Are you a fan of the Chicago Bulls and wondering who they defeated to win all six of their championship titles? Look no further!
As someone who watched Michael Jordan lead the Bulls to all six victories in real time, I can fill you in.
In this blog post, we will delve into the Chicago Bulls 6 championships, from their first championship win in 1991 to their last in 1998.
Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and relive the thrilling moments that solidified the Bulls’ status as one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.
So, let’s get started and answer the burning question on every basketball fan’s mind: Who did the Bulls beat to win their 6 championships?
Table of Contents
1991 Chicago Bulls defeat Los Angeles Lakers
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The Bulls first championship was a truly special run. I wrote an entire post on the incredible run the Bulls had to go on to win that first title.
In the playoffs that year, they not only took out their Eastern Conference nemesis, the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons, they also got by Charles Barkley’s Sixers and Patrick Ewing’s Knicks. And that was all before the NBA Finals!
| Regular Season Record | 61-21 |
| Head Coach | Phil Jackson |
| Bulls Starters | Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright and John Paxson |
| Key Bench Players | B.J. Armstrong, Will Perdue, Stacey King, Craig Hodges |
| Finals Opponent | Los Angeles Lakers In 1991 the Lakers featured Magic Johnson, Byron Scott, Vlade Divac and James Worthy |
1992 Chicago Bulls defeat the Portland TrailBlazers
The Bulls got by a young Miami Heat team, again got past Patrick Ewing’s Knicks and defeated Mark Price, Brad Daugherty and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. This was NOT the year of The Shot – that was 1989.
| Regular Season Record | 67-15 |
| Head Coach | Phil Jackson |
| Bulls Starters | Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright and John Paxson |
| Key Bench Players | B.J. Armstrong, Will Perdue, Stacey King |
| Finals Opponent | Portland Trail Blazers In 1992, the Blazers starred Clye Drexler along with Jerome Kersey and Terry Porter |
1993 Chicago Bulls defeat the Phoenix Suns
The Bulls got past an aging Dominique Wilkins and his Hawks team, again defeated the Cavs and the Knicks to win the East.
| Regular Season Record | 57-25 |
| Head Coach | Phil Jackson |
| Bulls Starters | Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright and B.J. Armstrong |
| Key Bench Players | Scott Williams, John Paxson, Stacey King |
| Finals Opponent | Phoenix Suns The 1993 Suns starred Bulls former Eastern Conference foe Charles Barkley along with Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle. |
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1996 Chicago Bulls defeat the Seattle SuperSonics
To win the East, the Bulls defeated the Heat starring Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway, the Knicks still led by Patrick Ewing and the Orlando Magic starring Shaq, Penny Hardaway and former Bull Horace Grant.
| Regular Season Record | 72-10 |
| Head Coach | Phil Jackson |
| Bulls Starters | Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Luc Longley and Ron Harper |
| Key Bench Players | Toni Kukoč, Steve Kerr |
| Finals Opponent | Seattle Supersonics The Sonics had the really dynamic duo of Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, but it was not enough to stop the peaking Bulls. |
1997 The Chicago Bulls defeat the Utah Jazz
In the East, the Bulls got by a young Bullets team, a middling Hawks squad and the Heat starring Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway.
| Regular Season Record | 69-13 |
| Head Coach | Phil Jackson |
| Bulls Starters | Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Luc Longley and Ron Harper |
| Key Bench Players | Toni Kukoč, Steve Kerr, Bison Dele |
| Finals Opponent | The Utah Jazz The Jazz were led by an all-time duo: Karl Malone and John Stockton. Having two of the best players to ever play was still not enough for the Jazz to beat the Bulls. MJ scored 38 points to help the Bulls win game 5 in his famous Flu Game |
1998 The Chicago Bulls defeat the Utah Jazz
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To claim the Eastern Conference title, the Bulls got by the Nets, the Hornets and Reggie Miller’s Indiana Pacers. In the NBA Finals, they squared off with their only two-time Finals opponent: the Utah Jazz.
| Regular Season Record | 62-20 |
| Head Coach | Phil Jackson |
| Bulls Starters | Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Luc Longley and Ron Harper |
| Key Bench Players | Toni Kukoč, Steve Kerr, Scott Burrell |
| Finals Opponent | The Utah Jazz The Jazz still starred John Stockton and Karl Malone. This series was capped by Jordan’s second Shot: this one over Bryon Russell to win the series. |
Summary: Who did the Bulls beat to win their 6 championships?
The Chicago Bulls’ six championships are a testament to the team’s talent and perseverance.
From their first victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in 1991 to their final triumph over the Utah Jazz in 1998, the Bulls dominated the NBA and established themselves as one of the greatest dynasties in the league’s history.
With the leadership of Michael Jordan and the guidance of Phil Jackson, the Bulls defeated formidable opponents and created unforgettable moments in basketball history.
We hope this trip down memory lane has provided insight into the teams that the Bulls beat for their six championships and reminded you of the excitement and greatness that this team brought to the court.
My Other Michael Jordan Articles
If you want to read more about Michael Jordan and his incredible dominance with the Bulls, check out my other MJ articles below.
- I wrote about where MJ is from here.
- I wrote about when MJ started playing basketball here.
- I wrote about the 1992 Dream Team here.
- I wrote about MJ’s crazy Finals record here.
- I wrote about MJ’s prime here.
- I wrote about MJ’s playoff record in depth here.
- I wrote about MJ’s first championship here.
- I wrote about the only two times MJ missed the playoffs here.
- I wrote about MJ’s three separate retirements here.
Featured Image Photo Credit: Flickr: Chicago Bulls – 6 x champions Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar C.C. Attribution 2.0 Generic
I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. I write about games, players and seasons from the past.