Michael Jordan: Bulls dynasty doesn’t happen without Scottie Pippen

Michael Jordan has heard the debates for decades. Greatest ever. No argument.

But when the conversation turns to him, Jordan believes one other name should always come with it.

Scottie Pippen.

Jordan made that clear during The Last Dance, explaining that his six championships with the Chicago Bulls don’t exist without his longtime running mate.

“I would never be able to find another partner in the game of basketball like Scottie Pippen,” Jordan said. “Whenever they speak Michael Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen.”

And he meant it.

Jordan didn’t win a single postseason series until Chicago acquired Pippen on draft night in 1987. After that, the Bulls turned into a machine.

Together, Jordan and Pippen went 6-0 in the NBA Finals, pulled off two three-peats, and authored one of the most dominant runs in sports history.

When both were in the lineup, Chicago went 514-177 in the regular season and 117-51 in the playoffs. They took down the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Suns, SuperSonics and Jazz twice along the way. No drama. Just banners.

The dynasty ended in 1998, with Jordan stepping away and Pippen heading to Houston in a sign-and-trade. The résumé, though, was already sealed.

Jordan, a 14-time All-Star and five-time MVP, remains the NBA’s all-time leader in scoring average. Pippen, the ultimate two-way forward, made seven All-Star teams and 10 All-Defensive squads and won a steals title of his own.

Both are Hall of Famers. Both landed on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

And if you ask Jordan, that’s exactly how it should be.