It’s easy to look at a box score from 1997 and think you've seen it all. You see Michael Jordan’s 29.6 points per game and you figure, "Yeah, that’s just MJ being MJ." But if you actually sit down and watch the tape of that 69-win season, you realize the 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup was a completely different animal than the flashier, more "historic" 72-win squad from the year before. They were older. They were grumpier. They were also, arguably, much smarter.
Honestly, by '97, the league had started to catch up, or at least they thought they had. The Bulls weren't just playing against the Jazz or the Heat; they were playing against their own exhaustion.
The core five that defined the 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup
Most people name Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman and stop there. That’s a mistake. While the "Big Three" got the posters, the actual 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup relied heavily on the spacing provided by Luc Longley and the veteran stability of Ron Harper.
Michael Jordan was 33 turning 34 that season. He wasn't the high-flyer of 1988 anymore. He’d basically perfected the fadeaway jumper by this point, turning it into a weapon that was mathematically impossible to guard. If he got to his spot on the right block, it was over. You’ve seen the highlights, but the footwork in '97 was the real clinic. He played all 82 games. Think about that. In an era of "load management," the greatest player ever didn't miss a single night despite having a massive target on his back every single city he visited.
Then you have Scottie Pippen. People forget how much of the heavy lifting Scottie did. He led the team in assists (5.7) and was arguably the best perimeter defender on the planet. While MJ was the closer, Pippen was the engine. He was the one bringing the ball up, initiating the Triangle Offense, and then switching onto the opponent's best scorer. It was exhausting work.
The Dennis Rodman factor
Dennis was... well, Dennis. In 1997, Rodman grabbed 16.1 rebounds per game. He was 35 years old. It’s actually insane when you think about it. He wasn't scoring—he averaged about five points—but his value wasn't in the bucket. It was in the psychological warfare. He’d get under Karl Malone’s skin, dive for a loose ball when the Bulls were up by 15, and then go kick a cameraman (which actually happened in January '97 against Minnesota, leading to an 11-game suspension).
📖 Related: Posiciones de CD Platense: Why the Gallos are Fighting for Survival in 2026
That suspension is a detail people gloss over. During that stretch, the 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup had to pivot. They didn't crumble. They just leaned harder on guys like Jason Caffey and Toni Kukoc. That’s what made this specific iteration of the team so dangerous—they had layers.
The unsung heroes of the rotation
If you want to talk about the 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup, you have to talk about Ron Harper.
Before he got to Chicago, "Harp" was a 20-point scorer for the Clippers and Cavs. By 1997, he was a defensive specialist who barely looked at the rim. He was 6'6" at the point guard spot. That gave the Bulls a massive advantage. Most point guards in the 90s were 6'1" or 6'2". Harper just smothered them. Between him, Scottie, and Michael, the Bulls had three elite defenders over 6'6" in their starting backcourt. It was a nightmare for opposing coaches.
Luc Longley was the starting center, and while he gets mocked for not being a "star," he was perfect for Phil Jackson’s system. He was a great passer from the high post. He occupied space. He used his six fouls effectively. He gave them 29 minutes of solid, if unspectacular, basketball.
And then there’s Toni Kukoc.
Toni was the "Sixth Man" but often finished games. He was a 6'11" guy who could pass like a guard and shoot the three. In '97, he was dealing with some nagging injuries, but when he was on, he made the Bulls' offense flow in a way no one else could. He was the bridge between the starters and the bench.
Why the Triangle Offense actually worked
People talk about the Triangle like it’s some mystical secret, but in 1997, it was basically just a way to ensure the ball never stayed in one person's hands for too long—unless that person was Michael Jordan in the fourth quarter.
The beauty of the 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup was their spacing.
Because Pippen and Jordan were such threats to drive, and Longley could hit a 15-foot jumper, the floor was open. If you doubled MJ, he’d find Steve Kerr in the corner.
Kerr was a vital part of this lineup's DNA. He shot 46.4% from three-point range that year. That’s not a typo. Every time a defender cheated off Kerr to help on a Jordan drive, they paid for it. It culminated in that famous shot in Game 6 of the Finals against Utah, where Jordan drew the double-team and fed Kerr for the championship-winning bucket.
✨ Don't miss: Quien gano el mundial de clubes 2025: Lo que nadie te contó de la final
Comparing '97 to the '96 season
A lot of fans argue that the 1996 team was the pinnacle. Hard to argue with 72 wins. But the 1997 squad was more "battle-tested." They didn't have the element of surprise anymore. Everyone gave the Bulls their best shot. They were the hunted.
They finished with 69 wins. They nearly had back-to-back 70-win seasons, which is a feat that seems even more impossible now than it did then. They lost the final two games of the regular season by a combined four points. If they had really cared about the record, they would have won 71. But Phil Jackson was focused on the ring, not the regular-season stats.
Defensive dominance by the numbers
The 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup was ranked 4th in the league in Defensive Rating. They allowed only 92.3 points per game. You have to remember, this was the era of "slugfest" basketball. Hand-checking was legal. The paint was packed.
- Michael Jordan: All-Defensive First Team
- Scottie Pippen: All-Defensive First Team
- Total team steals: 713 (nearly 9 per game)
They forced turnovers and turned them into easy transition points. That was their "get out of jail free" card. If the half-court offense got stagnant, they’d just trap the ball, get a deflection, and let MJ or Scottie dunk it at the other end.
The Utah Jazz rivalry and the 1997 Finals
You can't talk about this lineup without mentioning the 1997 NBA Finals. This was the "Flu Game" year.
The Jazz were a powerhouse. Stockton and Malone were at their absolute peak. For the first time since the 1993 Finals against Phoenix, the Bulls looked like they might actually be in trouble. The Jazz had the home-court advantage (sort of, until the Bulls took it back) and a very disciplined system.
The 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup had to grind. It wasn't pretty. Game 5—the Flu Game—is the perfect example. Michael was literally being carried off the court by Scottie. That wasn't just "greatness"; that was a team realizing their leader was down and filling the gaps. Luc Longley had 12 points and some huge blocks. Pippen played 45 minutes. They won 90-88.
🔗 Read more: Texas vs Arizona State Live: What Most Fans Get Wrong About This Matchup
Misconceptions about the bench
People think the Bulls bench was weak because they didn't have a "star" reserve. That’s wrong.
Brian Williams (later known as Bison Dele) joined the team late in the season and was massive in the playoffs. He gave them an athletic big man who could actually score in the post.
Then you had Jud Buechler—a guy who knew his role. He’d come in, play six minutes, play hard defense, maybe hit a three, and sit down. Randy Brown was a defensive pest who would full-court press the opposing point guard just to wear him down.
It was a blue-collar bench. They didn't need to score 30 points. They just needed to not lose the lead while MJ rested for four minutes.
The toll of the 1997 season
By the time the playoffs rolled around, the 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup was exhausted. Pippen was dealing with foot issues that would eventually require surgery. Rodman was increasingly erratic.
Yet, they found a way.
The nuance of this team was their ability to win games in multiple ways. They could win a shootout if MJ went for 50. They could win a defensive crawl where both teams struggled to hit 80. They could win with the "Triangle" or they could win by just letting Jordan iso for 12 minutes straight.
Actionable insights for fans and collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific era of Bulls history, don't just watch the scoring highlights. Focus on the off-ball movement.
- Watch the screening: Look at how Luc Longley and Rodman set screens to get Jordan open. It’s a lost art.
- Study the rotations: Notice how Pippen and Harper switch on pick-and-rolls. It was 20 years ahead of its time.
- Check the stats: Look beyond the PPG. Look at the "Net Rating" of the 1997 squad compared to the rest of the league. The gap was enormous.
- Memorabilia tip: Items from the '97 season (like the black pinstripe jerseys they wore occasionally) are often more "niche" but highly valued by collectors because they represent the peak of the second three-peat's grit.
The 1997 Chicago Bulls lineup wasn't just a group of basketball players. They were a veteran machine that knew exactly how much energy to expend to get a win. They didn't panic when they were down. They didn't celebrate when they were up. They just moved on to the next play.
While the 1996 team had the "glory," the 1997 team had the "will." They proved that even when you're older, slower, and tired, you can still dominate if you have the highest collective basketball IQ on the planet.
To really understand this team, you should look for full game broadcasts of the 1997 Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. It was a brutal, physical series that shows exactly how tough this lineup had to be to survive the 90s. The box scores tell you the result, but the film tells you the price they paid to get there.