Remembering "The Last Dance" 25 years later

It was a bittersweet end to a glorious era.

© Anne Ryan-USA TODAY

It could be hard to believe, but 25 years have passed since Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls last stood atop the NBA mountain. The Bulls captured six championships during their phenomenal run and established themselves as one of the most dominant teams in sports history. Still, their last NBA championship proved to be the most difficult, as that campaign was filled with drama, strife, and plenty of adversity.

It was only fitting then that His Airness would go out with a bang. Jordan's iconic performance in Game 6, specifically in that game's final moments, further cemented his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players ever to grace this Earth.

On the ropes

On June 14, 1998, the Bulls were in Salt Lake City for Game 6, facing off against a Utah Jazz squad that had staved off elimination in Chicago in Game 5 and were looking to force a winner-take-all Game 7. And for most of the game, the Jazz were poised to do just that as they led by three with 41 seconds remaining after a booming triple from John Stockton.

With Scottie Pippen hampered by a bad back, Jordan took it upon himself to carry the Bulls, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter and 45 overall. But it was his final two shots that will always live on in basketball lore – a difficult layup to trim the deficit to one and then the famous game-winning jumper over Bryon Russell with 5.2 seconds left on the clock.

The Bulls went on to win the game 87-86 and claim their sixth NBA title in eight years, cementing their status as one of the greatest teams in NBA history. Jordan was awarded his sixth Finals MVP award and finished the series averaging over 33 points per game.

Defining moment

The enduring legacy of this classic Game 6 lives on today, with many citing it as Jordan's crowning moment and one of the defining games of his career. It is a memory that basketball fans will never forget and a lasting tribute to the greatness of one of the best players ever.

It is, in many ways, a testament to Jordan's incredible talent and determination that he produced such an iconic moment under immense pressure – a fitting conclusion for an already legendary career.