1997 NBA Finals - Game 1 Intro

Only NBC could do something this great. It's definitely not the same anymore.

[@Fivestarman87]

Man...this theme. This entire intro. Back when the NBA was larger than life.

[@sillygoose635]

Still is.

[@nickyvtown]

It’s definitely not anymore lol

[@adleralon]

@@sillygoose635 mmmmmm... no.

[@johansencontreras2186]

@@adleralon it may not be for you but it still is for alot of people

[@S3NTINEL2001]

@@sillygoose635 its no where near that lol

[@ericcendejas7505]

Nba on nba was such a better product than today's snooze fest

[@marsrox2]

the NBA on NBA...awesome

[@ericcendejas7505]

+marsrox2 the NBA on what?

[@marsrox2]

+Eric Cendejas I'm quoting part of what you said, the NBA on NBA

[@ericcendejas7505]

+marsrox2 I meant nbc

[@sillygoose635]

@@ericcendejas7505 Lol nah this dramatic shit is a snooze fest

[@BiffTannenBTTF]

What a time! Please invent a time machine so I can go back!

[@sherryhannah498]

Jim C please is NOT NEEDED it's annoying like Trump

[@Wis_Dom]

+Jim C Take me with you!

[@Ninja0492]

I would go back to 1992 being a kid again witnessing greatness and watching the NBA ON NBC.

[@andrewnash4530]

This is like a time machine, I am instantly back in my old house on Sunday night June 1, 1997, skipping church and watching the game.

[@MsSparklesNGlitter]

The NBA back in the 80's-90's was so much better. Jazz vs Bulls back to back Finals probably my all time favorite finals match up of my childhood. Its funny how today people talk how basketball is more physical...its nothing compared to what it was back in 80-90's...this year's NBA finals the most boring ever yet you had the two most dominant teams all season match up vs one another

[@ΧριστοφοροςΓκαττας-ζ3λ]

Jazz was super team.i think the only team can beat the bulls.

[@damienkirksey7026]

@MsSparklesNGlitter hello

[@CGonzales033]

oh god i'm getting old! this was nearly 16 years ago!

[@gyovannirobson]

E o tempo vai passando.... Já estamos quase em 2021

[@NickIntoTech]

@@gyovannirobson it’s 2022 now, I wasn’t born until 2001 (During SHAQ and Kobe’s 3 peat, but even i feel I’m getting older! Now!)

[@LilHulk08]

it's funny how this game 1 intro is greater than all the intros put together since being on ABC

[@sillygoose635]

i hope your joking, because this is shit.

[@daveyap9317]

@@sillygoose635 not really you troll

[@brettbausinger8363]

Can you imagine the Juggernaut the NBA would be if they still had intros like this?

[@bryggreen77]

One of the best NBA finals ever

[@cavjock07]

"tonight..its GAME 1..the UTAH JAZZ versus the CHICAGO BULLS"

[@alexjardine3383]

I really miss the home team white uniforms.

[@eazye519]

Same I hate the red at home

[@Delpheno2K7]

See if this was ABC, they would get the Black Eyed Peas to sing and a montage of highlights and that's it.

[@chaunseybillings5381]

Man I used to love this in those hot June days

[@pillbelichick]

RIP Jim Fagan

[@mizztree81]

Just found out he died merely a month ago. His voices was legendary.

[@sheltered_k]

pillbelichick 😢

[@ninjagaiden111]

Does somebody know the name of the song before the NBA on NBC theme?

[@jordanwest43]

I would've loved to see a Rockets/Bulls NBA FINALS!!! Dream/Glide/Barkley against MJ/Pip/Worm!!!

[@NickIntoTech]

I swear!! As a rockets fan I Wouldn’t want to say I wanted Stockton to miss that buzz beater (because it’s iconic) but I wouldn’t have minded seeing Rockets Vs bulls in 97 and Then Jazz Vs Bulls in 98. But, Hakeem Barkley and Clyde were on there decline, and If Bulls (I’m 90% sure bulls would win that hypothetical series in about 6-7Games) would have won that hypothetical. We wouldn’t hear the end about Our two Rings only being there because MJ retired (which is not true what so ever in my opinion) ..

[@NickIntoTech]

Speaking of Which, Chuckster was only half the player he was when he came to the Rockets, But He was a monster when he was on the Suns! And Philly. Especially in 93 Vs SuperSonics! Nearly best player in the league only behind MJ. Chuck is one of my 90’s favorites Along with The Dream obviously lol.

[@FilthyMess]

Those Utah Jazz jersey's looked so good back then, way better than the nasty green, gold, and navy blue.

[@MegaMan-bs3oy]

These two teams where so fucking legit. I wish they would of split the series 1-1 Malone and Stockton deserved a title

[@NickIntoTech]

If that’s the case Malone would likely have been 2 PF all time only behind Duncan

[@brentw0681]

@@NickIntoTech most people have malone #2-3 regardless

[@MrExodus]

Stockton looks like Kirelenko in the thumbnail 😂

[@dannyjbrigs]

Jordan pushed off.

[@Will-yp6ny]

My lord, that intro brings tears to my eyes especially when the NBC logo appears with that music on the background. Only true 90’s people will know whatta i’m talking about. I was 21 years old when this game took place and it takes back to that day sitting in my living room with no cell or social media, just you with the family and the TV. I miss those days dammit

[@PainandMotivation]

Damn this is my childhood!!!!!!

[@jeffhall3044]

I was in High School.

[@kinkaid7477]

Mine too. So cool to see these intros again,

[@Villazento]

R.I.P. Jerry Sloan.

[@FreshWesss]

The NBA on NBC was a great telecast indeed. Here are some things they could've done to make it better though:

[@nnamdionyido4885]

+Larry Renforth lol....it was nearly perfect....Magic's early for a was a low bt it wasn't that bad...

[@nnamdionyido4885]

+Larry Renforth great game by he way....I believe this was the game with the famous Pippen quote about the mailman not delivering on Sunday.....

[@eazye519]

Nnamdi Onyido yes it was

[@bradjames891]

so hilarious, and I grew up a Jazz fan :)

[@jsutiger07]

Larry Renforth RIGHT!!

[@josecuervo6988]

As a Jazz fan this intro, obviously, gives me chills. But as an NBA fan, the game just isn't the same without these Game 1 intros from Bob Costas and Marv Albert. Basically everything was better in the 90s.

[@NewWaveFan1]

I have this as my ringtone.. Lots of great comments people think they are going back in time when my phone rings hahahaha..

[@Scpa10]

Better when NBC had NBA

[@sillygoose635]

No it wasn't.

[@daveyap9317]

@@sillygoose635 yes it is dumbass

[@jdigitalseven7]

@@sillygoose635 by far NBC did it better. ABC/ESPN cant compare

[@sillygoose635]

@@jdigitalseven7 Not at all.

[@sillygoose635]

@@daveyap9317 no it wasn't dipshit.

[@360zm4]

Even though this is from 24 years ago, the production value is SUPERB!

[@vip_supercars3652]

Why can't the NBA go back to NBC? ABC/ESPN suck at covering pro basketball big time

[@Melbester9]

The NBA TV deal expires this year. NBC wants the rights again for NBA. April the channels begin to bid. NBC ans Comcast want to bid and bring NBA on NBC back. NBA wants NBC too. Pray we get it. ABC is garbage. 2 decades with it

[@TMC1982Part2]

This was Marv Albert's last NBA Finals until 2001 (NBC's second to last), before NBC forced him to sit out due to his legal issues (and Bob Costas took over as NBC's lead NBA play-by-play man).

[@andrefaelnar]

Sad that he didnt get to cover Jordan's final season in 1998 due to his personal and legal issues outside of NBC 😔

[@CP-px8pq]

I forgot about that smh

[@Karan103]

Wow just imagine if they had intros like this these days. I don't think the NBA will ever have another great era like this one ever again.

[@ChiMontana]

There is never going to be a great Player like John Stockton. The Most unselfish Player in NBA history. Nobody is going to break his record because now NBA is all about points and ball hogs.

[@MMcGuire5]

Chris Paul?

[@ThisIsAgui]

Matt McGuire not even close

[@4touchdowns1game29]

John stockton was a quarterback in a basketball uniform.

[@ΧριστοφοροςΓκαττας-ζ3λ]

Utah jazz was the best team 1997-98

[@notused2118]

For s morman lookalike. Hehe

[@gopher3737]

Best intro theme music for any sports telecast, love NBA on NBC!

[@Iron-Black-Sabbath-Maiden]

the nba on nbc theme song and how they introduce the finals here it will never be like it was then on thursday they didnt even come close to introduce the finals as good as here nowhere close

[@abmmwl]

The Bulls were the Boston Celtics of the 90's.

[@jayscribe7547]

Yup

[@kinkaid7477]

It's 2021 and I'm watching these intros from the 90s and getting goosebumps watching them. I started my teenage years in the 90s and I thought these were awesome then. Watching them now, they're elite. If you weren't ready for the game, you were after watching intros like this,

[@marcelomonteiro7764]

Why they didnt keep this opening until today? the best

[@ypww748]

come here after the Last Dance documentary... reminiscing childhood when NBA was fun to watch, everyone wants to "be like Mike"

[@FreshWesss]

The NBA on TNT is great, and it even was back in the day when NBC was broadcasting as well (I saw an old MJ / Bulls intro from TNT recently, and it was awesome). But TNT / TBS, even with their old theme music, or TNT's current presentation, is not quite on the same level of the NBA on NBC. The NBA on NBC is the greatest telecast ever, and nothing will ever be replicated. It even just sounded perfect... the NBA on NBC. What the hell is the NBA on ESPN / ABC or whatever it's called anyways?

[@cherylcastillo1195]

Why

[@valseyer4486]

Great times, as a Jazz fan I always come back to this clip especially when I have bad days when I want to give up, but remembering Stockton and Malone never gave up, especially vs the GOAT. Unfortunately we cannot beat destiny

[@riverplate33camp]

I came from El Salvador in 1995 was so fortunate to watch Michael Jordan win the last 3 titles in a row. And ever since Bulls fan....

[@jodiebagwell2639]

Most loaded pregame and song in history. NBA on NBC made you think thr entire universe was at stake tonight.

[@dwayne601]

I know exactly how this game is gonna turn out and I'm still more hyped for it than today's games

[@BrokenMegaMan]

The 97-98 Finals where my fav. Never has been a better one to me since then LOVED both these teams Malone,Stockton,Russel,Pippen,Rodman,Jordan So awesome

[@ΧριστοφοροςΓκαττας-ζ3λ]

Yes and the jazz the best team 1997-98

[@donnelladams163]

When basketball was real

[@BellyBoy86]

I miss these days in the NBA. These telecasts would get me so excited I would practically be doing backflips when those intros and that theme music kicked in. At least Marv Albert is still around.

[@bt.437]

Same here i was a Jazz Fan

[@adrianp.1195]

I was 25 years old when this happened… Damn! The 80’s and ‘90’s is the Golden Age of Basketball. Nothing but iconic Finals match ups and with epic intros. Thank you John Tesh and Dick Ebersol of NBC Sports. The NBA was rocking back then.

[@PhillyLFC]

This never gets old to watch, I get goosebumps every time.

[@clarenceparkeriii6249]

I wonder what a Rockets-Bulls NBA Championship would've looked like back in the 90s

[@1945joshuaruiz]

Clarence Parker III a sweep maybe

[@MrDkirksey23]

I will be another level for the Bulls in the Nba Finals

[@chiefkeefuglybabymama5267]

Clarence Parker III right but we all know the bulls wouldve won

[@ΧριστοφοροςΓκαττας-ζ3λ]

My opinion utah worth a championship 1997-98.it was the best team...

[@shermanngjazz]

Rockets will probably push the Bulls to 7 games and lose in 1994 but win 1995 against the Bulls

[@k3nfr0st39]

NBA on NBC was a league of its own when it came to intros. So many memorable intros that can't seem to be topped today especially when 2:07 starts

[@bigwes2020productions]

Man that intro! Gives you goosebumps

[@matthewdinneen7277]

Wish we could all go back in time so bad

[@mizztree81]

Ahhh the memories... I miss this.

[@MichaelPhilipMaunes]

2:16 "Roundball Rock," composed by John Tesh and the theme song of NBA on NBC. It was also sampled by Nelly for his song, "Heart of a Champion."

[@ExistentHope]

the 1997 NBA Finals is one of the best Finals matchups in NBA history Michael Jordan Scottie Pippen Dennis Rodman Karl Malone John Stockton they were great players and went head to head very evenly I think the Jazz were the only team that could literally beat the Bulls and win the championship out of the Finals the Bulls were in. If not for some mistakes by the Jazz they could have won this series in 6 Gms but Jordan always played his best when it mattered hitting key shots when the Bulls could have lost and it could be said without Dennis Rodman the Bulls would have been outpaced compared to the Jazz due to lack of rebounds the Bulls were a pretty under talented team from 1996-1998 without Jordan Pippen and Rodman Kukoc Harper take one out of that group and they might not win while the Jazz had Malone Stockton Anderson Russell Eisley Ostertag it does not seem to great compared to the Bulls heck even the Lakers were better on paper but the Jazz were dangerous cause of the way they played ball.

[@Akirah1231]

Existent David Yes, it was a masterpiece of a series. First Round Hall of famers battling taking each other to their limits. Sadly, we wont ever see nothing like it again.

[@notused2118]

@@Akirah1231 but uhhh, what about all those hipster beard players now? The crybabies who only shoot? Or the guys who get in the stands and fight fans?

[@SelectiveINfusion]

I'll go back to following the NBA when the games return to NBC.

[@Rgw20014life]

Storybook ending. Sure. Screwed the rockets. Malone bear hugging barkley to free up Stockton for that shot. Rockets Bulls would have been a way better series.

[@CarlWinslowFM]

The league really went down when NBC lost he nba l, their production value was second to none and they built up games unlike the tnt, espn, abc crew who half the time troll and talk crap about players

[@thrawnrulz68]

*this* is what the NBA Finals should be. Few series embodied that big time feel like the 1997 and 1998 Finals...

[@williamhines2577]

As a die hard bulls fan we LIVED on NBC I loved it back then they only showed championship contenders on NBC not any ol team like ESPN do when you heard the NBC theme song games was about to get real no matter who played and the crowd and commentators was hyped

[@mrmartywaring]

This was a time to be alive and watch this live!!!! The NBA on NBC was everything!!

[@david3188col]

I still get goosebumps listening to that intro music. Im 30 now, watching this as a kid are childhood memories ill never forget. Go Bulls.

[@SerjRules08]

I so miss NBA on NBC i always was so pumped up when Minnesota got Chicago Bulls games. Watching MJ was the highlight of my weekends when i was a kid. Marv Albert should make a comeback for annoucing on Abc

[@michaelcarter5624]

Recipe for an Epic NBA Finals: Marv Albert, Michael Jordan, Roundball Rock.

[@jalilmuhammad8270]

Two years after Michael Jordan came back to the NBA.

[@GoldBlueDude]

Fer Thrrrreee..Yyyyyessss!!!

[@devinmceachern]

2:53 *WHAT TIME IS IT?!*

[@conservativeprodigy2604]

God I miss these days

[@alexjardine3383]

The "Fist Pump" Game for MJ23

[@kennybegeske8824]

Chicago

[@taesurfin1997]

RIP Jerry Sloan & Bill Walton

[@drethagoat26]

Just by listening to this is almost like a video game. Memories

[@Andy-qn5xi]

Possibly unpopular opinion: this NBA is better than the current NBA.

[@shawnramos1305]

It's not unpopular because many people (myself included) believe that this current era sucks.

[@chrispetry502]

Marv Alberts......"For three.... YESSS!!!!"

[@j0hnnyb0y91]

Great intro from NBC. Exactly 10 years later, ABC come up with Pussycat Dolls crappy intro.

[@AJ42K]

the best one of the six Jordan won. Happy 20th anniversary

[@thesportsman48]

Priceless memories... the coverage speaks for itself... watch and you'll know what I mean.

[@mattcraig8406]

What time is it?? Game time - whooo!! Love it

[@themikeyandjaffashow]

yeah I know that, the music from about 56 secs onwards to before the NBC theme.

[@Humtuer2]

slydawg221 your not the only one man. I miss NBA on NBC

[@Ballay05]

Spoiler: Mailman breaks two FTs, and Jordan hits game-winner.

[@dabear1020]

The entire thing theme song following the NBC intro is called Roundball Rock.

[@derrickpurdy7011]

Say what you will about the Utah Jazz but they wanted to win it all. They would go back to the Finals the following year only to lose to Chicago again. But what might have they won if they had only faced Chicago in 1998 and went back in 1999. I doubt the Knicks would have given them much trouble.

[@CoreycantCutit]

Man if the Bulls would have blown this series I wouldn’t have dare showed my face at middle school ! So much smack was talked !

[@jdmteggy2388]

love those old jazz uniforms..

[@DeanOrbong]

NBA on NBC (Jazz vs. Bulls) 2:07 Short Intro

[@ahmetk.435]

If there are competitive players, it's a basketball battle.

[@jayscribe7547]

that intro is crazy! Im hyped just watching it.

[@SnSiGe]

What time is it? Game time. Move!

[@senororlando2]

@2:42 how you break the huddle when you know you don’t have a prayer

[@Silvergun_Raven]

I have this on one of my VHS tapes!

[@shanestanley835]

Maybe NBC should try to get the NBA back

[@omarsaunders8437]

I miss the NBA on NBC.

[@jackdanielss]

Michael Jeffery Jordan

[@shanestanley835]

Back when the NBA was not the woke crap it is now

[@curtisdavis2157]

#HannahStormLookingGreatAsEverBeforeESPN!

[@Avofan]

NBA on NBC......WHAT HAPPEN?

[@robat228]

One of only three times the Bulls faced a team with even 2 Hall of Fame players in the finals. Of course they had 4 on their team, though probably shouldn't count Parish.

[@davedropd1]

It was crazy I wanted Karl and john to get at least 1 title cause they were so deserving, But not against da bulls cause I loved that team to death living 300 miles from chi town...

[@Villazento]

R.I.P. Bill Walton