Michael Jordan 's first NBA comeback came with plenty of uncertainty. After retiring in 1993, MJ spent the next year and a half trying to hit fastballs in MLB. Then, in March 1995, he shocked everyone by announcing he would return to the Chicago Bulls , generating buzz and interest everywhere.
Coming back at the tail end of the season was hardly ideal. There were only 17 games left for the Bulls, barely enough time to integrate Jordan back into the scheme of things.
MJ's individual greatness, however, still made him a factor. He averaged almost 27 points as he helped Chicago secure a playoff seed. The Bulls went 13-4 during that stretch and finished 47-35, good enough for the fifth seed in the East.
The Bulls opened their postseason against the Charlotte Hornets , the fourth seed that won 50 games that year. They had solid personnel at every position, from a young Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning up front to Hersey Hawkins, Muggsy Bogues and Dell Curry in the backcourt.
Still, it was like Mike had never left. His Airness dropped 48 in the first game and the Bulls won 108-100 in overtime. The two teams split the next two contests.
That brought the series back to Chicago for Game 4, with the Bulls one win away from advancing. Playing at home, they should have been in control. Instead, the game turned into an ugly defensive struggle, with neither team able to create much separation.
MJ and the rest of the guys couldn't get much going. He shot 8-for-21 from the floor, although he was responsible for seven of Chicago's last nine points. That included the two free throws with over a minute left that put the team up by one, 85-84.
However, the Bulls practically dodged bullets over the last three possessions. Hornets forward David Wingate missed a wide-open 3-pointer at the top of the key with 55 seconds left. After Bill Wennington batted the ball out of bounds, Charlotte had more chances to score with only 27.9 seconds left in the game.
True enough, the Hornets got plenty. First, Johnson misfired on a fadeaway over Scottie Pippen. Curry pursued the loose ball for another Charlotte possession, which led to two more opportunities. LJ airballed another jumper; Hawkins was there for the putback, but the ball just went short.
Curry grabbed the offensive rebound and eventually put the ball through the basket, but it was too little, too late. The Bulls won the series and advanced to the semifinals.
"Some nights, as the saying goes, it's better to be lucky than to be good. We felt that way in the last 20 seconds. It was really a strange second half… I don't know what helped us win this game, to tell the truth," Phil Jackson confessed .
Of course, the ending wasn't without controversy. Hawkins felt Jordan grabbed his arm on the putback, which should've been called for a foul. Bogues thought Chicago benefitted from the referee's whistle and that final play in Game 4, he said, was the proof.
Pretty much like in 1993-94, Chicago had already prepared for life without MJ. They did pretty well at first, winning 55 games, securing the No. 3 seed in the East.
Then, things started falling apart during the 1994-95 season. Horace Grant signed with the Orlando Magic, while Bill Cartwright and Scott Williams all departed through free agency. The Bulls acquired Ron Harper, but he also had some growing pains learning the triangle.
By the time Jordan returned, Chicago pretty much regressed to the mean. They went 34-31 and looked nothing like the team that won 67 percent of their games last year. MJ's arrival changed the trajectory, but it also created another adjustment period. The Bulls had spent nearly two years learning how to function without Mike, only to suddenly have him back with 17 games left.
All the circumstances made for a bizarre season for Chicago. That one-point escape in Charlotte fit the theme. The Bulls were still figuring out what they were and somehow, they still ended up winning.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Sep 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
