Chicago Bulls: 3 players Scottie Pippen dominated in the playoffs

3. Patrick Ewing/Charles Oakley, New York Knicks

The frontcourt pairing of former Bull Charles Oakley and Hall-of-Fame center Patrick Ewing was one that often faced Chicago in the 1990’s. Pippen didn’t really get to face anyone more often in the playoffs than Oakley and Ewing when they played for the Knicks. Oakley was the tough grinder down low, and Ewing was the well-rounded 11-time All-Star selection.

But somehow that frontcourt pairing was never able to guide the Knicks to an NBA Championship. They constantly fell short against Jordan, Pippen, and the Bulls. And even when they did make it past Pippen and the Bulls while Jordan was trying his hand playing baseball in 1994, the Knicks couldn’t beat the Rockets in the NBA Finals.

Ewing’s per game averages against Pippen in the playoffs weren’t actually all that bad. In 34 tries against Pippen in his NBA career in the playoffs, Ewing averaged 22.5 points per game, 11.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.1 blocks. But he only finished up in those 34 games with a record of 12-22 against Pippen in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Oakley also played in 34 games against Pippen in the playoffs (resulting in the same record as Ewing). Oakley averaged 9.6 points per game, 10.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.1 blocks. And Pippen averaged 18.4 points per game, 7.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.1 steals, and 0.7 blocks, in those 34 tries against Ewing, Oakley, and the Knicks. He shot 44.1 percent from the field, 35.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 77.5 percent from the free-throw line.