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Lore & Background

The 1993–94 season began with profound uncertainty as Michael Jordan retired on October 6, 1993, citing a loss of desire following his father James R. Jordan Sr.'s murder in July 1993. The void was partially filled by free agents Steve Kerr, Bill Wennington, and Pete Myers, alongside Croatian rookie Toni Kukoč, who made his NBA debut as the 29th overall pick from 1990. The team struggled early, losing seven of their first eleven games, but surged with a 14–1 record in their next 15 contests, highlighted by a 10-game winning streak in December and another between March and April. A significant mid-season trade sent Stacey King to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Australian center Luc Longley. The roster proved resilient enough to finish second in the Central Division behind the Atlanta Hawks, securing the third seed and their tenth consecutive playoff berth.

In Their Own Story

The playoffs featured a dramatic Eastern Conference Semi-finals against the New York Knicks, a series that ended Chicago's quest for a fourth straight title. After splitting the first four games, the series swung to Game 7 at Madison Square Garden where the Bulls fell 87–77. However, the most memorable moment occurred in Game 3 at the Chicago Stadium on May 13, 1994. With 1.8 seconds remaining and the score tied 102–102, head coach Phil Jackson designed a final shot for Toni Kukoč rather than Scottie Pippen. An upset Pippen refused to enter the game, forcing Jackson to sub in Pete Myers. Myers inbounded to Kukoč, who hit a 22-foot jumper over Anthony Mason at the buzzer to win 104–102. The series also saw a brawl involving Jo Jo English and Derek Harper that spilled into the stands before Commissioner David Stern, resulting in suspensions for both players.

Reader's Guide

He was named the 1994 NBA All-Star Game MVP after scoring 29 points with 11 rebounds in Minneapolis. Horace Grant also earned a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team (averaging 15.1 points and 11.0 rebounds), while B.J. Armstrong contributed 14.8 points per game. Off the bench, Toni Kukoč was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team with averages of 10.9 points and 3.4 assists. The team finished the regular season with a 55–27 record, drawing 760,816 fans at the Chicago Stadium for their final year there before moving to the United Center.

Did You Know?

• Michael Jordan signed a minor league baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox on March 31, 1994, batting .202 for the Birmingham Barons.
• In Game 3 of the Semi-finals, Scottie Pippen refused to play in the final seconds because Phil Jackson designed the winning shot for Toni Kukoč instead.
• This was the first season without Michael Jordan since the 1983–84 season, resulting in a 55-win campaign only two games shy of their title-winning previous year.
• Pete Myers started at shooting guard to fill the void left by Jordan, averaging 7.9 points per game.
• The Bulls lost Game 7 to the Knicks 87–77 after winning Games 1, 2, and 3 in a three-game sweep against the Cleveland Cavaliers.