The History of the NBA in Twelve Games by Sean Deveney

Author:Sean Deveney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lyons Press
Published: 2022-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

A little more than a year later, on May 13, 1994, the Knicks were at it again, this time in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Bulls, a team engaging in its first postseason since the shocking retirement of Michael Jordan to pursue a pro baseball career. But the Bulls still had talent, with Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, and European scoring forward Toni Kukoc on board, as well as one of Riley’s nemeses, Chicago coach Phil Jackson, who Riley felt did too much whining. Even before Game 3 started, Jackson had been laying the groundwork to ensure that referees saw the Bulls as the innocents and the Knicks as league bullies. “The Chicago Bulls are a basketball team,” Jackson said, implying that the Knicks really were not. “They are not a mud-wrestling team or a rugby crew or anything else,” he added, implying that the Knicks were.

With 2:41 to play before halftime at a feverish Chicago Stadium, a routine foul was called in the post, Horace Grant making contact with Oakley. While that was unfolding, though, beyond the 3-point line, Knicks guard Derek Harper—an eleven-year veteran and coolheaded leader acquired by New York in a January trade with Dallas (the Bulls had turned down a chance to acquire him at the time)—was arguing with Bulls reserve JoJo English. Harper would later say that English had been taunting him, that English was putting his hands into his chest. English would tell a different story, claiming that animosity had built up between the two beginning at the pregame shootaround, when English, teammate Pete Myers, and Harper were all shooting at the same basket. Harper, English claimed, had cursed out one of the Bulls’ ball boys, and exchanged words with Myers. “It was totally unprofessional and out of character,” English said.

Either way, there was no arguing what developed next: Harper slugged English, who then put his head down and drove into Harper, still holding English by the shoulders. Harper used English’s momentum to fling him to the ground, and it was brawl time again in the NBA, this time on a grand playoff stage. The pair tumbled into the first row of seats, their teammates leaping in after them, pushing the stack of fist-flinging players into the third row, followed by a small horde of yellow-jacketed security men—off-duty Chicago cops. There were maroon-vested ushers around the fray, allegedly taunting John Starks. Oakley wrapped up Bulls star Scottie Pippen, and Chicago center Bill Cartwright tugged at Oakley, the guy for whom he had been traded to Chicago. Bulls assistant coach Jim Cleamons exchanged shoves with Mason. A fan told reporters, “I’m shocked. You should have seen the look in Phil Jackson’s eyes and Pat Riley’s eyes. They had blood in their eyes.”

Commissioner David Stern was seated just a few rows up at center court, along with his wife and Georgetown coach John Thompson, who had been Ewing’s coach in college. He was caught on camera, staring slack-jawed at the scene that was playing out just a few feet away from his wingtips.

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