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‘Greatest Defensive Team’: Former NBA Player Tim Legler Discusses About Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls team of the 1990s was one of the greatest basketball teams of all time. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman were a part of the franchise that won six titles in the 1990s. Teams often found it hard to break them down. Even though Jordan was the best player in the franchise, Pippen and Rodman were an able support cast. A lot of teams had found it hard to break down the Bulls back in the 90s.
In a recent interview with Dan Patrick, ESPN analyst and former basketball player Tim Legler commented on how hard it was to face the Chicago Bulls.
Legler said, “I don’t know the number of games… but my career was 1990 to 2000. I was in the Eastern Conference for a good part of that. They won six titles during that time. I saw more than my share of those guys and to this day, one of the most intimidating things you have faced as a player, they were the only team I ever played against in the NBA that pressed after free throws and got away with it.”
“When you got Rodman, Pippen, Jordan, and Ron Harper picking you up in the backcourt one, in a one two one one trap, with that kind of length it was amazing to see point guards just run up the floor and wave back… To this day that was the greatest defensive team I have ever seen to this day was the mid-90s Bulls team,” said Tim.
Fans will always know Jordan for his offensive exploits on the court. However, his defensive skill set was remarkable as well. He led the league in steals made for three seasons. Notably, Jordan was the defensive player of the year in 1988 where he averaged 3.2 steals per game.
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls of the 90s were dominant
Although Michael Jordan was the franchise player, one can’t underestimate Scottie Pippen’s influence on the team. A lockdown defender, and a good perimeter shooter, Scottie was an underrated player for Chicago. Moreover, he was criminally underpaid but the Bulls organization got the perfect wingman for MJ to help him out. Adding Dennis Rodman to the mix formed the famous “Big Three” which led to a three-peat from 1996 to 1998.
MJ & Pippen hold Rodman back
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Dennis was always a menace off the court, but his rebounding numbers were quite extraordinary. He averaged over 15 rebounds a game during his three-year spell with the Bulls. The influence of “The Worm” was key to the Bulls.
To sum up, the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s were a dynasty. Some of the league’s best players like Charles Barkley, or even John Stockton couldn’t win an NBA title because of this team. With Phil Jackson at the helm, the Bulls were arguably the greatest team in the 90s.
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