“Terrific Marriage”- Former NBA Player Explains Why Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen Needed Each Other

During the 1990s, the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan went berserk, winning a total of six NBA Championships. This included two separate 3-peats keeping MJ’s Finals record spotless. However, if it weren’t for Scottie Pippen’s rise to stardom, the scenario could have been different.

The Jordan-Pippen duo was a sight of beauty during their championship years together. Former NBA player Brevin Knight joined Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson in a podcast. Knight shared his experience playing against a Pippen-less Bulls for a brief time. He said:

“The adjustment more would be if you adjust, but there’s no Jordan. With there being no Scottie Pippen, you understand and you feel that he’s not out there. It means you have a chance to win, but the demand is still out there. So you’re still more worried about what he’s [Michael Jordan] doing, he still can win the game by himself.”

Jordan and Pippen were a dominant force during their years together. It is safe to say that they established themselves as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, duo of all-time.

“I just think the Scottie Pippen thing was a perfect complement for Michael Jordan. He was a perfect compliment, he was an all-around basketballer could do it all, but he still needed Michael Jordan to win. But I’m gonna say this Michael Jordan needed Scottie Pippen to win.

“It went both ways. It was a terrific marriage, it was one in which yielded the championships for them. But would you be worried if Scottie was playing? Yes. If he wasn’t playing and Mike was playing, you would still be just as worried because Mike was playing.”

The Chicago Bulls were a formidable team when MJ and Pippen were leading them. Those years established Jordan as arguably the greatest player of all time.

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ glory years

Jordan and Co. won their first title back in 1991 and never looked back from that point on. Moreover, many believe that if MJ hadn’t retired for a brief time after the first 3-peat, he would have eight rings on his fingers.

Regardless of that brief retirement period, Jordan picked it right back up and won three more championships. If it weren’t for the fallout between the team and the then GM Jerry Krause, the Bulls could have won a few more titles.

What are your thoughts on the dynamic duo of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen? Are they the best duo of all-time?