An argument can be made that the best team in NBA history is the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls . After setting the then-record for most wins in a regular season with 72, they clinched the title behind league MVP and top scorer Michael Jordan .
However, the five-time MVP deflected the credit for the Bulls' strong start to the campaign to his superstar teammate, Scottie Pippen . Jordan praised him for his massive strides and for being more consistent on the court.
"It's Scottie Pippen's team," Mike said after Chicago raced to a 19-2 record . "He's made unbelievable strides. There used to be inconsistency to his game that people criticized. But now, he's alleviated the inconsistency. He's got to be one of the best players in the game, if not the best. He's learned how to challenge himself every night. When one phase of his game is not clicking, he's contributed in other areas. That's a sign of greatness."
Pippen leading the charge
MJ was probably just being too humble, although his former buddy was indeed on a tear to start the 1995-96 season.
Since Chicago's second contest until Jordan's statement about Pip being the Bulls' leader, the legendary small forward had been averaging 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.9 steals, and 2.0 3-pointers per game while shooting 52.2% from the field and 43.0% from beyond the arc. He played just 10 minutes in the season opener after sustaining an injury.
It wasn't surprising to see Pippen produce at a high level, given that he had emerged as one of the league's brightest stars in the absence of a retired Jordan.
Together at their primes, though, they were unconquerable. However, the 14-time All-Star was undoubtedly atop the pecking order.
Scottie's numbers normalized after a torrid start, as he registered 19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per contest in the regular season. On the other hand, "His Airness" picked up where he left off after a sluggish return at the end of the 1994-95 campaign by scoring 30.4 points per game in 82 appearances in the 1995-96 season.
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Pippen's response to Jordan
The seven-time All-Star has no more nice things to say about his fellow Bulls icon, more so after being left disappointed about his portrayal in "The Last Dance."
However, when he heard about Jordan saying in 1995 that Chicago was his team, Pippen clarified that Mike was still the leader.
"I don't feel like that," he said. "Phil [Jackson] runs the offense through me, so I'm kind of the floor leader out there. But Michael is still our leader. I think he's being very modest, saying I'm the leader. We're both leaders on the court in our own way."
It's safe to say that both of them were indispensable, and the Bulls probably wouldn't have won the championship and set records without the pair performing the way they did the entire campaign.
Interestingly, MJ had a near-perfect season, securing the MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Finals MVP, and the scoring title.
However, Pippen was an unsung hero, especially after finishing fifth in the MVP race and second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. So, he also deserves a lot of credit for Chicago's success, which Jordan was quick to grant him back in the day.
Related: Scottie Pippen on how Michael Jordan would have reacted if he left the Bulls: "He would have probably tried to shoot more and score more"
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