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The Bulls started NBA play in the 1966-67 season. The Bull team registered a 33-48 win-loss record, the most excellent ever for an NBA expansion team, and capable for the playoffs. Before the 1968-69 season, Chicago hired Dick Motta , who had before coached at Weber State University in Ogden , Utah . Stressing a suspicious approach, Motta guided the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs for six straight seasons, from 1969-70 through 1974-75.
In his third year in the NBA, Motta conventional the coach of the year award for guide the Bulls to 51 wins throughout the 1970-71 season. For the next three years the Bulls recorded over 50 wins a season, and in 1974 the Bulls team advanced to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Milwaukee Bucks. (Chicago moved to the Eastern Conference in 1980.) A second look in the conference finals followed in 1975, but Chicago lost to the Golden State Warriors in a seven-game series.
In the nine years from the 1975-76 season through the 1983-84 season, the Bulls had limited success, recording only two winning marks, qualifying for the postseason only twice, and winning only one playoff series. The top player throughout this stretch was center Artis Gilmore .
A 27-55 win-loss record throughout the 1983-84 season gave Chicago rights to the third pick in the 1984 NBA draft. The Chicago Bulls selected Michael Jordan , who had an immediate impact on the team. Throughout the 1984-85 season he won the NBA rookie of the year award, averaging 28.2 points per game and serving the Bulls reach the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Chicago Bulls reached the playoffs again in 1986 and 1987. In all three years, though, the Bulls lost in the first round.
Chicago Bulls strengthened its roster in the 1987 NBA draft, select forward Horace Grant and trade for the draft rights to Scottie Pippen. The two players helped the Bulls get better to 50-32 during the 1987-88 season and go forward to the conference semifinals, where they lost to the Pistons.
The Chicago Bulls advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1989 and 1990 but fell to the Pistons both years. Before the 1989-90 season, Chicago promote Phil Jackson from helper coach to head coach. Jackson stressed a team-oriented defense and a multifaceted offense that made the most of Jordan and Pippen 's scoring talents. In his second season (1990 -91), Jackson led the club to the NBA Finals, where the Chicago Bulls captured the franchise 's first NBA championship, defeating the LA Lakers in five games. In 1991-92 the Bulls won 67 games and beaten the Miami Heat, the New York Knicks, and the Cleveland Cavalie rs in the Eastern Conference playoffs. In the NBA Finals they beaten the Portland Trail Blazers in six games. Jordan won the majority valuable player (MVP) award for both the regular season and the NBA Finals, and Jordan led the league in scoring with 31.2 points per game.
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