1992 Chicago Bulls

Chicago set out to prove the first title was no accident and won 67 games doing it, then a franchise record. Jordan took his second straight MVP with a 30.1-point average, and the supporting cast around him had grown into its roles a year deeper into Jackson's system.

The playoffs were harder than the record suggested. The Knicks dragged the Bulls to seven games in the second round, a physical series that previewed the rivalry of the next few years. Chicago then handled Cleveland to reach the Finals.

Portland brought Clyde Drexler, the guard most often compared to Jordan, which gave the series its hook. Jordan settled it early, scoring 35 in the first half of Game 1 on six threes and shrugging as if he could not explain it. The Bulls clinched Game 6 at home after a fourth-quarter comeback led by reserves, with Jordan scoring 12 of the team's last 17.

Two titles in, the questions about whether Jordan could lead a champion were gone. The only question left was how long the run would last.