Chicago Bulls legend Horace Grant told The Mirror about a particular moment that stands out in the memories he has from his seven years with the team.
"We had number 23"
The four-time NBA champion recalled a game against the Atlanta Hawks and explained why it made him realize the Bulls were becoming a dynasty.
“We were down like 10 points in the fourth quarter with a couple of minutes left,” Grant said. “But as a team we didn’t feel threatened, because we had number 23. We won the game on the back of Michael Jordan. I mean, we sat back like, ‘Wow, wow. I’m glad that he’s on my team’.”
Bulls vs. Hawks on March 21, 1990 Recap
Grant was talking about the time the Bulls visited the Hawks on March 21, 1990. The Bulls came into the game with a 43-22 record, while the Hawks were 31-35. The game was in Atlanta, but Chicago was supposed to dominate from start to finish.
The Hawks struggled that season but had a formidable starting lineup with Moses Malone, Kevin Willis, Dominique Wilkins, Doc Rivers, and Kenny Smith, and talented reserves like John Battle and Spud Webb.
The Bulls led the Hawks 58-52 at halftime, but Atlanta won the third quarter 26-15 to take a 78-73 with 12 minutes to play. The Bulls then outscored the Hawks 26-11 in the fourth quarter to win the game 99-88.
Michael Jordan led the way for the Bulls with 27 points, six assists, five steals, and four rebounds. John Paxson had 15 points, five steals, three rebounds, and two assists, and Grant added 13 points, three rebounds, and three blocks. Dominique Wilkins had a game-high 36 points with 11 rebounds, three assists, and three steals for the Hawks.
On June 12, 1991, less than 15 months after this game, the Bulls won their first NBA championship. Grant’s intuition was right; the team really was on track to becoming a dynasty.
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