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Ernie Johnson: Welcome viewers, to what might be our last show of the year here on Inside the NBA. In a couple of hours, the Bulls and the Jazz will tip off in game 6 of the 1998 NBA finals. It might be the last time we see Michael Jordan in a Bulls uniform. With me are special guests Kenny "The Jet" Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, all of whom will eventually become Emmy-award winning commentators. I kid you not. Let's start with you, Kenny. What do the Bulls need to do tonight?
Kenny: Ernie, I think we all know what has to happen with the Bulls. Michael Jordan needs to be shooting a lot less, and Luc Longley a lot more.
Shaq: I agree, Ernie. I even think Phil Jackson needs to consider sitting Michael in the 4th quarter. He's really been killing them.
Chuck: Why would you sit Michael Jordan in the 4th quarter?
Ernie: Chuck, this is a good time to remind you and our viewers that scoring points isn't really the object of the game. This year, the Finals are being scored like the Electoral College. There are five positions on the floor: PG, SG, SF, PF, and C. Whichever team gets the most points from a position gets a point. You need three or more points to win the game.
Shaq: Chuck, I'm with you. I think it's stupid, but those are the rules. Gotta play the game to win.
Ernie: Kenny, can you show us the Jazz defensive set from game 5 that really gave the Bulls fits, and tell us how the Bulls will counter.
Kenny: [going to telestrator]. Sure, Ernie. Here's a play from game 5 that really shows off the Jazz' new strategy. Here you have Greg Ostertag in single coverage against Michael Jordan on a clear out.
Ernie: There's not even a help defender in sight.
Kenny: Exactly. And watch Michael's reaction. Look at his eyes get wide. He only needs one jab step to get Ostertag completely off balance, and then he blows right by him for a windmill slam. The Bulls cannot afford this kind of offensive inefficiency.
Chuck: Offensive what? He just dunked on him. Nobody can guard MJ one on one. I tried and failed. Ostertag has no chance.
Shaq: Chuck, the point is that MJ is scoring way more than Hornacek anyway. These dunks are wasted points.
Kenny: Exactly, Shaq. My concern is that MJ just won't be able to resist. How often does he get Ostertag in one-on-one coverage? He's going to have to find a way to pass out of that scheme.
Chuck: What do you know, Kenny?
Kenny: Enough to have won two rings with the Rockets. How many did you win with the Rockets?
Chuck: My career isn't over yet.
Shaq: [laughing] Yes it is. You just don't know it yet.
Ernie: [laughing] Gentlemen, back to the topic. Kenny, what are the other challenges here?
Kenny: Well, it's the rule change. In the first four games of the series, players could contribute to that positions point totals when they are playing that position. Starting with game 5, players could only contribute at the position assigned to them at birth.
Shaq: So now they won't be able to rely on Michael playing all five positions during the game.
Chuck: Good. MJ is a turrible center.
Ernie: Maybe not when guarded one on one by Ostertag. Shaq, how should the Bulls respond?
Shaq: There was a really good play they ran near the end of game 5. I think they should do more of that.
Ernie: You're talking about the play where they had Ron Harper run off a double screen set by MJ and Pippen to get an open three?
Shaq: Exactly. It's a bold new strategy.
Chuck: But Ron Harper can't shoot! He hit like 9 percent of his threes.
Ernie: Actually, 19% but please continue.
Kenny: Precisely, Chuck. That's what makes it great. There's almost always a rebound. Perfect for Jason Caffey to hit the glass and get some putbacks.
Chuck: Caffey? What happened to Rodman?
Kenny: He's a power forward. He will never outscore the Mailman, so those are just wasted points.
Chuck: Caffey is a power forward too.
Shaq: But he counts as a center. That's how he was drafted.
Chuck: Ernie, can I say "what the fuck" on air?
Ernie: You cannot. The positions were set a long time ago, and we just have to live with that. Kenny, how are the Jazz going to respond?
Kenny: Ernie, here's the thing. The game is mostly decided. The Jazz are going to win PF and PG. The Bulls are going to win SG and SF. So it really comes down to the swing position, Center.
Shaq: Like it always should. But these teams were not built with a center in mind. They don't have one guy. They are going to need to rely on the guys I call swing players.
Ernie: You mean Dickey Simpkins and Bill Wennington on the Bulls side, and Greg Foster and Antoine Carr for the Jazz?
Shaq: Yep.
Chuck: [disgusted] Wennington's not even on the post-season roster.
Kenny: He is now. He's only got one EV but he could decide the election -- I mean, he's only going to score maybe one bucket but it could be decisive.
Shaq: What it comes down to, Ernie, is whether MJ is going to have one of his vintage closeout games. The Bulls absolutely cannot afford that. They need to be pumping the ball inside to Luc Longley, over and over again. Blanket the floor with Longley shots.
Chuck: [composed now] The Jazz need a new defensive scheme. MJ is too much of a competitor to keep dunking on Ostertag. Eventually he's going to find a way to get Harper in one-on-one coverage with the big guy, and I tell you. I played with Ron Harper. He absolutely is capable of getting those buckets. And you know, Stockton doesn't always score that much. If they make Stockton take shots that could go to Foster or Adam Keefe, it's a win for the Bulls.
Kenny: Chuck, Harper counts as a shooting guard.
Chuck: Who's their PG, then? Kukoc?
Kenny: No, he's a small forward.
Chuck: Then who plays PG for the Bulls?
Ernie: Steve Kerr and Randy Brown are the listed point guards.
Chuck: So if Stockton and Longley have bad games, Steve Kerr might end up deciding the series?
Kenny: Maybe, and I think that's in the Bulls' favor. If they need a big basket to close out the game, Steve Kerr has shown that he can deliver.
Chuck: They are going to design plays to get Steve Kerr shots?
Kenny: Probably. Him or Luc Longley. That's just how you win games in today's NBA. You have to find ways to reach the less talented players, no offense Steve.
Shaq: Or Greg Foster. He's a good guy. Future teammate of mine.
Ernie: Well, that's all the time we have. We'll see you after the game.
Kenny: Ernie, I think we all know what has to happen with the Bulls. Michael Jordan needs to be shooting a lot less, and Luc Longley a lot more.
Shaq: I agree, Ernie. I even think Phil Jackson needs to consider sitting Michael in the 4th quarter. He's really been killing them.
Chuck: Why would you sit Michael Jordan in the 4th quarter?
Ernie: Chuck, this is a good time to remind you and our viewers that scoring points isn't really the object of the game. This year, the Finals are being scored like the Electoral College. There are five positions on the floor: PG, SG, SF, PF, and C. Whichever team gets the most points from a position gets a point. You need three or more points to win the game.
Shaq: Chuck, I'm with you. I think it's stupid, but those are the rules. Gotta play the game to win.
Ernie: Kenny, can you show us the Jazz defensive set from game 5 that really gave the Bulls fits, and tell us how the Bulls will counter.
Kenny: [going to telestrator]. Sure, Ernie. Here's a play from game 5 that really shows off the Jazz' new strategy. Here you have Greg Ostertag in single coverage against Michael Jordan on a clear out.
Ernie: There's not even a help defender in sight.
Kenny: Exactly. And watch Michael's reaction. Look at his eyes get wide. He only needs one jab step to get Ostertag completely off balance, and then he blows right by him for a windmill slam. The Bulls cannot afford this kind of offensive inefficiency.
Chuck: Offensive what? He just dunked on him. Nobody can guard MJ one on one. I tried and failed. Ostertag has no chance.
Shaq: Chuck, the point is that MJ is scoring way more than Hornacek anyway. These dunks are wasted points.
Kenny: Exactly, Shaq. My concern is that MJ just won't be able to resist. How often does he get Ostertag in one-on-one coverage? He's going to have to find a way to pass out of that scheme.
Chuck: What do you know, Kenny?
Kenny: Enough to have won two rings with the Rockets. How many did you win with the Rockets?
Chuck: My career isn't over yet.
Shaq: [laughing] Yes it is. You just don't know it yet.
Ernie: [laughing] Gentlemen, back to the topic. Kenny, what are the other challenges here?
Kenny: Well, it's the rule change. In the first four games of the series, players could contribute to that positions point totals when they are playing that position. Starting with game 5, players could only contribute at the position assigned to them at birth.
Shaq: So now they won't be able to rely on Michael playing all five positions during the game.
Chuck: Good. MJ is a turrible center.
Ernie: Maybe not when guarded one on one by Ostertag. Shaq, how should the Bulls respond?
Shaq: There was a really good play they ran near the end of game 5. I think they should do more of that.
Ernie: You're talking about the play where they had Ron Harper run off a double screen set by MJ and Pippen to get an open three?
Shaq: Exactly. It's a bold new strategy.
Chuck: But Ron Harper can't shoot! He hit like 9 percent of his threes.
Ernie: Actually, 19% but please continue.
Kenny: Precisely, Chuck. That's what makes it great. There's almost always a rebound. Perfect for Jason Caffey to hit the glass and get some putbacks.
Chuck: Caffey? What happened to Rodman?
Kenny: He's a power forward. He will never outscore the Mailman, so those are just wasted points.
Chuck: Caffey is a power forward too.
Shaq: But he counts as a center. That's how he was drafted.
Chuck: Ernie, can I say "what the fuck" on air?
Ernie: You cannot. The positions were set a long time ago, and we just have to live with that. Kenny, how are the Jazz going to respond?
Kenny: Ernie, here's the thing. The game is mostly decided. The Jazz are going to win PF and PG. The Bulls are going to win SG and SF. So it really comes down to the swing position, Center.
Shaq: Like it always should. But these teams were not built with a center in mind. They don't have one guy. They are going to need to rely on the guys I call swing players.
Ernie: You mean Dickey Simpkins and Bill Wennington on the Bulls side, and Greg Foster and Antoine Carr for the Jazz?
Shaq: Yep.
Chuck: [disgusted] Wennington's not even on the post-season roster.
Kenny: He is now. He's only got one EV but he could decide the election -- I mean, he's only going to score maybe one bucket but it could be decisive.
Shaq: What it comes down to, Ernie, is whether MJ is going to have one of his vintage closeout games. The Bulls absolutely cannot afford that. They need to be pumping the ball inside to Luc Longley, over and over again. Blanket the floor with Longley shots.
Chuck: [composed now] The Jazz need a new defensive scheme. MJ is too much of a competitor to keep dunking on Ostertag. Eventually he's going to find a way to get Harper in one-on-one coverage with the big guy, and I tell you. I played with Ron Harper. He absolutely is capable of getting those buckets. And you know, Stockton doesn't always score that much. If they make Stockton take shots that could go to Foster or Adam Keefe, it's a win for the Bulls.
Kenny: Chuck, Harper counts as a shooting guard.
Chuck: Who's their PG, then? Kukoc?
Kenny: No, he's a small forward.
Chuck: Then who plays PG for the Bulls?
Ernie: Steve Kerr and Randy Brown are the listed point guards.
Chuck: So if Stockton and Longley have bad games, Steve Kerr might end up deciding the series?
Kenny: Maybe, and I think that's in the Bulls' favor. If they need a big basket to close out the game, Steve Kerr has shown that he can deliver.
Chuck: They are going to design plays to get Steve Kerr shots?
Kenny: Probably. Him or Luc Longley. That's just how you win games in today's NBA. You have to find ways to reach the less talented players, no offense Steve.
Shaq: Or Greg Foster. He's a good guy. Future teammate of mine.
Ernie: Well, that's all the time we have. We'll see you after the game.
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