Armstrong talks Rodman’s role in Bulls titles

Former Jordan teammate BJ Armstrong dissects Dennis Rodman's role in the Chicago Bulls dynasty.

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Sports

April 29, 2020 - 10:35 AM

The Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan tries to keep the ball from the Charlotte Hornets' B.J. Armstrong during the second period of a playoff game in 1998. Photo by Charles Cherney

Dennis Rodman was one of the rivals Michael Jordan had to conquer on his way to his first run of three straight NBA titles. And Rodman then became one of the teammates who helped Jordan pull off his second three-peat.

B.J. Armstrong saw both sides.

Armstrong was there in the beginning, when Jordan and the Chicago Bulls needed time to figure out how to eventually beat Rodman and the Detroit Pistons for Eastern Conference supremacy and a trip to the NBA Finals in 1991 that started the title run. And Armstrong was on the other side in 1997-98, playing for a Charlotte team that lost to Jordan, Rodman and the Bulls in the East semifinals that season.

For as good as the likes of Jordan and Scottie Pippen were, Armstrong — the longtime NBA guard and three-time NBA champion with the Bulls who is now a California-based sports agent — cautions against underestimating Rodman’s role on those Chicago title teams in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

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