Building a team of Portland Trail Blazers to beat the 90s Chicago Bulls

After watching ‘ The Last Dance,’ which past or present Portland Trail Blazers could form a team that would beat the 1990s Chicago Bulls?

Michael Jordan‘s 1990s Chicago Bulls were one of the greatest teams of all-time. But is there a way to put together a Portland Trail Blazers team that could overcome Jordan, Scottie Pippen and co?

The 1992 Blazers were one quarter away from pushing the Bulls to a game seven back on their home floor in Portland. If we pull the best players from that game and then roll back through the years and combine them with the other Blazer greats, we may be able to find a team that can knock this team off.

Point Guard – Damian Lillard

This may be one of the areas that a team could attack the 90s Bulls, strong guard play. Because of Pippen, Jordan and then Rodman, this team could defend the best wings and power forwards of the era. But could great shot-making by small guards like Damian Lillard be the way to take this team down?

Jordan would have to guard Dame, would he be able to keep with him? I’d say he do a good job, but Dame’s combo of scoring and play-making would have made things tough on the 90s Bulls.

A lot of the teams that this Bulls team came across had great big men but didn’t have great scoring guards like Lillard or Clyde Drexler that we will mention soon.

Pippen and Jordan having to guard Drexler and Lillard would mean the small forward on this team may be able to feast.

Lillard’s amazing shot-making and floor spacing would change things on this team when it came to offense.

Shooting Guard – Clyde Drexler

Of course, we needed to have Drexler at the two guard. One of the greatest players to ever grace a basketball court, Drexler would have benefitted from having the upgrade from Terry Porter to Lillard at point guard. Drexler was a great cutter and finisher at the rim, so the spacing and deep shooting that Lillard brings to this team would change the way that he was guarded.

Drexler would also be able to rest a little more on offense by playing off the ball a touch more. His slashing and cutting ability means he would be an excellent foil to Lillard. His size is a great complement to Lillard while he is a strong playmaker and rebounder too.

As either the greatest or second greatest Trail Blazer ever, he and Lillard could really have taken it to Jordan and Pippen. Though CJ McCollum misses out to Drexler here, Drexler just complements Lillard so much more.

Small Forward – Jerome Kersey

Prime Jerome Kersey never gets the credit he deserves for being the small forward on a team that went to two finals. A tough competitor who raised his overall game for the playoffs, he played great defense on some of the best wing threats in the 1990s.

On the biggest stage of all, Kersey had some brilliant performances. With a strong 24 points and 9 rebounds in game six of the 1992 NBA Finals, he stood strong while his teammates wilted.

A big six-foot-seven, Kersey could guard on the perimeter while also protecting the rim. He was a great rebounder for a small forward and would benefit from having the extra spacing that Lillard provides.

Kersey could defend up and down positions, was able to get to the line and was versatile while also being athletic. With Pippen and Jordan covering both guards, Kersey would create carnage against the other wing defenders on the Bulls.

Power Forward – LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge has been one of the best power forwards in the league for over ten years. He has also had massive playoff games when the Blazers needed him most. Aldridge isn’t the most popular ex-Blazer but he was a dominant force for almost ten seasons in Rip City.

As a great rebounder and excellent defender in his prime, Aldridge has one of the best post up games in the league and is six-foot-ten. Though he would be defended by Rodman in this matchup, his big 250-pound body combined with great skill would be a hell of a matchup for the brilliant Rodman.

Again, with the floor spaced due to Lillard being there and Drexler handling and slashing, Aldridge would be free to dominate mismatches while competing for boards with Rodman.

He has a great jumper with his patented fade-away, and as discussed earlier he was a great defender in his prime. Aldridge is the perfect power forward for this team, and in the 90s he would be even better.

Center – Bill Walton

There can only be one center on this Blazers team, and that’s 1976/77 Finals MVP Bill Walton. Sadly he was cut down in his prime with terrible injuries, but fit Bill Walton was an absolute menace.

He would be the piece that would kill this Bulls team. He could defend, he could pass, he could score, he could rebound. Walton was the all-rounder who the Bulls would struggle to matchup with when you look at their pedestrian center rotation.

Rodman could try and defend Walton, and he may do a good job, but that would leave a mismatch with either Aldridge or Kersey.

Walton has a Finals MVP where in an overall playoffs run, he averaged 18 points and 15 rebounds with 5 assists and 3 blocks. As a guy that could do it all, he would create mismatch carnage for this Bulls team.

Though it doesn’t seem fair to pick all the best Blazers to beat the Bulls, how else would we get past these guys?

Pippen, Rodman and Jordan were one hell of a trio, we needed all the above reinforcements to get that long-awaited next title for the Blazers.