The Chicago Bulls' championship celebration was washed away by tear-drenched reality: Everything will change after this season.
"This whole run is starting to come to a close. We value every moment that we're together," Michael Jordan said Saturday night after the two-time NBA defending champions followed an emotional ring ceremony by beating Philadelphia in their home opener."We feel the privilege to be able to step in front of the fans and give our appreciation," he said. "The best way to do that is to win a championship."
The season is just starting, and already the finality of the Bulls' dynasty is on everyone's mind.
Coach Phil Jackson has been told he won't be brought back for 1998-99. Jordan says he'll retire if Jackson leaves. And Scottie Pippen, who says he'll go to another team as a free agent, delivered what amounted to a farewell speech Saturday.
Ron Harper, one of only three Bulls under contract for next season, knows what it all means.
"This is our last hurrah," he said. "Ain't no ifs-ands. They ain't going to bring Phil back. M.J. ain't coming back. S.P. ain't coming back. Half the team won't be back. This is it."
Pippen, who almost was traded during the offseason, thanked the fans for 10 seasons of "wonderful moments."
"I've had a wonderful career here," said the All-Star forward, who will miss about two more months after undergoing foot surgery. "If I never have the opportunity to say this again - thank you."
Jordan then reminded fans about when he was drafted in 1984.
"I said then that we'd win a championship by the time I leave," he said. "Well, we're five-time champions ... and we're certainly going to win the sixth."
After the game, Jordan told reporters: "I think we all could sit here and say farewell speeches the way things have been orchestrated up to this point. But we still have a job to do."
That, of course, is winning another title.
"I hope it's not something that hangs over us," Jackson said of the feeling that the end is near, "but it's an uplifting thing. That's a fact. We face it. And we have to use it as a motivational thing."
The Bulls certainly seemed motivated in their home opener, rolling to a 94-74 victory over Philadelphia just one night after being stunned in Boston by the young Celtics.
"I told the players that this is the last time we can celebrate last year's win," Jackson said. "From here on out, we've got to prove it every night."
The Bulls used a balanced attack to overwhelm the mistake-prone 76ers.
Harper, filling in for Pippen, had 17 points and eight assists. Jordan scored 16 points in 24 minutes. Jason Caffey had 14 points on 7-for-8 shooting. Luc Longley scored 12. Dennis Rodman grabbed 13 rebounds. Randy Brown hounded Sixers star Allen Iverson into a poor-shooting, eight-turnover performance.
"It's going to have to be consistently that effort," Jordan said. "If people expect me to (carry the team), it's unfair to me."
The Bulls have used fast starts the last two seasons to cruise to 72-10 and 69-13 records - and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. At 1-1, they already have lost more games than they did in last season's first three weeks.
"It's going to take some time for this team to gain its identity with a key individual being out," Jordan said. "But we still want to get out of the blocks quick. If we can, it'll put a lot of teams on their heels knowing that Scottie is not here. Once he comes back, it makes us that much better. We have a great opportunity."