ESPN aired Episodes 9 and 10 of “The Last Dance” on Sunday, the end of the documentary series that featured Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls.
The series finale shed light on how the 1996-97 NBA season went for the Bulls — which included their first NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz — as well as the 1998 Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers and 1998 NBA Finals against the Jazz.
Here in 2020 on Sunday night, the NBA network went online to react to the end of what has been a five-week phenomenon.
Some of you remember the 1990s, so even before the episodes hit, the anticipation was high.
A Thread: some of the best moments from #TheLastDance
“That little Laker boy’s gonna take everybody one-on-one.” -MJ on Kobe in the ’98 ASG pic.twitter.com/ryG2606sFB
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 17, 2020
⚔️? #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/iTDsQe0blc
— Jeffrey M. Jordan (@HeirJordan13) May 17, 2020
?What time is it⁉️#TheLastDance ??????
— Marcus Jordan (@HEIRMJ) May 18, 2020
Episode 9 started with the beginning of the 1998 Pacers-Bulls series, which was tied 2-2 after Reggie Miller’s Game 4 3-pointer on Memorial Day. Might or might not have been a shove there. Game 1 of the 1997 Finals ended with a Jordan game winner over Bryon Russell. Cue foreshadowing.
“Don’t hold him back, let him go” ? #TheLastDance ??????
— Marcus Jordan (@HEIRMJ) May 18, 2020
Reggie Miller has a Flame Thrower????
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 18, 2020
When you’re up by 2, but there’s .7 seconds left and the other team has MJ … #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/paapwc3aAC
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 18, 2020
just a light shove ?#TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/NT7K00mUWv
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 18, 2020
Damnnn Bryon Russell ??♂️?
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 18, 2020
Bryon Russell was a part of MJ’s long list of feuds ? #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/dNBsBpOJ3I
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 18, 2020
Turns out the “flu game” was more like a “food poisoning game” for Jordan in the 1997 NBA Finals.
Day 75 of quarantine ?#TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/Qy2ScIqiEI
— SportsNation (@SportsNation) May 18, 2020
The food poisioning is crazy!
— Eric Paschall (@epaschall) May 18, 2020
So… do we still call them the flu games 12’s or???
— Josh Okogie (@CallMe_NonStop) May 18, 2020
Hang on @utahjazz fans ??
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 18, 2020
I bet that pizza place feels really dumb ???
— Eric Paschall (@epaschall) May 18, 2020
44 minutes. 38 points.
— Tim S. Grover (@ATTACKATHLETICS) May 18, 2020
Aye @spidadmitchell that’s how y’all moving?!!! I am not going to dinner with you in Utah ever! ??
— Eric Paschall (@epaschall) May 18, 2020
playing an nba finals game with food poisoning. forget about playing well. just showing up to work. #thelastdance
— bomani (@bomani_jones) May 18, 2020
At least now I know I ain’t eating pizza in Utah anymore??
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 18, 2020
Steve Kerr shared his story of how he experienced the loss of his father as a teenager and had to earn Jordan’s trust. That bond between Kerr and Jordan culminated in Kerr’s game-winning field goal on a pass from MJ to win Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals, clinching Chicago’s fifth championship.
“I’m happy the younger generation is getting the opportunity to see this man” #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/ll9LN6ZCl0
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 18, 2020
“I’ll be ready.”#TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/BOlGmGXC79
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) May 18, 2020
STEVE KERR CALLED GAME ?#TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/KiVRw7lJBj
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 18, 2020
BIG SHOT COACH!! @SteveKerr
— Eric Paschall (@epaschall) May 18, 2020
“Tonight, Steve Kerr earned his wings.”
-MJ after the Bulls won the 1997 finals pic.twitter.com/0IAVpY34Nf
— ESPN (@espn) May 18, 2020
Coach Kerr is comedy with that speech???? @SteveKerr
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 18, 2020
Episode 9 concluded with the Bulls beating the Pacers in Game 7 — and Jordan getting the game ball for late Bulls security guard Gus Lett, who was a father figure to Jordan.
Take a look back at some of the most talked-about moments from the first eight episodes of “The Last Dance.”
time to call it a night. gg @chicagobulls. #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/OZ4gRSI6un
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 18, 2020
“When my father got killed, he became like a father figure to me.”
The bond between MJ and Gus Lett was special ❤️ #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/E05i5xXjMs
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 18, 2020
Was later revealed that MJ paid for Gus Lett’s medical expenses.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) May 18, 2020
Episode 10 opens with the Jazz winning Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals. The Bulls would steal Utah’s home-court advantage in Game 2, though, and that was followed by an unholy shutdown of historic proportions in Game 3. But then, Rodzilla! Dennis Rodman skipped a Monday practice to appear with the New World Order on WCW that night.
Is it really the last episode??! ?
Let’s a get a few more together!!! ??#TheLastDance— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) May 18, 2020
In 1998 I sent Michael Jordan an advanced copy of my “From the Soul of Man” album. Who knew “Days Like This” was his pre-game hype song though. ? #TheLastDance #RealR&B
— Kenny Lattimore (@kennylattimore) May 18, 2020
#TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/6kft95Hub8
— Jasmine M. Jordan (@MickiJae) May 18, 2020
Gang gang @MickiJae @HeirJordan13 #TheLastDance ??????
??????— Marcus Jordan (@HEIRMJ) May 18, 2020
Delta Center got LOUD loud
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) May 18, 2020
By 40?!!!!
— Eric Paschall (@epaschall) May 18, 2020
Bulls: *at practice without Rodman after Game 3*
Dennis:#TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/765PqL56eh
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 18, 2020
Ain’t no way Dennis did that ???
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 18, 2020
Rodzilla ?
— Buddy Love !!!! (@buddyhield) May 18, 2020
Lol Dennis Rodman is the ultimate RINGER #LastDance
— Victor Oladipo (@VicOladipo) May 18, 2020
Dennis did what Dennis wanted too?
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 18, 2020
Live look at Rodman sneaking past 300 media members and out of the arena … #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/TdYQlZ3bmj
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 18, 2020
Michael Jordan admits the Pacers gave the Bulls their toughest competition in the 1998 Eastern Conference finals. Episodes 9 and 10 of “The Last Dance” debut Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Jazz would win in Chicago in Game 5 to force Game 6 in Utah. That’s where Jordan hit his final, iconic, game-winning field goal with the Bulls.
Jordan.
Open.
Chicago with the lead. #TheLastDance #JUMPMAN
— Jordan (@Jumpman23) May 18, 2020
MJ had that look in his eyes.
What followed was one of the greatest sequences in NBA history. #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/tjtldegrXp
— ESPN (@espn) May 18, 2020
SNATCH. GAME. BLOUSES. #TheLastDance
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 18, 2020
The Last Shot pic.twitter.com/93R2q9W8Xc
— NBA (@NBA) May 18, 2020
Dennis is crazy ????? I love it!
— Eric Paschall (@epaschall) May 18, 2020
Champions!!! Leo! pic.twitter.com/B7AKZ7sSPV
— Estee Portnoy (@esteep) May 18, 2020
That was 6 months after Titanic came out. Peak Leo, there to pay homage to MJ. #TheLastDance
— J.A. Adande (@jadande) May 18, 2020
The series concludes with something of a twist — Jordan says he would have returned to defend the 1998 title with the Bulls. But it didn’t happen. The Bulls broke up — and the franchise has yet to return to the NBA Finals.
This is a mood. #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/YK11803Hcn
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 18, 2020
What are we going to do after tonight when #thelastdance finishes. I believe I will finally feel the quarantine!
— Sinbad (@sinbadbad) May 18, 2020
MJ isn’t satisfied with six … because he knows he could have had seven ? #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/EEDvCni5T6
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 18, 2020
Thank you for coming.⁰ #TheLastDance #JUMPMAN pic.twitter.com/qKtoje0Msx
— Jordan (@Jumpman23) May 18, 2020
This documentary will forever be a classic! ???? Going to miss these Sunday’s!
— Eric Paschall (@epaschall) May 18, 2020
I am loving my chicago bulls Steve Kerr … even though I don’t feel golden state AT ALL … glad to have you back for a minute !
— Sinbad (@sinbadbad) May 18, 2020
Thank you for the dance.#TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/6MhqqEUChD
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) May 18, 2020
Our story is far from over. #JUMPMAN pic.twitter.com/NOlgMg1lCD
— Jordan (@Jumpman23) May 18, 2020
I never got the opportunity to watch MJ as a kid because I wasn’t born, but after watching this documentary… my Love for MJ grew?
-Thanks MJ #TheLastDance
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 18, 2020
Amazing docu series. Truly Inspirational #TheLastDance
— Victor Oladipo (@VicOladipo) May 18, 2020
MORE: Three stories from the end of the Bulls’ bench
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