Feb 1, 1998 Chi vs Lal highlights

MJ & Pip vs Shaq & Kobe

[@blipblip]

That pump fake mid range at 1:41 is pure poetry. I haven't seen a guy his size being so quick and smooth on this type of moves since he retired. And he was 35 here in this video.

[@stephenjohnson3214]

That's years of skills my man 💯

[@meg-k-waldren]

3:39 isn't Kobe on Michael, it's 3 Lakers on Michael. And he still scored. This is why any player comparisons to MJ are laughable.

[@andgar923]

Deadly 1st step had to be respected. Deadlier pull-up made it impossible to defend. Kobe was young, athletic, energetic and up for the challenge. He studied MJ his entire life, he probably knew what was gonna happen. Yet he was left in quicksand, unable to even lift his knees. This was old MJ too.

[@blipblip]

@@andgar923 Yea. Just look at that pump fake dribble move at 9:25. Shaq got faked into a whole two steps backward out of respect of a sunset Jordan's dribble drive.

[@MrV-3]

The bulls prolly woulda swept LA if they met in the finals that year. 1. No one could obviously stop Michael Jordan 2. No one woulda been able to keep rodman off the boards 3. Eddie Jones Lack Of A Consistent Jump Shot & predictable offensive game would have got exposed by the bulls defense as his game was exposed during the Utah series 4. Coach Phil Jackson would have out coached del Harris 5. Nic van EXEL & Shaq woulda had to do most of the scoring, Kobe was still developing

[@coreyrowe4119]

The Bulls turned in a poor showing in this one but I have no doubt they would've beaten the Lakers had they met in Finals that year. Lakers were good in 1998 but still not quite ready for the big stage yet. Del Harris simply wasn't a great leader and would've gotten exposed by Phil Jackson in a 7 game series.

[@meg-k-waldren]

Pippen had just returned from injury a game prior. The chemistry took some readjusting.

[@coreyrowe4119]

@@meg-k-waldren Pippen returned on January 10 vs Golden State nearly 3 weeks before the game but he was still getting back into form on this west coast trip.

[@chrisuncleahmad789]

I still can’t believe those 61 win Lakers with 4 All Stars got swept by an aging Utah team of 30 somethings

[@coreyrowe4119]

@@chrisuncleahmad789 that just shows how leadership, experience, and chemistry goes a long way in basketball.

[@mojebi3804]

@@chrisuncleahmad789 30 somethings will kick the ass of 20 somethings in most things in life, sometimes even basketball :)

[@PhantomDreamer_]

People have mentioned that had the Lakers and Bulls met in the Finals that year, the Bulls would have won. I agree. However I think they would give the Bulls a tougher fight than Utah, even though the Jazz swept LA for the second year in a row and the Bulls beat Utah again. Matchups play a factor here.

[@coreyrowe4119]

I just feel like the Lakers would've been done in by the disadvantages they would've been facing in coaching, leadership, and big game experience had they played the Bulls in the 1998 Finals. The Lakers from the early years of the Kobe/Shaq era usually did good in the regular season when there wasn't much pressure but folded once adversity hit them in the playoffs. Kobe and Shaq were both still too young and immature to step up and lead when things got tough and Del Harris certainly wasn't capable of it either since he could never effectively command respect from his guys the way guys like Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, and Pat Riley could. The Jazz teams of 1997-1998 were probably the hardest Finals opponent the Bulls drew in their 90s dynasty. Utah was already pretty seasoned and battle tested when they got their shot at the Bulls since the main nucleus of Stockton, Malone, and Sloan had been together so long and kept everyone accountable.

[@PhantomDreamer_]

Well, now that I think about it, the Bulls probably win in 5. I see Shaq putting up huge numbers, but the rest of the Lakers being inconsistent. Harris reduced 2nd year Kobe's minutes in the playoffs. Jones and Van Exel could be erratic. The Bulls front court wasn't as good as it had been in previous years. Rodman wasn't the same defender he was the previous 2 seasons, especially in '96, Williams (bison dele) was gone via FA. Caffey was dealt during the season. That said, I could see Jordan and Pippen exploiting the Lakers' defensive lapses even more than Utah did.

[@robertlesuer2755]

Kobe Bryant, real deep dude, RIP 😭💔, respect 💪.

[@DOC.MANHATTAN]

KOBE WAS A FRAUD ...I WANNA BE LIKE MIKE

[@TheULMOnaut]

He stayed that until at least 2002. His attempt to take over the team in 2004 was pre mature. Shaq and him could have been successful for a loong time.

[@panjiherboroX3]

Bulls was lucky they didnt meet in the finals

[@davidd.7410]

The Lakers, as good as they were, did not have any experience at the championship level. I think that Jones and Van Exel would have been shut down by the Bulls D. Bulls would have win in 5 or 6.

[@coreyrowe4119]

Bulls win that series in 5 or 6. Lakers weren't ready for the big stage yet. The early years of the Kobe/Shaq era Lakers always folded under pressure when things got tough in the playoffs.

[@darkgray1]

It was a meaningless February game 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@Wis_Dom]

Dumb comment! If the Lakers were so good, then they would have been in the championship.🤣

[@HALO23993]

For m’y part i was impressed by Karl Malone but a final with the Lakers could have been more interesting and fun to watch than against the Jazz.