Editing Michael Jordan (section)

==== Pistons roadblock (1987–1990) ====
Jordan led the league in scoring during the [[1987–88 NBA season|1987–88 season]], averaging 35.0 ppg on 53.5% shooting,<ref name="dbb" /> and won his first league MVP Award. He was named the [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year]] after averaging 1.6 blocks per game (bpg), a league-high 3.1 steals per game (spg),<ref name="MJ">[http://www.nba.com/history/players/jordan_stats.html "Michael Jordan statistics"]. ''NBA.com''. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121212053614/http://www.nba.com/history/players/jordan_stats.html|date=December 12, 2012}} Retrieved June 26, 2022.</ref>{{efn|A 2024 study by Tom Haberstroh found that Jordan was credited with several steals during the season which did not and could not have taken place. For example, during several home games, Jordan was credited with more steals than the opposing team had live-ball turnovers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Haberstroh |first1=Tom |title=A closer look at Michael Jordan's 1988 DPOY award raises questions about its validity. Has LeBron James been chasing a ghost? |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/a-closer-look-at-michael-jordans-1988-dpoy-award-raises-questions-about-its-validity-has-lebron-james-been-chasing-a-ghost-140452567.html |access-date=June 24, 2024 |work=[[Yahoo Sports]] |date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>}} and leading the Bulls defense to the fewest points per game allowed in the league.<ref>{{cite web |title=1987–88 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1988.html |work=Basketball-Reference |access-date=October 22, 2022 |archive-date=May 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515034842/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1988.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Bulls finished 50–32,<ref name="dbbulls" /> and made it past the first round of [[1988 NBA Playoffs|the playoffs]] for the first time in Jordan's career, as they defeated the [[1987–88 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] in five games.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060513045453/http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamscores.htm?tm=CHI&yr=1987&lg=n "Chicago Bulls 1987–88 Game Log and Scores"]}}. ''Database Basketball''. . Retrieved June 9, 2017.</ref> In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Bulls lost in five games to the more experienced [[1987–88 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]],<ref name="nba.combio" /> who were led by [[Isiah Thomas]] and a group of physical players known as the "[[Detroit Pistons#1986–1992: The Bad Boys|Bad Boys]]".<ref>Halberstam, p. 235.</ref>

In the [[1988–89 NBA season|1988–89 season]], Jordan again led the league in scoring, averaging 32.5 ppg on 53.8% shooting from the field, along with 8.0 rpg and 8.0 apg.<ref name="dbb" /> During the season, Jordan expressed his frustration over the Bulls' offense with head coach [[Doug Collins (basketball)|Doug Collins]], who then put Jordan at point guard. In his time as a point guard, Jordan had 10 [[triple-double]]s in 11 games, with averages of 33.6 ppg, 11.4 rpg, and 10.8 apg.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martinez |first=Jose |title=Remember the Time Michael Jordan Played Point Guard and Posted a Triple-Double in 10 of 11 Games During the 1988–89 Season |url=https://www.complex.com/sports/a/jose-martinez/michael-jordan-point-guard-in-1989-posted-triple-double-10-of-11-games |date=January 30, 2014 |access-date=March 12, 2025 |website=Complex |language=en}}</ref>

The Bulls finished with a 47–35 record,<ref name="dbbulls" /> and advanced to the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]] Finals, defeating the [[1988–89 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cavaliers]] and [[1988–89 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] along the way.<ref>{{cite web |title=1988–89 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1989.html |website=Basketball Reference |access-date=October 22, 2022 |archive-date=June 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602045912/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1989.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Cavaliers series included a career highlight for Jordan when he hit "[[The Shot]]" over [[Craig Ehlo]] at the buzzer in the fifth and final game of the series.<ref>[http://www.nba.com/history/jordancav_moments.html "Jordan Hits 'The Shot'"]. ''NBA.com''. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812020351/http://www.nba.com/history/jordancav_moments.html|date=August 12, 2014}}. Retrieved July 27, 2019.</ref> In the Eastern Conference Finals, the [[1988–89 Detroit Pistons season|Pistons]] again defeated the Bulls, this time in six games,<ref name="nba.combio" /> by utilizing their "[[Jordan Rules]]" method of guarding Jordan, which consisted of double and [[triple teaming]] him every time he touched the ball.<ref name="nbah" />

The Bulls entered the [[1989–90 NBA season|1989–90 season]] as a team on the rise, with their core group of Jordan and young improving players like [[Scottie Pippen]] and [[Horace Grant]], and under the guidance of new coach [[Phil Jackson]].<ref>Halberstam, pp. 257–260.</ref> On March 28, 1990, Jordan scored a career-high 69 points in a 117–113 road win over the Cavaliers.<ref>{{cite web |last=Harper |first=Zach |date=April 9, 2015 |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/throwback-thursday-michael-jordans-69-point-18-rebound-game/ |title=Throwback Thursday: Michael Jordan's 69-point, 18-rebound game |work=CBS Sports |access-date=October 30, 2023 |archive-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116015950/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/throwback-thursday-michael-jordans-69-point-18-rebound-game/ |url-status=live}}</ref> He averaged a league-leading 33.6 ppg on 52.6% shooting, to go with 6.9 rpg and 6.3 apg,<ref name="dbb" /> in leading the Bulls to a 55–27 record.<ref name="dbbulls" /> They again advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals after beating the [[1989–90 Milwaukee Bucks season|Bucks]] and [[1989–90 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]];<ref>{{cite web |title=1989–90 Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1990.html |website=Basketball Reference |access-date=October 22, 2022 |archive-date=June 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603113654/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/1990.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> despite pushing the series to seven games, the Bulls lost to the [[1989–90 Detroit Pistons season|Pistons]] for the third consecutive season.<ref name="nba.combio" />