A look back at the Chicago Bulls' historic Game 3 win over the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals

The Bulls delivered a beatdown of historic proportions.

© Anne Ryan-USA TODAY

Much has been written and said about the offense of the famed Chicago Bulls of the 90s. After all, the team had the greatest scorer the NBA had ever seen in Michael Jordan. However, as lethal as the Bulls' offense was, their defense was just as impressive. In Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, they put on a defensive clinic that will never be forgotten.

Clamped down the Jazz

While the first two games of the 1998 NBA Finals went down the wire, this one went downhill for the Jazz in the second quarter, where they got outscored 32-17. The second half was even worse as the Bulls harassed and pushed around the Jazz, limiting their efficiency from the field and allowing them just 23 points in the last 24 minutes of action in a 96-54 rout.

The Jazz shot just 30 percent from the field and ended up committing a whopping 26 turnovers. The Jazz's point total set the NBA's record for the fewest points scored in a Finals game.

Embarrassing loss

After the game, the Jazz's head coach at that time, Jerry Sloan, exclaimed that it seemed like the Bulls scored a lot more than what the game's box score showed.

"Is this actually the score?" said Sloan after the game. "I thought they scored 196. Seemed like they scored 196. I'm somewhat embarrassed for NBA basketball for the guys to come out and play at this level, with no more fight left in them than what we had. It's an embarrassment for all of us."

1998 NBA Finals game 3.

Bulls: 96
Jazz: 54 pic.twitter.com/plzLwlaxpO

— Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) May 18, 2020