Around this time of year, Hardwood Paroxysm usually does a theme week. This year, as the pool of players who began their careers in the 1990s dwindles, we thought it would be fun to celebrate the entire decade. In typical HP fashion, we will be covering ten years of basketball like a cat chasing a laser pointer. There is nothing comprehensive about our plans, around the HP Network we’re simply digging into the players, teams, and stories from that decade which interest us most. Welcome to #90sWeek.
For 90s week we decided to bring back our old Throwback Thursday live blog idea from this past summer for a few iconic 90s games. The second and final game comes from 1996 and pits two incredibly talented teams against each other in Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and Shaquille O’Neal’s Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Bulls/Magic ‘90s Week Tweets
1st Quarter
@ChrisBarnewall: Alright here we go. Shaq and Penny trying to stave off elimination against Michael Jordan.
@ChrisBarnewall: Unfortunately for the Magic there’s no Horace Grant which is a big blow to the team.
@Donniebuckets: I’m so excited to watch when the Bulls were good.
@ChrisBarnewall: Bulls out here cheatin on the opening tip.
@ChrisBarnewall: Yeah, you’re not stopping Shaq if he’s hitting free throws.
@Donniebuckets: Shaq hit his first two free throws? Are we sure this game’s real?
@ChrisBarnewall: Bulls cheatin still.
@ChrisBarnewall: Chicago hasn’t been able to stop Shaq at all these first few possessions.
@Donniebuckets: Ron Harper must have ant-like strength if he wrapped up Shaq.
@ryneprinz: HACK-A-SHAQ!
@ChrisBarnewall: Where in the world was this in Game 3?
@Donniebuckets: Jon Koncak would win hair MVP in any game without Rodman. It’s like Curry ruining the MVP race
@ryneprinz: It’s a damn shame that Luc Longley’s middle name isn’t Orwell, because LOL would be the most fitting initials.
@ChrisBarnewall: Just realized there’s no Nick Anderson for the Magic too. Yeesh. That’s two starters.
@ChrisBarnewall: D3!!!!
@ryneprinz: I didn’t think Horace Grant’s eyewear could get any better, but here we are.
@Donniebuckets: Did we pick this game because it’s when Dennis Scott states his MVP case?
@ChrisBarnewall: LOVE that lefty floater from Shaq.
@ChrisBarnewall: SHAQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ SMASHHHHHHHHHHHH
@Donniebuckets: Bulls lucky they got this Michael Jordan guy. He seems pretty good.
@Donniebuckets: Thankfully for the Bulls, Ron Harper didn’t slip on Kel’s orange soda until after the 96 playoffs. Would’ve been a crucial loss
@Donniebuckets: Bulls going small? But people keep telling me that was invented like 6 years ago.
@Donniebuckets: This would be the Bulls best lineup against the death lineup, too. Harper-Jordan-Pippen-Kukoc-Rodman.
@ChrisBarnewall: PENNY SPEED. SHAQ SMASH.
@ChrisBarnewall: The NBA on NBC themes is the best theme in NBA history.
@ChrisBarnewall: Will Shaq stay? *sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh*
@Donniebuckets: Don’t worry, Brian Hill, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of years ahead as coach of the…nvm.
@ryneprinz: I’m 95% sure Toni Kukoc has the Thundercat logo tattooed on his left shoulder.
@ChrisBarnewall: PENNY SMASH
@ChrisBarnewall: Yeah this Dennis Scott on MJ matchup is not gonna work.
@ChrisBarnewall: Ohhhhhhh Penny just WORKED Pippen
@ChrisBarnewall: P3NNY! He’s too fast.
@Donniebuckets: One of those everything goes wrong for the Bulls and they’re still within striking distance quarters.
2nd Quarter
@ChrisBarnewall: MJ has 15 points already and the second quarter has only just started. He’s unfair.
@ryneprinz: Someone send help; Shaq is 4-4 from the line.
@Donniebuckets: MJ trying to take it into a triple team. Who does he think he is, Dion Waiters?
@Donniebuckets: The Waiter serving it up! Toni Kukoc was awesome
@ryneprinz: I call dibs on “Still Can’t Hold Me” as the name of my blog.
@ChrisBarnewall: Dennis Scott has 3 fouls while guarding MJ. And Jordan is now 7-for-7. Magic really missing Nick Anderson.
@ryneprinz: “Luc Longley still can’t hold me.” – Shaq
@ChrisBarnewall: Penny is on MJ now. This will be a fun matchup.
@ryneprinz: We’re a good 18 minutes into this game, and Phil hasn’t moved yet.
@ChrisBarnewall: SHAQ PUTBACK SMASH.
@Donniebuckets: How did Shaq not score 100 a game?
@ryneprinz: rodman_shaq_buttslap.gif.
@ChrisBarnewall: Donald Royal is a PROBLEM for Chicago right now.
@ChrisBarnewall: Shaq shoves Rodman and Rodman flops.
@Donniebuckets: Playing Dennis Rodman 4 times in a row had to be the worst thing in the world. Dude was trolling before Twitter was a thing.
@ChrisBarnewall: Brian Hill wants to FIGHT Rodman.
@ryneprinz: Chicago picking up John Salley is an underrated move, if only for his goggles.
@ChrisBarnewall: JO3 WOLF’S HOWL!
@ChrisBarnewall: MJ with 20 at the half. Shaq with 19. This game is fun.
3rd Quarter:
@ryneprinz: Kevin Harlan is doing that thing where he says Jon Koncak’s name as many times as he possibly can.
@ChrisBarnewall: AIR JORDANNNN! (Pippen totally held Penny).
@Donniebuckets: The way the rim shakes when Shaq dunks is terrifying.
@ChrisBarnewall: The replay of that Shaq dunk is just incredible.
@ChrisBarnewall: He spun away from the double team, and then beat the third help defender to dunk it home. Three players can’t even stop him.
@Donniebuckets: Illegal defense seems like holding in football in that the refs could call it every play if they wanted
@Donniebuckets: Harper’s athleticism gets taken for granted sometimes because of MJ and Pippen, but he could get up.
@ChrisBarnewall: Shaq is just faster than anybody Chicago can throw at him.
@Donniebuckets: Oh yeah, James Edwards was on this team! One of the better mustaches thsis game has seen.
@ChrisBarnewall: Wait, MJ has 30!? He’s done that so quietly.
@Donniebuckets: Pippen gliding to the rim on a fastbreak dunk is always my first image of him. So Smooth.
@ChrisBarnewall: Oh no…Jordan has that look. That “I’m going to win this” look.
@Donniebuckets: Shaq and MJ were two of the most unguardable players ever in the post for very different reasons.
@ryneprinz: Uh, I’m sorry, but did Phil Jackson just dab?
@ryneprinz: James Edwards easily has one of the top-five NBA moustaches of all time.
@ChrisBarnewall: ANTHONY BOWIE IS TAKING OVER!!
@Donniebuckets: Pippen hasn’t shot well, but, man, has he been in Hardaway’s grill for most of the game.
@Chris Barnewall: Nobody can stop traveling!
@ryneprinz: I love you, Dennis.
@Donniebuckets: Dennis did the double arm pump for about 85% of his made baskets in his career. The consistency was remarkable.
@ChrisBarnewall: K3RR and it’s a tie game.
@ChrisBarnewall: MJ now has 35. Orlando is reallyyyyyyy missing Nick Anderson. One point lead for Chicago entering the 4th.
4th Quarter
@Donniebuckets: The Bulls ran the fullcourt press more and better than any other successful team I can remember.
@Donniebuckets: A Penny for your thoughts!
@ryneprinz: Death, Taxes and M.J.’s Fadeaway.
@Donniebuckets: That was the fadest of all fadeaways.
@Donniebuckets: Sooooo turns out this wasn’t the Dennis Scott for MVP game.
@Donniebuckets: The Croatian Sensation is sweeping the nation!
@ChrisBarnewall:Orlando is feeding to Shaq in an attempt to regain the lead. Chicago is swarming the big man.
@ryneprinz: #LetRodmanBeRodman
@ryneprinz: I close my eyes every time Shaq catches the ball on the block.
@ChrisBarnewall: Make that 39 for MJ.
@Donniebuckets: Brooks Thompson has made some moves in this one.
@Donniebuckets: You, uh, might want to guard that guy. He’s pretty good
@ChrisBarnewall: Yeah, MJ refsues to lose this. He has 42.
@ChrisBarnewall: Marv Albert throwing out hot takezzzzzzzzzzz about mental toughness.
@Donniebuckets: They continue to talk about the future of this team as if Shaq is a lock to be there. It’s painful to hear.
@ChrisBarnewall: Orlando now down nine. It’s not looking good for them.
@ChrisBarnewall: Shaq coast to coast dumps off to Penny!
@Donniebuckets: Shaq running the fastbreak is a treat.
@Donniebuckets: Jordan rips the heart out of an opponent in a closeout game, part 53.
@ChrisBarnewall: MJ makes it 45, and 100 for Chicago. Yeesh.
@ryneprinz: Dennis has seemingly grabbed every important offensive rebound down the stretch.
@ChrisBarnewall: Orlando down 100-93. Looking at Chicago’s box score is crazy. It’s all Jordan.
@Donniebuckets: Man, Dennis Scott shot 82% on free throws that year. What a backbreaking pair of misses.
@ChrisBarnewall: Magic take a timeout with 9 seconds left. This is too little too late.
@Donniebuckets: Hey, Shaq’s last rebound with the Magic!
@ChrisBarnewall: Chicago beats Orlando behind Jordan’s 45. Shaq and Penny were great, but Jordan was too much.
@Donniebuckets: Overall, offensive rebounds kept the Bulls in it until they took control. Familiar story for so many bad Bulls shooting nights in the second threepeat.
@ryneprinz: Dennis Rodman is everything.
@ryneprinz: “Hi, Alexis.”