PORTLAND, Ore. -- Scottie Pippen agrees with former teammate
Michael Jordan: If the Chicago Bulls had kept their nucleus
together, they would be playing for their ninth NBA title.
Jordan, now the general manager of the Washington Wizards, was
quoted in Friday's Chicago Sun-Times, saying that if the Bulls
hadn't broken up their core of him, Pippen and coach Phil Jackson,
"we'd still be defending champions."
"I second that," Pippen said. "We were a great team. I mean,
it's hard for someone to compliment himself as being a part of a
great team, but we were a great team. We had great role players and
guys who worked hard. We came with it every night for 82 games and
then took it into the playoffs."
Pippen is having his worst season statistically since his rookie
season with the Bulls in 1987-88, when he averaged 7.9 points. He
is averaging 8.8 points for the Portland Trail Blazers, who are
tied for first place in the Pacific Division with Sacramento.
After the Bulls won their sixth title in eight years, 1998,
owner Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Jerry Krause decided to
scrap the expensive lineup and rebuild. Jordan retired, Pippen went
to Houston and Jackson sat out a season before taking over as coach
of the Lakers and winning another title.
Pippen, traded to Portland last year after one contentious
season with the Rockets, said it was difficult leaving Chicago
after 11 successful seasons.
"I always think about it -- wanting to have played for one team
in one city and finished my career there," he said. "There's not
much I can change about it now. What's happened has happened, and I
can't bring it back."
Jordan said that he did not intend to retire, but knew the rift
between Bulls management and Jackson was irreparable.
"I can't point any fingers at anyone," Pippen said. "We kind
of knew that certain individuals weren't going to be there. Phil
and Jerry weren't getting along, so Michael and myself, we didn't
really feel very comfortable trying to start over and start with a
new coach."
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