1996
Reigning belt holder: Hakeem Olajuwon (x2)
NBA Champion: Chicago Bulls
MVP: Michael Jordan
Finals MVP: Michael Jordan
Scoring champ: Michael Jordan (30.4)
PER champ: David Robinson (29.4)
The candidates:
Hakeem Olajuwon: With aging guards and little to no depth at forward, Houston's slim chances of a 3-peat rested once again on the shoulders of Hakeem Olajuwon. Once again, Hakeem delivered another spectacular season. Averaging 26.9ppg (2nd best in the NBA), 10.9 rebounds (6th) and 2.9 blocks (4th), to go along with 3.6 assists. Dream was yet again a one-man wrecking crew and landed on the all-NBA first team, but much like 1995 he couldn't save the Rockets from yet another mediocre regular season. Ironically his two best performances (51 and 14 rebounds against Boston and 46. 19 rebounds and 8 assists against Minnesota) ended in home losses to lesser opponents. Houston finished with 48 wins and the #5 seed, but looked as if they might reclaim their postseason mojo with Hakeem's 33 points 8 rebounds and 5 steals led them to a game 1 road win in route to a 3-1 series win over the higher seeded Lakers. Awaiting them in the second round however were Hakeem's nemesis, the Seattle Supersonics. Their swarming traps harassed Hakeem to just 11/30 shooting in the first two games as the Sonics won both at home. Hakeem broke free in Houston, with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists in game 3 and 26 more in game 4, but it wasn't enough as the Sonics won both games, sweeping out Houston's bid for a 3-peat.
Michael Jordan: With a full summer under his belt to re-train himself for the NBA, Michael Jordan returned to his old spectacular self, and looked to reclaim some of his old things. He started with the scoring title, which he took back with a 30.4 average, to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Jordan also acclimated himself very well to the shorter 3-point arc, attempting over 3 per game on 42.7%. Jordan made his return to the all-NBA first team as well as all-defensive first team, and the Bulls followed right behind him, winning an NBA-record 72 games, allowing him to reclaim the league MVP trophy for the 4th time. The postseason as relatively drama-free, but MJ came through when it mattered. He opened up the 2nd round knicks series with 44 points in a game 1 win, and finished them off with 35 more in game 5. Jordan then tortured the same Magic team that had defeated his a year before with 45 points in a backbreaking game 3 win in Orlando on the way to a 4-game sweep to get the Bulls back to the finals. Jordan averaged 29 points over the first 2 games, both Chicago wins, before ripping their hearts out with 36 more in an end-to-end game 3 road win to go up 3-0. The sonics bounced back a little before falling in 6 games, delivering Jordan the two other things he had given up: An NBA championship and finals MVP.
Karl Malone: Following their first round exit in 1995, many thought the Karl Malone Jazz had reached the end of their long run as major contenders. In fact, they were just getting started. The mailman delivered as usual, finishing 4th in the league in scoring at 25.7 along with 9.8 rebounds, but he started developing as a passer, dishing out a career-best 4.2 assists. Malone's Jazz team won a respectable 55 games, earning him a return trip to the all-NBA first team. Malone was a man possessed in the postseason, carrying Utah past another upset bid from the Portland Trailblazers. After averaging 32 points and 12 rebounds n the first two games (both wins), Malone finished off the Blazers with 25 and 10 in the deciding game 5. A return engagement against David Robinson and the Jazz once again went to Malone in decisive fashion. Malone's series averages of 25 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists showed his growth as a playmaker, as the Jazz smashed the 59=win spurs in just 5 games. In the conference finals against the 64-win sonics, Malone nearly pulled off another upset. After falling behind 2-0, Malone played inspired in game 3 with 28/18/4 in a critical game 3 win, then after Seattle won game 4 to go up 3-1, Malone hit them right back with 29 and 15 to scrape out an OT road win in Seattle, then 32/10/7 and 4 steals in game 6 to even up the series at 3. Unfortunately Malone's 22 points and 7 assists were not quite enough to win game 7 as Utah's surprising playoff push came to an end.
Shaquille O'Neal: Shaq began the 1996 season on IR with a broken thumb, but finished it as once again the most terrifying inside presence in the NBA. Averaging 26.6ppg (3rd best in the league), 10 rebounds and shooting over 60% from the floor, he owned the paint over the season;s final 54 games like he never left. Orlando went 40-14 after his return, on their way to a franchise-record 60 wins, earning Shaq an all-NBA 3rd team appearance despite his limited season. Shaq once again terrorized undersized eastern opponents in the playoffs, pummeling the Hawks with 41 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists in game 1 in a series where he averaged 28, 1 and 5 on an astonishing 63% from the field. Losing Horace Grant for the Bulls series proved to be an insurmountable blow for the Magic, but Shaq played his game, averaging 27 11 and 4 over the course of the series, on an another absurd 64% FG number. His high point was 36, 16 and 4 in game 2, but it wasn't enough to hold on to an early 20-point lead as the Bulls came back to win the game and the series in 4 games, putting a sweeping end to both Orlando's 1996 campaign and O'Neal's tenure in Orlando.
Reigning belt holder: Hakeem Olajuwon (x2)
NBA Champion: Chicago Bulls
MVP: Michael Jordan
Finals MVP: Michael Jordan
Scoring champ: Michael Jordan (30.4)
PER champ: David Robinson (29.4)
The candidates:
Hakeem Olajuwon: With aging guards and little to no depth at forward, Houston's slim chances of a 3-peat rested once again on the shoulders of Hakeem Olajuwon. Once again, Hakeem delivered another spectacular season. Averaging 26.9ppg (2nd best in the NBA), 10.9 rebounds (6th) and 2.9 blocks (4th), to go along with 3.6 assists. Dream was yet again a one-man wrecking crew and landed on the all-NBA first team, but much like 1995 he couldn't save the Rockets from yet another mediocre regular season. Ironically his two best performances (51 and 14 rebounds against Boston and 46. 19 rebounds and 8 assists against Minnesota) ended in home losses to lesser opponents. Houston finished with 48 wins and the #5 seed, but looked as if they might reclaim their postseason mojo with Hakeem's 33 points 8 rebounds and 5 steals led them to a game 1 road win in route to a 3-1 series win over the higher seeded Lakers. Awaiting them in the second round however were Hakeem's nemesis, the Seattle Supersonics. Their swarming traps harassed Hakeem to just 11/30 shooting in the first two games as the Sonics won both at home. Hakeem broke free in Houston, with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists in game 3 and 26 more in game 4, but it wasn't enough as the Sonics won both games, sweeping out Houston's bid for a 3-peat.
Michael Jordan: With a full summer under his belt to re-train himself for the NBA, Michael Jordan returned to his old spectacular self, and looked to reclaim some of his old things. He started with the scoring title, which he took back with a 30.4 average, to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Jordan also acclimated himself very well to the shorter 3-point arc, attempting over 3 per game on 42.7%. Jordan made his return to the all-NBA first team as well as all-defensive first team, and the Bulls followed right behind him, winning an NBA-record 72 games, allowing him to reclaim the league MVP trophy for the 4th time. The postseason as relatively drama-free, but MJ came through when it mattered. He opened up the 2nd round knicks series with 44 points in a game 1 win, and finished them off with 35 more in game 5. Jordan then tortured the same Magic team that had defeated his a year before with 45 points in a backbreaking game 3 win in Orlando on the way to a 4-game sweep to get the Bulls back to the finals. Jordan averaged 29 points over the first 2 games, both Chicago wins, before ripping their hearts out with 36 more in an end-to-end game 3 road win to go up 3-0. The sonics bounced back a little before falling in 6 games, delivering Jordan the two other things he had given up: An NBA championship and finals MVP.
Karl Malone: Following their first round exit in 1995, many thought the Karl Malone Jazz had reached the end of their long run as major contenders. In fact, they were just getting started. The mailman delivered as usual, finishing 4th in the league in scoring at 25.7 along with 9.8 rebounds, but he started developing as a passer, dishing out a career-best 4.2 assists. Malone's Jazz team won a respectable 55 games, earning him a return trip to the all-NBA first team. Malone was a man possessed in the postseason, carrying Utah past another upset bid from the Portland Trailblazers. After averaging 32 points and 12 rebounds n the first two games (both wins), Malone finished off the Blazers with 25 and 10 in the deciding game 5. A return engagement against David Robinson and the Jazz once again went to Malone in decisive fashion. Malone's series averages of 25 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists showed his growth as a playmaker, as the Jazz smashed the 59=win spurs in just 5 games. In the conference finals against the 64-win sonics, Malone nearly pulled off another upset. After falling behind 2-0, Malone played inspired in game 3 with 28/18/4 in a critical game 3 win, then after Seattle won game 4 to go up 3-1, Malone hit them right back with 29 and 15 to scrape out an OT road win in Seattle, then 32/10/7 and 4 steals in game 6 to even up the series at 3. Unfortunately Malone's 22 points and 7 assists were not quite enough to win game 7 as Utah's surprising playoff push came to an end.
Shaquille O'Neal: Shaq began the 1996 season on IR with a broken thumb, but finished it as once again the most terrifying inside presence in the NBA. Averaging 26.6ppg (3rd best in the league), 10 rebounds and shooting over 60% from the floor, he owned the paint over the season;s final 54 games like he never left. Orlando went 40-14 after his return, on their way to a franchise-record 60 wins, earning Shaq an all-NBA 3rd team appearance despite his limited season. Shaq once again terrorized undersized eastern opponents in the playoffs, pummeling the Hawks with 41 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists in game 1 in a series where he averaged 28, 1 and 5 on an astonishing 63% from the field. Losing Horace Grant for the Bulls series proved to be an insurmountable blow for the Magic, but Shaq played his game, averaging 27 11 and 4 over the course of the series, on an another absurd 64% FG number. His high point was 36, 16 and 4 in game 2, but it wasn't enough to hold on to an early 20-point lead as the Bulls came back to win the game and the series in 4 games, putting a sweeping end to both Orlando's 1996 campaign and O'Neal's tenure in Orlando.
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