RECAP – Ep 3 & 4: Four Takeaways from The Last Dance
This docuseries just keeps getting better and better!
Here are the 4 biggest takeaways from Episodes 3 and 4.
Dennis Rodman Was a Huge Factor in the Second 3-Peat
Say what you want about Rodman’s off-court antics or his bizarre sense of style. But one thing you simply can not deny is his level of skill on the basketball court. The Worm is one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history. Rodman would watch as his teammates shot the ball in practice, and count the rotations of the basketball. He did this to learn how many times the ball would rotate when they made a shot, and more importantly, how many times the ball would rotate on a miss, and which way the ball would bounce off of the rim, so he could be in the best position to snag the rebound.
Photo: Jeff Haynes/AP
It’s probably why MJ refers to Rodman as one of his smartest teammates, and no doubt was a reason Rodman was such a key component to the Bulls second 3-peat.
With Scottie Pippen out, it would be Rodman who would step up, and play the role of sidekick to Michael Jordan. This was no doubt huge for his psyche. Rodman began dying his hair, after a failed suicide attempt, as a promise to himself, that he would no longer be the “shy imposter” but start being himself. To feel needed by the GOAT, kept him motivated and on his best behavior. That is until Pippen returned and Dennis needed to vacation to Las Vegas to cut loose.
Phil Jackson allowed Rodman a 48-hour vacation, but once his 48 hours had come and gone, MJ would personally fly to Vegas to bring Rodman back. The Bulls let Dennis be Dennis, but Jordan wasn’t going to let anybody ruin his shot at one more championship.
Photo: Steve Simonesu/AP
Phil Jackson Is Perhaps the Greatest Coach in NBA History
The Zen Master has 13 NBA Championship rings, 2 as a player with the New York Knicks, and 11 as a coach, 6 with the Bulls and 5 with the LA Lakers. At times it’s easy to write off Phil’s success at being able to implement the triangle offense to having players like Jordan and Kobe Bryant. But the fact of the matter is, Phil is a lot more than just the triangle. Phil was able to navigate turbulent situations going on within the Bulls organization, and still lead his team to a championship.
Pippen’s displeasure with being underpaid, and choosing to have surgery before the season, keeping him on the sidelines. Rodman’s unpredictability. Jackson being told by GM Jerry Krause, that this would be Phil’s last season as a coach no matter what, which also disgruntled MJ, who stood by his coach, with an “if he goes I go” ultimatum.
This speaks to just how the relationship between Phil and Michael grew, as MJ admitted that he was not a fan of Phil or the triangle offense when Phil replaced Doug Collins as the head coach. Phil was able to teach Jordan how to trust his teammates, and get the greatest player in the world, to buy into a system, that would put the ball in his hands less.
Phil was able to handle the personalities of Michael, Scottie, and Dennis. Using his Zen-like methods of teaching, he was able to push through all of the distractions, and map out the choreography for the Bulls last dance!
The Jordan Rules
The “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons had a game plan to stop MJ, called “The Jordan Rules”. It was simple, don’t let him get in the air, “if he drives to the basket, then you put him on his ass”. This was a different era of basketball than today’s NBA, things that would be called a flagrant 2 today, were nothing more than a common foul back then.
Photo: Ed Wagner
For 3 straight years in the playoffs, the Bulls would meet the Pistons, and for 3 straight years, the Pistons would beat and batter the Bulls. Imposing their will, with hard fouls, cheap shots, and dirty play. Jordan was the best player in the NBA, but he could not overcome the Jordan Rules. That is until the 1990 off-season.
Until then MJ had never weight trained, but now he was determined to put on some muscle, to bring the pain to the Pistons just as they had to him.
Jordan and his teammates focus on getting stronger and preparing for another eventual meeting with the Pistons, and this time things would be different. The Bulls would meet the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. MJ and the Bulls would complete a 4 game sweep, prompting the Pistons to exit the court without shaking the Bulls player’s hands. When asked about the unsportsmanlike gesture, Pistons guard Isiah Thomas would say “that’s just how things were done back then”.
MJ’s response? “Anything Isiah says is bullshit”. The battles with Detroit created a hatred still carried between those players to this day. It also helped transform Michael Jordan from the best player in the NBA into the GOAT. After sweeping Detroit, MJ and the Bulls would win the 1991 NBA championship over the LA Lakers, en route to their first 3-peat.
Winning Heals All
Photo: Jeff Haynes/AP
Dennis Rodman was a member of those Bad Boy teams that tormented MJ, Scottie, and the Bulls. In fact, in game 4 of the Bulls sweep of Detroit in 91, Rodman would shove Pippen in the back while Scottie was air born. It was ruled a flagrant foul, but more importantly, it was dirty and dangerous and could have resulted in Pippen getting severely hurt.
Fast forward to the 1995-96 off-season and the Bulls are about to acquire Rodman. A meeting was called at Jerry Krause’s house, between Jerry, Dennis, Michael, Scottie, and Phil. Phil would ask Dennis for a favor before he signed his contract, and that favor would be to apologize to Scottie for that foul in 91.
Rodman would comply. Dennis apologized to Scottie. Pippen would tell Rodman “it’s all good, we’re just trying to win a championship, are you in?” The Worm would simply respond “hell yeah”.
Jordan and Pippen knew the player that Rodman was and that he would be crucial to the team’s mission to reclaim their throne, after Jordan’s 18-month retirement. MJ and Scottie never talked to Rodman outside of a game, but that didn’t stop them from accomplishing their goal.
The Bulls won in ’96 and ’97 and now we wait for episodes 5 & 6 to continue their journey to the ’98 championship, in their Last Dance.
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