As the home opener for the Bulls, Commissioner David Stern presented the Bulls with their championship rings and the players raised the Bulls' first championship banner to the rafters. Recently retired Michael Jordan appeared in a suit and joined in the celebration. I have added a couple of screen caps of the ceremony to the photos.
The now Pippen-led Bulls had a tough time with the visiting Heat. Rony Seikaly and Glen Rice combined for 52 points while the Bulls team could only muster 71. Former "best player not in the NBA" Toni Kukoc displayed some of his euro skills adding 13 points and 7 rebounds to the Bulls tally in the very first home game of his NBA career.
A good summary of the game from AP:
"Michael Jordan sat by helplessly Saturday night and watched the three-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls suffer a humiliating 95-71 loss to the Miami Heat in their home opener.
Jordan received the biggest ovation during the pregame presentation of the 1993 championship rings. Then he took a seat in the first row behind the west basket with his wife, Juanita, and sons Jeffrey and Marcus. In his lap was his baby daughter, Jasmine.
Maybe even Jordan wouldn't have been able to help the Bulls, but coach Phil Jackson acknowledged "his looming presence. In one night we went from the highest scoring team to the lowest scoring team. Last night everything flowed, tonight we struggled."
The Bulls were coming off a 124-123 overtime victory Friday night at Charlotte, and Jackson said he thought the pregame ceremonies "might have drained the team emotionally."
Rony Seikaly, who led the Heat with 28 points, also noticed Jordan's presence and said, "I was just worried he'd take take his suit coat off and be Superman against us again."
Instead, Jordan watched as Miami won for the first time in 10 games at Chicago Stadium.
He saw the Bulls held to 25 points in the first half and only six in the second quarter, both team record lows.
Glen Rice scored 24 points for the Heat.
It was only the second time the Heat defeated the Bulls in 19 games overall.
Scottie Pippen led the Bulls with 18 points."
Please take a look at the scans for condition. I have been a long time ticket collector and will be posting many additional tickets in the coming weeks. The item you see pictured is the actual item you will receive. Feel free to email me with any questions. I will ship for free anywhere in the United States.