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Quarterfinals (I): the GOAT against the post 73-9 Warriors

So it's quarterfinales time! Today I bring you 2 of the 4 series that will decide the semifinals teams. Out of the 248 teams that began the competition, 8 have fought for a spot among the 4 best in History. Get ready for History:

Michael Jordan ready to troll Klay Thompson as for some reason 2k decided the game was going to be played in Bobcats' court.

(1) 1997 Chicago Bulls - (9) 2017 Golden State Warriors

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen had already had difficulties in the past series. After sending the James Harden's Rockets home in game 7, one of the franchises that has entered the discussion as legit competitors for the "best team in history" awaited for them. The basis of the team that earned 6 rings from 1991 to 1998 faced the one that won 3 from 2015 to 2018. 

And the series should have been closer.

In Game 1, the Bulls seemed quite superior to the Warriors. Pippen saw the light as he scored 47 points, making MJ look like a complement rather than the best player in History. Èven though the Big 3 of the Warriors (Durant, Thompson, and Curry) performed well (68 points between the three), they didn't do it well enought and Chicago got the game 117-197.

Game 2 was another story. It was the tough match up that fans could expect from these 2 teams. Pippen became human scoring 14 points and Jordan corrected his last appearance putting up 36. However, he was alone: only Jordan, Pippen, and Kukoc (13pts) scored double figures in the Bulls. On the other side, Curry returned to his MVP level with 34 points, making an impact that would make up for the discrete night of Kevin Durant. In the end, after a vibrant 1st quarter (in which Golden State outscored Chicagon 43-30), the match fell for the Warriors by 5 points: 99-94 and 1-1 in the series.

Game 3 took the teams to the 2017 Oracle Arena in Oakland. In their stadium, the Warriors gave no chance to the Bulls as they defended extremely well and limited Chicago to 87 points: no player from the Illinois team reached 20 points, neither Michael Jordan (18). Warriors' stars had been quite inconsistent this far in the series, and they still were: KD appeared with 25, but Curry was limited to 8 points with only 7 shots attempted. However, when you have 3 players of that level, you can afford having one underperforming -even more if the team defends that well. So the Warriors won 98-78 and headed in the series 2-1.

And game 3 ended up being the key. Game 4 was tough, close, and disputed. Even if the Bulls were ahead of the score for the first three quarters, the Warriors made a 32-25 run in the fourth to win the game by 4 points: 117-121. Golden State had stolen 1 game from Chicago, and did not give up none in its home. Curry, Thompson, and KD had carried their team up 3-1 in the series. Even though it wouldn't have been the first time we see a Warriors team blow up a 3-1 lead, this time they took advantage of the momentum and closed the series in Game 5 with a 97-87 lead. Match and series: the 2017 Warriors advance to semifinals and eliminate Michael Jordan and his Bulls in Quarter Finals.

(4) 2000 Indiana Pacers - (11) 2004 Minnesota Timberwolves

I mean the Pacers swept the T-Wolves 4-0, so as I've writen maybe too much for the last series let's just say that basically Reggie Miller beat the fuck out of 2004 season MVP Kevin Garnett (for God's shake I promise I'd love to narrate the series but the Pacers won Game 4 by a 31 point margin it was just ridiculous).


So these teams will meet in semifinals for a spot in The Finals. Reggie Miller takes the role of the underdog as he will be meeting a 2 times champions GSW for glory. On the other side of the bracket, don't miss the quarterfinals among the 2011 Mavs, 1996 SuperSonics, 2007 Spurs, and 1985 Lakers!

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