‘The Last Dance’ Redux: Michael Jordan Outscores His Fellow Bulls Starters For the Third Straight Game in a Loss to the Hawks
Following a homestand in which they went a perfect 3-0, the Chicago Bulls hit the road for the fifth game of their “Last Dance” season to square off with the undefeated Atlanta Hawks on November 7, 1997.
In front of 45,790 fans at the Georgia Dome, which still stands as the sixth-largest crowd in NBA history, Michael Jordan put forth another well-rounded effort with 27 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and a steal. But it wasn’t quite enough as the Bulls fell to 3-2 on the year with an 80-78 loss.
For the third consecutive game, Jordan outscored all four of his fellow starters, as Luc Longley, Ron Harper, Randy Brown, and Jason Caffey combined for just 15 points. Well, Longley and Harper combined for 15 points anyway. Brown and Caffey each went scoreless, shooting a combined 0-for-7 from the floor.
Toni Kukoc was the only other Bull in double figures, scoring a dozen points in just under 32 minutes off the bench. And Dennis Rodman didn’t provide much of a spark anywhere. Coming off the bench for the fifth straight game to start the season, “The Worm” had more fouls than points, five to three. The three boards were tied for his lowest output of the year.
The Hawks, on the other hand, got an incredibly balanced effort from their starting five. Mookie Blaylock led the way with 17 points, adding seven assists. Dikembe Mutombo, who would go on to win his third Defensive Player of the Year award in four years, recorded 16 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocks. And Steve Smith and Tyrone Corbin chipped in with 15 points each. Jordan’s Dream Team teammate Christian Laettner was the only Atlanta starter in single digits, scoring eight points but grabbing nine rebounds.
| Bulls | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Jordan | 27 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Luc Longley | 10 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Ron Harper | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Randy Brown | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jason Caffey | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Toni Kukoc | 12 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Dennis Rodman | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steve Kerr | 7 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Jud Buechler | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Joe Kleine | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Scott Burrell | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Hawks | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mookie Blaylock | 17 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| Dikembe Mutombo | 16 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Steve Smith | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrone Corbin | 15 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Christian Laettner | 8 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Alan Henderson | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ed Gray | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Chucky Brown | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greg Anderson | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Here’s a look at the NBA standings following all the action on November 7, 1997.
| Eastern Conference | W | L |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks | 5 | 0 |
| New Jersey Nets | 4 | 0 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 3 | 1 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 3 | 2 |
| Chicago Bulls | 3 | 2 |
| Miami Heat | 3 | 2 |
| New York Knicks | 3 | 2 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 2 | 2 |
| Detroit Pistons | 2 | 3 |
| Indiana Pacers | 2 | 3 |
| Orlando Magic | 2 | 3 |
| Washington Wizards | 2 | 3 |
| Toronto Raptors | 1 | 3 |
| Boston Celtics | 1 | 4 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 0 | 4 |
| Western Conference | W | L |
|---|---|---|
| LA Lakers | 3 | 0 |
| Seattle Supersonics | 4 | 1 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 3 | 1 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 3 | 1 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 3 | 1 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 3 | 1 |
| Phoenix Suns | 2 | 1 |
| Houston Rockets | 3 | 2 |
| Utah Jazz | 2 | 3 |
| LA Clippers | 1 | 3 |
| Vancouver Grizzlies | 1 | 4 |
| Denver Nuggets | 0 | 4 |
| Golden State Warriors | 0 | 4 |
| Sacramento Kings | 0 | 4 |
Up next for Jordan and the Bulls was a matchup at home the following night with the undefeated New Jersey Nets.
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