1997–98 Chicago Bulls season
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
31 January 2 Milwaukee W 114-100 Michael Jordan ( 44 ) Dennis Rodman ( 21 ) Luc Longley ( 8 ) United Center 23,897 21-10
32 January 3 @ Detroit W 105-96 Michael Jordan ( 34 ) Dennis Rodman ( 18 ) Michael Jordan ( 9 ) The Palace of Auburn Hills 22,076 22-10
33 January 6 Boston W 90-79 Jordan & Kukoč ( 19 ) Dennis Rodman ( 20 ) Toni Kukoč ( 6 ) United Center 23,804 23-10
34 January 7 @ Miami L 72-99 Michael Jordan ( 26 ) Dennis Rodman ( 17 ) Brown , Harper ( 4 ) Miami Arena 15,200 23-11
35 January 9 @ New York W 90-89 Michael Jordan ( 44 ) Luc Longley ( 10 ) Luc Longley ( 6 ) Madison Square Garden 19,763 24-11
36 January 10 Golden State W 87-82 Michael Jordan ( 32 ) Dennis Rodman ( 16 ) Scottie Pippen ( 5 ) United Center 23,902 25-11
37 January 13 Seattle W 101-91 Michael Jordan ( 40 ) Dennis Rodman ( 17 ) Dennis Rodman ( 6 ) United Center 24,112 26-11
38 January 15 @ Philadelphia L 96-106 Scottie Pippen ( 22 ) Dennis Rodman ( 20 ) Harper & Pippen ( 5 ) CoreStates Center 21,104 26-12
39 January 16 @ Milwaukee W 96-86 Michael Jordan ( 27 ) Dennis Rodman ( 12 ) Luc Longley ( 5 ) Bradley Center 18,717 27-12
40 January 18 Houston W 106-100 Michael Jordan ( 45 ) Longley & Rodman ( 5 ) Scottie Pippen ( 10 ) United Center 24,209 28-12
41 January 21 Charlotte W 110-79 Michael Jordan ( 33 ) Luc Longley ( 13 ) Scottie Pippen ( 7 ) United Center 23,967 29-12
42 January 23 @ New Jersey W 100-98 ( OT ) Michael Jordan ( 32 ) Scottie Pippen ( 7 ) Kukoč & Pippen ( 9 ) Meadowlands Arena 20,049 30-12
43 January 25 Utah L 94-101 Michael Jordan ( 32 ) Dennis Rodman ( 14 ) Scottie Pippen ( 10 ) United Center 24,361 30-13
44 January 27 @ Vancouver W 103-85 Scottie Pippen ( 29 ) Dennis Rodman ( 22 ) Pippen & Rodman ( 6 ) General Motors Place 19,193 31-13
45 January 29 @ Portland W 100-87 Michael Jordan ( 29 ) Dennis Rodman ( 20 ) Longley & Pippen ( 8 ) Rose Garden 21,538 32-13
46 January 30 @ Golden State W 87-80 Scottie Pippen ( 22 ) Dennis Rodman ( 22 ) Scottie Pippen ( 4 ) The Arena in Oakland 19,804 33-13
The 1997-98 NBA season was the Bulls' 32nd season in the National Basketball Association. The Bulls entered the season as the two-time defending NBA champions, where they defeated the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals in six games, winning their fifth NBA championship. During the offseason, the Bulls acquired Scott Burrell from the Golden State Warriors. Without All-Star forward Scottie Pippen for the first half of the season due to a back injury sustained from the 1997 NBA Finals, the Bulls played around .500 with a 9-7 record in November. However, Pippen would eventually return as the Bulls posted a 13-game winning streak between March and April, as they finished first place in the Central Division with a 62-20 record. In the playoffs, the Bulls defeated the New Jersey Nets 3-0 in the first round, the Charlotte Hornets 4-1 in the semifinals, and then the Indiana Pacers 4-3 in the Conference Finals en route to advance to the NBA Finals. In the Finals, they met the Utah Jazz in a rematch from last year's NBA Finals and just like last year, they would go on to defeat the Jazz in six games to win the championship. The championship was their sixth in eight years and completed the franchise's second 3-peat. The season also saw Michael Jordan earn his fifth and final NBA Most Valuable Player Award, while being selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, where he also won his third and final All-Star Game MVP Award. This was Jordan's last season as a Bull, as he announced his second retirement after it was over. However, he did make a second comeback with the Washington Wizards in 2001. Following the season, Phil Jackson resigned as head coach, Pippen was traded to the Houston Rockets, rebound-specialist Dennis Rodman left for the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent, Luc Longley was dealt to the Phoenix Suns, three-point specialist Steve Kerr signed with the San Antonio Spurs, Burrell signed with the New Jersey Nets, and Jud Buechler signed with the Detroit Pistons.