Pippen once missed a layup to prevent MJ from getting a triple-double in the 1997 Finals: "I didn't want him to tie me"
Michael Jordan led his Chicago Bulls to a Game 2 victory over the Utah Jazz in Game 2 of the 1997 NBA Finals with syle — MJ nearly had a triple-double —38 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. Missing the triple-double just by one dime didn't seem to matter in the grand scheme of things, as his performance put them up 2-0 against Karl Malone and John Stockton.
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But if one flips through the Bulls' NBA Finals history books, the only player to have recorded the milestone is Scottie Pippen, who scored 15 points, along with 12 rebounds and 12 assists in the 1993 NBA Finals.
Missed layup
This is crucial since Jordan hit Pippen with a pass late in the game. Pip uncharacteristically botched the easy layup, which could've given MJ his 10th assist. It seemed that Scottie had the Bulls' NBA Finals record on his mind.
"I didn't want him to tie me," joked Pippen via the Deseret News.
Pip was definitely in a good mood after their Game 2, 97-85 win over the Jazz. It seemed that they had quickly found the formula to defeat the Jerry Sloan-coached basketball squad.
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Stats don't mean much to championship players. All they care about is whether they helped their team win, and with the big victory in sight, Scottie had time for jokes.
Even though Utah won Games 3 and 4, the Bulls closed it out in six games to win their fifth NBA Championship in seven years. Pippen was definitely in the best mood as he hugged the Larry O'Brien trophy in 1997.
Related: Kevin Garnett left Michael Jordan off his all-time starting five: "He is the god, and we copied him and s—t, but I got Kob' at my two"
All-around player
All jokes aside, Pippen's triple-double record reveals how intrinsic he was to the Bulls' success. He wasn't just a lockdown defender who defended the other team's best player. Scottie wasn't just Michael's sidekick.
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As Phil Jackson said, Pip is the greatest all-around player of his era. MJ tended to score points in bunches, especially when the team needed him the most. Meanwhile, Pippen was there to do everything for his team, whether to dive for loose balls, run the break, or make the game-winning steal or block.
"Scottie is such an unselfish player; he's the greatest all-around player in the NBA right now," Jackson said. "He's absolutely terrific... Michael's a terrific player. I'm not taking anything away from Michael, but Scottie's as a rebounder, as a passer, as a defender, and the whole complete package."
"He can get 10,12 points and, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds and really be the determining factor," Phil continued. "Now, no one can score like Michael, and scoring is a wonderful thing to do, but it's not the end all-end all."
Jackson's statements prove Pippen's importance in those stellar Bulls championship runs. As many analysts have said, Scottie did all the dirty work — the things invisible to the stat sheet and the untrained eye — so that Michael could shine.
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As his teammates say, Pippen was the most beloved Bull. While Jordan was despotic and evil, Pip was very funny, approachable, and generous. Because of him, players stayed in Chicago and enjoyed playing basketball and winning.
Related: "In my era, I never really believed in one-on-one" - Scottie Pippen on why he refused to play Michael Jordan one-on-one during Bulls practices
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
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