The end of the 1995-96 season witnessed a lopsided game between the Chicago Bulls and the Charlotte Hornets. As expected, the Bulls, who were superior in both standings and form, completely dominated their underdog opponents.
Nonetheless, their star player, Michael Jordan, was somewhat taken aback by the complete lack of resistance. MJ’s surprise was shared by many, considering the circumstances of the game.
“We expected them to put up a better effort than they did,” Jordan said post-game, per The L.A. Times.
The Hornets chased a playoff spot
Apart from the sporting events of that evening, another significant occurrence took place. The Hornets vet Robert Parish, aged 42 at the time, equaled Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 1,560 NBA games played. ‘The Big Chief’ would further extend this number, which remains unmatched to this day.
The whole ordeal, however, should have been rather insignificant for his team, as the Hornets were under pressure to secure the last playoff spot. Including the highlighted game, they had seven games remaining to turn things around and surpass their direct competitors. Unfortunately, this final stretch started against the league’s absolute top team.
The Bulls, evidently seeking redemption after two consecutive years of semifinal eliminations, had already amassed 64 wins and claimed the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
A crushing defeat and two unequal tales
The game in question started with the worst possible scenario for the Hornets as their opponents went on a 20-0 run. It concluded in a similar, ending with a score of 126-92. This marked the Hornets’ second-largest loss of the season.
MJ tallied 24 points, shooting an efficient 10-of-16 from the field. As ‘His Airness’ only played 28 minutes and rested for their playoff run, Scottie Pippen stepped up with 28 points, and Toni Kukoc contributed 20 points.
“We just want to keep clicking,” Coach Phil Jackson remarked. “I think the guys are interested in keeping this thing going as long as it goes.”
The opponents were understandably dissatisfied with their dismal performance, particularly given the timing of the game.
“We need to do a whole lot better than this if we want to make the playoffs and make a name for ourselves. This isn’t going to cut it,” said their point guard, Kenny Anderson.
“I can’t remember a shellacking like this. They’re a good team, but we made them look even better. They were clicking on all cylinders. It was a very long evening for the Charlotte Hornets,” chimed in Parish.
Ultimately, the team from Charlotte, finishing 9th in the Eastern Conference, did not make the playoffs. Instead, the Heat secured the last playoff spot but were quickly eliminated by the Bulls in the first round. The team, led by Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman, then went all the way to clinch the championship title of their legendary three-peat.