As a lifelong Chicagoan and Bulls fan, I remember celebrating in the living room when Pax’s shot went in, like it was yesterday. And yet I still feel for the Phoenix Suns and their fans. That ‘93 team was loaded. They deserved a ring.
And Charles had the best saison of his career that year..would have been fitting if ended it with a ring. Although being a Bulls fan, i liked that Suns team a lot. Great roster, great guys. But that shot by Paxson..i will never forget. I even have a friend i grew up with and his named his buisness after the commentators famous words: "John Paxson FOR THREE...yes!!". Greets from Munich;-)
Ya. It would have been great for them to win. But fate chose a 3peat event for the Bulls. But that play was perfectly executed. It was either Grant or Paxon. And Paxon chose to pass it. A 1 point lead made the Suns lost their confidence. So it was better. They might have made the last play worked.
Yes they were. I moved to Phoenix in 93 when they were getting hot. And I was a Jordan fan and still am. Suns had their chances, just too many mental mistakes in that Finals series. Plus the series they had in the following years with Houston they should have won in either year.
@@ljohnson41much better did most of what we see today. Traveling, steady diet of either 3's or lob passes at the rim. Primarily either or, not much in between.
Horace Grant deserves alot of credit for that win, he made the pass to Paxon then got that block on KJ..i was a big suns fan, it was heartbreaking seeing this :(
the paxton shot was hurting but mario eli shot was even more , they dominated half of the 90's with every season with 50+ and with no rings , because they didnt knew how to close a series . Bad luck and health problems took away the championship also against houston .
Granted he went up against BARKLEY, that was GRANTS only moment of the finals. HE was awful that series, and most of playoffs. But a good underrated player.
I disagree. 93' Suns had a still peak Barkley, Tom Chambers & Cedric Ceballos were still on the team, won a league best 62 games. Suns were more like the Suns that were becoming great under Cotton Fitsimmonz in the late 80s in 93'. 95' Suns were somewhat diminished already. 90s Bulls were a dynasty that the Suns had a chance to take 1 title from as the lone Western power that would've done it, as 93' was their worst team of their 6 title winners. Suns were already on the pinnacle; would've been 1 home win away. There's no gaurantee the 95' Suns would've beaten the Spurs who were a more complete team, and would've had the home court advantage. Magic were more dynamic, and closer to their peak. Suns would've had no answer for either of those 2 teams' centers. Mid 90s Rockets left a mark on NBA history, similar to the 89' & 90' Pistons, but they weren't a dynasty. 93' Suns had almost all their icons of that era of goodness there, whereas AC Green was nice, but he was really a Laker, and Majerle & KJ were fading by then. 95' was the team's last good yr of that era, and they had a chance, but 93' would've meant more to do it w/ Mark West still there, and more true Phoenicians in the mix that were going to stay in the desert far beyond their playing yrs.
Horace Grant was incredible in this video. He wisely passed the ball to Paxson who made the go ahead shot, then he blocked KJ's shot on the final possession of the game to seal the victory.👍
The sad truth about life is that for a coincidence, nowadays everybody’s talking about Jordan, just for 1 shot. Phoenix will forever be remembered as a legendary team, even without that ring.
I'm from Brazil and I was 9 years old in 92. That's when I started to follow NBA. We had one game per week broadcasted on TV, usually on Fridays. First ever NBA game I watched was a Phoenix Suns game at the beginning of the season. It was love at first sight. During playoffs we got more games broadcasted. Some of my friends were Bulls fan mainly due to Jordan. Not me. I was a Suns fan, I even had a KJ jersey. That shot was my first big hit in basketball. I cried a lot. And never made me give up on the Suns. No NBA title, but this team made me a basketball and Suns fan. Forever.
Love Pax! Growing up watching him here in Chicagoland, we saw him hit so many BIG SHOTS in critical playoff games to pull away or get the Bulls back close enough to make the opposing team take a timeout. Guy was clutch in those moments and MJ knew he could draw a double or triple team and give Pax a wide-open look.
Cavs were down 3-1 to Warriors in 2016 and took the series. I think the enormity of the stage the suns were on in game 1 and 2 took them out of their game. If Paxson does not make that shot it was anyones series.
MJ was determined. He was pissed about the media constantly grilling him on gambling, and he wanted to to stick it to Krause who liked Dan Majerle. The Suns may have been nervous in Game 1, but in Game 2, when Charles raised his level, Michael raised his higher.
@Joshua Black game 3 wasn't a fluke....the Suns almost threw that away...they were up by 11 in the fourth quarter....the Suns also had a chance to win the second game in Chicago, but KJ fumbled the ball and Chicago escaped....the Suns played much better on the road that series...home court disadvantage
Nonsense. It’s never over until it’s over. The Suns could have called a much better play with 3 seconds left and extended the series. Who drives to the rack with 3 seconds on the clock when you have Ainge, Barkley and Thunder Dan on the wings. Terrible play calling by the Suns.
@@mathewhorodner2000 The Bulls played much better on that road in that series too. Plus, that's how they split the regular season, Chicago won in Phoenix in November 1992, and the Suns beat the Bulls in Chicago in late March 1993.
Living here in Phoenix all my life ,1993 was the most exciting season ever..Barkley came to town, The entire city of Phoenix had a special buz and excitement. Suns were so close but of course, MJ spoiled it for us ... KJ is one of the most underrated PGs to ever play the game.
Suns really should have won that game, Thunder Dan had a 3 point shot that rim around and didn't go in, it would have put the Suns up by 7 late in the game, that would have been the nail in the coffin.
I always find it amazing those types of players that are always cool, collective, consistent. They are not the best players but in a way they are the foundation and without them you can’t win.
Its crazy how back then only a select few were 3pt specialist todays nba 90% of the players even centers and power forwards bombing 3s which does sort of kill the excitement of the game.
I remember being kneeled right in front of the television and raising my arms in triumph. It's hard to believe that will be 30 years ago soon. 30 years. Where does the time go?!
I was in a care center for My grandfather in Phoenix, bothof us routing for the Bulls. When Paxson hit that. . . My Grandfather jumped up and ran......Nurses went ape shit. I fell on the floor laughing. My grandmother was going ballistic. The building was square. I laughed harder when he made his second lap, and they still ain't cought him.
My Dad and I celebrated so emphatically when Paxson let the ball go that we knocked over our coffee table and killed my mothers plant in the process...I'll never forget that
I tell people all the time, John Paxson is the greatest wide open shooter in NBA history, period. From 1990 to 1994, I never seen him miss a open jumper.
MY FAVORITE BULLS MOMENT OF ALL TIME AS A BULLS FAN..... NEVER HEARD THIS PLAY FROM THE SUNS PLAYERS AND COACH PROSPECTIVE BEFORE THAT WAS PRETTY DOPE....
That's funny because whenever I watch the SUNS whom I loved very much because of Barkley I still think of the dagger John Paxson delivered in game 6. After Paxson made that 3 I thought to myself WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO BEAT THESE GODDAMN CHICAGO BULLS!! And of course that didn't happen and I had to watch the Bulls thrash everyone for another 3 year stretch in '96, '97, and '98. MJ was and still is the GOAT what can I say???
Horace Grant with the greatest assist in NBA history. Think about it - in that moment, NBA title on the line and every coaching manual ever written saying "go aggressive to the rack and at worst you shoot free throws" he catches it literally feet from cylinder and does this totally counter-intuitive pivot away from the hoop while tossing this absolutely perfect pass to Paxson. It's mind blowing because the most important part of that play is that Paxson just catches and steps into the shot like it's come from a team assistant at a practice and Grant somehow delivers it on a dime. It was like a hole in one on the court at that moment and don't forget, the play was never drawn up like that - it was drawn up for Jordan to get a high screen and just try and put it into OT. Poor Danny Ainge though - just an awful, awful mistake to unnecessarily rotate to Grant who had a man on him. What can you say really - NBA folklore now.
Nah Jordan’s pass to kerr was the greatest. The way he looked of hornaceck like he was passing to kukoc.,then hit kerr at the same time stuck his foot out to trip up Stockton so he couldn’t contest the shot. Just a thing of beauty
I wouldn't put any blame on Ainge, he had to rotate down to Grant. When Grant caught it he was open like 3 ft from the hoop and could've gone for a dunk or layup. That's why Pippen threw it to him, b/c Grant's man had rotated up to guard Pippen after Pippen broke around Barkley.
@@lamelama22 as a bulls fan at the time I’m glad Scottie Pippen didn’t throw alleyoops to Horace Grant because that would’ve been a better pass when you’re passing the ball that close to the rim with that much congestion it’s better to throw alleyoops than it is to throw a pass to the body which gives teams a quicker time to react and play defense. This is why LeBron James lost game one against Golden State when he passed the ball to George Hill. The defense have time to react and foul I don’t believe Horace Grant hits two free throws.
As a lifelong Chicagoan, I'll never forget my father going out to the yard to sulk about a minute before Paxson's shot went in, at which point the outcome appeared all but certain. At first he thought we were all joking when we told him what had just happened.
Oh man that shot. I remember I was 12., It was afternoon. I was recording all of it on VHS and throughout the whoooole game I had a feeling Phoenix wasn't Gunn'a pull it off. A gut feeling. But I denied it. I kept telling myself "their Gunn'a win it, we're Gunn'a take the championship" but the second I saw the triangle offense coming into play and the ball went to paxson, I knew it was going in. Paxson was dang near 100% with his threes. He was a 3point sniper. But in the final seconds when sun's had the chance and ball only for Johnson to be blocked, heck I was angry and ticked off. Imagine a lil 12 year old cussing around wanting the sun's to have that ring trying to find any excuse why they didn't win. But I stopped after I rationalized it. Johnson got blocked, Oliver Miller who picked up the ball and lobbed it towards the basket and came up short was no 3point shooter, so my dad come in and said "they got next year" he calmed me down. Thank goodness for father's. And he's a former Arizona resident to so it meant alot to him as well but he was calm about it unlike his hyper ass kid lol
Not at All Star or All NBA type, but certainly the type of guy teams need to have on your team to win. Ditto Gerald Henderson. Definitely two of my favorite role players on great teams.
I was only 6 at the time. This was the moment I first suffered a broken heart. I’ll always be proud of the Suns. I also remember my sisters and I yelling this whole series.
I think West is right. The Suns had the better team "that year" but to add to this, the way the Suns lost broke up any momentum from there on out. I think Westpaul was fired mid 95-96 season. Bulls sweeping the Magic in 95-96 killd that teams momentum. Injuries followed too
This is one greatest moments in nba Finals history cause the bulls became the 3rd team in nba history to 3-peat a championship that hasn't in 27 years since the Minneapolis lakers of 50s and the Boston Celtics of the late 50s to mid 60s...John Paxton and horace Grant were both hero's of that game including the whole team cause you can't win without your team working together to win it all and that's what the bulls did👍👍
Ainge knew he had help down low and the only thing that could beat them was a three; I don’t know why he chased Pippen down to the block. The worst that could happen if he stays on Paxson is a tie.
This is one of the best examples of horrible defense I’ve ever seen. Almost everyone on the suns loses their minds after Barkley makes that ridiculous play on the ball. I’m not even sure if he was making a play on the ball. He was nowhere close to getting it out of the air. Do you think he was gonna strip the ball away from Pippin on the gather? What a horrible play by one of the best players of all time. Angel left Paxon to what? Did he think he was gonna block a Scottie Pippen dunk running up from behind? Mark WEST made a good play by leaving crown on the baseline. But Pippin would’ve just dropped it off to Horace Grant or dunked on Mark WEST. Barkley didn’t even switch anyone after he was totally out of the play. He should’ve chased Paxon and switched to him right away. Just horrible defense. They didn’t deserve to win that series if they were going to blow it on that like they did.
I remember that shot and thinking “oh no “ ! He did it to the lakers as well in 91 . Great clutch player . To this day I have no idea why MJ just prior to that , 4 points down with 44 seconds left was able to run the whole floor after the in bound pass unchallenged . Wouldn’t happen in a kids game . Dan majerle was looking for who is on him , sorry to say I think it was you . That play and the previous game in which KJ took the shot instead of dishing to an open Barkley under the rim with 2 secs left cost them , perhaps the whole series .
Kevin Johnson was a great player who made critical mistakes or missed big shots at the end of a game. Or, he had defensive lapses at the wrong time along the way.
It was such a great series, but there would only be one winner. The Bulls had wasted a huge lead and were behind by 4 points, the Suns had all the momentum but then Jordan makes a layup and Paxson, you cannot leave him wide open. It was an epic end to a great series.
John Paxson never missed an open shot when it mattered! Also I would like to point out that his name is PAXSON and not PAXON or PAXTON as way too many spell his name wrong to this day! I'm sure he is used to it by now. I lived in Phoenix at the time of this series and watched so many games in the sport bars and loved every second of this series as back then I was a huge BULLS fan and watching the games with SUN FANS made it more fun for me. If PIPPEN makes that open shot at the end of the second overtime in game 3 the series is a SWEEP! PIPPEN missed a lot of open game winners as MJ _ PAXSON KUKOC and KERR were the guys to hit the game winner shots! A few months after this game I wrote the song MICHAEL'S DAD which if anyone listens to the JIM ROME SHOW you have heard it there.
In Barkley’s four years as a Sun, he showed his lack of effort on defense. Instead of man to man, he gambled and the defense collapsed leaving the shooter open. Ceballos said it best that that shot was demoralizing as it was a complete collapse at the worst time.
Nah Ainge should've stayed home on Paxson and allowed Grants man to guard him. Horace was horrible that night and that entire series lol. If Ainge stays put .....no pass to Paxson and we get a forced shot by Grant to push it into OT.....the Bulls were done tired by Game 5 and didn't want to see OT or a Game 7. Shits so sad.
@@DangleFront correct. But you don't leave the 3 pointer open. Stay on that assignment and sacrifice the 2. You either win or live for another quarter.
The Suns always refused to play defense. Sad but true. I think only playing offense excited them and gave them energy. Playing defense was drudgery and exhausting to them.
After this happened and the game ended all the kids in my neighborhood ran outside and started shooting threes on my neighbors hoop. Totally unplanned like all our brains were linked. I live in the west burbs of Chicago btw.
Magic Johnson after the Suns won Game 5 forcing the series back to Phoenix for Game 6: The Chicago Bulls are in trouble. Magic, the Bulls were in trouble however Michael Jordan wasn’t.
Bill Walton said at halftime of Game 3 "this series is over" after Bulls won the first two games on the road. He was right. NBA refs did their best to push this series back to Phoenix. Bulls were up in double digits most of game 6. Suns made a great run but not enough. I knew Bulls would win Game 6. MJ never goes to a Game 7 in the Finals. Bulls baybay!!!
Do you remember them loosing games 1 and 2 to big game James and the lakers that year and Paul W. Said we will win games 3,4 and 5 and they’ll say what a great series it was. There was only 5 games in the 1st round then.
Every person in the frickin arena was thinking *stop Michael Jordan* ... Marv Albert "here's Paxson for three..." Crowd [insert meme here] ! #GottaAdmit #DidntSeeThatOneComing
To this very day this still rips my heart out.. That Sun's team played ZERO defense... They rarely boxed out, expecting Charles to grab every board, then rarely trapped and always preferred to just outscore their opponents. Thunder was a great defender--but you didn't see it until he got to Miami. So was KJ- which he showed in game 5- but their front Cort was shite (Miller, Mustaf, Chambers and West were all tissue soft) and their wings-- Richard DUMBass, Ced and Thunder were more slashes than shooters and defenders.. Paxon said it himself--after the Knicks and the rest of the Eastbthe Bill's were "HAPPY" to see the Suns .. I watched the entire series and I knew after game 3 they were done.. They were not committed to stopping the Bulls ball movement or to rebounds.. That's how they lost to Houston TWICE after having 3-1 leads.. No defense..
I remember someone referring to the Sun's as a donut meaning they had a big hole in the middle in their defense. To the shot, being a HUGE Barkley fan I was CRUSHED, but I thought they would be back then a couple years later when Stockton shot one in Barkley's face when the Jazz beat the Rockets SMH. Man I miss those days though.
That is right. The 93 Suns were the 81 Chargers of Basketball. “Let teams score so we can get the ball back.” And it didn’t help that Ceballos disappeared during the series either. Two thirds of your front court didn’t give Barkley help and Kevin Johnson made mistakes at the most inopportune time as well.
@@rockaway2k - funny I was watching 'highlights' of the 93 finals (I have all the games but can only watch game 5 without vomiting) last week and I STILL get sick watching Armstrong and Paxson kill the Suns defensively.. Wasted opportunity personified.
John Paxson had all the time to lace up the three point shot and he let it go and it was all she wrote. And folks can say what they want about Horace Grant but became the game saving hero to seal the Bulls three peat.
rjlindsey4444 - you could be right. We’re only a google search away from truly knowing for certain. But let’s agree to keep it this way. Let MJ’s legacy thrive in the these days of the fake goat LeFraud James. Haha.
As a lifelong Chicagoan and Bulls fan, I remember celebrating in the living room when Pax’s shot went in, like it was yesterday. And yet I still feel for the Phoenix Suns and their fans. That ‘93 team was loaded. They deserved a ring.
And Charles had the best saison of his career that year..would have been fitting if ended it with a ring. Although being a Bulls fan, i liked that Suns team a lot. Great roster, great guys. But that shot by Paxson..i will never forget. I even have a friend i grew up with and his named his buisness after the commentators famous words: "John Paxson FOR THREE...yes!!". Greets from Munich;-)
Ya. It would have been great for them to win. But fate chose a 3peat event for the Bulls. But that play was perfectly executed. It was either Grant or Paxon. And Paxon chose to pass it. A 1 point lead made the Suns lost their confidence. So it was better. They might have made the last play worked.
We were living in Elgin, IL at the time. Our entire street erupted when Paxson hit that shot! Good times.
This championship made the Jordan we know today.
Yes they were. I moved to Phoenix in 93 when they were getting hot. And I was a Jordan fan and still am. Suns had their chances, just too many mental mistakes in that Finals series. Plus the series they had in the following years with Houston they should have won in either year.
Watching ‘The Last Dance’ series has me looking up old Bulls games now! 😂
Same!
Darn tootin - It was awesome growing up watching this
@@ljohnson41much better did most of what we see today. Traveling, steady diet of either 3's or lob passes at the rim. Primarily either or, not much in between.
Horace Grant deserves alot of credit for that win, he made the pass to Paxon then got that block on KJ..i was a big suns fan, it was heartbreaking seeing this :(
the paxton shot was hurting but mario eli shot was even more , they dominated half of the 90's with every season with 50+ and with no rings , because they didnt knew how to close a series . Bad luck and health problems took away the championship also against houston .
Grant’s offensive confidence was shaken, but he kept fighting doing the little things. Great lesson for the next gen of bballers.
Granted he went up against BARKLEY, that was GRANTS only moment of the finals. HE was awful that series, and most of playoffs. But a good underrated player.
I disagree. 93' Suns had a still peak Barkley, Tom Chambers & Cedric Ceballos were still on the team, won a league best 62 games. Suns were more like the Suns that were becoming great under Cotton Fitsimmonz in the late 80s in 93'. 95' Suns were somewhat diminished already. 90s Bulls were a dynasty that the Suns had a chance to take 1 title from as the lone Western power that would've done it, as 93' was their worst team of their 6 title winners. Suns were already on the pinnacle; would've been 1 home win away. There's no gaurantee the 95' Suns would've beaten the Spurs who were a more complete team, and would've had the home court advantage. Magic were more dynamic, and closer to their peak. Suns would've had no answer for either of those 2 teams' centers. Mid 90s Rockets left a mark on NBA history, similar to the 89' & 90' Pistons, but they weren't a dynasty. 93' Suns had almost all their icons of that era of goodness there, whereas AC Green was nice, but he was really a Laker, and Majerle & KJ were fading by then. 95' was the team's last good yr of that era, and they had a chance, but 93' would've meant more to do it w/ Mark West still there, and more true Phoenicians in the mix that were going to stay in the desert far beyond their playing yrs.
Man if Ainge didn't bite and stayed at home.... they push the bulls to OT and win and take that series. Damn man. Why did Ainge bite.
Horace Grant was incredible in this video. He wisely passed the ball to Paxson who made the go ahead shot, then he blocked KJ's shot on the final possession of the game to seal the victory.👍
Out of all my years of watching basketball, I'm am not over that John Paxson shot to this very day. That is the one series I have never gotten over.
You will.get past of this misery when you finally get ring! It does wash away with one championship.
@@mrodriguez7560 my team the Heat has 3.
@@terranceburrs5832 so you from phoenix or miami?
@@mrodriguez7560 I've been a Heat fan since 1992. The Suns were my second favorite team during that time.
"No threes! No threes! No threes"
(every defender collapses into the lane)
i was a big ainge fan, but this defense - man....
That is because Barkley messed it up.
The sad truth about life is that for a coincidence, nowadays everybody’s talking about Jordan, just for 1 shot.
Phoenix will forever be remembered as a legendary team, even without that ring.
Grant made 2 plays in that last back to back sequence that’s underrated actually!
Facts
Pax was clutch af
That Phoenix Suns Roster were the Rockstars of the Western Conference!
I'm from Brazil and I was 9 years old in 92. That's when I started to follow NBA. We had one game per week broadcasted on TV, usually on Fridays. First ever NBA game I watched was a Phoenix Suns game at the beginning of the season. It was love at first sight. During playoffs we got more games broadcasted. Some of my friends were Bulls fan mainly due to Jordan. Not me. I was a Suns fan, I even had a KJ jersey. That shot was my first big hit in basketball. I cried a lot. And never made me give up on the Suns. No NBA title, but this team made me a basketball and Suns fan. Forever.
We're back in the NBA finals
Man I loved that era, listen to these guys, the intellect and confidence in their voice. These were my role models, and good ones.
Love Pax! Growing up watching him here in Chicagoland, we saw him hit so many BIG SHOTS in critical playoff games to pull away or get the Bulls back close enough to make the opposing team take a timeout. Guy was clutch in those moments and MJ knew he could draw a double or triple team and give Pax a wide-open look.
The 3 Pointer Heard Around the World!! CLUTCH!!!
Phoenix lost that series when they dropped Games 1 & 2 at home. After that, it was over. There was no way they’d take 4 of 5 from Michael. None.
Cavs were down 3-1 to Warriors in 2016 and took the series. I think the enormity of the stage the suns were on in game 1 and 2 took them out of their game. If Paxson does not make that shot it was anyones series.
MJ was determined. He was pissed about the media constantly grilling him on gambling, and he wanted to to stick it to Krause who liked Dan Majerle. The Suns may have been nervous in Game 1, but in Game 2, when Charles raised his level, Michael raised his higher.
@Joshua Black game 3 wasn't a fluke....the Suns almost threw that away...they were up by 11 in the fourth quarter....the Suns also had a chance to win the second game in Chicago, but KJ fumbled the ball and Chicago escaped....the Suns played much better on the road that series...home court disadvantage
Nonsense. It’s never over until it’s over. The Suns could have called a much better play with 3 seconds left and extended the series. Who drives to the rack with 3 seconds on the clock when you have Ainge, Barkley and Thunder Dan on the wings. Terrible play calling by the Suns.
@@mathewhorodner2000 The Bulls played much better on that road in that series too. Plus, that's how they split the regular season, Chicago won in Phoenix in November 1992, and the Suns beat the Bulls in Chicago in late March 1993.
BJ Armstrong knew it was going in. He just celebrates by laying down on the floor, while the ball is still in the air.
Damn. That Suns team was stacked with good players. Barkely, KJ, Majerle, Tom Chambers, Danny Ainge, Cedric Ceballos, Richard Dumas.
The NBA, as a product, was incredible in the 90's.
Living here in Phoenix all my life ,1993 was the most exciting season ever..Barkley came to town, The entire city of Phoenix had a special buz and excitement. Suns were so close but of course, MJ spoiled it for us ... KJ is one of the most underrated PGs to ever play the game.
Danny ainge had no business leaving Paxton he either got paid by Jordan to sell out or he super dumb
Suns really should have won that game, Thunder Dan had a 3 point shot that rim around and didn't go in, it would have put the Suns up by 7 late in the game, that would have been the nail in the coffin.
Horace Grant at both ends making the clutch plays!
I always find it amazing those types of players that are always cool, collective, consistent. They are not the best players but in a way they are the foundation and without them you can’t win.
Its crazy how back then only a select few were 3pt specialist todays nba 90% of the players even centers and power forwards bombing 3s which does sort of kill the excitement of the game.
Horace Grant actually made the 2 biggest plays, the assist to Paxson and the block on KJ.
That last offensive sequence by the Bulls was poetry in motion
Yep, every player touched the ball on that play.
Paxson: "when I was a kid, I made that shot in my driveway 100,000 times"
I remember being kneeled right in front of the television and raising my arms in triumph. It's hard to believe that will be 30 years ago soon. 30 years. Where does the time go?!
Phenomenal interviews
I'm proud to have lived my early 20s in ths era.
Phoenix Suns always in my heart :) since was 13 regards from Bulgaria
I remember this vividly until today
I love BJ’s reaction. And if you watch the full video, Paxson is ready to get back on defense after the shot goes in.
I noticed that live when it happened. You knew Bulls had this game!
Bear7 Bear7 agreed
"Paxson is ready to get back on defense after the shot goes in." ... PURE SHOOTER
BJ knew it was Butta!! 😎😎
crazy how the entire seasons work comes down to only 1 shot at the end
Lol. Barkley and his mouth back then.. Serves them right. Thanks Pax
I remember jumping up and down when Paxon hit that shot to win the game. It was epic.
Same here. He was actually my favorite player on that team too
Thanks Phoenix Suns, awesome video!
I've watched this game 100 times, I had it in VHS. I remember everything, even Marv's narration.
I was in a care center for My grandfather in Phoenix, bothof us routing for the Bulls. When Paxson hit that. . . My Grandfather jumped up and ran......Nurses went ape shit. I fell on the floor laughing. My grandmother was going ballistic. The building was square. I laughed harder when he made his second lap, and they still ain't cought him.
My Dad and I celebrated so emphatically when Paxson let the ball go that we knocked over our coffee table and killed my mothers plant in the process...I'll never forget that
I tell people all the time, John Paxson is the greatest wide open shooter in NBA history, period. From 1990 to 1994, I never seen him miss a open jumper.
yur a bitch
Death of a plant, and birth of a dynasty..... fair trade.
TRJ2241987 You were planning to murder those plants from the beginning
Haha by mid '94 my parents were getting a divorce and I always thought it was because we knocked the plant over
Thank you Horace Grant
MY FAVORITE BULLS MOMENT OF ALL TIME AS A BULLS FAN..... NEVER HEARD THIS PLAY FROM THE SUNS PLAYERS AND COACH PROSPECTIVE BEFORE THAT WAS PRETTY DOPE....
That's funny because whenever I watch the SUNS whom I loved very much because of Barkley I still think of the dagger John Paxson delivered in game 6. After Paxson made that 3 I thought to myself WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO BEAT THESE GODDAMN CHICAGO BULLS!! And of course that didn't happen and I had to watch the Bulls thrash everyone for another 3 year stretch in '96, '97, and '98. MJ was and still is the GOAT what can I say???
Watching that series... Being a bulls fan. I was afraid of the suns.
@@dready187 Being a SUNS fan I already knew what the outcome was going to be but I cheered them on regardless lol
Horace Grant with the greatest assist in NBA history. Think about it - in that moment, NBA title on the line and every coaching manual ever written saying "go aggressive to the rack and at worst you shoot free throws" he catches it literally feet from cylinder and does this totally counter-intuitive pivot away from the hoop while tossing this absolutely perfect pass to Paxson. It's mind blowing because the most important part of that play is that Paxson just catches and steps into the shot like it's come from a team assistant at a practice and Grant somehow delivers it on a dime. It was like a hole in one on the court at that moment and don't forget, the play was never drawn up like that - it was drawn up for Jordan to get a high screen and just try and put it into OT. Poor Danny Ainge though - just an awful, awful mistake to unnecessarily rotate to Grant who had a man on him. What can you say really - NBA folklore now.
Nah Jordan’s pass to kerr was the greatest. The way he looked of hornaceck like he was passing to kukoc.,then hit kerr at the same time stuck his foot out to trip up Stockton so he couldn’t contest the shot. Just a thing of beauty
I wouldn't put any blame on Ainge, he had to rotate down to Grant. When Grant caught it he was open like 3 ft from the hoop and could've gone for a dunk or layup. That's why Pippen threw it to him, b/c Grant's man had rotated up to guard Pippen after Pippen broke around Barkley.
@@lamelama22 as a bulls fan at the time I’m glad Scottie Pippen didn’t throw alleyoops to Horace Grant because that would’ve been a better pass when you’re passing the ball that close to the rim with that much congestion it’s better to throw alleyoops than it is to throw a pass to the body which gives teams a quicker time to react and play defense. This is why LeBron James lost game one against Golden State when he passed the ball to George Hill. The defense have time to react and foul I don’t believe Horace Grant hits two free throws.
That three-pointer. John paxson mad put him up on top with all the clutch shooters in the NBA
RIP Paul Westphal
As a lifelong Chicagoan, I'll never forget my father going out to the yard to sulk about a minute before Paxson's shot went in, at which point the outcome appeared all but certain. At first he thought we were all joking when we told him what had just happened.
Oh man that shot. I remember I was 12., It was afternoon. I was recording all of it on VHS and throughout the whoooole game I had a feeling Phoenix wasn't Gunn'a pull it off. A gut feeling. But I denied it. I kept telling myself "their Gunn'a win it, we're Gunn'a take the championship" but the second I saw the triangle offense coming into play and the ball went to paxson, I knew it was going in. Paxson was dang near 100% with his threes. He was a 3point sniper. But in the final seconds when sun's had the chance and ball only for Johnson to be blocked, heck I was angry and ticked off. Imagine a lil 12 year old cussing around wanting the sun's to have that ring trying to find any excuse why they didn't win. But I stopped after I rationalized it. Johnson got blocked, Oliver Miller who picked up the ball and lobbed it towards the basket and came up short was no 3point shooter, so my dad come in and said "they got next year" he calmed me down. Thank goodness for father's. And he's a former Arizona resident to so it meant alot to him as well but he was calm about it unlike his hyper ass kid lol
Rest in Peace Paul Westphal.
"I literally think about it once a week." - imagine not being able to get over something that happened 28 years ago
TRJ224's mom can relate to that
well its he wouldve had a ring
27 years ago. It was 93.
@@ryanmcnulty2388 nobody cares
John paxson is another Jerry West
John Paxton was the best situational player of all time no doubt
Not at All Star or All NBA type, but certainly the type of guy teams need to have on your team to win. Ditto Gerald Henderson. Definitely two of my favorite role players on great teams.
Haven't seen Scott Williams in decades!
Wow. 30 years ago today. June 20, 1993 ~ June 20, 2023
HG super wonderful pass to JP😊 and super blocked KJ
I was only 6 at the time. This was the moment I first suffered a broken heart. I’ll always be proud of the Suns. I also remember my sisters and I yelling this whole series.
The greatest game in NBA history, period.
There has been plenty of great games and game winning shots.
I think West is right. The Suns had the better team "that year" but to add to this, the way the Suns lost broke up any momentum from there on out. I think Westpaul was fired mid 95-96 season. Bulls sweeping the Magic in 95-96 killd that teams momentum. Injuries followed too
This is one greatest moments in nba Finals history cause the bulls became the 3rd team in nba history to 3-peat a championship that hasn't in 27 years since the Minneapolis lakers of 50s and the Boston Celtics of the late 50s to mid 60s...John Paxton and horace Grant were both hero's of that game including the whole team cause you can't win without your team working together to win it all and that's what the bulls did👍👍
John Paxsons shot was the finishing dagger in Phoenix
Grant makes the assist to Paxson, Grant makes the block on KJ!
I wonder what hurt more, the Paxson shot or the Mario Elie shot in 1995. Suns fans let me know!
13 years old. I cried.
Pax was clutch all day...an awesome 3-point banker !!!
Very good sportsmanship comments from sun players. I admire them
Yes...total class by all of them.
I remember really believing the Suns were gonna force a Gm 7 until i saw Paxon with the ball
That freakin shot STILL haunts me Damn you Paxon🤦♂️😫
Ainge knew he had help down low and the only thing that could beat them was a three; I don’t know why he chased Pippen down to the block. The worst that could happen if he stays on Paxson is a tie.
Ainge left Paxon on an island and Grant knew it!!
What a game. I remember exactly where I was standing when that ball went in.
And I knew the distance to the sun.
Sun's were the best team in the NBA in 92/93. However... the best team doesn't always guarantee winning the CHIP!
This shot was by far the greatest shot of the 1st 10 years of my life, including Magic's baby sky hook shot in Boston Garden in 1987.
As Bulls and John Paxson fan I feel sorry for Suns. They had a fantastic team. I think 1993 final was the toughest Chicago Bulls ever had.
I wonder if Dan Majerle had something to say about the airball he shot a few possessions before Paxson’s shot?
Jorge-Philippe Belonni Rosario that was all nerves. Air ball from 10 feet out. The Suns flat out gave that game away.
The win is even sweeter because of Barkley’s trash talking 😂
hows welfare?
welfare?
That damn Pax
This is one of the best examples of horrible defense I’ve ever seen. Almost everyone on the suns loses their minds after Barkley makes that ridiculous play on the ball. I’m not even sure if he was making a play on the ball. He was nowhere close to getting it out of the air. Do you think he was gonna strip the ball away from Pippin on the gather? What a horrible play by one of the best players of all time. Angel left Paxon to what? Did he think he was gonna block a Scottie Pippen dunk running up from behind? Mark WEST made a good play by leaving crown on the baseline. But Pippin would’ve just dropped it off to Horace Grant or dunked on Mark WEST. Barkley didn’t even switch anyone after he was totally out of the play. He should’ve chased Paxon and switched to him right away. Just horrible defense. They didn’t deserve to win that series if they were going to blow it on that like they did.
I remember that shot and thinking “oh no “ ! He did it to the lakers as well in 91 . Great clutch player .
To this day I have no idea why MJ just prior to that , 4 points down with 44 seconds left was able to run the whole floor after the in bound pass unchallenged . Wouldn’t happen in a kids game . Dan majerle was looking for who is on him , sorry to say I think it was you . That play and the previous game in which KJ took the shot instead of dishing to an open Barkley under the rim with 2 secs left cost them , perhaps the whole series .
Kevin Johnson was a great player who made critical mistakes or missed big shots at the end of a game. Or, he had defensive lapses at the wrong time along the way.
People forget the game saving block by Horace
I saw this live. Couldn’t believe how Phoenix blew it. Unbelievable!
Horace grant with the pass and the block to win and wore goggles to tell the youth that glasses are cool
It's hard to outshoot a shooter...............Paxon for threeeeeee!
It was such a great series, but there would only be one winner. The Bulls had wasted a huge lead and were behind by 4 points, the Suns had all the momentum but then Jordan makes a layup and Paxson, you cannot leave him wide open. It was an epic end to a great series.
John Paxson never missed an open shot when it mattered! Also I would like to point out that his name is PAXSON and not PAXON or PAXTON as way too many spell his name wrong to this day! I'm sure he is used to it by now. I lived in Phoenix at the time of this series and watched so many games in the sport bars and loved every second of this series as back then I was a huge BULLS fan and watching the games with SUN FANS made it more fun for me. If PIPPEN makes that open shot at the end of the second overtime in game 3 the series is a SWEEP! PIPPEN missed a lot of open game winners as MJ _ PAXSON KUKOC and KERR were the guys to hit the game winner shots! A few months after this game I wrote the song MICHAEL'S DAD which if anyone listens to the JIM ROME SHOW you have heard it there.
In Barkley’s four years as a Sun, he showed his lack of effort on defense.
Instead of man to man, he gambled and the defense collapsed leaving the shooter open.
Ceballos said it best that that shot was demoralizing as it was a complete collapse at the worst time.
Nah Ainge should've stayed home on Paxson and allowed Grants man to guard him. Horace was horrible that night and that entire series lol. If Ainge stays put .....no pass to Paxson and we get a forced shot by Grant to push it into OT.....the Bulls were done tired by Game 5 and didn't want to see OT or a Game 7. Shits so sad.
John Plum Ainge sagged off too deep, but the defensive breakdown began with Barkley.
@@DangleFront correct. But you don't leave the 3 pointer open. Stay on that assignment and sacrifice the 2. You either win or live for another quarter.
The Suns always refused to play defense. Sad but true.
I think only playing offense excited them and gave them energy. Playing defense was drudgery and exhausting to them.
S.K. Tavakoli Ainge should have never left paxson alone to begin with.
After this happened and the game ended all the kids in my neighborhood ran outside and started shooting threes on my neighbors hoop. Totally unplanned like all our brains were linked. I live in the west burbs of Chicago btw.
That was such a great series
A lot of great teams with NBA HOF’s never got their ring because of MJ & company.
I remember this series. I never thought the Suns had a chance.
Paul Westphal you got outcoached! The coaching matchup in this series was completely one-sided, and that is why Chicago won.
Paul westphal didn't coach. Suns had Phil Jackson. Bet that team wins championship
Amen
That Kevin Johnson last play was Booker esque in the closing minutes of this year's game 5.
Magic Johnson after the Suns won Game 5 forcing the series back to Phoenix for Game 6: The Chicago Bulls are in trouble.
Magic, the Bulls were in trouble however Michael Jordan wasn’t.
Bill Walton said at halftime of Game 3 "this series is over" after Bulls won the first two games on the road. He was right. NBA refs did their best to push this series back to Phoenix. Bulls were up in double digits most of game 6. Suns made a great run but not enough. I knew Bulls would win Game 6. MJ never goes to a Game 7 in the Finals. Bulls baybay!!!
The Bulls were im trouble in the fourth quarter, when everyone except MJ went ice cold and he scored every point save for Paxson's three.
It was Barkleys fault for going for the steal. That messed up the defensive strategy for the Suns.
In the end it was KJ fault for trying to shoot it when he could have passed it to barkley who was wide open at the basket with seconds remaining
Westphal’s fault, “Make someone other than MJ beat us”.....
@@richardlloyd2589 but if kevin Johnson would have pass the ball to barkley at the basket game 6 is there's
So many “what ifs” in final series over the years.
@@roemellobaum1670 he didnt have enough time to pass it.
Do you remember them loosing games 1 and 2 to big game James and the lakers that year and Paul W. Said we will win games 3,4 and 5 and they’ll say what a great series it was. There was only 5 games in the 1st round then.
Every person in the frickin arena was thinking *stop Michael Jordan* ...
Marv Albert "here's Paxson for three..."
Crowd [insert meme here] !
#GottaAdmit
#DidntSeeThatOneComing
HORACE was always be the Bulls unsung hero
If you want a lesson in how the triangle offense is properly run, this is it.
Once Barkley missed the steal the ending was a given.
To this very day this still rips my heart out..
That Sun's team played ZERO defense... They rarely boxed out, expecting Charles to grab every board, then rarely trapped and always preferred to just outscore their opponents. Thunder was a great defender--but you didn't see it until he got to Miami. So was KJ- which he showed in game 5- but their front Cort was shite (Miller, Mustaf, Chambers and West were all tissue soft) and their wings-- Richard DUMBass, Ced and Thunder were more slashes than shooters and defenders.. Paxon said it himself--after the Knicks and the rest of the Eastbthe Bill's were "HAPPY" to see the Suns ..
I watched the entire series and I knew after game 3 they were done.. They were not committed to stopping the Bulls ball movement or to rebounds..
That's how they lost to Houston TWICE after having 3-1 leads.. No defense..
Yep! It pissed me off. It was almost as though they refused to play defense.
@@thunderpoochand they still had the game with seconds remaining barkley was wide open at the basket
I remember someone referring to the Sun's as a donut meaning they had a big hole in the middle in their defense. To the shot, being a HUGE Barkley fan I was CRUSHED, but I thought they would be back then a couple years later when Stockton shot one in Barkley's face when the Jazz beat the Rockets SMH. Man I miss those days though.
That is right. The 93 Suns were the 81 Chargers of Basketball. “Let teams score so we can get the ball back.”
And it didn’t help that Ceballos disappeared during the series either. Two thirds of your front court didn’t give Barkley help and Kevin Johnson made mistakes at the most inopportune time as well.
@@rockaway2k - funny I was watching 'highlights' of the 93 finals (I have all the games but can only watch game 5 without vomiting) last week and I STILL get sick watching Armstrong and Paxson kill the Suns defensively.. Wasted opportunity personified.
John Paxson had all the time to lace up the three point shot and he let it go and it was all she wrote. And folks can say what they want about Horace Grant but became the game saving hero to seal the Bulls three peat.
No way Paxson was going to miss that shot
Yes the suns were the better team and record wise that season as well but my chicago bulls had Jordan Time😊
What barkley said to pippen, does anybody now? 0:53
These guys acting like if they won that game they win the championship. You still need to beat MJ in game 7 . Good luck with that .
I don’t think Jordan knows there’s such a thing as a game 7. He’s never been to a game 7 in any of the Finals.
I think they only played one game seven in all of the title runs . 98 east conf finals against the Pacer. I could be wrong .
rjlindsey4444 - you could be right. We’re only a google search away from truly knowing for certain. But let’s agree to keep it this way. Let MJ’s legacy thrive in the these days of the fake goat LeFraud James. Haha.
@@rjlindsey4444 Knicks took the Bulls to Game 7 in 1992.
rjlindsey4444 Knicks 1992
So Sorry Sir Charles, It may happen in another dimension but not here!
Ainge! Thats your man.