The Last Dance

InstaFace

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Great article on Toni Kukoc out today.

Also, I was amused skimming over the Dream Team wiki page to see two notes:

At the Olympics, the Dream Team stayed at a luxury Barcelona hotel instead of the Olympic Village due to security concerns. <...> Barkley walked around the city alone despite the threats. When asked where his bodyguards were, he held up his fists and answered, "This is my security."[13] McCallum later described Barkley as "the number one U.S. Olympic ambassador" for his visits to La Rambla, where he met with adoring crowds.[10]

Jordan was the only player who studied the opposition, carefully watching game tapes.[13] He and the other Americans enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each other in a casual setting, often playing cards all night and, for Jordan, playing several rounds of golf daily with little rest.
Because of course he did.

Barkley later said, "I don't think there's anything better to representing your country. I don't think anything in my life can come close to that." Bird called the medal ceremony and the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" "the ultimate experience." Johnson said, "The 92 Dream Team was the greatest moment of my life in terms of basketball, bar none." Jordan said that the biggest benefit for him from the Olympics was that he learned more about his teammates' weaknesses. He later defeated Barkley, Malone, and Stockton in three NBA finals.
What can you do but laugh.

---

I personally don't mind the dual-timelines narrative structure. Those who don't intimately remember the details of the full Jordan era want that retrospective, not just a focus on the last season. I know I do. And taking a grand view of the full era, that final season does seem to sum it up - it had all been building to that point, both the talent and the drama. You start out reminded of how it ends, and the movie is about the journey to get there.

How many movies do that, where you see the ending moments (or nearly so) at the beginning, then get there, and then there's the final moments that become more meaningful now that you have the full context? I know I've seen dozens. Slumdog Millionaire. Usual Suspects. Gladiator. Shit, Citizen Kane with Rosebud. If there's a decisive moment in your story, then leading with that moment (to put it in the audience's head) and then building back up to it is, maybe not a common narrative technique, but it's a well-known one with plenty of famous examples.
 

lovegtm

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I've now caught up on all four episodes...and while the content is undeniably compelling, I seem to be the only one a bit confused by how all of it has been pieced together. I feel as though the availability of a lot of behind-the-scenes footage from 1997-98 pushed the producers to structure the documentary backwards around the "Last Dance" motif, with all sorts of time-shifting that doesn't make enough narrative sense to justify the structure. I think I would have preferred to watch a series structured first and foremost around the chronological narrative of Jordan's years in Chicago, with the extended Jordan/Pippen/Jackson flashbacks and character deep dives still there in each of the first four episodes (Rodman's being saved until later) and with flash-forwards to the modern-day interviews and all of the behind-the-scenes footage from 1997-98 used to emphasize aspects of Jordan's entire journey from 1985 to 1998. The need to chronicle how the Bulls are getting on at various points during the 1997-98 season yanks everything out of joint, and gives too much primacy to the last season of an arc which was compelling from start to finish: for example, real-life Episode 4 ends with the Bulls losing to the Jazz in Salt Lake City and everyone freaking out about Krause's comments about Jackson being forced to leave. My Episode 4 would have ended with Jordan reaching the pinnacle and winning his first title, which is what the episode is really about anyway; the artifice of "The Last Dance" just isn't necessary.
Hmmmm I agree the structure is a bit contrived, and definitely motivated by the fact they had that footage.

At the same time, the Bulls had a lot of long-running storylines/tensions that built over the years and that all came to a head in that 1998 season, so there's some justification.

On the whole I'd probably say thumbs up as opposed to a straight chronological retelling, but that might be status quo bias. The material is really good and it's a hard story to fuck up either way.
 

Kliq

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Yeah, this always bothered me. The team is legendary no matter what, but having Shaq there would have made it even sillier. The difference in the caliber of these players was crystal clear at the time.
The original idea behind the Dream Team was going to be half-NBA/half-college players as a way to try and keep amateur spirit. As more NBA stars hopped on board, the fewer spots remained for college players. As a consolation, they decided to keep one spot for college players. At the time, if you were picking one player who would represent college basketball, the pick was Laetnner, who was the most successful college player of that period and recognized as the face of college basketball. Shaq was a better pro prospect, but even at the time when he was drafted, Shaq said he thought Laetnner was a much better player than he was and understood why he was chosen. Historically it looks better if Shaq is there instead of Laetnner because Shaq had such a great career in the NBA and Laetnner is the "one of these things is not like the other" of the Dream Team, but Laetnner was the logical choice at the time.

Ironically, being picked for the Dream Team imo has hurt Laetnner's reputation as a player. Since he didn't go on to a HoF career and was the turd in the Dream Team punchbowl (in addition to being a reviled college player) he is kind of seen as being a bust, but he had a really solid career. He played for 14 years, made one ASG and averaged 17-8 for his first four seasons before injuries really kicked in. Today his shooting and passing from the C spot would be even more valuable.
 

djbayko

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The original idea behind the Dream Team was going to be half-NBA/half-college players as a way to try and keep amateur spirit. As more NBA stars hopped on board, the fewer spots remained for college players. As a consolation, they decided to keep one spot for college players. At the time, if you were picking one player who would represent college basketball, the pick was Laetnner, who was the most successful college player of that period and recognized as the face of college basketball. Shaq was a better pro prospect, but even at the time when he was drafted, Shaq said he thought Laetnner was a much better player than he was and understood why he was chosen. Historically it looks better if Shaq is there instead of Laetnner because Shaq had such a great career in the NBA and Laetnner is the "one of these things is not like the other" of the Dream Team, but Laetnner was the logical choice at the time.

Ironically, being picked for the Dream Team imo has hurt Laetnner's reputation as a player. Since he didn't go on to a HoF career and was the turd in the Dream Team punchbowl (in addition to being a reviled college player) he is kind of seen as being a bust, but he had a really solid career. He played for 14 years, made one ASG and averaged 17-8 for his first four seasons before injuries really kicked in. Today his shooting and passing from the C spot would be even more valuable.
I would agree that Laettner had more team success, but Shaq was the more dominant player, even in college. I'm not saying this with hindsight at all. I understand why they chose Laettner, but I've always disagreed with that call.
 

Kliq

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I would agree that Laettner had more team success, but Shaq was the more dominant player, even in college. I'm not saying this with hindsight at all. I understand why they chose Laettner, but I've always disagreed with that call.
Evidence would suggest that Shaq was a better player than Laettner, for sure. I think a part of it though was that Laettner was a much more popular and well-known college basketball player and the committee was looking for a player to represent the college game, not necessarily the best player from college. It wasn't like they needed that guy to be a key contributor, I could have been in the Laettner spot and USA would have won gold.
 

djbayko

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Evidence would suggest that Shaq was a better player than Laettner, for sure. I think a part of it though was that Laettner was a much more popular and well-known college basketball player and the committee was looking for a player to represent the college game, not necessarily the best player from college. It wasn't like they needed that guy to be a key contributor, I could have been in the Laettner spot and USA would have won gold.
I know. It's just that the team was obviously built for dominance, so I always wanted it to be as ridiculous as possible. Watching foreigners try to contain players as varied as Jordan and Shaq would have been awesome :)
 

Yummy O'Leary

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Laimbeer was dirty, but at least he owned it. Isiah was just as dirty, but he was totally two-faced about it. I'll never forget the cheap shot he took on Ainge in the final seconds of Game 7 in '87. Down by four points with four seconds left, there was no need for the body block from behind he threw on Ainge, especially since he went after Ainge's injured leg. And then he just walks off the floor. Didn't foul out. Just gave Ainge a "fuck you" foul and took his ball and went home, like a little baby.

It's at the 1 hour, 59 minute mark.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZye3q0R9xw&t=5652s
 
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tims4wins

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Laimbeer was dirty, but at least he owned it. Isiah was just as dirty, but he was totally two-faced about it. I'll never forget the cheap shot he took on Ainge in the final seconds of Game 7 in '87. Down by four points with four seconds left, there was no need for the body block from behind he threw on Ainge, especially since he went after Ainge's injured leg. And then he just walks off the floor. Didn't foul out. Just gave Ainge a "fuck you" foul and took his ball and went home, like a little baby.

It's at the 1 hour, 59 minute mark.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZye3q0R9xw&t=5652s
Wade-esque
 

67YAZ

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Isiah & Wade - Chicago boys! Not a coincidence. Chicago ball used to be tough and physical. The stars had to play with an edge, especially the smaller guys, so they wouldn’t get mugged every trip down the floor. Not condoning it, but that’s how kids learned to play here.

That has largely changed over the past 10-15 years. The refs call much tighter games and a younger generation of coaches are emphasizing spacing and shooting.
 

jmcc5400

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Isiah was pretty bad in that quarter, I observed with satisfaction. He tried to punk Ainge because Ainge was gloatingly mimicking Rodman's dance, a spiritual forbear to Vrabel lights-outing the Chargers in the 2006 playoffs.
 

bankshot1

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Not entirely

Bird and Magic as rookies were key contributors to turning their teams into championship calibre teams and teams that became all-time great teams

Jordan didn't (as rookie-and it took him 7 years of watching the Eastern Conf parade before he got to the big dance)

And the Pistons owned the Bulls

and Isiah is being a dick who got his feeling hurt.
 
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snowmanny

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Thomas played 81-94. In 1994 it would have been completely defensible to call Jordan the fourth best player over the previous 13 years.
 

snowmanny

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Except he gave the interview and quote in 2020, which changed since 1999.
Well lord knows neither of us would ever be pedantic, but there is a literal difference between “who is the greatest player you’ve ever seen as of 1999” and “who was the best player you played against from 1981-1994.”

I know I wasn’t convinced Jordan was the greatest ever in 1994, at which point he was retired.
 

bankshot1

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(Former?) NY Post hoops guy, and current bitter old man, Peter Vescey (i was not a huge Vescey fan, he was Ryan very-light) weighs in in today's Globe

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/05/02/sports/peter-vecsey-saw-steps-that-led-last-dance/?event=event12
“To me, I thought the ’70s were damn good and the ’80s were great and the ’90s were great,” Vecsey told the Globe. “But the ’90s weren’t greater because Michael got six [titles]. I think when you had Magic and Bird and Julius and Kareem and those three teams and Houston. C’mon, the ’80s were better than the ’90s and the Pistons were in the ’80s. too. “The ’80s, to me, were it "

In the above I am in total agreemment with Vescey. As posted several times my cornerstone for comping the NBA, at least from an enjoyability, intensity, style, and competitive nature remains the 80s. It was the best basketball ever.

Vescey is also pissed that the producers did not call on his expertise and front-row seat to add color and depth to the series. Perhaps they were concerned he might step on somebody's toes as he was dancing his dance? Although as we eventualy get to the "great" near epic and historic Bulls Knick rivalry of the 90s, as I suspect we will, his voice would have been useful.

As an aside I wondered why Globe columnist and in my opinion the most knowledgable journalist on the NBA, Bob Ryan, has yet to be heard from or whether he will.
 

McBride11

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I find it oddly fascinating that MJ laces his own shoes. Like the ample equipment guys can't do that? Such a mundane task
 

ifmanis5

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Funny how one little clip will jog a memory. Those times where Mike would fly in out of nowhere on a missed free throw and dunk it in one motion. He did it a few times and it was incredible.
 

canderson

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Funny how one little clip will jog a memory. Those times where Mike would fly in out of nowhere on a missed free throw and dunk it in one motion. He did it a few times and it was incredible.
His running left behind the free throw line fadeaway is mine. He did that so much it’s etched in my memory.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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This series is gold to its core for me. The subject matter is naturally compelling however the execution elevates the whole thing.

The anecdotes as well as subplots are on point, the footage is stunning but then there is the soundtrack. The showrunners nail this going with popular but not obvious choices in songs. Stereo MC's. Perfect.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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You could make another 10 part documentary on the bad decisions Jordan has made with the Wizards, Bobcats/Hornets. He is a terrible owner and evaluator of talent, but escapes any criticism or repercussions because of who he is.
 

djbayko

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I find it oddly fascinating that MJ laces his own shoes. Like the ample equipment guys can't do that? Such a mundane task
It is funny. But maybe because he's such a perfectionist, no one can every lace them exactly how he wants them to be laced. Could be routine / superstition too.
 

djbayko

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Ten episodes sounded like a lot when I first heard about this. I could go 20. They barely touched upon the Dream Team.
 
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CantKeepmedown

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Do you think there is one specific individual from Adidas that wakes up everyday in a cold sweat? Nike hoping to sell $4M of sneakers by year 4 only to end up selling $125M in year 1 is astounding. He's been paid over $1B from Nike in his career.

My 14 year old said he would binge when it was over as he kept walking through and watching small bits. I told him it would be hard to comprehend the type of celebrity that MJ was back in the day (which the clips of him emerging from his hotel room showed well). People literally just gasping when they saw him. He asked me who would be comparable today and I really couldn't come up with an answer. With social media, fans seem to have much more insight into celebrities now than we ever did back then.