Los Angeles Lakers: Why Shaquille O’Neal is wrong about the Bulls

Scottie Pippen at the time was considered the number two wing player in the NBA. His teammate was number one!

Michael Jordan is Michael Jordan. Let’s move him to the side for a second. Scottie Pippen was a superstar in his role as the “Robin” to Jordan’s “Batman”. Just because Pippen was the sidekick to the most famous basketball player in the world doesn’t mean that this dude could not play some basketball.

Pippen was the player that got the Bulls to their dynasty level. Period. The Bulls would have kept right on beating up Jordan if Scottie continued to struggle against the rough play of Detroit. But the on the ball defense of Pippen is the reason the Lakers have no chance.

Remember when Magic was dominating Jordan by getting him into foul trouble in the 1991 Finals? The turnaround of the series was when Phil Jackson switched Pippen onto Magic and had him guard Johnson 94 feet to slow the offense. The Bulls won every game after the adjustment.

Don’t believe me? How about Kobe Bryant? Learn something.

By the second three-peat, Scottie Pippen was at the top of his game. In 1997 when the Bulls won their 5th NBA title, Michael Jordan was the NBA Finals MVP, but Scottie Pippen may have played the best series overall. Kobe Bryant was coming into his own at this time and the fact that he hadn’t bought into the “Triangle” fully yet would have put him at a disadvantage.

It’s hard to say that Kobe Bryant was the weak link within all of the superstars but he really was.