Michael Jordan knew someone else might have to take the shot.
Twenty five years ago, Warriors coach Steve Kerr was the guy Jordan trusted in crunch time. And he delivered. A couple hours before his team took on the Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Kerr reflected on the shot and how it’s helped him connect with his team at this point of the playoffs.
“An incredible memory obviously,” Kerr said. “Something every young basketball player dreams of. So to be able to live that was pretty amazing. And then the fact that it's 25 years ago just makes me feel old, of course.”
With 28 seconds left in a tied-up Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Phil Jackson drew up a play for the Chicago Bulls. Of course the ball would be in Jordan’s hands, but he figured he would draw a double team to open up one of his teammates for his shot. As he sat on the bench, he shot a glance toward Kerr.
“He comes off, I’ll be ready,” Kerr said.
We all know what happened next. Bryon Russell guarded Jordan near the top of the key and John Stockton came down for a double team, leaving Kerr open. Jordan dished the ball to Kerr and he swished it through as the shot clock expired and five seconds left in front of the home crowd.
The Bulls won their second championship in a row, as part of a three-peat. It doesn’t get much bigger than that.
Now, as the Warriors fight for a fourth ring during this era, they know that Kerr has been here as a player and a coach. This marks his 11th NBA Finals across four decades – the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and now 2020s.
“The Finals are the Finals, whether you're playing or coaching,” Kerr said. “It's the ultimate competition in the world of basketball. So there's a lot of nerves and a lot of excitement and a lot of stress and all that stuff. I think my experience as a player has definitely helped me prepare to coach a team in the Finals because I know what these guys are feeling.”
