Happy 30th Anniversary to the Chicago Bulls’ First 3-Peat!
“It’s all over! The Chicago Bulls have made it three straight NBA Championships!” — Marv Albert.
It’s hard to believe that thirty years have passed since the Chicago Bulls secured their third consecutive NBA championship in 1993. They earned the distinction of joining the exclusive group of only three teams to three-peat, which includes the Minneapolis Lakers (1952–54) and the Boston Celtics (1959–66). In the championship game against the Phoenix Suns, the Bulls were down 98–94, with the Suns in possession of the ball. However, a missed shot by the Suns allowed Michael Jordan to take the ball down the court for a layup. The Suns’ next possession ended in a missed attempt by Dan Majerle as the shot clock expired, and Scottie Pippen seized the rebound with the Bulls still behind 98–96. Jordan inbounded the ball to B.J. Armstrong, who then passed it back to Jordan. Jordan then passed to Pippen, who found Horace Grant on the baseline. Grant then kicked it to John Paxson, who confidently hit a three-pointer to give Chicago the lead 99–98. Horace Grant blocked Kevin Johnson’s runner on the next play, and the Bulls celebrated their three-peat victory.
John Paxson’s shot was not just any game-winner but signified the Chicago Bulls’ complete trust in each other. Paxson, who had been a reserve that season after starting in the previous two championships, was able to experience a truly unforgettable moment.
“It lifted a lot of weight off our backs,” Scottie Pippen spoke on John Paxson’s iconic game-winning shot to win the 1993 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns. “For John, it was truly a highlight of his career. He had made a name for himself in the game by then, but he really made his mark with that shot. Looking back at that play, we carved them up. Every player touched the ball, and the best shooter got it at the end. He wasn’t the best scorer, but he was the best shooter. He made the shot we needed him to make. We didn’t need a two; we needed a three.”
A third champagne shower was in order, and the Chicago Bulls achieved an incredible feat that cemented their place among the greatest NBA teams ever. Michael Jordan averaged 41.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 8.5 rebounds to earn his third straight NBA Finals MVP. His comments highlight the immense difficulty of winning three consecutive championships and the unwavering dedication and hard work required to accomplish such an extraordinary accomplishment: “The other teams that won three in a row were in a different era. We feel we should be considered one of the best teams of all time… I’ve gone through a lot this season, and to cap it off this way was great. This is the hardest thing I’ve done in basketball.”
Even after thirty years, the Chicago Bulls’ 1993 championship victory remains a monumental achievement. It marked the start of a dominant era that led to the team’s consecutive three-peats in the 1990s, firmly establishing them as the most exceptional NBA team of that decade
