Scottie Pippen ‘Probably wouldn’t change’ Playoff on the bench against Knicks in ’94

Scottie Pippen offered rather contradictory views regarding his refusal to step onto the court in the closing seconds of the Chicago Bulls‘ 104-102 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals.

Phil Jackson had prepared a play for Toni Kukoc to make the final shot on an incoming pass from Pippen, who was not comfortable with Pippen.

“It felt like it was an insult from Phil,” Pippen said during the seventh episode of The Last Dance. “I was the most dangerous guy on our team. So why are you asking me to throw the ball out?”

The Hall of Famer remained on the bench while Kukoc hit a game winner when time ran out.

Horace Grant and Steve Kerr stated in the documentary that Pippen started crying in the locker room after the game once the gravity of his actions became evident.

However, Pippen was somewhat displeased with his decision: “It’s one of those accidents that I wish had never happened. But if I had the chance to do it again, I probably wouldn’t change it.”