Scottie Pippen’s Greatest Moments

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As Chicago prepared to retire Scottie Pippen’s number on Dec. 9, Bulls.com took a look at the legendary player’s greatest moments. From slowing down Magic and the Lakers in 1991 to "The Ewing Dunk," re-live some of 33's career highlights.

Pippen spent 17 seasons in the NBA, most notably his 12 with the Bulls, and helped Chicago claim its six World Championships. Among his many accolades, he was chosen as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All-Time in 1996 and was a seven-time All-Star, including the game’s MVP in 1994.

Interview: Greatest Teammate Gets His Due | Pippen's No. 33 Retired

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With help from the Bulls’ bench, Pippen orchestrated a late 14-2 run that keyed Chicago’s second title
Furious Fourth Quarter Comeback Led By Pippen, Reserves

Facing a 15-point deficit going into the fourth quarter of Game Six of the 1992 NBA Finals versus the Portland Trail Blazers, Scottie Pippen led the Bulls’ reserves on a 14-2 run before Michael Jordan and the remaining starters rejoined him on the floor to seal the team’s second NBA Championship.

Chicago’s 33-14 domination in the final frame was just enough for the Bulls to secure the 97-93 victory. The star of the miraculous rally, Pippen, finished the game with 26 points (9-of-17 shooting, 6-of-9 from the line), five rebounds and four boards.

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Exhausted Jordan helped off the floor by Pippen after one of his most heroic efforts during the 1997 Finals
Ultimate Teammate Comes Through Again

In an image that defines the meaning of teammate, Scottie Pippen carried a sick and slumped Michael Jordan back to the bench at the end of Game Five of the 1997 NBA Finals. Jordan, playing with flu-like symptoms that reportedly had him vomiting until just before game time, scored 38 points and made a huge three-pointer with 25 seconds left to lead the Bulls to a 90-88 victory over the Jazz.

“The effort that he came out with was just incredible," Pippen said. "He kept everybody patient. He made big shot after big shot, and he kept wanting the ball. He showed just how big a professional he is by gutting this game out.”

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Offensive explosion on 19-of-27 shooting established Pippen’s career-high in 1997
Pippen Fired in 47, Earned Praise from Jackson

In a mighty display of offense, Pippen posted a career-high 47 points as the Bulls took a high-powered win, 134-123, over the Denver Nuggets at the United Center. Pippen was unstoppable, connecting on 19-of-27 shots from the field and all seven of his free throws in 41 minutes of action.

“Everything just started to flow my way,” he said. “I was just cutting and being in the right place at the right time. There weren’t any spectacular shots that I was consistently knocking down. Guys were just dropping the ball down to me.”

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Scored 23 points and keyed a game-deciding sequence to defeat the Jazz in the 1997 Finals
Late Steal Put the Fifth Title on Ice

Scottie Pippen intercepted an inbounds pass in the closing moments of Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals that led to a basket which sealed the Bulls’ fifth World Championship.

Utah had a chance to send the series to a seventh game with five seconds left on the clock, but Bryon Russell's inbounds pass was by tipped Pippen, who knocked it ahead to Toni Kukoc for a title-clinching slam. Pippen wrapped up his fifth trip to the Finals with averages of 20.0 points, a team-high 8.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.67 steals per game.

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One of three Bulls in the game, Pippen stole the show and sealed his status as one of the league’s best
Pippen Garnered MVP Honors at 1994 All-Star Game

Call it symbolic or call it coincidence, but Scottie Pippen, playing without Michael Jordan for the first season in his career, affirmed his place among the league's elite when his 29 points, 11 rebounds, and four steals led the East to a 127-118 victory at the 44th annual NBA All-Star Game in Minneapolis.

Pippen dazzled a capacity crowd of 17,096 at the Target Center, earning unanimous selection by an 11-member media panel as the game's Most Valuable Player. Pippen's 9-for-15 shooting night included 5-of-9 accuracy from three-point range.

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In his first career start, Pippen showed remarkable poise in helping Chicago to a monumental playoff win
Rookie Pippen Helped MJ Win First Playoff Series

Rookie Scottie Pippen carried the Bulls with key plays on both offense and defense down the stretch as he and Michael Jordan won their first NBA playoff series in 1988. In a contest that Pippen then called “the most exciting game of my life,” the Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 107-101, at the Chicago Stadium to advance to the second round.

Jordan led the way with 39 points for the Bulls, but the story of the day was Pippen’s first start of his young career. He equaled his then-career-high with 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting and added six rebounds with five assists.

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Pippen’s most well-known highlight closed down the Chicago Stadium in style
"The Ewing Dunk"

In what many fans call their favorite single moment of his career, Pippen unleashed a thunderous slam over Patrick Ewing at the Chicago Stadium in Game Six of the 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Pippen’s most memorable dunk came in a 93-79 Bulls victory which was also the team’s final game in the old Stadium.

“It was one of those games where we were playing against the Knicks and we were frustrated and tired of them holding and pulling and doing things of that nature,” Pippen recalled. “I think that after that dunk, I sort of overreacted, almost trying to push [Ewing] into the stands.”

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Following Jordan’s first retirement, Pippen led the Bulls to 55 wins and finished 3rd in the NBA MVP voting
Minus Michael, Scottie Carried the Bulls

The 1993.94 Bulls proved there was life without Michael Jordan, and it began with Scottie Pippen. Pippen led the Bulls to Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and finished third in the NBA’s MVP voting. In his best individual season, he led the Bulls in scoring and assists and was second in rebounds.

“I knew I was a player that could break guys down and create for my teammates and that is how I looked at it,” Pippen explained. “It was a situation where I had more opportunities to do other things.”

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Pippen the difference despite scoring just four points in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals' Game One
Defensive Domination Lifted Bulls Past Pacers

Scoring only four points, Scottie Pippen dominated Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana with his defense on Pacers point guard Mark Jackson, who turned the ball over seven times in an 85-79 Bulls victory. Pippen struggled from the field, but dished out seven assists, grabbed seven boards and added four steals in the win.

“It’s amazing to see how good Scottie is," remarked Bulls guard Steve Kerr. "The guy shot 1-for-9 and scored four points and totally dominated the game. That’s what makes him one of the greatest players ever. He doesn’t have to score a point and he can control the whole game.”

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1991 NBA Finals: Chicago wins its first title, defeating the Lakers, 4-1
World Champions for the First Time

In the Chicago’s first-ever NBA Finals appearance, Scottie Pippen took the primary responsibility of guarding Magic Johnson in 1991 versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Pippen’s stellar defensive effort altered the scope of the series and set the standard for teams searching for a taller, more athletic point guard to shut down opposing point guards.

During the regular season, Pippen gave the term “point forward” a new meaning after leading the team in assists and ranking second in scoring, rebounding and steals.

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