:27:01
In game one, the Bulls
took the Jazz into overtime.
:27:05
But in the end,
fresher legs prevailed.
:27:10
The previous year,
although Utah had lost,
:27:12
they had proven to themselves...
:27:14
that they could play with the Bulls.
:27:15
and then they win game one.
:27:17
I thought Utah was going
to be the NBA champions.
:27:22
When everybody, in some ways,
didn't expect me to win,
:27:26
and the odds
are stacked against you.
:27:28
And for once in your life,
you are the underdog...
:27:33
You know,
that was beautiful for me.
:27:34
When he needed it most,
Michael didn't find comfort...
:27:38
in the championship banners
he helped raise.
:27:41
But rather strength...
:27:42
from the seven years
of defeat that came before.
:27:45
That was a long road.
:27:48
It kept me in the gym in the
summer, working on my skills...
:27:52
...trying to be the best basketball player
I could become.
:27:56
But at the same time,
:27:57
to show players who were
not on the same level...
:28:00
with the same
mental toughness...
:28:02
that,
if I'm going to do this,
:28:04
then you have
to keep up with the pace.
:28:07
And quietly,
it stared to turn.
:28:09
He was your hardest worker.
He competed everyday.
:28:13
That filtered down through your team,
so as a coach...
:28:15
you never had to talk about
the work ethic of your team...
:28:18
because your best player
always brought that.
:28:21
Michael's standards
were too high...
:28:23
for many
of his early team mates...
:28:24
but then
came Scottie Pippen.
:28:26
The infuence of Michael on Scottie Pippen
was almost from day one.
:28:31
Michael kind of helped him
get out there on the basketball court...
:28:36
and taught him some little things...
some of the small tricks that he'd use.
:28:45
as a consequence, the two of them
really played well together.
:28:48
It was
the Lone Ranger and Tonto.
:28:51
There's no doubt about it.
:28:53
Pippen became a star
in his own right.
:28:56
and then there was
the supporting cast...
:28:58
that Michael would
challenge relentlessly,