1991–92 Chicago Bulls season

The '''[[1991–92 NBA season]]''' was the 26th season for the [[Chicago Bulls]] in the [[National Basketball Association]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1991-92 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1992.html |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The Bulls entered the regular season as defending NBA champions, having defeated the [[1990-91 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] in the [[1991 NBA Finals]] in five games, and winning their first NBA championship in franchise history. The 1991-92 Bulls team are widely regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time. Early into the regular season, the Bulls traded [[Dennis Hopson]] to the [[1991–92 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] in exchange for [[Bob Hansen]] after the first two games.<ref>{{cite news | last = Smith | first = Sam| title = Deal Makes Hopson Feel Like a King | work = Chicago Tribune | date = November 5, 1991 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-11-05-9104090741-story,amp.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Names in the News | work = Los Angeles Times | date = November 5, 1991 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-11-05-sp-855-story.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref>

The '''[[1991–92 NBA season]]''' was the 26th season for the [[Chicago Bulls]] in the [[National Basketball Association]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1991-92 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1992.html |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The Bulls entered the regular season as defending NBA champions, having defeated the [[1990-91 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] in the [[1991 NBA Finals]] in five games, and winning their first NBA championship in franchise history. The 1991-92 Bulls team are widely regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time. Early into the regular season, the Bulls traded [[Dennis Hopson]] to the [[1991–92 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] in exchange for [[Bob Hansen]] after the first two games.<ref>{{cite news | last = Smith | first = Sam| title = Deal Makes Hopson Feel Like a King | work = Chicago Tribune | date = November 5, 1991 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-11-05-9104090741-story,amp.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Names in the News | work = Los Angeles Times | date = November 5, 1991 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-11-05-sp-855-story.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref>

Coming off their first ever championship, the Bulls had a very successful season winning 14 consecutive games after a 1–2 start to the regular season.<ref>{{cite news | title = Results Plus | work = The New York Times | date = December 7, 1991 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/07/sports/results-plus-034491.html | access-date = January 17, 2022}}</ref> The team later on posted a 13-game winning streak in January, which led them to a 37–5 start,<ref>{{cite news | title = Bulls 114, Rockets 100 | work = United Press International | date = January 25, 1992 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/1992/01/25/Bulls-114-Rockets-100/6952696315600/ | access-date = January 17, 2022}}</ref> and held a 39–9 record at the All-Star break.<ref>{{cite web | title = NBA Games Played on February 6, 1992 | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/index.fcgi?month=2&day=6&year=1992 | access-date = November 21, 2022}}</ref> The Bulls finished in first place in the [[Central Division (NBA)|Central Division]] with a league-best 67–15 record, earned the #1 seed in the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]], and qualified for the [[NBA playoffs]] for the eighth consecutive year.<ref name="schedule">{{cite web | title = 1991–92 Chicago Bulls Schedule and Results | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1992_games.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref>

Coming off their first ever championship, the Bulls had a very successful season winning 14 consecutive games after a 1–2 start to the regular season.<ref>{{cite news | title = Results Plus | work = The New York Times | date = December 7, 1991 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/07/sports/results-plus-034491.html | access-date = January 17, 2022}}</ref> The team later on posted a 13-game winning streak in January, which led them to a 37–5 start,<ref>{{cite news | title = Bulls 114, Rockets 100 | work = United Press International | date = January 25, 1992 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/1992/01/25/Bulls-114-Rockets-100/6952696315600/ | access-date = January 17, 2022}}</ref> and held a 39–9 record at the All-Star break.<ref>{{cite web | title = NBA Games Played on February 6, 1992 | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/index.fcgi?month=2&day=6&year=1992 | access-date = November 21, 2022}}</ref> The Bulls finished in first place in the [[Central Division (NBA)|Central Division]] with a league-best 67–15 record, earned the first seed in the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]], and qualified for the [[NBA playoffs]] for the eighth consecutive year.<ref name="schedule">{{cite web | title = 1991–92 Chicago Bulls Schedule and Results | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1992_games.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref>

[[Michael Jordan]] captured his sixth straight scoring title, averaging 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game, and was named to the [[All-NBA Team|All-NBA First Team]], and was also named the [[NBA Most Valuable Player|NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year]] for the second consecutive year, and for the third time.<ref>{{cite news | last = Smith | first = Sam | title = Jordan's MVP Lure Irresistible | work = Chicago Tribune | date = May 10, 1992 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-05-10-9202110750-story.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Araton | first = Harvey | title = PRO BASKETBALL; M.V.P., Yes. An Ambassador, No | work = The New York Times | date = May 19, 1992 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/19/sports/pro-basketball-mvp-yes-an-ambassador-no.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Jordan Chosen MVP; Drexler Is Second | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 19, 1992 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-05-19-sp-160-story.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = NBA MVP & ABA Most Valuable Player Award Winners | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/mvp.html | access-date = December 27, 2022}}</ref> In addition, [[Scottie Pippen]] averaged 21.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and was named to the [[All-NBA Team|All-NBA Second Team]], while [[Horace Grant]] provided the team with 14.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, and [[B.J. Armstrong]] contributed 9.9 points and 3.2 assists per game off the bench. Meanwhile, [[Bill Cartwright]] provided with 8.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, [[John Paxson]] and [[Stacey King]] both contributed 7.0 points per game each, and [[Will Perdue]] averaged 4.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.<ref name="stats">{{cite web | title = 1991–92 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1992.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref> Jordan and Pippen were also both named to the [[NBA All-Defensive Team|NBA All-Defensive First Team]].

[[Michael Jordan]] captured his sixth straight scoring title, averaging 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game, and was named to the [[All-NBA Team|All-NBA First Team]], and was also named the [[NBA Most Valuable Player|NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year]] for the second consecutive year, and for the third time.<ref>{{cite news | last = Smith | first = Sam | title = Jordan's MVP Lure Irresistible | work = Chicago Tribune | date = May 10, 1992 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-05-10-9202110750-story.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Araton | first = Harvey | title = PRO BASKETBALL; M.V.P., Yes. An Ambassador, No | work = The New York Times | date = May 19, 1992 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/19/sports/pro-basketball-mvp-yes-an-ambassador-no.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Jordan Chosen MVP; Drexler Is Second | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 19, 1992 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-05-19-sp-160-story.html | access-date = November 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = NBA MVP & ABA Most Valuable Player Award Winners | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/mvp.html | access-date = December 27, 2022}}</ref> In addition, [[Scottie Pippen]] averaged 21.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and was named to the [[All-NBA Team|All-NBA Second Team]], while [[Horace Grant]] provided the team with 14.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, and [[B.J. Armstrong]] contributed 9.9 points and 3.2 assists per game off the bench. Meanwhile, [[Bill Cartwright]] provided with 8.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, [[John Paxson]] and [[Stacey King]] both contributed 7.0 points per game each, and [[Will Perdue]] averaged 4.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.<ref name="stats">{{cite web | title = 1991–92 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1992.html | access-date = October 14, 2021}}</ref> Jordan and Pippen were also both named to the [[NBA All-Defensive Team|NBA All-Defensive First Team]].