All of our ABA champions are out, but three conference champions from the past 30 years are still alive. Meanwhile, half of our field left is champions from about the past 15 years, while we still have a little representation from the 1970s and 1980s still alive.
Seeding-wise, we had a lot less chalk in the Round of 32 than we did in the Round of 64. Just four of eight group winners remain (incidentally all in the top half of the bracket), while six of eight #2 seeds are still competing. The upset-minded teams at this point are one #3 seed, three #4 seeds, a #5 seed, and a #6 seed. At this point, anything can truly happen.
Maybe most incredibly as I started simulating series, I realized that the top four teams from Group A had all advanced to this stage. Group H was close behind with three teams in, but that includes one that finished in fifth place
As I did in each of the first couple rounds, this round will be broken up into a couple posts. Series being covered in Part 1 will be picked totally at random (with the caveat that I'm going down the selected list to not reveal any quarterfinal matchups at this point).
The up to date bracket, scores, and results from Group Play can be found here. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's get to it!
(4) 1986 Boston Celtics vs (3) 1995 Orlando Magic
Game 1: @ '95 ORL 115, '86 BOS 112
The Magic used an early 9-0 run to take control of the game and led by as many as eight late in the opening quarter of the series. But the Celtics kept it close, and were back within four by the end of the period. Orlando couldn't hold the lead long in the second, as a Scott Wedman three point play with about eight minutes left in the half tied the game at 35. Larry Bird followed midway through the quarter with a three point play and a hit from beyond the arc to give the Celtics their first lead since 2-0, and a three point play by Dennis Johnson late in the half retook the lead, though a Dennis Scott three for Orlando in the final minute cut Boston's edge to just one going into the break. A 6-0 mini Celtic run early in the second half got them a little breathing room. The Magic did a lot to keep it close, but Boston kept one step ahead until the final two minutes when Donald Royal broke an 82-all tie. Bird answered with a three, sparking a 9-2 run to close the quarter and sending the Celtics to the fourth up five. But an 11-0 Magic run early in the fourth turned the tide and put them well in front. Boston stormed back, with Bird hitting another three with 3:27 to play to break a tie at 102, and the Celtics were able to keep the lead around that three point margin down to about a minute left. After Penny Hardaway hit a shot to cut it to one, Bird was fouled on a shot with 51 seconds left. Fortunately for Orlando, he missed the first, only pushing the lead up to two, and Hardaway tied the game on a contested look with 32 seconds left. The Celtics fed Bird once again, but this time he came up empty on a jump hook, and Scott got the rebound with 17 seconds left and the game tied. He ended up with the ball in his hands with time winding down, and his three from straight away at the buzzer fell, giving the hosts the early series lead.
Shaquille O'Neal ('95 ORL): 25 pts, 16 reb, 7 ast, 4 blk
Dennis Scott ('95 ORL): 20 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk; made game-winning shot as time expired
Larry Bird ('86 BOS): 30 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast
Game 2: @ '95 ORL 110, '86 BOS 103
Orlando roared out to a 10-2 start in Game 2 and got the home crowd going in just over two minutes. Just over three minutes in the lead was double digits. The Celtics didn't roll over though, as a personal 6-0 run for Bill Walton helped cut the deficit to two, and by quarter's end thanks to a Scott Wedman bucket the margin stayed there. Kevin McHale and Shaquille O'Neal traded buckets with fouls after two and a half minutes of scoreless ball, then the Magic used a 10-1 run late in the half to go back up double digits. Boston briefly cut it in half, but a Penny Hardaway jumper with two seconds left got it back to ten going to the locker room. The Celtics got back within five midway through the third quarter, but an 8-0 Orlando run pushed the lead to a game-high 13, and by period's end Orlando was up 11. Boston made its push early in the fourth with a 9-0 run capped by a Larry Bird three, but Hardaway answered with an and-one. After Dennis Johnson trimmed the margin to four, the Magic scored the next ten to ice the game. Kevin McHale did score four points on one possession late, but by then it only cut the deficit to five with 15 seconds left, and Hardaway hit a couple free throws to close the scoring.
Shaquille O'Neal ('95 ORL) 27 pts, 15 reb, 5 ast
Horace Grant ('95 ORL): 16 pts, 15 reb
Kevin McHale ('86 BOS): 38 pts, 9 reb
Game 3: @ '86 BOS 106, '95 ORL 99
Penny Hardaway opened the scoring with a three point play, but the Celtics answered with a 12-2 run to seize early control of a game for the first time in this series, then had an answer for back to back Nick Anderson threes. Dennis Scott's three about seven minutes in gave the Magic a lead, but Bill Walton retook it on a tip, and a 10-0 Celtic run late in the period broke a tie and helped set them up to go to the second up four. Boston pushed it back to eight a few minutes into the period, but the Magic were ready and they ended up retaking the lead with just over two minutes left. Kevin McHale would score twice to close the half, once to give the Celtics a brief one point lead, then after another Scott three, McHale hit a fadeaway with two seconds left to send the teams to the break tied at 56. The third quarter was a phenomenal back and forth that saw three ties and ten lead changes, the last coming when Larry Bird drew the fifth foul on Shaquille O'Neal with two seconds left just moments after surrendering the lead, and Bird calmly hit both to give the Celtics a one point lead with 12 minutes to go. Boston's defense then proceeded to lock things down, holding Orlando to just two field goals over the first five minutes of the fourth. But the Magic were able to make enough stops to keep it close, which meant Jeff Turner's three with 4:37 left made it a two point game. Three times after this the Magic were able to cut it to just a one point game, but the Celtics had an answer every time. Robert Parish effectively ended the game with a three point play with just over a minute to go to put Boston up six, and Bird hit four free throws in the final minute to ice the game and get the Celtics on the board in the series.
Larry Bird ('86 BOS): 24 pts, 11 reb, 9 ast, 3 stl
Kevin McHale ('86 BOS): 33 pts, 8 reb, 3 blk
Anfernee Hardaway ('95 ORL): 26 pts, 9 ast
Game 4: @ '86 BOS 103, '95 ORL 101
The first few minutes of this one were much more evenly matched than the prior three games, and it took until seven minutes in for one team to gain a sizable advantage. Nick Anderson's pair of free throws sparked a 6-0 run to break a tie at 15, and he later added a three to put the Magic up five. But the Celtics closed the period on an 11-2 run, capped by a Kevin McHale finger roll at the buzzer to put Boston up four. Orlando would cut into that lead, but it took almost nine minutes of back and forth before Shaquille O'Neal put them back on top, scoring six straight for the Magic at that point. Boston retook the lead on a Scott Wedman tip, then Danny Ainge converted a three point play, but Horace Grant closed the half with a late shot that tied the game at 55. The teams went back and forth for most of the third, until an 8-2 run by the Celtics when they'd already held the lead helped build a seven point cushion, highest of the quarter to that point. Anderson hit a shot late to cut it to five, and that was the margin going to the final stanza. But Orlando opened the fourth on an 8-2 run, with a Hardaway fadeaway capping the run and giving the Magic the lead. It changed hands five more times over the next few minutes, then saw a couple ties until Danny Ainge broke it with a dunk at about the halfway point. Larry Bird knocked down a second chance three moments later to push the lead to five, but the Magic wouldn't go away. Shaq knocked down a shot with 1:22 left to make it 100-98 Boston, and Orlando would have three chances to tie the game after this, but all missed, and Bird and Robert Parish hit enough free throws to tie the series back up. Anderson's three at the buzzer was a garbage time one that made this a little closer than it was.
Larry Bird ('86 BOS): 22 pts, 8 reb, 12 ast, 3 stl
Dennis Johnson ('86 BOS): 22 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast
Shaquille O'Neal ('95 ORL): 24 pts, 14 reb, 6 blk
Game 5: '86 BOS 119, @ '95 ORL 116
After trading baskets for the first three minutes, the Celtics used a 6-0 run to open a lead they held for the next few minutes. Dennis Scott tied the game with a trio of free throws and forced some more back and forth, but the Celtics still ended up leading by one after one. It remained a tight game for the entirety of the second, with Boston leading by as many as four, but threes late in the half by Dennis Scott and Nick Anderson helped the Magic go to the locker room up three. The Magic were able to stay ahead early in the third and went up five just a few minutes in, but the Celtics used an extended 8-0 run midway through the period to flip the game around, though a Penny Hardaway turnaround late cut it to just a two point game going into the final frame. Larry Bird proceeded to hit a three to open the fourth, followed by a Kevin McHale three point play that put Boston up six. A Shaquille O'Neal three point play helped cut into the deficit, but a 9-0 run capped by an Anderson three gave Orlando the lead back. The lead changed hands several times in the final couple minutes, but maybe the biggest play was Shaq splitting a pair of free throws with the game tied at 113 with just over a minute to play. That point ended up looming large as it allowed Bird to answer to give the Celtics the lead. Horace Grant retook it with a dunk on the ensuing possession, but Dennis Johnson broke free on Boston's next turn, hitting an eight footer with 27 seconds left for another one point advantage. Shaq missed two close shots, and Bird proceeded to hit a pair of free throws to put the Celtics up three with five seconds left. Anderson had hit three three's to that point, but couldn't connect on a fourth as the Celtics got the key road win to get a chance to advance at home.
Larry Bird ('86 BOS): 24 pts, 14 reb, 8 ast
Kevin McHale ('86 BOS): 33 pts, 14 reb
Shaquille O'Neal ('95 ORL): 30 pts, 14 reb, 4 blk
An early 6-0 Orlando run was quickly offset and we were back to another back and forth contest early in this one. Larry Bird scored five straight as part of a 7-0 Celtic run, then added another three point play later in the period as the Celtics led by three after 12 minutes. Robert Parish scored five in a row just after the start of the second to put Boston up eight, but the Magic hung around thanks to threes from Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott, and retied the game on a Shaquille O'Neal jumper with about five minutes left in the half. Kevin McHale sandwiched four Orlando free throws with five points of his own, then after the Magic took a four point lead with two minutes to go, he sparked a 6-0 run to close the half to put Boston up two with a half left. Danny Ainge opened the second half with a three, then after the Magic got back within one, the Celtics went on an 11-0 run over the next four minutes to go up by a dozen. Orlando tried to keep it close, but still trailed by nine 12 minutes from elimination. It took until there were four and a half minutes left for the Magic to get that number down, but Danny Ainge hit back to back shots to answer, Parish scored seven points in about 30 seconds with about two minutes left, ad the Celtics hit enough free throws down the stretch to secure their spot in the quarterfinals.
Larry Bird ('86 BOS): 28 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast, 4 stl
Robert Parish ('86 BOS): 27 pts, 10 reb, 3 stl
Nick Anderson ('95 ORL): 21 pts, 5 reb, 7 ast
(2) 2017 Golden State Warriors vs (1) 1997 Chicago Bulls
Game 1: '17 GS 118, @ '97 CHI 96
After Steph Curry opened the series with a three, Michael Jordan scored five straight to set up a back and forth. That 5-3 lead ended up being Chicago's only advantage of the quarter, as the Warriors managed to stay just a step ahead at all time, with an Ian Clark three in the final minute of the frame helping Golden State to a one point lead by period's end. Steve Kerr got five points on back to back possessions that briefly gave the Bulls a couple second quarter leads, but a 16-2 Warrior run silenced the Chicago crowd. While the Bulls would pull back within five, another late Clark three pushed the lead to double digits before Golden State went to the break up ten. A couple mini Warrior runs slowly pushed the margin out and the Bulls could not cut into the deficit, and an 11-4 Warrior run to close out the third gave the visitors a 20 point lead going to the fourth. Chicago would get no closer than 14 the rest of the way.
Kevin Durant ('17 GS): 20 pts, 9 reb, 8 ast
Klay Thompson ('17 GS): 17 pts, 8 reb
Scottie Pippen ('97 CHI): 18 pts, 9 reb, 8 ast
Game 2: '17 GS 103, @ '97 CHI 94
After swapping leads in the first six minutes, an 8-0 Warrior run put the visitors back in control once again. The Bulls managed to keep it close and even tied the game in the final minute of the first, but Javale McGee retook the lead for the Warriors with 19 seconds left. Then for the second straight second quarter, the Warriors silenced the home faithful, this time with a 12-0 run to break a 25-all tie. But the Bulls locked it down over the final four minutes of the first half, closing it on a 13-3 run and, were it not for Patrick McCaw's late three, the Bulls would have been up one instead of down two at the break. Golden State began pulling away again to open the second half, getting it to double digits less than five minutes in and forcing the Bulls to claw their way back. Which they did, even taking a 66-65 lead with just over a minute to go. But Klay Thompson ended the third with a jumper at the buzzer to put the Warriors back up by the slimmest of margins. The Bulls seemed poised early to even the series, taking a couple three point leads, but the Warriors kept pulling even and finally pulled ahead for good with 2:22 left when Draymond Green buried a corner three to spark a 10-0 run that ended the contest and put the Warriors in firm control of the series.
Kevin Durant ('17 GS): 18 pts, 14 reb, 5 ast
Steph Curry ('17 GS): 24 pts, 4 reb
Michael Jordan ('97 CHI): 22 pts, 9 reb
Game 3: @ '17 GS 116, '97 CHI 80
The Bulls were able to take a couple early one score leads, but an extended 9-0 Warrior run got Golden State well out in front by the midway point of the first. Chicago would pull back within three, but the Warriors answered with six straight, and by period's end were up by eight. The Warriors opened the second with nine straight and it took almost half the quarter before the Bulls finally responded. Chicago did wake up a little bit in the closing minutes, but thanks in part to a Kevin Durant three the Warriors went to the locker room up 13. An 8-1 Warrior run early in the third effectively put to bed any shot of Chicago resistance, and the lead topped 20 near the halfway point of the stanza. It was a 23 point game after three, the Bulls got no closer than 19, and the Warriors led by as many as 34 in garbage time.
Kevin Durant ('17 GS): 19 pts, 12 reb, 6 ast, 3 blk
Steph Curry ('17 GS): 25 pts, 4 reb
Michael Jordan ('97 CHI): 27 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast, 3 stl
A pair of Klay Thompson threes in the opening minutes helped the Warriors to an early 8-2 advantage and set the tone right away. Michael Jordan scored seven straight at one point to give the Bulls a 19-18 lead, but the Warriors closed the period on a 15-3 run, with Ian Clark hitting another late clutch three to pad the lead. Chicago managed to pull back within five midway through the second, but a 5-0 mini Warrior run and another Thompson three got the lead back out. The Bulls were still hanging around though, going to the break down eight and getting a Scottie Pippen three to open the third quarter, but an 8-0 Warrior run got the margin back out to 13 and that more or less ended the Bulls' resistance. Golden State went into the fourth up a dozen, and an 8-0 run early in the period effectively sealed the surprising sweep.
Draymond Green ('17 GS): 18 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast
Steph Curry ('17 GS): 22 pts, 5 reb, 9 ast
Michael Jordan ('97 CHI): 27 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast
(5) 1971 Milwaukee Bucks vs (2) 1996 Chicago Bulls
Game 1: @ '96 CHI 117, '71 MIL 92
The Bulls kept the Bucks without a field goal for nearly four minutes to start the game, building a 9-1 lead. A 13-2 Chicago run later in the period really just solidified the Bulls' control of the opener. By the first quarter buzzer, the Bulls were more than doubling up the Bucks. Chicago would push the lead to 19 early in the second, but an 8-0 Milwaukee run got the Bucks back into the game. A late personal 6-0 run by Michael Jordan got the Bulls back into control and by the time the teams went to their locker rooms the Bulls lead was 17. Milwaukee got back within 11 again at one point in the third, but the Bulls pulled back away again, though it took until there were about two minutes left in the period for the margin to hit 20 for the first time. Chicago lead by 24 going to the fourth and used an 8-0 run early in the frame to put the opener away.
Michael Jordan ('96 CHI): 35 pts, 8 ast
Scottie Pippen ('96 CHI): 22 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('71 MIL): 20 pts, 12 reb
Game 2: @ '96 CHI 137, '71 MIL 100
Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were determined to hold serve at home again, as they scored Chicago's first 13 points and helped build a sizable early lead. Less than five minutes in, a Pippen three put Chicago up double digits for the first time. The Bucks got back within six with about three minutes left in the stanza, but that was as close as they got, with Toni Kukoc knocking down a trio of threes in the first 12 minutes to build a 12 point Chicago lead. There were a couple moments early in the second where the Bucks got it back to a single digit game, but a Pippen three point play a little past the halfway point briefly got it back to double digits. But the Bucks were undeterred, and a strong finish got the margin down to seven going to the break. But the Bulls opened with seven straight to start the second half, and a later 11-2 run got the margin as high as 19. A Scottie Pippen three with 2:38 left in the period got it to 20 for the first time and by the end of the third it was a 23 point game. It took the Bucks almost five minutes of the fourth to get their first field goal, and by then it was too little, too late as Chicago cruised to a 2-0 series lead.
Scottie Pippen ('96 CHI): 42 pts, 10 reb, 8 ast
Michael Jordan ('96 CHI): 43 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast, 4 stl
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('71 MIL): 31 pts, 13 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk
Game 3: '96 CHI 99, @ '71 MIL 89
The Bucks grabbed their first lead of the series just over three minutes into Game 3, but the 8-6 advantage was short lived as Michael Jordan converted a three point play, and Scottie Pippen got a steal that led to a dunk and the Bulls were off and running. Bob Dandridge hit a couple free throws to trim it back to one, but the Bulls used a 14-2 run over the next five and a half minutes, and that 12 point difference was the margin by quarter's end. The Bulls survived a couple Milwaukee pushes that cut it to 10, got the lead as high as 18, and took a 14 point cushion to halftime. A few times early in the third the Bucks again cut the deficit to 10, but they just could not get it lower as a 6-0 Bulls run got it back to 16, and that's where it stayed going to the fourth. Five straight points from Pippen got it over 20, and while Milwaukee got it back down to a dozen late, it wasn't enough, and the final bucket that cut it to 10 was a garbage time three by Jeff Webb.
Michael Jordan ('96 CHI): 34 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast
Scottie Pippen ('96 CHI): 23 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast, 7 stl
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('71 MIL): 20 pts, 12 reb, 6 blk
Game 4: @ '71 MIL 118, '96 CHI 102
The Bucks finally got off to a good enough start to have early control of a game, using a 6-0 run in the early minutes to break a 6-6 tie, then another midway through the quarter as they would go up by as many as nine before going to the second quarter up six. Chicago stayed within striking distance, pulling within two with seven minutes left and even having a chance to take the lead, but they would go on to tie the game a couple minutes later. Then Greg Smith used a three point play to kick start a 7-0 Bucks run, and a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar buzzer beater gave Milwaukee a seven point halftime lead. Three times the Bulls scored to cut it to five early in the third, but each time the Bucks had an answer, a few minute in they got the lead to double digits, though the Bulls hung around, and pulled back within four going into the final frame. But Oscar Robertson opened the fourth with a three point play, then he was part of a 7-0 run moments later that put the Bucks up a dozen. Chicago would get no closer than seven the rest of the way as the Bucks stave off elimination.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ('71 MIL): 37 pts, 24 reb
Oscar Robertson ('71 MIL): 34 pts, 7 ast
Michael Jordan ('96 CHI): 25 pts, 11 reb
The Bucks took a narrow early lead in this one trying to send the series back to Milwaukee once again, using a 7-0 run later in the first to go up by six. The Bucks were up 11 with just seconds left in the quarter, but Jud Buechler hit a three at the buzzer to make it a single digit game after one. Chicago rode that momentum and made it a 12-0 run between quarters to briefly retake the lead. The teams went back and forth from there, with Chicago going to the break up one point. Milwaukee opened the third with six straight to retake control, but Steve Kerr responded with a three a couple minutes later to tie the game at 54. The lead changed hands several times from here and was tied a couple more, until a Michael Jordan 5-0 run seemed to put the Bulls in command. Bob Boozer went off for Milwaukee late in the third, tying and then taking the lead with 20 seconds left, but Luc Longley hit a shot with two seconds left to put Chicago back up one with 12 minutes to go. The Bucks opened the fourth on an 8-0 run, and led by 10 with 6:40 to go. But a Toni Kukoc three point play sparked a 14-0 Bulls run, with Buechler tying the game with a three, Michael Jordan putting the Bulls up one with a free throw, and a Dennis Rodman three point play capping the stretch. Oscar Robertson responded with a four point play to tie the game, but Scottie Pippen scored the game's next six, hitting a three to give Chicago the lead back, and Jordan hit three free throws in the final minute to clinch the series.
Michael Jordan ('96 CHI): 31 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast
Toni Kukoc ('96 CHI): 21 pts, 9 reb
Oscar Robertson ('71 MIL): 12 pts, 6 reb, 10 ast
(2) 1992 Chicago Bulls vs (1) 2021 Milwaukee Bucks
Game 1: @ '21 MIL 113, '92 CHI 92
The Bulls roared out to an 8-2 lead just a couple minutes into the game, but that felt like the high water mark. Chicago still held a lead until a Brook Lopez three point play midway through the period tied the game at 16. Chicago stayed with it, but ultimately a Pat Connaughton three broke a 20-all tie, and the Bucks scored the period's final six to take a seven point lead. The Bulls cut it to four a minute into the second, but then went cold, needing three and a half minutes to get their next field goal as Milwaukee was able to build a little bit of a cushion. Still the Bulls were able to stay in it, pulling within two late before a key 8-0 Milwaukee run keyed a six point halftime lead. The Bulls were still in it early in the third until a 7-0 Milwaukee run got the Bucks up by double digits for the first time. Back to back threes by Connaughton and Jrue Holiday pushed the lead as high as 15, though the Bulls would get back within 10 by frame's end. Milwaukee continued to struggle to put the Bulls away, as by the midway point it was back to just a four point game. But a Brook Lopez three with about four minutes left was finally the shot that broke Chicago's back, sparking a 12-0 run and putting the contest away.
Jrue Holiday ('21 MIL): 16 pts, 5 reb, 12 ast, 4 stl
Giannis Antetokuonmpo ('21 MIL): 20 pts, 10 reb, 8 ast
Michael Jordan ('92 CHI): 25 pts, 8 reb, 9 ast, 4 stl
Game 2: '92 CHI 125, @ '21 MIL 118 (OT)
The early part of Game 2 was a bit of a feeling out process, but the Bulls broke a tie at 11 with an 8-0 run to take control, though they required Michael Jordan hitting a jumper at the first period buzzer to take a three point lead. Milwaukee hung around like the Bulls did for much of the second quarter, but a 10-0 Bulls run pushed the lead up to 15 and got as high as 17 before the Bulls went to the locker room up 11. Chicago maintained that advantage for a few minutes of the third, and then the Bucks made their move with a 12-0 run to take the lead. Milwaukee would lead by as many as four before taking a one point cushion into the final 12 minutes. The fourth quarter featured four ties and seven lead changes in the first nine minutes, and the final three promised more of the same. Brook Lopez buried a three with under two minutes left to take a 103-101 lead, and would take two more two point leads from here on out. But each time, Jordan had a response, including a jumper with five seconds left to answer a Giannis Antetokuonmpo floater that forced an extra session. Bill Cartwright opened the extra session with a dunk, then Chicago capitalized off back to back Bucks turnovers as part of an 8-0 run over the first 90 seconds of overtime. Giannis and Khris Middleton each hit threes in the final minute, but those were offset by six straight free throws from Jordan to close out the contest.
Michael Jordan ('92 CHI): 43 pts, 9 reb, 9 ast, 3 stl
Horace Grant ('92 CHI): 19 pts, 15 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl
Giannis Antetokuonmpo ('21 MIL): 26 pts, 9 reb, 10 ast
Game 3: @ '92 CHI 105, '21 MIL 101
It took a couple minutes before we had our first basket of the contest, but then Horace Grant began going off, scoring the first eight for the Bulls, then Michael Jordan took over the scoring load as the Bulls built a small advantage. But a 6-0 Bucks run late in the first flipped the momentum and gave Milwaukee a one point lead by the buzzer. Stacey King scored five straight for the Bulls early in the second, and we settled into a back and forth period before Chicago finally broke through with an 8-0 run at the halfway point. The Bulls led by as many as nine before taking just a three point lead to the break, thanks in part to a late Jrue Holiday triple. Jordan opened the third with a quick bucket, but Brook Lopez repsonded with a three, setting up a period that would feature four ties and one swap of the lead. BJ Armstrong gave the Bulls a 69-67 lead with 90 seconds left in the period, followed by a pair of Scottie Pippen free throws that put Chicago up four with 12 minutes left. Pat Connaughton tied the game with a three early in the fourth though, and we settled in for another tight one. Grant broke a tie at 80 to spark a 6-0 Chicago run, and the Bulls managed to stay just ahead for much of the rest of the game. Grant continued his dominant game by sparking a 6-0 run with three and a half minutes to go that gave the Bulls a ten point lead. The Bucks hit a couple threes in the final six seconds, but the Bulls had countered that with a 6-8 performance at the free throw line over the final 26 ticks to take the victory in Game 3.
Horace Grant ('92 CHI): 18 pts, 22 reb
Michael Jordan ('92 CHI): 33 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl
Giannis Anteokuonmpo ('21 MIL): 36 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast, 3 blk
Game 4: '21 MIL 93, @ '92 CHI 89
Chicago built a six point lead just four minutes into the game, were up eight at the period's halfway mark, but couldn't hold it as as late surge briefly gave the Bucks the advantage. The Bulls seemed to get it back, going up three on a BJ Armstrong shot with two seconds left, but Jrue Holiday hit a three at the buzzer to tie the contest at 30. Chicago managed to retake the lead and seemed in control up five just past the halfway mark of the second, but Jeff Teague hit a three and PJ Tucker hit a couple free throws to tie the game at 41. Then a late 8-0 Bucks run helped Milwaukee carry four point lead to the locker room. Giannis Antetokuonmpo hit a three to open the second half to push it to seven, but the Bulls held Milwaukee off the board for the next four minutes as they scored 11 unanswered, nine in a row by Michael Jordan, then the Bulls held them off the board for another couple minutes to build a nine point lead. By the time the third quarter buzzer sounded the Bulls were up seven and seemed poised to take a commanding series lead. Chicago held a nine point lead with a little over seven minutes to go. Two minutes later it was gone, and while Jordan gave the Bulls a couple one point leads after this, a short Giannis shot retook the lead for the Bucks, and Khris Middleton added a dagger with a three a moment later. But Chicago still came back, with Jordan tying the game from 16 with 29 seconds left. Unfortunately for the Bulls, Giannis immediately went down and answered. With a chance to tie or take the lead, Jordan passed with time winding down, Holiday managed a steal, and Giannis sealed the win with a dunk to tie the series at two wins apiece.
Giannis Antetokuonmpo ('21 MIL): 38 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast
Jrue Holiday ('21 MIL): 24 pts, 6 ast
Scottie Pippen ('92 CHI): 16 pts, 7 reb, 11 ast, 4 stl
Game 5: @ '21 MIL 111, '92 CHI 93
Khris Middleton converted a three point play to open the game, sparking a 9-2 start for the Bucks, though the Bulls would keep it close and even took the lead thanks to a 6-0 run with about four minutes left. But Milwaukee was hungry in this one, with Giannis Antetokuonmpo tying the game at 23 with a triple, then after trading buckets, Middleton gave the Bucks a two point lead with his shot that they'd carry to the second. Chicago quickly retook the lead, setting up a back and forth second period. There were five ties and five lead changes in the first ten minutes until Milwaukee was able to go on a 6-0 run, and took a four point lead going to the break. Chicago immediately retook the lead to start the second half, and the back and forth continued. Four lead changes ensued, with Pat Connaughton hitting a go ahead three for the fourth and what ended up being the final lead change. Chicago hung around, but couldn't fully answer additional threes from Connaughton, Jrue Holiday, and Middleton, though Horace Grant got a shot to go at the period buzzer to keep the Bulls within six points with 12 minutes to go. Holiday buried another three just over a minute into the fourth to give Milwaukee its first double digit lead; meanwhile the Bulls went into a four minute scoring drought that saw the Bucks push the margin as high as 18.. The Bulls got back within ten with four and a half minutes to go, but that was a close as they got as the Bucks will go back to Chicago with a chance to clinch the series.
Giannis Antetokuonmpo ('21 MIL): 33 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast, 4 blk
Khris Middleton ('21 MIL): 26 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast
Horace Grant ('92 CHI): 18 pts, 13 reb
Game 6: @ '92 CHI 121, '21 MIL 110
With his back against the wall, Michael Jordan scored four points in the opening 35 seconds of Game 6 and the Bulls jumped out to a nine point just five minutes into the contest. A minute later it was a double digit lead, and while the Bucks hit a couple threes to get back into the game, Chicago still led by six when they went to their huddles after the first quarter buzzer. The Bulls then grabbed firm control over the first four minutes of the second, using a 10-1 run to build a 15 point advantage. Milwaukee still tried to hang around, but an 8-0 Chicago run preceding a Giannis Antetokuonmpo dunk right before the buzzer sent the Bulls to the break up 16. That lead was cut in half about three minutes into the third, but an 8-0 Chicago run restored that status quo, and the Bulls went to the final period up 15. Two minutes into the fourth it was up to 20 and got as high as 28 with about seven minutes left. Separate 10-0 and 9-0 Bucks runs didn't affect the outcome, but it made the contest appear closer than it was as the Bulls force a Game 7.
Horace Grant ('92 CHI): 30 pts, 11 reb
Scottie Pippen ('92 CHI): 24 pts, 9 reb, 6 ast
Giannis Antetokuonmpo ('21 MIL): 29 pts, 12 reb, 6 ast
A 9-0 Bucks run early in this one made it seem like Milwaukee would run away with this winner-take-all game, but the Bulls fought back to tie it a couple times and even took a couple leads, sending the game to the second with a one point lead. But a mini 6-0 Bucks run and three and a half scoreless minutes for the Bulls turned momentum back the hosts' way. A Brook Lopez three with five minutes left sparked a 7-0 Milwaukee run, Giannis Antetokuonmpo put them up by double digits with two minutes left, and he hit a three at the halftime buzzer to put the Bucks up a dozen. Milwaukee then scored the first six of the second half, and the rout was on. A Bobby Portis three midway through the third pushed the margin past 20, it was up to 25 by the end of the third, and the Bulls got no closer than 19 the rest of the way as the top seed advances.
Giannis Antetokuonmpo ('21 MIL): 30 pts, 7 reb, 9 ast
Khris Middleton ('21 MIL): 28 pts, 9 reb, 9 ast
Michael Jordan ('92 CHI): 24 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast
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