The Last Dance 1.04

Episode IV

Dennis Rodaman does not return on time from his trip to Las Vegas. Michael Jordan has to go get him but when Rodman gets back he is ready to train, eager to play.

Phil Jackson came from Montana. He played professionally for the New York Knicks. He started his coaching career in Puerto Rico. The next stop in his coaching career was the Continental Basketball Association where his team won the championship in 1984. He was hired by the Bulls as an assistant coach when Doug Collins was the head coach. He worked closely with assistant coach Tex Winter. Collins didn't think much of Winter's coaching philosophy. Collins preferred to make Jordan the focus of the team's offensive game, Winter preferred to distribute the offense. Collins was fired in 1989 after the playoffs and Jackson was promoted to head coach.

Jackson kept Winter on as an assistant coach. The Bulls used Winter's triangle offense to change the way they played the game. The Bulls made it to the Eastern Finals in 1990 where they faced off against the Detroit Pistons, once again. The series went to 7 games but in the end the Pistons won it. Scottie Pippen had a migraine during that game which really limited his effectiveness. The Bulls went home after the Eastern Finals and trained. The Pistons went on to win the NBA championship for the second consecutive year.

The Bulls met the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals for the third consecutive year in 1991. The Bulls had the home court advantage for the first time. They swept the series. The Pistons walked off when there was still 8 seconds left in the game and refused to shake hands with the Bulls. The Bulls went on to play the Lakers in the finals. The Lakers won the first game, in Chicago but the Bulls won the next 4 games and the NBA championship.