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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

ESPN’s ‘Last Dance” explores Bulls-Pistons feud

Dan Webster

Sunday night saw the broadcast of episodes 3 and 4 of "The Last Dance," ESPN's documentary about the final season of the Chicago Bulls' second three-peat, which took place in 1997-98.

The debate about who was the greatest NBA player of all time will never be settled. Every hoops fan has an opinion, and everyone can make a solid argument. But whatever the argument, nothing can take away from the achievements of Michael Jordan.

One of my favorite sports-minded movie moments comes in the film "Bad Teacher," and it's delivered by Jason Segel. See the embed below.

But the great thing about "The Last Dance" is how it shows Jordan and everyone else, both those who played on the Bulls and those who played for other teams, in an uncensored manner.

As someone who served time as a sportswriter, I know that athletes learn early on to spout cliches. It's often a good way to answer stupid questions. (One of my favorites: "You just won a championship. How does that make you feel?") It's also a good way to cover up how you really feel.

Those interviewed in "The Last Dance" tend not to do that. Take the moment when Jordan calls out the Detroit Pistons' Isiah Thomas when Thomas tries to explain when, after losing to the Bulls in the 1992 playoffs, the Pistons players walked off without shaking any of their opponents' hands.

Jordan will have none of it and calls Thomas a name that I won't repeat here but one that feels perfectly appropriate.

If you're fan of the NBA, or just a sports fan in general, but especially if you're a Pistons fan, tune into "The Last Dance" and see whether you agree.