- The Chicago Bulls’ all-time lineup features Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman
- The Oklahoma City Thunder’s all-time lineup features Russell Westbrook, Gary Payton, and Kevin Durant
- The Chicago Bulls defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals 4-2
The Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder are two NBA franchises on two opposite ends of the spectrum regarding team success. The Bulls are six-time NBA champions led by the GOAT Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and company. The Thunder have yet to win an NBA championship since 1979 when they were still the Seattle SuperSonics before moving the franchise for the 2008-09 season. Seattle’s best chance at a championship since their 1979 run would be in 1996 when they were defeated by the Bulls in six games.
Today, we have put together two of the greatest lineups in each of these two franchises’ history for an all-out battle on the court. In order to create the most even matchups possible, we decided to include more modern-day players for each team such as Jimmy Butler for the Bulls and Paul George for the Thunder in lieu of legendary lineups that would include Artis Gilmore for Chicago and Tom Chambers for the Thunder. With these changes, there is an even more electric matchup in store for you.
In order to break down this matchup of legendary lineups, we will go position by position and dive into the head-to-head showdowns for each. Once those are covered, we will take a look at the advantages each team holds over the other before diving into the seven-game series to decide a champion.
Get ready for one of our most exciting all-time matchups to date. This is the Chicago Bulls’ all-time team versus the Oklahoma City Thunder’s all-time team in a seven-game series.
Derrick Rose vs. Gary Payton
As is the case with every matchup in this series, things get off to an exciting start with two all-time great point guards. For Chicago, we are getting MVP Derrick Rose who was the youngest MVP ever and one of the most athletic and talented players in the NBA. Rose will be a welcomed addition at point guard to the core of Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman with his ability to blow by defenders and make the right play every single time. Rose can back up Jordan as a second scorer as well as be the perfect fit as a facilitator on fast breaks.
Opposing Rose for the Oklahoma City Thunder is one of the greatest defensive point guards in NBA history, Gary Payton. The first thing that Payton provides for this Thunder lineup is his ability to take on either Rose or Michael Jordan defensively. We already know he has the ability to stick with Jordan and somewhat slow him down, and there is no doubt he will also be able to do that with Rose as well. He can also double as a scorer and a facilitator but will be his most dangerous when this team gets out and operates in transition.
Michael Jordan vs. Russell Westbrook
Now, we get to a matchup that heavily favors one side over the other. That advantage, of course, falls in the lap of the Bulls who are trotting out the GOAT in their lineup. Michael Jordan will feast on a defender such as Westbrook who relies on his help to bail him out more than half the time. With the amount of space he will be able to operate in, I can see Jordan dropping anywhere from 38.0 to 45.0 points per game this series.
As a symbol of athleticism, it is completely plausible that Jordan gives Russell Westbrook fits on the defensive end of the ball as well, slowing him down in Chicago’s favor. For Westbrook, his best is to approach his duties as a shooting guard in the playmaker role. It would be wise to, instead of challenging Jordan, create as many opportunities as possible for Paul George, Kevin Durant, and the other talented scorers he’ll share the court with. Defensively, he will have to do what most did during their careers against Jordan, pray for help to come.
Jimmy Butler vs. Paul George
After that tipped the scales in Chicago’s favor, they evened out once more with a matchup between two extremely talented small forwards. The Chicago version of Jimmy Butler was an All-Star and extremely talented two-way player. Every bit of his defense will be needed to slow down the offensively gifted Paul George.
Butler will undoubtedly struggle offensively but will be lauded more for the other things he does on the court. Getting to the mid-range and foul line will be essential for Butler to try and force his way into making an impact on offense. With George as one of the best shot-creators on the Thunder, it will be Butler’s defense that is crucial to slowing down the Oklahoma City attack.
For George, he just needs to be patient, pick his shots, and let the game come to him. This version of George was a third-place MVP candidate as well as in the running for Defensive Player of the Year. These two will be battling all series long on both sides of the floor. Whoever takes even the slightest advantage in the head-to-head could tip the scales in favor of their teams. In this case, you have to go with George as the more skilled offensive player.
Scottie Pippen vs. Kevin Durant
In this legendary matchup of forwards, Scottie Pippen might just have his toughest test ever with Kevin Durant starting back at him. The addition of Rose to this lineup takes a lot of the offensive pressure off Scottie Pippen which means he can put just a bit more effort into this matchup defensively. This is a good thing for Chicago because he will certainly need it. Pippen has to keep the damage afflicted by Durant to a minimum and hope he can frustrate the all-time great scorer into inefficient attempts.
The only problem is, that every attempt is efficient from Durant who is a multiple-time member of the 50/40/90 club and one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Oklahoma City’s entire offense will run through Durant who is capable of getting hot from anywhere on the court. If Pippen is allowed to get physical with him, that could be the difference in this matchup. However, given the talent of Durant as a three-level scorer, this battle tips in the favor of Oklahoma City as great offense will outplay great defense more often than not in the NBA.
Dennis Rodman vs. Shawn Kemp
We get to our final matchup which is a complete rematch of the 1996 NBA Finals. Dennis Rodman is out there for his abilities as a versatile defender who could even help with Durant for most of his time on the court and as a rebounder. Rodman’s job will be to simultaneously keep Shawn Kemp in check while also serving as a disruptor in help situations. On offense, gaining extra possession on the glass will be his only priority as well and will be the best way to serve this already powerful offense.
For Shawn Kemp, the best way for him to be successful is to be aggressive on the glass and get Oklahoma City running as often as possible. With his incredible leaping ability, Kemp is a serious lob threat in transition. With Payton and Westbrook in the backcourt, Kemp could see a ton of opportunities to score come his way in those situations. Kemp can also be a floater defensively considering the minimal threat Rodman is one offense. These two forwards serving as centers are another matchup that could decide the series.
Chicago Bulls Advantages
Both the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder have distinct advantages that could help lead them to a victory in this seven-game series. Starting with the Bulls, the versatility of their defense has to be one. The frontcourt of Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman features two of the greatest defenders at their position in NBA history. Including Michael Jordan and Jimmy Butler, the Bulls look like a stacked and stout unit on the defensive side of the ball.
The second advantage they have on the court against the Thunder will be the backcourt duo of Derrick Rose and Michael Jordan. On one hand, you have the greatest offensive player in NBA history as well as a former nine-time All-Defensive First Team selection. With Rose, you get an explosive and dynamic point guard who can take over a game as both a scorer and a playmaker. This dangerously skilled duo will be the driving force behind any victory for Chicago in the series.
Oklahoma City Thunder Advantages
Just as the Bulls have a few advantages to push their team ahead in the series, the Thunder also have some that could lead them to an upset win. The first of these advantages is going to be their fast-break offense. This will be initiated by the three-headed monster of Russell Westbrook, Gary Payton, and Kevin Durant who will all be looking to push the pace. This will also get Shawn Kemp and Paul George more involved with the offense, opening up an attack from every angle on the court. Even the greatest of defenses will struggle to slow that down.
Another distinct advantage that the Thunder have over the Bulls is their talented and offensively superior frontcourt. While the defense from Chicago will be as elite as it gets, so too will be the Thunder offense. Kevin Durant is one of the most talented scorers ever and Shawn Kemp showed in 1996 that he can overtake Rodman for long stretches during the biggest games. If these two can get rolling while also getting their teammates involved, the Thunder offense will be incredibly difficult to stop.
Who Would Win This Matchup In A 7-Game Series?
This legendary matchup between two teams gets started off with a back-and-forth battle in Game 1. The Thunder would get out to an early lead thanks to Kevin Durant and Gary Payton. Durant would go off for 36 points in the contest while Payton held Derrick Rose in check with 4 steals and 12 assists of his own. The Bulls fought back though behind 45 points from Michael Jordan and stout second-half defense from Pippen and Rodman. In the end, Chicago was able to pull away 112-98 and take a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2 would be a much different story. With Rose’s struggles continuing against Gary Payton, the Thunder would build another early lead but this time, never looked back. Kevin Durant was definitely the catalyst behind the win with 37 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists while Shawn Kemp also added 22 points and 13 rebounds. The frontcourt duo’s dynamic play led Oklahoma City to a 12-point win and a 1-1 even series.
The momentum-shifting Game 3 would finally be the game in which Derrick Rose broke through the wall known as Gary Payton. Rose would manipulate the defense off the heels of the attention Michael Jordan drew for 26 points and 12 assists on the night. The reason Jordan drew so much attention was his ridiculous 62.0% shooting from the field and 48-point output. Behind the dominance of their backcourt, the Bulls would get out to a 2-1 series lead with momentum swinging in their direction.
Oklahoma City would not be denied in Game 4 however as they knew their chances at victory hung in the balance. This time, it would be Russell Westbrook to step up for the Thunder with one of his signature triple-double performances. Westbrook erupted for 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists to lead the Thunder to victory while Paul George also chipped in with 25 points of his own. With the series tied at two games each, the series was now a best-of-3.
The super important Game 5 would be an epic battle between the two greatest scorers to ever play this game. In the first half, it was all Kevin Durant who could not be stopped or even slowed from the mid-range put to the three-point line. In the second half, it was Michael Jordan getting to the rim at will and earning free throws along with knocking down tough shots in traffic. In the end, Chicago would take a 3-2 series lead behind 39 points from Jordan and 22 rebounds from Dennis Rodman on the night.
In a do-or-die Game 6 for the Oklahoma City Thunder, an unlikely hero would step up and take over with an all-time great performance. While Jordan struggled to put the series away for Chicago, the same happened to Durant as he tried to extend the series for one more game. Enter Paul George who would go off for a ridiculous 43 points and come up with 4 steals in a massive series-saving night. George’s 43 points would force an improbable Game 7, the first Jordan or the Bulls ever faced in a championship series.
With an unlikely hero stepping up for Oklahoma City in Game 6, Game 7 was set to be one of the greatest series-clinching games ever. Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant battled while Gary Payton and Derrick Rose put on a show for fans everywhere. Meanwhile, the unlikely hero would come from the Bulls’ side this time in the form of Jimmy Butler. Hardly hearing his name called all series long, Butler inserted himself into the conversation with a 30-point, 8-assist game that helped lift the Bulls to a Game 7 win. Jordan finished the game with 38 as well but it would Be Butler’s night to shine with his series-clinching output.
Final Result: Chicago Bulls All-Time Team vs. Oklahoma City Thunder All-Time Team 4-3
Series MVP: Michael Jordan
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