Episodes 3 and 4 of “The Last Dance,” a 10-part docuseries detailing the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls on their quest for a second three-peat, brought home plenty of takeaways from this era of the sport.
Here are three of the most significant moments of these two episodes.
1. Dennis The Menace
Episode 3 gives a lot of insight into who Dennis Rodman is and what made him tick. As strange as some of his quirks and antics were, the filmmakers made it a point to take more of an understanding point of view than one that paints him as a circus freak show.
The docuseries delves into his time with the “Bad Boys” and how he emerged as a potent rebounder and how that eventually careened into a depressive state that almost saw him take his own life.
Dennis was a menace to himself at times because he could fly off the handle, but he was also loyal to a fault, willing to do whatever it took to be accepted and part of something on successful teams.
That is perhaps the most endearing part of the episode and the sprinkle of the human element that makes his story all the more magical. Rodman had a special relationship with Detroit Pistons coach Chuck Daly, who loved him like a son. After a few tough months and plenty of acting up, the Pistons traded him to the San Antonio Spurs, where the vices continued.
The Chicago Bulls took a big risk trading for him. Matter of fact, Bulls general manager Jerry Krause didn't even want to look at him as an option. Ultimately, Krause listened to his assistant GM and believed in Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen's leadership ability enough to bring him in.
It was Rodman who kept the ship afloat during a tough start to the 1997-98 season, taking on the Robin mantle after Scottie Pippen sat out the opening part of the campaign with a back injury. Pippen's return shook things for Rodman, who immediately moved into a third wheel and needed a brief in-season vacation to reset.
Bulls coach Phil Jackson's unique understanding of Rodman ultimately helped this team survive the madness that was his life off the court.
A last thought: This clip here enlightened viewers on Rodman's pure brilliance as a board man. He led the NBA in rebounding for seven straight seasons with three different teams.
While most think it was his athletic ability and all-out hustle, this clip shows there's plenty of genius and even more work ethic into those feats:
Dennis Rodman showing how much he understood and studied timing of rebounding was my favorite part. #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/RuSoBuAT7J
— Martin Soaries | Basketball Jedi 🧘🏾♂️🥷🏾🥢💫 (@marsoaries) April 27, 2020
2. The Jordan Rules
Pistons assistant coach Brendan Malone laid out the infamous Jordan Rules, a series of commandments ensuring Jordan would not get the best of them in a game.
Chuck Daly planned to take away Jordan's dominant right hand, keep him from some of his patented baseline magic and strip him of his low-post savvy against smaller defenders. The most important rule of them all is the one that isn't numbered, however:
How did the Pistons stop MJ?
The Jordan Rules. #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/G8UchQU260
— ESPN (@espn) April 27, 2020
It was Rodman and former teammate John Salley who vividly painted the brutal nature of these rules:
“As soon as he steps in the paint, hit him,” said Salley.
“Chuck Daly said, ‘This is the Jordan Rules: Every time he goes to the f***ing basket, put him on the ground,'” said Rodman. “When he comes to the basket, he ain't gonna dunk. We're going to hit you and you're going to be in the ground. We tried to physically hurt Michael.”
A few minutes later, Rodman went on to admit Jordan had won his earnest respect by trucking through a murderers' row of physical abuse during the late '80s and early '90s.
“I compare Michel Jordan to nobody,” added Rodman. “Because for him to survive that [kind of punishment] and still maintain that greatness, it's unparalleled.”
Game recognize game.
3. Michael Jordan vs. Isiah Thomas
Perhaps the catchiest part of Episodes 3 and 4 was the difference of opinion between Jordan and Thomas regarding that 1991 Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls finally got over the hump by bouncing Detroit 4-0, at which point all of the Pistons' starters left the court without shaking hands.
Jordan still remembers that vividly, and he recalls shaking hands with all of them even after repeated physical abuse to go with the heartache of elimination in prior playoff losses.
Thomas argued the walk-off-the-court move was routine for rival teams, as the Celtics and the Lakers had done so when they were beaten by the Pistons. Jordan doesn't buy that story:
“You can show me anything you want. There's no way you're not going to convince me he wasn't an a**hole.”
https://twitter.com/MickstapeShow/status/1254602404466696194
If it wasn't evident by Jordan's previous words on the Pistons, the hate is still very much there.
More than two decades may have passed since Jordan got over that hump, but it doesn't make The Jordan Rules or the crudeness of the Pistons' actions any less significant.
Thomas resented being booed in his hometown of Chicago due to the town's rivalry with the “Bad Boys,” but adopting that persona meant also taking flak when they'd lose. Ducking out on that humiliation lost him Jordan's respect:
“They knew we whipped their a** already. We got past them,” said Jordan. “To me, that was better in some ways than winning a championship.”
May this Bulls-Pistons beef live on forever.
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