 13, 1986.
Jordan was serving a one-game suspension for fighting with Reggie Miller in their previous game. Without MJ, Bulls coach Phil Jackson knew that it would be tough to handle a dangerous Knicks team.
Bulls tried but failed
Chicago managed to give the Knicks a battle with Scottie Pippen as the main man. However, the effort was not enough, and the Bulls ended up losing 104-98. Jackson applauded the effort but admitted that the odds were against them back then.
"When you take 32 points out of your lineup, it changes the odds. We wanted to show them we weren't going to be patsies," Jackson said via UPI after that loss.
Pippen scored 35 points and nine rebounds in that game. Horace Grant contributed 16 points and 12 rebounds as well. Unfortunately, the breaks did not go Chicago's way.
"We all wanted this game badly," Pippen lamented. "We had guys stepping up, but we didn't make the big plays when we needed it."
On the other hand, the Knicks received great performances from Patrick Ewing (36 points and 15 rebounds) and John Starks (21 points and seven assists). Ewing emphasized that they were aware Mike would not be around and focused on just winning the match.
"I didn't think about there not being any Michael on the court," Ewing said. "We just had to go out and win this game."
Costly suspension
Michael was someone rarely known to engage in physical fights with other players. That incident with Miller was a rarity and the Bulls hardly protested. Bulls executive Jerry Krause had no qualms with the decision, stressing that MJ broke a league rule and should pay for it.
"Michael Jordan broke a league rule. We understand the tough decision Rod Thorn had to make, but he has to do what the league rule mandates," Krause explained.
Ironically, the Bulls and the Knicks would face each other later that season in the Eastern Conference Finals. Chicago defeated New York in six games and went on to capture the 1993 title over the Phoenix Suns.
That one-game suspension hardly put a dent in the Bulls' charge that season. However, that game was a test for Chicago as a team, especially after MJ abruptly retired after that season. Pippen would step up his game in Mike's absence, but the void was too big to fill. Great as Pip may have been, the Bulls still needed Jordan around to win championships.
