Full Game: The Phil Jackson Blueprint | Bulls vs. Bucks (May 3, 1990)

This is the full game broadcast of the Chicago Bulls' series-clinching 110-86 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 of the 1990 Eastern Conference First Round. The win, which advanced the Bulls to the second round, marked the first time since 1975 that the franchise had won playoff series in consecutive seasons. The game served as a powerful validation of Phil Jackson's first year as head coach, as Michael Jordan (25 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals) and Scottie Pippen (17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists) systematically dismantled the Bucks. The narrative of the 1989-90 season was whether the Bulls could evolve from a one-man show into a true contender. As Phil Jackson would later recall in his book Eleven Rings, his primary goal was to install the triangle offense and build a system of trust that didn't rely solely on Jordan's individual brilliance. This series was the first test of that system under playoff pressure. The Bulls answered with a dominant defensive performance, holding the Bucks to just 38.6% shooting. Milwaukee’s key scorers, Ricky Pierce (6-of-17) and Alvin Robertson (3-of-10), were rendered ineffective by the Bulls' pressure. The Bulls "ran the Bucks into submission," according to the Chicago Tribune, pushing the ball relentlessly and showcasing a versatile attack. This game was a clear signal of the team's growing maturity. Milwaukee's coach, Del Harris, conceded as much. "We ran out of gas," Harris said post-game. "We've been doing it with mirrors all year... Chicago just had too many weapons for us." For the Bulls, it was a professional, expected victory, a sign of a new standard. "It's a wonderful feeling," said coach Phil Jackson. "It's a series we were expected to win, and we did." The win set up a formidable second-round matchup against Charles Barkley and the Philadelphia 76ers, a series Jordan was already anticipating. "It's a challenge," Jordan said. "I've always admired his game. It's going to be a tough series." Timestamp Index: 00:00:00 Game 4 Intro / Game 3 Recap 00:03:02 Player Introductions (Jordan at 00:03:51) 00:06:55 Opening Tip 00:08:23 Michael Jordan hits a long jumper (First points) 00:10:17 Scottie Pippen baseline dunk 00:13:12 Alvin Robertson baseline dunk 00:13:24 Bill Cartwright pass to Horace Grant for the dunk 00:21:49 Stacey King to Michael Jordan for a backdoor dunk 00:24:13 Michael Jordan tough fadeaway jumper at the buzzer 00:25:13 Jordan drive and finds Will Perdue for the layup 00:27:19 Will Perdue and Greg Anderson double foul 00:30:05 End of 1st Quarter 00:30:44 Start of 2nd Quarter 00:32:43 Stacey King rejects Ricky Pierce's shot 00:33:01 Scottie Pippen "All-American move" slicing layup 00:33:39 Will Perdue blocks Alvin Robertson's reverse layup 00:38:24 Will Perdue (10 points) hits a turnaround jumper 00:39:32 Michael Jordan attempts an alley-oop to Pippen (knocked away) 00:41:04 Scottie Pippen blocks Alvin Robertson 00:49:29 Michael Jordan baseline fadeaway 00:49:52 Jordan surrounded, wrestles the ball free to start a break 00:52:53 Michael Jordan drives hard and scoops it in over Lojas 00:54:23 Horace Grant blocks Robertson's shot 00:55:43 Michael Jordan steals the ball from Ricky Pierce 01:00:02 Halftime Highlights: Michael Jordan "Zigs, zags" 01:01:52 Start of 3rd Quarter / Pippen putback 01:06:02 Michael Jordan "eyes" blind pass to Horace Grant 01:07:38 Scottie Pippen hits a deep 3-pointer 01:08:28 Pippen steals the ball from Pierce at midcourt 01:09:13 Technical foul on Coach Del Harris 01:17:40 Michael Jordan injury (ankle/foot) 01:20:22 Alvin Robertson technical foul (4th personal) 01:22:15 Alvin Robertson picks up his 5th foul 01:22:55 Michael Jordan hits a 20-foot jumper 01:27:58 Jordan assist to Will Perdue on the 2-on-1 break 01:32:18 Horace Grant rebound and follow-up basket 01:33:42 Michael Jordan limping (injury) 01:34:04 Will Perdue blocks Humphreys' shot 01:34:15 End of 3rd Quarter 01:34:40 Start of 4th Quarter / Michael Jordan injury replay 01:39:01 Hodges to Grant for the layup on the break 01:40:26 Michael Jordan hits a jumper on the right wing 01:41:11 Scottie Pippen hits his second 3-pointer 01:41:39 Fight breaks out / Greg Anderson elbow 01:43:59 Greg Anderson ejected 01:44:10 Michael Jordan technical foul for jumping in 01:44:34 Fight Replay / Robertson jumps on Grant's back 01:49:02 Michael Jordan blind pass (look-away) to Horace Grant for the dunk 01:51:51 Michael Jordan subs out of the game 01:53:40 BJ Armstrong turnover leads to Robertson dunk 01:59:27 Will Perdue hits a 3-pointer 01:59:50 Jeff Sanders dunk (3-on-1 break) 02:00:02 Tony Brown hits a long 3 at the buzzer 02:00:15 Final Score 02:00:38 Post-Game Interview: Phil Jackson 02:03:13 Player of the Game: Scottie Pippen