Chapter 867: Chapter 46 Source Spring_2
Mark Aguirre had no other choice but to focus on defense. At that moment, Scottie Pippen caught the ball at the top of the key, drove inside, and scored a layup while drawing a foul from Melvin Turpin.
Pippen hit the free throw, giving the Bulls the lead once again.
The Bulls adjusted their defensive strategy, with Pippen initiating one-on-one coverage against Mark Aguirre.
From that moment, Aguirre’s offensive firepower started to be stifled. Pippen’s defensive ability was absolutely top-tier.
Aguirre shouted at Pippen, "You’re dead! After the game, wait for me in the parking lot—you’re dead, kid! I’ll knock your head off!"
Last season, Pippen was often overwhelmed by tension, but now he wore a relaxed smile. He brushed off Aguirre’s provocation with a laugh.
He wouldn’t start a fight with Aguirre, nor would he engage in trash talk. He simply responded with a smile, a carefree smile.
This smile was more powerful than physical clashes or verbal abuse, making Aguirre feel foolish and quickly shutting him up.
"Scottie has matured—it’s truly unexpected," Phil Jackson remarked. Pippen’s performance tonight exceeded his expectations.
The media had previously criticized Pippen, claiming he would crack under pressure.
Tonight’s home opener brought significant pressure to the Bulls.
This was the first time the playoff series started in Chicago. If the Bulls lost their first home game, the series momentum would shift entirely to the Pistons, putting the Bulls in an extremely disadvantageous position.
After three quarters, both sides were playing neck-and-neck, but Pippen showed composure under pressure, not only converting a three-point play but also calmly dealing with the Pistons’ provocations. The growth here was truly remarkable.
"Scottie watched game film before this game, for the first time in his career," said assistant coach Bach.
"Really? He asked you for it?"
"Yes, before practice."
Pippen never used to watch his own game footage; he believed it would interfere with his performance.
Especially footage of games where they lost—Pippen couldn’t bear to see his poor performances.
But this time, facing the Pistons, Pippen proactively reached out to the assistant coach, requesting to watch game footage.
Bach compiled past clips, including footage of the Bulls’ poor performances against the Pistons.
Jackson initially planned to show these clips to the Bulls players, hoping to spark enough energy in them, similar to what Pat Riley had done with Lakers players before.
However, at the last moment, Jackson abandoned this plan, highlighting the distinct approach he had compared to Riley.
Jackson believed the Bulls currently needed confidence more than anger. Once confidence was found, the Pistons would not be a threat to the Bulls.
Showing the players past tragedies might stir emotions but would only be effective temporarily—perhaps for this game, but what about the next?
Confidence was different. With victories, confidence would gradually accumulate until reaching a critical threshold, breaking past former mental barriers and granting the Bulls a new beginning.
This clash with the Detroit Pistons marked an opportunity for the Chicago Bulls’ rebirth.
At the end of the third quarter, the Bulls were still trailing the Pistons by three points.
Isiah Thomas hit a three-pointer in the closing moments, giving the Pistons an advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
The situation looked unfavorable for the Bulls; if they fell behind at the start of the fourth quarter, there was still a high likelihood of losing tonight’s game.
But this was the moment Phil Jackson showcased his strategic brilliance and his ability to control both player psychology and game dynamics.
Across the league, Jackson’s mastery in managing players and reading the court was unparalleled—no one could match him in these aspects.
Not even Bobby Berman, who was exceptional in his own right, could compete with Jackson here.
Berman’s strengths lay off the court. His expertise in training, tactical schemes, and data analysis was ahead of its time.
But when it came to in-game adjustments, player management, and strategic ingenuity, Berman fell short of Jackson—though, admittedly, Berman’s profanity surpassed Jackson’s by two tiers.
This made Jackson a coach born for playoff and championship basketball, though few recognized his greatness yet.
He was not just the team’s commander but also its finest political officer.
Of course, the Trail Blazers’ equivalent role was held by Ah Gan. When the Bulls and Trail Blazers faced off, Jackson and Gan would similarly clash and compete.
"Michael, Scottie, rest. Don’t start the fourth quarter; stick to the rotation plan," Phil Jackson instructed both Jordan and Pippen during the break.
"I think I should stay on the court—it’s the Pistons, and we’re behind," Jordan responded.
According to the rotation plan, Jordan and Pippen were supposed to start the fourth quarter on the bench, having played the entirety of the third quarter.
But with the team trailing, Jordan wasn’t comfortable leaving the substitutes to battle the ferocious Pistons for the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.
This scenario had played out during the regular season before—a lead heading into the fourth quarter turned into a deficit after substitute errors, leaving Jordan unable to turn the tide when he checked back in.
However, tonight, Phil Jackson insisted that both players rest three to five minutes at the start of the fourth quarter, rejoining only after the first timeout.
Jackson had calculated that the Detroit Pistons were already running on fumes—their starters were more fatigued than the Chicago Bulls’ players.
In the second round against the Celtics, even though Boston was aging, the Pistons were in no better condition, with both sides having battled fiercely.
Tonight, the Pistons’ starting lineup had only contributed 31 points so far—barely half of the team’s total score.
If not for the excellent performances of substitutes Aguirre and Rick Mahorn, the Pistons wouldn’t have been leading at all.
