Chicago's Last Dance: Bulls Tippin' without Pippen. Jordan, Harper, Kerr interviews. NBA on TNT 1997

This feature comes from TNT's opening-night NBA coverage - NBA Tipoff '97 - which aired on October 31, 1997. The segment focuses on the Chicago Bulls' pursuit of a sixth title in eight years, launching the 1998 campaign without Scottie Pippen - who was recovering from foot surgery. The story centres on whether Michael Jordan can sustain his dominant form while carrying the team's offensive load for the first two months of the season. Pippen ultimately missed the first 35 games of what would become known as “The Last Dance” season. In his absence, the Bulls went 24-11, setting the stage for a dramatic mid-season turnaround (38-9 with Pip in the lineup) and another championship run. The piece includes interviews with key Bulls figures, including Michael Jordan, Ron Harper, Steve Kerr and Phil Jackson, offering contemporary insight into the team’s mindset at the start of their final title quest. Subscribe for more rare NBA interviews and deep‑dive basketball history. --- *Who is Adam?* Host of Basketball Record podcast. Deep dives into NBA / ABA history, featuring 200+ conversations w/ legends, journeymen, and storytellers. Plus, new short and long-form pieces on the game’s past. 🔗 Substack: https://substack.com/@bballrecordpod 🍎 Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hc7pXL... 📻 iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-nb... 🌐 Web: https://www.basketballrecord.com 🦋 BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/basketballre... 📘 FB:   / bballrecordpod   📸 IG:   / bballrecordpod   🐦 X:   / bballrecordpod   🏀 Stathead by Basketball Reference is the essential research tool behind Adam’s work on Basketball Record. As a brand ambassador, Adam offers listeners an exclusive discount: use promo code BBALLRECORDPOD to save 20% on an annual subscription - $28 off! Get started here: https://www.sports-reference.com/stat... 🔍 Dive into basketball history with the powerful "Player Game Finder" tool. Instantly find every 40-point game from the ABA era or discover all players who grabbed 30+ rebounds in a single game before 1970. 💳 Prefer flexibility? Choose a monthly plan starting at just $9, with your first month free and the option to cancel anytime.