The 1995–96 Chicago Bulls season was the 30th season for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association.[1] During the off-season, the Bulls acquired controversial All-Star forward and rebound specialist Dennis Rodman from the San Antonio Spurs,[2][3][4] and signed free agents Randy Brown,[5][6] and James Edwards.[7] At mid-season, the team signed John Salley, who was previously released by the expansion Toronto Raptors; Rodman, Edwards and Salley were all teammates on the Detroit Pistons during the "Bad Boy" era, where they won two consecutive NBA championships between 1989 and 1990.[8][9]
| 1995–96 Chicago Bulls season | |
|---|---|
NBA champions | |
Conference champions | |
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Phil Jackson |
| General manager | Jerry Krause |
| Owners | Jerry Reinsdorf |
| Arena | United Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 72–10 (.878) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Central) Conference: 1st (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | NBA champions (Defeated SuperSonics 4–2) |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Local media | |
| Television | WGN-TV (Wayne Larrivee, Johnny "Red" Kerr) SportsChannel Chicago (Tom Dore, Johnny "Red" Kerr) |
| Radio | WMAQ |
With the addition of Rodman, the Bulls won their first five games of the regular season, and later on posted a 13-game winning streak between November and December, which led to a 23–2 start to the season. The Bulls posted an 18-game winning streak between January and February, which led to a 41–3 record as of February 2, 1996; the team also went undefeated by posting a 14–0 record in January,[10] and held a 42–5 record at the All-Star break.[11] The Bulls became the first NBA team to ever win 70 regular season games, finishing in first place in the Central Division with a league-best 72–10 record, and earned the first seed in the Eastern Conference;[12] the team also posted a league-best 39–2 home record at the United Center,[13] and qualified for the NBA playoffs for the twelfth consecutive year.
The 1995–96 Bulls were named one of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History during the celebration of the league's 50th anniversary in 1996.[14] The team set the record for most wins in an NBA regular season. The 2015–16 Golden State Warriors set a new milestone by finishing with a 73–9 regular season record, but did not win the NBA championship; despite their remarkable performance, the team ultimately fell short in the 2016 NBA Finals.[15] Notably, the Warriors' head coach, Steve Kerr, had a significant link to the 1995–96 Bulls team, having previously played as a point guard for the Bulls during that time. The Bulls' started the regular season 37–0 at home, part of a then-NBA-record 44-game winning streak that included games from the 1994–95 regular season.[16] Their 33 road wins were the most in NBA history until the 2015–16 Warriors won 34 road games. The season was the best 3-loss start in NBA history at 41–3 (.932). They are also the only team in NBA history to win more than 70 games and an NBA title in the same season. The Bulls had the best team offensive rating and the best team defensive rating in the NBA, and are widely regarded as one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
In his first full season with the Bulls since the 1992–93 season, Michael Jordan averaged 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game, contributed 111 three-point field goals, and was named the NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year.[17][18][19] In addition, Scottie Pippen averaged 19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and led the Bulls with 150 three-point field goals, while Croatian small forward Toni Kukoč played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 13.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, and was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.[20][21][22] Meanwhile, Luc Longley provided the team with 9.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, three-point specialist Kerr contributed 8.4 points per game and 122 three-point field goals off the bench, while shooting .515 in three-point field-goal percentage, and Ron Harper provided with 7.4 points and 1.3 steals per game. Rodman averaged 5.5 points and 14.9 rebounds per game, and Bill Wennington contributed 5.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.[23]
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Jordan and Pippen were both selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team, while head coach Phil Jackson was selected to coach the Eastern Conference.[24][25][26] Jordan scored 20 points in 22 minutes, and won his second NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award, as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 129–118.[27][28][29] Meanwhile, Kerr participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout for the third consecutive year.[30][31] Jordan and Pippen were both named to the All-NBA First Team, and NBA All-Defensive First Team, with Rodman being selected to the latter team, and Jackson was named the NBA Coach of the Year.[32][33][34] Pippen finished in fifth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Rodman finished in 15th place;[17][35] Pippen also finished in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, behind Gary Payton of the Seattle SuperSonics, while Jordan finished in sixth place, and Rodman finished in seventh place,[36][35] and Kerr finished in ninth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting.[35]
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1996 NBA playoffs, the Bulls faced off against the 8th–seeded Miami Heat, a team that featured All-Star center Alonzo Mourning, All-Star guard Tim Hardaway, and Rex Chapman. The Bulls won their first two home games over the Heat at the United Center, before winning Game 3 on the road, 112–91 at the Miami Arena to win the series in a three-game sweep.[37][38][39]
In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 5th–seeded New York Knicks, a team that featured All-Star center Patrick Ewing, Anthony Mason and John Starks. The Bulls won the first two games at the United Center, before losing Game 3 to the Knicks on the road in overtime, 102–99 at Madison Square Garden, despite a 46-point performance from Jordan.[40][41][42] The Bulls won the next two games, which included a Game 5 win over the Knicks at the United Center, 94–81 to win the series in five games.[43][44][45]
In the Eastern Conference Finals, and for the second consecutive year, the Bulls faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Atlantic Division champion Orlando Magic, who were led by the trio of All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal, All-Star guard Penny Hardaway, and former Bulls forward Horace Grant. The Bulls won the first two games at the United Center to take a 2–0 series lead, and then won the next two games over the Magic on the road, including a Game 4 win at the Orlando Arena, 106–101, in which Jordan scored 45 points; the Bulls won the series over the Magic in a four-game sweep to advance to the NBA Finals.[46][47][48]
In the 1996 NBA Finals, the Bulls faced off against the top–seeded SuperSonics, who were led by the All-Star trio of Payton, Shawn Kemp and Detlef Schrempf. The Bulls won their first two home games over the SuperSonics at the United Center, before winning Game 3 on the road, 108–86 at the KeyArena at Seattle Center to take a 3–0 series lead.[49][50][51] However, the Bulls lost the next two games to the SuperSonics on the road. With a 3–2 series lead, the Bulls won Game 6 over the SuperSonics at the United Center, 87–75, thus winning the series in six games, and also winning their fourth NBA championship in six years; Jordan was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player for the fourth time, after scoring 22 points in Game 6, despite struggling as he only made 5 out of 19 field-goal attempts.[52][53][54] The 1995–96 Bulls have the best combined regular and postseason record in NBA history at 87–13 (.870 in winning percentage).
The Bulls finished second in the NBA in home-game attendance behind the Charlotte Hornets, with an attendance of 969,149 at the United Center during the regular season.[23][55] One notable incident of the regular season occurred on March 16, 1996, during a road game against the New Jersey Nets at the Brendan Byrne Arena. During the first quarter, Rodman head butted referee Ted Bernhardt, got ejected and was suspended for six games;[56][57][58] the Bulls defeated the Nets by a score of 97–93.[59]
Following the season, Edwards retired, and Salley left to play overseas in Greece.[60] For the season, the Bulls added new black alternate road uniforms with red pinstripes;[61] eventually, they would remove the pinstripes from their jerseys in 1997.[62]
Off-season
editBefore the 1995–96 NBA season, the Bulls acquired Dennis Rodman and Jack Haley from the Spurs in exchange for Will Perdue and cash considerations to fill a void at power forward left by Horace Grant, who left the Bulls before the 1994–95 NBA season.[63]
In his book Bad as I Wanna Be,[citation needed] Rodman wrote that Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen had to approve the trade. Rodman chose the number 91 (9+1=10 according to Rodman for why he chose that number) for his jersey since #10 was retired by the Bulls in 1995 in honor of Bob Love.
Haley played in one game, the final game of the regular season, and didn't participate in the playoffs. He was best known for his friendship with the enigmatic Rodman.[64]
NBA draft
edit| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | Jason Caffey | PF |  United States |
Alabama |
| 2 | 31 | Dragan Tarlać | C |  Serbia and Montenegro |
Olympiakos (Greece) |
Roster
edit| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
Roster |
Standings
editCentral Division
edit| Central Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| z–Chicago Bulls | 72 | 10 | .878 | – | 39–2 | 33–8 | 24–4 | 82 |
| x–Indiana Pacers | 52 | 30 | .634 | 20.0 | 32–9 | 20–21 | 19–9 | 82 |
| x–Cleveland Cavaliers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 25.0 | 26–15 | 21–20 | 13–15 | 82 |
| x–Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 | 26.0 | 26–15 | 20–21 | 15–13 | 82 |
| x–Detroit Pistons | 46 | 36 | .561 | 26.0 | 30–11 | 16–25 | 15–13 | 82 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 31.0 | 25–16 | 16–25 | 13–15 | 82 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 25 | 57 | .305 | 47.0 | 14–27 | 11–30 | 8–20 | 82 |
| Toronto Raptors | 21 | 61 | .256 | 51.0 | 15–26 | 6–35 | 5–23 | 82 |
Eastern Conference
edit| Eastern Conference | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
| 1 | z–Chicago Bulls | 72 | 10 | .878 | – | 82 |
| 2 | y–Orlando Magic | 60 | 22 | .732 | 12.0 | 82 |
| 3 | x–Indiana Pacers | 52 | 30 | .634 | 20.0 | 82 |
| 4 | x–Cleveland Cavaliers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 25.0 | 82 |
| 5 | x–New York Knicks | 47 | 35 | .573 | 25.0 | 82 |
| 6 | x–Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 | 26.0 | 82 |
| 7 | x–Detroit Pistons | 46 | 36 | .561 | 26.0 | 82 |
| 8 | x–Miami Heat | 42 | 40 | .512 | 30.0 | 82 |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 31.0 | 82 |
| 10 | Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 33.0 | 82 |
| 11 | Boston Celtics | 33 | 49 | .402 | 39.0 | 82 |
| 12 | New Jersey Nets | 30 | 52 | .366 | 42.0 | 82 |
| 13 | Milwaukee Bucks | 25 | 57 | .305 | 47.0 | 82 |
| 14 | Toronto Raptors | 21 | 61 | .256 | 51.0 | 82 |
| 15 | Philadelphia 76ers | 18 | 64 | .220 | 54.0 | 82 |
Regular season
editNovember
edit
The Bulls began the 1995–96 season on November 3 against the Charlotte Hornets and defeated them, 105–91, with Michael Jordan scoring 42 points.[65] The next day, Chicago defeated the Boston Celtics in a 22-point blowout, 107–85, behind Scottie Pippen's 21 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.[66] On November 7, the Bulls defeated the Toronto Raptors behind Jordan's 38 points.[67] In Gund Arena, Chicago defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 9, where Scottie Pippen accumulated a triple-double with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists.[68] After defeating the Portland Trail Blazers on November 11, the Bulls reached a 5–0 start for the season.[69] On November 14, Chicago's undefeated streak ended with a loss to the Orlando Magic, despite a double-double performance by Pippen who recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan also scored 23 points and grabbed 7 rebounds for the Bulls[70] Following their first loss of the season, Chicago bounced back to defeat Cleveland on November 15.[71] The Bulls would continue their winning ways by defeating the New Jersey Nets on November 17. Toni Kukoc recorded a game-high 19 points and 7 assists for the Bulls.[72]
The Bulls went on a road trip to play against seven Western Conference teams. On November 21, Chicago played in its first overtime game of the season in a win against the Dallas Mavericks, 108–102, backed by a double-double performance by Pippen who recorded 26 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists and 36 points from Jordan.[73] On the next day, the Bulls defeated the San Antonio Spurs behind another triple-double by Pippen who recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. and Jordan's 38 points and 9 rebounds.[74] Chicago then went to Delta Center to play against the Utah Jazz on November 24. In the game, the Bulls defeated the Jazz, 90–85.[75] On November 26, the Bulls headed to Seattle and led the Sonics 64–51 after the first half, but the Sonics mounted a comeback outscoring the Bulls on the next two quarters, thus handing the visiting Bulls their second loss of the season, 92–97. Jordan led the Bulls with 22 points and 5 rebounds.[76] The next game, the Bulls would visit the Trailblazers. Jordan led all scorers with 33 points to go along with 8 assists, as the Bulls won, 107–104.[77] In their last game of the month, the Bulls went to Canada to play against the Vancouver Grizzlies and defeated them, 94–88.[78]
December
editChicago's road trip ended in Los Angeles on December 2 after defeating the Clippers behind Jordan's double-double of 37 points and 11 rebounds.[79] On December 6, the Bulls headed back to the United Center to play the New York Knicks and had defeated them despite Jordan's struggle that night who shot just 8-for-27 from the field. In that game also, Rodman grabbed a game-high 20 rebounds.[80] The Bulls won their fifth straight game on December 8 against the Spurs, behind Jordan's statline of 28 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.[81] On the next day, Chicago defeated the Milwaukee Bucks behind Jordan's 45-point performance and Pippen's 28 points and 6 assists.[82] On December 13, the Bulls were visited by the Orlando Magic. Jordan recorded 36 points and 6 rebounds, Pippen recorded 26 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists and Rodman recorded 8 points and 19 rebounds as they got their 17th win of the season, beating the visiting Magic, 112–103.[83] The next day, the Bulls traveled to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on the road. The Bulls outscored the Hawks 65 to 55 in the first half, thus fueling them towards their 8th straight win and 18th win of the season. Pippen led the Bulls having recorded a near triple-double of 30 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists.[84] On December 16, Pippen recorded a double-double of 33 points and 13 rebounds as the Bulls got the win over the visiting L.A. Lakers, 108–88.[85] Two days after, Jordan and Pippen both scored 37 points as they fueled the Bulls towards their 20th win of the season, after beating the Celtics, 123–114.[86]
January
editThe Bulls went undefeated in January.
February
editThe Bulls continued their success in February, winning 11 of 14 of the games played this month. And also, this is their first and only time they have lost back-to-back games for the whole season. On February 4, they had been defeated by the Denver Nuggets despite a stellar performance by Michael Jordan who recorded 39 points and 4 assists on the road. The following game, the Bulls also lost another road game, this time to the Phoenix Suns. In this game, Charles Barkley proved too much to be handle by the Bulls as he dropped a double-double of 35 points and 16 rebounds to guide his team in winning. After losing two straight road games, the Bulls followed it with 7 straight wins. In that 7-game streak, the Bulls defeated the Warriors, Bullets, Pistons (in OT), Timberwolves, Pacers, Cavaliers and Hawks. Their 7-game winning streak were stopped by the home team, the Miami Heat. The Heat, guided by Rex Chapman who shot 9-for-10 from 3-point range, proved too much to be handled by the visiting Bulls. With this loss, the Bulls now have lost 6 games for the whole season, and all 6 of those games are on the road.[87]
March
editThe Bulls added 2 of their final 10 losses in March:[88]
On Sunday, March 10, they were blown out 104–72 in Madison Square Garden by Ewing's Knicks – their largest margin of defeat on the season.
Two weeks later, they dropped a game at the hands of the expansion Raptors, 109–108. Damon Stoudamire posted an efficient 30-point, 11-assist effort to lead Toronto.
April
editThe Bulls lost two home games in the final month losing to the Charlotte Hornets, then their final home game of the season to the Indiana Pacers. Those were their only home losses of the entire season, including the playoffs, as Chicago finished with an overall 39–2 record at the United Center.
Playoffs
editFirst round
edit| Net. | Game | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBS | Game 1 | April 26 | 9:30 EDT |
| NBC | Game 2 | April 28 | 5:30 EDT |
| TNT | Game 3 | May 1 | 8:00 EDT |
The Bulls' playoff run began on April 26. Their First Round opponent was the Miami Heat, whom they defeated 3–1 in the regular season. In Game 1, the Bulls defeated Miami in a blowout victory behind Jordan's 35 points.[89] Winning in a 31-point blowout, Chicago once again defeated the Heat.[90] To reach the Conference Semifinals, the Bulls defeated the Heat in Miami in a game where Pippen accumulated a triple-double with 22 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists.[91]
Conference semifinals
edit| Net. | Game | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBC | Game 1 | May 5 | 5:30 EDT |
| TNT | Game 2 | May 7 | 9:30 EDT |
| NBC | Game 3 | May 11 | 1:00 EDT |
| NBC | Game 4 | May 12 | 5:30 EDT |
| TNT | Game 5 | May 14 | 8:00 EDT |
The Bulls met rival New York Knicks in the Conference Semifinals. In the regular season, Chicago won the season series, 4–1. In Game 1 on May 5, the Bulls defeated the Knicks behind Jordan's 44 points.[92] Chicago would defeat New York again on May 7 to take a 2–0 series lead.[93] Playing at Madison Square Garden, the Bulls lost Game 3 in overtime, despite a 46-point offensive performance by Jordan.[94] In Game 4, Chicago defeated the Knicks by three points to take a 3–1 series lead.[95] To close out the series, the Bulls defeated New York at home behind double-double performances by Pippen and Rodman.[96]
Conference finals
edit| Net. | Game | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBC | Game 1 | May 19 | 3:30 EDT |
| TNT | Game 2 | May 21 | 8:30 EDT |
| NBC | Game 3 | May 25 | 3:30 EDT |
| NBC | Game 4 | May 27 | 3:30 EDT |
In the Conference Finals, the Bulls met the Atlantic Division champions, Orlando Magic, a team led by Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, who had reached the finals the previous year and were swept by Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets. The Bulls won the regular-season series against the Magic, 3–1. To start the series, the Bulls took Game 1 in a 38-point blowout on May 19.[97] Behind Jordan's 35 points, Chicago defeated Orlando on May 21.[98] In Game 3, the Bulls continued their winning ways by taking a 3–0 series lead against the Magic.[99] Completing the series sweep, the Bulls won Game 4 by five points behind a 45-point performance by Jordan.[100]
NBA Finals
edit| Net. | Game | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBC | Game 1 | June 5 | 9:00 EDT |
| NBC | Game 2 | June 7 | 9:00 EDT |
| NBC | Game 3 | June 9 | 7:30 EDT |
| NBC | Game 4 | June 12 | 9:00 EDT |
| NBC | Game 5 | June 14 | 9:00 EDT |
| NBC | Game 6 | June 16 | 7:30 EDT |
Chicago took on the Seattle SuperSonics, whose 64–18 franchise-best regular season record was overshadowed by the Bulls' 72–10 record. In the regular season, the two teams split the season series, 1–1. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Chicago defeated Seattle by 17 points.[101] The Bulls took a 2–0 series lead against the Sonics in the second game where Rodman accumulated 20 rebounds.[102] In KeyArena, Chicago won Game 3 behind Jordan's 36 points.[103] The Bulls lost Game 4 in a 21-point blowout on June 12.[104] On June 14, the Bulls lost against Seattle in Game 5.[105] Back in the United Center, Chicago defeated Seattle in Game 6[106] to win the NBA championship four games to two.
Game log
editRegular season
editPlayoffs
edit| 1996 playoff game log Total: 15–3 (Home: 10–0; Road: 5–3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First Round: 3–0 (home: 2–0; road: 1–0)
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Conference Semifinals: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
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Conference Finals: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0)
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NBA Finals: 4–2 (home: 3–0; road: 1–2)
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| 1996 schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Player statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Regular season
edit| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Brown | 68 | 0 | 9.9 | .406 | .091 | .609 | 1.0 | 1.1 | .84 | .18 | 2.7 |
| Jud Buechler | 74 | 0 | 10.0 | .463 | .444 | .636 | 1.5 | .8 | .46 | .09 | 3.8 |
| Jason Caffey | 57 | 0 | 9.6 | .438 | .000 | .588 | 1.9 | .4 | .21 | .12 | 3.2 |
| James Edwards | 28 | 0 | 9.8 | .373 | .000 | .615 | 1.4 | .4 | .04 | .29 | 3.5 |
| Jack Haley | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | .333 | .000 | .500 | 2.0 | .0 | .00 | .00 | 5.0 |
| Ron Harper | 80 | 80 | 23.6 | .467 | .269 | .705 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 1.31 | .40 | 7.4 |
| Michael Jordan | 82 | 82 | 37.7 | .495 | .427 | .834 | 6.6 | 4.3 | 2.20 | .51 | 30.4 |
| Steve Kerr | 82 | 0 | 23.4 | .506 | .515 | .929 | 1.3 | 2.3 | .77 | .02 | 8.4 |
| Toni Kukoč | 81 | 20 | 26.0 | .490 | .403 | .772 | 4.0 | 3.5 | .79 | .35 | 13.1 |
| Luc Longley | 62 | 62 | 26.5 | .482 | .000 | .777 | 5.1 | 1.9 | .35 | 1.35 | 9.1 |
| Scottie Pippen | 77 | 77 | 36.7 | .463 | .374 | .679 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 1.73 | .74 | 19.4 |
| Dennis Rodman | 64 | 57 | 32.6 | .480 | .111 | .528 | 14.9 | 2.5 | .56 | .42 | 5.5 |
| John Salley | 17 | 0 | 11.2 | .343 | .000 | .600 | 2.5 | .9 | .47 | .88 | 2.1 |
| Dickey Simpkins | 60 | 12 | 11.4 | .481 | 1.000 | .629 | 2.6 | .6 | .15 | .13 | 3.6 |
| Bill Wennington | 71 | 20 | 15.0 | .493 | 1.000 | .860 | 2.5 | .6 | .30 | .23 | 5.3 |
Playoffs
edit| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Brown | 16 | 7.0 | .571 | .500 | .750 | .6 | .4 | .31 | .06 | 2.8 | |
| Jud Buechler | 17 | 7.5 | .474 | .381 | .500 | .6 | .4 | .41 | .00 | 2.7 | |
| James Edwards | 6 | 4.7 | .444 | .000 | .750 | .7 | .0 | .00 | .00 | 1.8 | |
| Ron Harper | 18 | 27.4 | .425 | .319 | .690 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.39 | .39 | 8.8 | |
| Michael Jordan | 18 | 40.7 | .459 | .403 | .818 | 4.9 | 4.1 | 1.83 | .33 | 30.7 | |
| Steve Kerr | 18 | 19.8 | .448 | .321 | .871 | 1.0 | 1.7 | .78 | .00 | 6.8 | |
| Toni Kukoč | 15 | 29.3 | .391 | .191 | .838 | 4.2 | 3.9 | .93 | .27 | 10.8 | |
| Luc Longley | 18 | 24.4 | .469 | .000 | .757 | 4.6 | 1.6 | .39 | 1.39 | 8.3 | |
| Scottie Pippen | 18 | 41.2 | .390 | .286 | .638 | 8.5 | 5.9 | 2.61 | .89 | 16.9 | |
| Dennis Rodman | 18 | 34.4 | .485 | .000 | .593 | 13.7 | 2.1 | .78 | .44 | 7.5 | |
| John Salley | 16 | 5.3 | .545 | .000 | .286 | .7 | .4 | .06 | .12 | .9 | |
| Bill Wennington | 18 | 9.4 | .520 | .000 | .500 | 1.7 | .5 | .22 | .06 | 3.0 |
Player statistics citation:[23]
Playoff leaders
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Salaries
edit| Rk | Player | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Michael Jordan | $3,850,000 |
| 2 | Toni Kukoč | $3,560,000 |
| 3 | Ron Harper | $3,120,000 |
| 4 | Scottie Pippen | $2,925,000 |
| 5 | Dennis Rodman | $2,500,000 |
| 6 | Luc Longley | $2,300,000 |
| 7 | Bill Wennington | $1,000,000 |
| 8 | Randy Brown | $900,000 |
| 9 | Dickey Simpkins | $845,000 |
| 10 | Steve Kerr | $800,000 |
| 11 | Jason Caffey | $627,000 |
| 12 | Jud Buechler | $300,000 |
| 13 | James Edwards | $225,000 |
| 14 | Jack Haley | $225,000 |
Award winners
edit- Phil Jackson, NBA Coach of the Year
- Michael Jordan, All-NBA First Team
- Michael Jordan, All-Star Game MVP
- Michael Jordan, NBA MVP
- Michael Jordan, NBA Finals MVP
- Michael Jordan, NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Michael Jordan, Regular season leader, Field Goals (916)
- Michael Jordan, Regular season leader, Field Goal Attempts (1850)
- Michael Jordan, Regular season leader, Total Points (2491)
- Michael Jordan, Regular season leader, Scoring Average (30.4 points per game)
- Scottie Pippen, All-NBA First Team
- Scottie Pippen, NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Dennis Rodman, NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Dennis Rodman, Regular season leader, Rebounds Per Game (14.9)
- Dennis Rodman, Regular season leader, Offensive Rebounds (356)
- Dennis Rodman, Regular season leader, Rebound Rate (26.6)
- Toni Kukoč, NBA Sixth Man of the Year
- Jerry Krause, NBA Executive of the Year Award
NBA All-Star Game
edit- Michael Jordan, Guard
- Scottie Pippen, Forward
References
edit- ↑ "1995-96 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats - Basketball-Reference.com". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
- ↑ Brown, Clifton (October 3, 1995). "PRO BASKETBALL; Unhappy Rodman Is Dealt from Spurs to the Bulls". The New York Times. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
- ↑ "Bulls Take a Chance on Rodman: Pro Basketball: Controversial Forward Is Traded from San Antonio for Will Perdue". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. October 3, 1995. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ↑ Gano, Rick (October 3, 1995). "Bulls Acquire Rodman from Spurs". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
- ↑ "Bulls Sign Randy Brown, Re-Sign Longley". United Press International. October 5, 1995. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ↑ Armour, Terry (October 6, 1995). "Joining Bulls "Almost Like a Storybook" for Former Collins Prep Brown". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ↑ Armour, Terry (October 27, 1995). "Bulls Sign Edwards to Bolster Monster". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
- ↑ "Bulls Sign Salley to 10-Day Contract". United Press International. March 4, 1996. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ↑ Armour, Terry (March 5, 1996). "Bulls Add Another Ex-Piston in Salley". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ↑ "NBA Teams That Went Unbeaten for a Full Month". HoopsHype. December 3, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
- ↑ "NBA Games Played on February 8, 1996". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
- ↑ "1995–96 Chicago Bulls Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ Armour, Terry (April 22, 1996). "Chicago Bulls Finish Season with All-Time Best 72-10 Record". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
- ↑ "Two Bulls Teams Voted Among NBA's 10 Best of All-Time". Chicago Tribune. June 16, 2011. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ↑ "Warriors Prove Regular-Season Wins Don't Mean a Thing Without the Ring". Chicago Tribune. June 20, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ↑ Armour, Terry (April 5, 1996). "Struggle: Bulls 100, Heat 92". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
- 1 2 "Jordan Named NBA MVP". United Press International. May 20, 1996. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ↑ Araton, Harvey (May 21, 1996). "Sports of the Times; The M.V.P. of Dealing Deserves It". The New York Times. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
- ↑ "NBA MVP & ABA Most Valuable Player Award Winners". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ↑ "Kukoc Named Best of the Bench". The Washington Post. May 15, 1996. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ↑ Isaacson, Melissa (May 15, 1996). "Kukoč: Sixth Man Award 2nd Best to Starting Role". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ↑ "NBA & ABA Sixth Man of the Year Award Winners". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- 1 2 3 "1995–96 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
- ↑ Bembry, Jerry (January 31, 1996). "NBA Coaches Recognize Howard's Star Quality; Bullets' 2nd-Year Player Named Eastern Reserve". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ↑ Heisler, Mark (February 11, 1996). "NBA Has All-Stars in Its Eyes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
- ↑ "1996 NBA All-Star Game: East 129, West 118". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
- ↑ Brown, Clifton (February 12, 1996). "PRO BASKETBALL; The East Revolves Around Two Stars". The New York Times. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ↑ Heisler, Mark (February 12, 1996). "Jordan Has Time to Spare as MVP of East's Victory". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
- ↑ "1996 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- ↑ "Pro Basketball". The Gainesville Sun. February 10, 1996. p. 15. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
- ↑ "NBA & ABA All-Star Game Contest Winners". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
- ↑ "Bulls' Jackson NBA Coach of Year". United Press International. May 7, 1996. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
- ↑ Isaacson, Melissa (May 8, 1996). "Better Late Than Never: Jackson Selected Coach of the Year". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ↑ "NBA & ABA Coach of the Year Award Winners". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- 1 2 3 "1995–96 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- ↑ "N.B.A. PLAYOFFS; Payton Honored for Defense". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 7, 1996. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ↑ "NBA PLAYOFFS; Jordan Sends Heat Home". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 2, 1996. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ↑ Greenstein, Teddy (May 2, 1996). "Triple Double Backs Up Pippen's Forecast". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
- ↑ "1996 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Heat vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ↑ Smith, Sam (May 12, 1996). "Starks Easy to Hate, Easier Still to Identify With". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Isaacson, Melissa (May 12, 1996). "Jordan Needs Pippen on Same Page". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ "1996 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 3: Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks Box Score, May 11, 1996". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ Wise, Mike (May 15, 1996). "NBA PLAYOFFS; Bulls End Another Knick Season and, This Time, an Era". The New York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ↑ Heisler, Mark (May 15, 1996). "Bulls Take New York, Yet Again". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
- ↑ "1996 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals: Knicks vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ↑ Wise, Mike (May 28, 1996). "N.B.A PLAYOFFS; Jordan Wields the Broom as Bulls Sweep the Magic". The New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ↑ Heisler, Mark (May 28, 1996). "Jordan Knows Tricks to Make Magic Vanish". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ↑ "1996 NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Magic vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ↑ Friend, Tom (June 10, 1996). "N.B.A. FINALS; Sonics See Rodman, Rodman Everywhere". The New York Times. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Howard-Cooper, Scott (June 10, 1996). "Seattle Needled, Gored as Bulls Near the Ring". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ "1996 NBA Finals Game 3: Chicago Bulls at Seattle SuperSonics Box Score, June 9, 1996". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ Brown, Clifton (June 17, 1996). "N.B.A. FINALS; After a Few Anxious Days, Jordan and Bulls Get Their Title". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ↑ "Bulls Drown Out SuperSonics, 87-75". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 17, 1996. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ↑ "1996 NBA Finals: SuperSonics vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ↑ "1995–96 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
- ↑ "PRO BASKETBALL; Rodman Uses His Head, Jordan Uses His Skills". The New York Times. Associated Press. March 17, 1996. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ↑ Smith, Sam (March 18, 1996). "Suspension Looms for Rodman". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ↑ Brown, Clifton (March 19, 1996). "PRO BASKETBALL; Rodman's Suspension Could Cost Bulls, Too". The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at New Jersey Nets Box Score, March 16, 1996". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Salley Signs to Play in Greece". United Press International. October 6, 1996. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ↑ "Unhappy Rodman Is Dealt From Spurs to the Bulls". The New York Times. October 3, 1995.
- ↑ Bickley, Dan (December 26, 1996). "Haley looks to escape Rodman's shadow". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 104.
- ↑ "Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls Box Score, November 3, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls Box Score, November 4, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Toronto Raptors at Chicago Bulls Box Score, November 7, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers Box Score, November 9, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Portland Trail Blazers at Chicago Bulls Box Score, November 11, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic Box Score, November 14, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls Box Score, November 15, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "New Jersey Nets at Chicago Bulls Box Score, November 17, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Dallas Mavericks Box Score, November 21, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at San Antonio Spurs Box Score, November 22, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Utah Jazz Box Score, November 24, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Seattle SuperSonics Box Score, November 26, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Portland Trail Blazers Box Score, November 27, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Vancouver Grizzlies Box Score, November 30, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Clippers Box Score, December 2, 1995". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls Box Score, December 6, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "San Antonio Spurs at Chicago Bulls Box Score, December 8, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks Box Score, December 9, 1995". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Orlando Magic at Chicago Bulls Box Score, December 13, 1995". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Atlanta Hawks Box Score, December 14, 1995". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
- ↑ "Los Angeles Lakers at Chicago Bulls Box Score, December 16, 1995". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics Box Score, December 18, 1995". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
- ↑ "1995-96 Chicago Bulls Schedule and Results". Retrieved June 12, 2019.
- ↑ "1995-96 Chicago Bulls Schedule and Results - Basketball-Reference.com". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
- ↑ "Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls Box Score, April 26, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls Box Score, April 28, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat Box Score, May 1, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls Box Score, May 5, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls Box Score, May 7, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks Box Score, May 11, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks Box Score, May 12, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls Box Score, May 14, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Orlando Magic at Chicago Bulls Box Score, May 19, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Orlando Magic at Chicago Bulls Box Score, May 21, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic Box Score, May 25, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic Box Score, May 27, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Seattle SuperSonics at Chicago Bulls Box Score, June 5, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Seattle SuperSonics at Chicago Bulls Box Score, June 7, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Seattle SuperSonics Box Score, June 9, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Seattle SuperSonics Box Score, June 12, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Chicago Bulls at Seattle SuperSonics Box Score, June 14, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Seattle SuperSonics at Chicago Bulls Box Score, June 16, 1996". Retrieved August 12, 2014.
External links
edit- Bulls on Database Basketball
- Bulls on Basketball Reference
- "Chicago Bulls 72–10 Mixtape from the 1995–1996 Season". NBA.com. April 10, 2016. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021 – via YouTube.