Revisiting The Impact Toni Kukoc Had On The ‘90s Bulls

The great thing about the early ‘90s is that the internet was still in its infancy, access-wise. While Toni Kukoc’s name was already a staple in Europe basketball, he entered the Bulls lineup in 1993 with barely anyone in the team knowing who he was. Even coach Phil Jackson had only seen him play a few times.

Image source: espn.co.uk

But the 24-year-old southpaw Croatian was quick to show his star play, ushering in the first great era of international players in the NBA. By 1996, after just three years with the team, he became a crucial cog in the Bulls second three-peat. He earned NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1996 and ended his Bulls career the same time Jordan did, a three-time NBA champion in his own right.

With the 6’11’ Kukoc providing outside shooting from the bench, Bulls had no shortage of firepower. Great court vision and passing were his forte, and his tall frame didn’t hamper the Bulls’ speedy play. True, the Bulls made him play away from his strengths in his initial years, but when things were not so good in 1997 with Scottie Pippen sidelined for the first half of the season, it was Kukoc who delivered for the Bulls.

Toni would go on to play for three other NBA franchises in the twilight of his NBA career and retire in 2006 after 13 seasons. But his impact on the Bulls’ charmed second series of championships will not be forgotten by both Bulls fans and management. In fact, in 2015, Kukoc would return to Chicago as a special adviser to the team president.

Image source: nba.com

Hi there, my name’s Jon Bunge , and I’m from Chicago. Though I’m currently based in San Francisco for my studies, I’m a true-blue Chicago sports fan. Visit this blog for more of my write-ups on the Bulls.

The most devastating injuries in NBA playoffs history

Whether you’re a fan or a hater, nobody wishes for an injury to happen to a player, especially during the playoffs. The course of the series will dramatically shift when it happens to key players. 

Image source: Bleacherreport.net

Let’s take a look at the most devastating injuries in NBA playoff history: 

Kyrie Irving, 2015 

When Irving went down in the in Cleveland’s first game of the NBA finals against Golden State, the Cavs had to face the Warriors without their key players Irving and Kevin Love. The Warriors went on to win the championship, and the Cavs had to wait another year to get their first title. 

Derrick Rose, 2012 

Rose was the reigning MVP, and the Bulls were the top-seeded team in the East. It seemed possible for Derrick Rose, the youngest ever to be named MVP, to lead the Bulls to their 7th championship. That hope was shattered when Derrick Rose injured his knee. He recovered from that injury, but his explosiveness and agility were never the same. 

Kahwi Leonard, 2017 

Warriors vs. Spurs was a matchup that fans have been waiting for all season long, and it finally happened in the Western Conference Finals of the 2017 Playoffs. The Spurs had the early lead of 20 points in the first game and Leonard was a force on both ends of the floor. He injured his ankle when he landed on Zaza Pachulia’s foot. 

He was taken off the floor never to return for the rest of the series, and the Warriors rallied on and swept the series. 

Image source : bleacherreport.net

Hi there, my name’s Jon Bunge. I’m a sports science student from San Francisco. I originally from Chicago. Follow me on Twitter for more updates.

The rivalry between Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers

The Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians are batting and battling it out in this year’s edition of the World Series. Both teams have not won the title in a very long time, and it looks like history will be rewritten by the end of this season.

In the NBA, there is a basketball rivalry between the two cities, albeit not often talked about. And the reason is not only because they play in the same division.

Image source: nytimes.com

 

The rivalry started when the teams met in the first round of the playoffs back in 1988. Both the Bulls and Cavaliers were teams on the rise. The Cavs were establishing a blue-collar squad that was prepared to grind it out to win it all. The Bulls were essentially the same, but they had a pair of players named Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. 

Their first postseason battle ended in a hard-fought Chicago win, as Jordan led them with an unreal 45.2 points per game. This would set the tone for the next four playoffs that saw the two teams meeting every year.

Image source: youtube.com

The Cavs would put up a fight, but His Airness would find a way to keep his rivals at bay. The image that best represents this is Jordan’s “The Shot” in 1989. The Cavs, though, were still able to hold their heads up high since they were up against a Chicago Bulls team that went on to win six championships and had the greatest player of all time.

Jon Bunge here, currently living in San Franciso, but still a major supporter of the sports teams of my hometown Chicago. Let’s discuss Chicago sports. All you need to do is follow me on Facebook.