Da Windy City
Fansided

A Chicago Bulls history of the NBA All-Star weekend

By Josh Bootzin

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls (L) eyes the basket as he is guarded by Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers during their 01 February game in Los Angeles, CA. Jordan will appear in his 12th NBA All-Star game 08 February while Bryant will make his first All-Star appearance. The Lakers won the game 112-87. AFP PHOTO/Vince BUCCI (Photo credit should read Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls (L) eyes the basket as he is guarded by Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers during their 01 February game in Los Angeles, CA. Jordan will appear in his 12th NBA All-Star game 08 February while Bryant will make his first All-Star appearance. The Lakers won the game 112-87. AFP PHOTO/Vince BUCCI (Photo credit should read Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bulls, Magic Johnson
(EUGENE GARCIA/AFP via Getty Images) /

The Chicago Bulls needed Scottie Pippen to step up big after 1993.

In Michael Jordan’s absence, Scottie Pippen took over as the leader of the Bulls, hell-bent on proving that he was more than a sidekick.

The 1994 All-Star game was a strange one from the Chicago Bulls’ perspective to say the least. Despite the loss of the greatest player in Bulls history, the team managed to stay atop the Eastern Conference standings and sent a franchise-best three players to the All-Star game. Pippen was a shoo-in. Horace Grant was averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists. The odd one out was B.J. Armstrong.

Armstrong took over as the go-to guard for the Bulls after Jordan retired, and he averaged 15 points, four assists, and two rebounds in the 1993-94 season. Not the most incredible numbers but not only did those numbers get him voted into the All-Star Game but he was voted as a starter.

Also, not only did he get voted to start the game but he generated the third most votes of any player in the NBA, trailing only Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal.

It seems the NBA felt so starved of an All-NBA guard on the Bulls that fans voted for the next man up in droves, whether he deserved the recognition or not.

Scottie Pippen shined in Jordan’s absence. He accumulated 29 points, 11 rebounds, five three-pointers, four steals, two assists, and a block to lead the East to a 127-118 win.

Pippen joined Jordan as the only Bulls player to win the All-Star game MVP. Armstrong added a respectable 11 points and four assists. Grant contributed four points and eight rebounds off the bench.

Toni Kukoc made an appearance for the Bulls in the first-ever Rising Stars game in 1994. His 14 points accounted for the third-highest total in the game, trailing only Anfernee Hardaway (22) and Chris Webber (18).

The following year saw Pippen as the only Bulls All-Star. He started the game and accounted for 12 points and seven rebounds in a blowout loss to the Mitch Richmond-led West.

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