In the Eastern Conference, Jordan and the Bulls advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
However, their semifinals journey was not smooth, with many distressing incidents occurring.
They lost a home game, but then in the third game, Jordan scored 56 points to help the Bulls win, leading 2:1 overall.
But in the fourth game, Pippen twisted his ankle due to X-man McDaniel's fierce attack, resulting in a poor performance for the game.
The Bulls lost the fourth game, with the score tied by the Heat, forcing them to play the decisive match in Chicago.
After the fourth game, Phil Jackson was very dissatisfied with the referee's calls, criticizing them and the league strongly in the post-game press conference.
He believed that the league was creating another Detroit Pistons, with rough fouls, intense confrontations, and overly lenient officiating, making the game ugly.
