Last Minute of 1998 NBA Finals vs. Last Minute of 2016 NBA Finals
Two of the most exciting Finals in NBA history were the 2016 NBA Finals and the 1998 NBA Finals. There are some striking similarities between the two series.
The 2016 NBA Finals featured the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers (a team that
had never won an NBA championship) and it was a rematch of the 2015 NBA Finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers
had the best player of his generation (Lebron James) while the Golden State Warriors had the regular season MVP that season (Stephen Curry).
The Cavs won the Finals and James was the Finals MVP.
The 1998 NBA Finals featured the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz (a team that had never won an NBA championship) and it was a rematch of
the 1997 NBA Finals. The Chicago Bulls had the best player of his generation (Michael Jordan) while the Utah Jazz had the regular season MVP that season (Karl Malone).
The Bulls won the Finals and Jordan was the Finals MVP.
In the last game of the 1998 NBA Finals, point guard John Stockton of the Utah Jazz (the team that lost the 1997 NBA Finals) hit a three-pointer
with 41.9 seconds to break an 83-83 tie. (That was Stockton's second last-minute tie-breaking, three-pointer in the playoffs in two seasons.)
In the last game of the 2016 NBA Finals, point guard Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers (the team
that lost the 2015 NBA Finals) hit a three-pointer with 53.0 seconds to break an 89-89 tie.
What differs between the '98 Bulls and the '16 Warriors is how they responded to the go-ahead three-pointers. The final
minute of Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals can be viewed here and the final minute of
Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals can be viewed here.
Right after Stockton's three-pointer, Jordan drove to the basket for a safe two-pointer rather than attempt a tying three-pointer. Jordan stole
the ball from Malone on the Jazz's subsequent possession and then hit this shot to win the game.
Steve Kerr played for the Bulls and was on the floor when Jordan performed his magic. Unfortunately, he didn't use this experience to guide the Warriors
as their head coach during the 2016 NBA Finals.
Instead of driving to the basket after Irving's three-pointer, Curry tried to tie the game immediately with a three-pointer. Curry missed the shot and James hit a free throw on the Cavs' next possession to ice the game. Maybe things would have turned out differently
for the Warriors if Curry had taken Jordan's approach.
Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals was held in Salt Lake City and Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals was held
in Oakland. For both games, the fans in the stands went home extremely unhappy.