Is it a win-win or a loss-win situation? Jordan s second in command who has won 6 consecutive championships

In the fifth game of the 1991 Finals, under the dome of the Los Angeles Forum Arena, Pippen sticks to Magic Johnson like a black panther. When the Lakers Legend tried to tear the defense with his signature hit-and-shoot pass, Pippen suddenly came out of the diagonal pierced, cut off the passing line like an iron gate, and then pushed the dunk in one-stop. At this moment, 26-year-old Pippen completed the transformation from a defensive vanguard to an offensive and defensive superstar.

In 1965, Pippen was born in a cotton field in Hamburg, Arkansas. This poor child, who is ranked seventh, was still worried about a pair of decent sneakers in high school. He was not discovered by the coach of the University of Central Arkansas until his sophomore height soared to 2.03 meters. On the 1987 draft night, Bulls General Manager Klaus took off the "flying thin bamboo pole" with the old Tienhua lottery, but was ridiculed by the media as "the stupidest decision". Pippen averaged only 7.9 points per game in the rookie season, but Zen Master Jackson saw his potential. Pippen absorbs nutrients like a sponge. In 1989, he scored 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, completing his first triple-double in his career. That night, Jordan patted his shoulder and said, "Boy, welcome to the top of the food chain. "

1991 Finals G5, facing the Lakers Showtime Legion, Pippen scored an epic stat with 32 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals. He used death entanglement to make the Magician's shooting percentage plummet to 30.8%, scoring 12 points in a row to secure the victory in the final quarter. When Jordan pushed the FMVP trophy in front of him in the locker room, Pippen shook his head: "My MVP is a ring. "

The 1992 Finals G4, the Trail Blazers were 15 points in the fourth quarter. While Jordan and the main player were pressed to breathe on the bench, Pippen led the team to a 14-2 climax. He dispatched Kukoc and Armstrong like a conductor, tearing down the opponent's defense with precise passes and tough breakthroughs. Two minutes before the final game, he hit a key three-pointer against the glider's defense and overtook the score.

1998 Finals G6, at the critical moment of the Jazz's last attack, Pippen predicted Malone's catch route, and his long arms wrapped around the basketball like a python. When Jordan finished his first shot in the century, Pippen was lying on the floor, wiping the championship trophy with a sweaty jersey — his sixth ring in his career.

Pippen's greatness is far beyond the stats: 8 best defense teams, the only player in history to have 20,000 points + 7,000 rebounds + 5,000 assists + 2,000 steals + 1,000 blocks. He plays a "tactical hub" in the triangular offense, which can not only support the low post, but also organize the ball on the outside. During Jordan's retirement season in 1994-95, he averaged 22 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, leading the team to 55 wins, almost overturning the Knicks in the playoffs.

Defensive end, he was the most terrifying outside gate of the 1990s. Locking the Magician in 1991, freezing Payton in 1996, and fighting Malone in 1997 - When Ewing arched with his back in the low post, the Pippen's unmoving steel defense became a classic picture. Rodman once said: "LeBron? He doesn't even deserve to carry his shoes to Pippen. "

The 7-year, $18 million "child labor contract" in 1991 became the turning point in the relationship between the two. When the Bulls reserved cap space for Kukocchi, the sound of Pippen slamming the ball in the training hall woke up the entire management. In the 1994 Eastern Conference semi-finals, the Zen master arranged for Kukochi to perform the final victory, and Pippen's back refused to play, allowing the air in the United Center to solidify.

But when Jordan collapsed in his arms in the flu battle in 1997, all the grudges disappeared. Pippen's sentence "I will defend the defense line for you" has become the most moving footnote of the Bull Dynasty. When he was selected as the NBA75 superstar in 2021, Pippen said in his speech: "Without Jordan, I might be just an ordinary All-Star. But together, we changed the appearance of basketball. "

Each of Jordan's six championship rings has Pippen's name engraved. He is an invisible architect of the Bulls Dynasty, building city walls with defense and weaving dreams with passing balls. When Jordan flies under the spotlight, Pippen always stands silently in the shadows, protecting the foundation of the dynasty with sweat and wisdom. As Zen Master said: "Jordan is the engine, Pippen is the steering wheel. Cars without a steering wheel will never reach the end. "