The Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors are two of the most successful franchises in the history of the NBA. In the latest rendition of our clash of all-time teams, these two franchises will go head-to-head for a shot at ultimate bragging rights. The Bulls and their all-time squad led by the duo of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen will try to slow down the perimeter attack of the Warriors’ all-time team led by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
Who will emerge victorious in this battle of two teams that have combined for 10 NBA championships since 1990?
Derrick Rose vs. Stephen Curry
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In this electric point guard matchup, we get a dream contest between a prime Derrick Rose for Chicago and a prime Stephen Curry for Golden State. Rose is going to cause so much disruption in Golden State’s defensive plans with his bursts of speed, control with the ball, and exceptional athleticism proving to be far too much for Curry to hang with defensively.
Rose’s change of speed and direction is going to force the Warriors’ defense to inevitably collapse as he attacks the rim, leaving his teammates open for easy attempts. As for Curry, he is going to give Rose a run for his money defensively as well. With his ability to use screens and unlimited shooting range, it could be a long night for Chicago’s stout perimeter defense.
If there is one player on this team who can hang with Curry’s constant movement without getting too gassed, it is Derrick Rose. While other matchups are favored one way or the other in this series, the Rose and Curry matchup is the one that could swing the series.
Michael Jordan vs. Klay Thompson
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As you can already see, the shooting guard matchup heavily favors the Chicago Bulls. That is because the GOAT, Michael Jordan, is far superior to Klay Thompson in nearly every way on the court. Jordan will likely see many double-teams sent his way because there is no scenario in which Klay Thompson can keep up with him defensively for an entire series.
Defensively, Jordan will be able to take Klay completely off his game. With suffocating on-ball pressure, I expect Thompson to find it difficult to get his perimeter shots off whether it be off the dribble, off screens, or catch-and-shoot. This could be a detriment to the Warriors’ offense with Jordan completely eliminating one of their biggest perimeter threats.
Klay will still be an option in the open court from the perimeter which will be his best shot to contribute at an elite level. That all depends on Golden State’s defense and how often they can force turnovers.
Jimmy Butler vs. Kevin Durant
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Just as the matchup between Jordan and Thompson heavily favored Chicago, this matchup at small forward will favor Golden State. Of course, Jimmy Butler will have a much better chance at defending Kevin Durant than Thompson does with Jordan but even with that being the case, this is prime Kevin Durant we are talking about.
This is the version of Kevin Durant that was made virtually unstoppable due to the presence of Curry and Thompson spacing the floor and making the mid-range shot wide open for him on most possessions. Butler’s best chance is his physicality being able to push Durant further away from the basket than he is comfortable with. Of course, for the 50/40/90 Durant, that may not even matter.
With Butler’s focus being on the defensive end, his offensive contributions will be quite limited. With that being said, he can still get to the rim and knock down short jumpers with Durant inevitably leaving him to help defend Jordan and/or Rose whose assignments are going to need the extra help.
Scottie Pippen vs. Draymond Green
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Our next matchup at the power forward position is one that fans will surely be paying close attention to throughout the series. For the Bulls, Scottie Pippen serves in his normal Swiss Army knife role with most of his focus being on the floor being a defender and playmaker. Pippen will be yet another weapon for the Bulls in their fast-break offense as well which is where most of his opportunities as a scorer will come.
What makes Pippen such a weapon for the Bulls is his ability to lay off Draymond Green and help defend Kevin Durant or even Curry on the perimeter. With Green’s limited shooting ability, Pippen can afford to take chances in backing off and helping his teammates.
Draymond Green is the engine that makes Golden State’s defense go on most nights. However, in this matchup, it will be his abilities as a playmaker that will be most important. With Pippen allowing Green space to go to work, Green can use his patient and methodical passing count every time he touches the ball, setting up Durant and Curry for easy scoring opportunities or being able to feed Wilt Chamberlain in the post for the easiest shots possible.
Dennis Rodman vs. Wilt Chamberlain
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While most of the attention for the Bulls will be on the Jordan/Pippen/Rose trio, it is Dennis Rodman who has one of the most important jobs for them on the court. With his limited offensive repertoire, Rodman’s sole focus is going to be to make Wilt Chamberlain’s job as difficult as possible every single time down the court.
Chamberlain has the clear size advantage in this matchup which means Rodman is going to use his physical brand of play to consistently try and push him as far away from the basket as possible. Of course, Wilt’s length, athleticism, and strength will make that nearly impossible to do consistently.
Regardless of Rodman’s defensive versatility and rebounding, Chamberlain is going to have the upper hand in this one. As we all know, Chamberlain was an exceptional scorer on more than just layups or dunks. Likely, Chamberlain is going to win the rebounding battle with Rodman and is going to be the premier shot-blocker he was during his early career with the Warriors. His presence in this lineup could be the icing on the cake for Golden State in a 7-game series.
Chicago Bulls Advantages
Heading into a 7-game series with Golden State, the Bulls have a few advantages that could lead to victory for them. The first of these advantages is their stout perimeter defense that will be used to combat Golden State’s elite scoring attack from the outside. The combination of top-tier on and off-ball defense from Michael Jordan, Jimmy Butler, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman could be the difference between close wins and devastating losses.
As arbitrary as it sounds, the Bulls’ next greatest advantage in this matchup with the Warriors is the presence of the GOAT. Michael Jordan brings a two-way element to the Bulls lineup that simply doesn’t exist with many or any other players in NBA history. Jordan’s offensive dominance coupled with what he is going to provide defensively is too big to ignore throughout seven games as something that can swing the momentum of the series.
Golden State Warriors Advantages
Just as any team has with an all-time constructed lineup, the Warriors too have advantages that will swing this series in their favor. The glaring one will be their ability to score from anywhere on the court, specifically from beyond the arc. Of course, Stephen Curry leads this discussion as the greatest shooter that ever lived as well as Thompson and Durant who are also elite weapons from the outside. This attack could prove to be too much even for Chicago’s perimeter defense.
The other may seem a little off but the presence of Wilt Chamberlain on the court for Golden State is another huge advantage. Chamberlain is not only the largest player on the court between these two teams but he is also the best interior offensive and defensive player on either side of the ball. Just as Jordan can be the difference-maker for Chicago, Chamberlain is that same player for Golden State.
Who Would Win This Matchup In A 7-Game Series?
The highly-anticipated series between these two incredible all-time teams brings fireworks from the opening tip. Stephen Curry starts out red-hot for the Warriors, sinking six of his first seven attempts from three. Michael Jordan and Derrick Rose are the answer for Chicago, combining for 80 points on the night. Unfortunately, Wilt Chamberlain was far too much for the Bulls to handle with 39 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 blocks as the Warriors hung on for a Game 1 win.
Game 2 went far differently for the Bulls as the defensive mentality from Dennis Rodman on Wilt took a huge shift in focus. Rodman relied more on his physicality in Game 2, completely taking Chamberlain by surprise and off his game. This allowed Michael Jordan to operate freely on the offensive end where he had his second straight 40-point game to lead the Bulls to a win and a 1-1 series tie.
In a pivotal Game 3, the Warriors tried desperately to get their perimeter scorers going early. The Bulls countered by switching Scottie Pippen onto Durant and allowing Draymond Green to be handled by Jimmy Butler. While Durant struggled, Curry Thrived going for 51 points on 11-15 shooting from three. Chamberlain also added 28 points and 16 rebounds to help the Warriors take a 2-1 series lead into Game 4.
Game 4 was a big one for Chicago as going down 3-1 in the series would be a massive hole even for a team led by the GOAT. Jordan was his usual efficient self on the floor and dominated the contest from start to finish. Jimmy Butler also made a huge difference with 23 points in addition to Jordan’s big 52-point night as the Bulls once again answered the Warriors’ series lead and tied the series up at two games apiece.
The Bulls would carry the momentum over from their Game 4 victory into Game 5. Derrick Rose finally made his presence known as a scorer rather than a playmaker for the first time since Game 1. He would finish with 31 points and 11 assists. Jordan continued to destroy every defense thrown his way, getting to the rim and the foul line at will. He would finish with 39 points on 62.5% shooting, leading the Bulls to a Game 5 win and a 3-2 series lead.
With their backs against the wall, Golden State turned to their star duo to save the series for them in Game 6. Stephen Curry took care of business from the perimeter, going for 40 points while shooting 10-16 from three and 55.0% overall. Wilt Chamberlain manhandled Rodman in the paint with 30 points and 24 rebounds while also adding 8 blocks. The Warriors would save their season with a 121-113 win, forcing a Game 7 to decide it all.
With Game 7 to decide the series, each team’s superstars stepped up and had their best nights of the series thus far. Golden State struck early, getting elite production from Curry, Durant, and Chamberlain. Despite building a 15-point lead, it was quickly erased by Jordan and Rose who attacked the permeable Warriors defense relentlessly. In the end, Jordan’s 50 points, 8 assists, and 4 steals led the way for Chicago as they took Game 7 and the series in a 113-109 win.
