Michael Jordan 'The Last Dance': TV Schedule, Live Stream, Preview for Finale
May 17, 2020
Champagne showers and victory cigars never get old after winning an NBA title. Episodes 9 and 10 of The Last Dance on Sunday will showcase the conclusion of the Chicago Bulls' second three-peat with an inside look at the final years of the storied dynasty featuring Michael Jordan.
Thus far, we have had eight hours of captivating access to Jordan and the Bulls on their rise to NBA supremacy during the 1990s. The most recent episodes delved into an emotionally charged time in the basketball icon's life.
Jordan dealt with the death of his father a month after beating the Phoenix Suns for his third title. He retired from basketball before trying his hand in baseball with the Chicago White Sox's Double-A squad, the Birmingham Barons. But he made a comeback at the end of the 1994-95 NBA season. In the following campaign, he led Chicago to another title, knocking off the Seattle SuperSonics in six contests, with the final win coming on Father's Day.
The two episodes that comprise the series' finale will introduce us to new contenders for the Bulls' crown and give us a different view of the late Jerry Krause, the architect of Chicago's reign.
'The Last Dance' Information
Start Time: Episode 9 (9 p.m. ET); Episode 10 (10 p.m. ET)
TV: ESPN and ESPN2
Livestream: ESPN+
Preview
Rarely do we hear players describe Jordan and the Bulls as a team ripe for the picking, but Reggie Miller went into the 1997-98 Eastern Conference Finals with that mentality (starting at 0:17 mark).
Perhaps it was best Miller kept those thoughts to himself. We saw what happened to challengers who viewed Jordan as vulnerable. Just ask former Orlando Magic guard Nick Anderson, who said, "No. 45 is not No. 23," referencing the NBA legend's new number following his brief baseball intermission.
Anderson's comment fueled Jordan to avenge a 1994-95 semifinal loss to the Magic with a sweep in the 1995-96 Eastern Conference Finals.
Miller played for a strong Indiana Pacers team—a club that earned Jordan's respect (starting at 0:44 mark).
The Pacers had two Hall of Famers on their roster with Miller as the sharpshooter and a smooth southpaw in Chris Mullin. Mark Jackson was a high-level ball distributor who led the league in assists in 1996-97. Rik Smits along with Antonio and Dale Davis brought physicality and prevented easy buckets in the paint.
As seen in previous episodes, Jordan respected his opponents, but his will to win conquered the "baddest of boys" en route to the top. He led the Bulls to victory over the Pacers in a grueling seven-game series before his second NBA Finals date with the Utah Jazz.
Basketball fans remember Jordan's crossover that made Jazz forward Bryon Russell slip before a swishing dagger that led Chicago to a sixth title.
Here's something the audience won't see coming: Highly favorable commentary on Krause in the last episode. On The Rich Eisen Show, Jason Hehir, the director of The Last Dance, talked about praise for the Hall of Fame executive from those in the film (starting at 6:52).
Through the first eight episodes, Krause had been the subject of insults and jokes from Scottie Pippen and Jordan. The latter's leadership and greatness shine through every episode. Hehir's decision to balance the view on Krause will place a finishing touch on a story that may not have ended with six championships without the man who put together the players and coach (Phil Jackson).
Prepare yourself for more Jordan shrugs after game-winning buckets in the last two installments of a great NBA story.
The NSFW version of Episodes 9 and 10 will air on ESPN, while ESPN2 broadcasts the censored narration.