On Sunday night, the Chicago Bulls tapped into a little piece of their storied past - and did something they hadn’t done since the final days of the Jordan era.
In a game that’s not going to make many highlight reels for playoff implications or standings drama, the Bulls exploded for 83 points in the first half, marking their highest-scoring half since the 1997-98 season - yes, that season, the one dubbed The Last Dance.
It’s a stat that jumps off the page, not because this year’s Bulls are setting the league on fire - they came into the game sitting at 12-15 - but because it’s a rare flash of offensive firepower from a team still trying to find its identity in the post-Jordan decades.
To put it in perspective: the last time Chicago hung that many points in a half, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman were still suiting up in red and black. Phil Jackson was calling the shots, and the United Center was the epicenter of basketball excellence.
Fast forward to today, and while these Bulls aren’t in the same stratosphere as that dynasty, the modern NBA has opened the door for offensive outbursts like this. Pace is up, spacing is better, and shot-making - especially from deep - is more efficient than ever. When teams get hot, they really get hot.
That’s what happened on Sunday. It wasn’t about one superstar taking over - it was about rhythm, ball movement, and a team firing on all cylinders for 24 minutes. And while it may not shift the trajectory of Chicago’s season just yet, it’s a reminder of what this group is capable of when things click.
No, this isn’t the second coming of the ‘90s Bulls. But anytime you find yourself in the same statistical sentence as Jordan’s crew, you’re doing something right - even if it’s just for a night.
And for a franchise constantly looking to recapture a bit of that old magic, moments like these matter.