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In his 52nd NHL playoff game, the same amount that vaulted Doug Gilmour to the Maple Leafs’ franchise lead with 77 playoff points, it was high time for Auston Matthews to step up this spring.
A lot of people became basketball fans during the Toronto Raptors’ stirring run to the NBA title last year. If you’re one of them, you’re likely missing hoops quite a bit right now. Netflix is about to start filling some of that void, and whether you’re a long-time basketball junkie, or a reality show fan, there’s a lot to be excited about. That’s because more than 20 years after behind-the-scenes footage was shot of Michael Jordan’s final season and championship with the Chicago Bulls, the resulting documentary is finally seeing the light of day.
A co-production of ESPN Films and Netflix, the 10-part The Last Dance was moved up from a planned June unveiling to this Sunday in the U.S. and Monday in Canada. Episodes will hit Netflix in this country two at a time, starting on Monday, until the final two go live on May 18.
The series begins with a shot from behind of a seated Jordan gazing out into the horizon as a crawl sets up where things stood at at the time, Star Wars style. To recap: Jordan’s Bulls had won five titles in the last seven seasons and were preparing to try to three-peat for the second time, but everyone was wondering if this would be it for one of the greatest runs in sporting history because of various hard feelings in the front office and amongst some of the players owing primarily to jealousy and monetary disputes.
Interspersing clips of Jordan’s franchise-saving arrival in Chicago in 1984 with the man himself, fittingly addressing the United Center crowd 23 years later with five NBA championship trophies set out in front of him, The Last Dance gets rolling, immediately pulling viewers in. It never stops doing that, at least over the first four episodes that Postmedia was given to screen.
At first it’s a bit jarring to see a young, humble, low-key Jordan with hair vs. all of the intersecting later shots of the most dominant player in NBA history doing his thing, along with the reflections of the current business titan, now in his late fifties.
Unlike the VHS tapes and DVDs of the 1980s and 90s that built up the Jordan legend, putting him in a class, as one person interviewed in the doc says, only with the likes of Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali, this work is not mere hagiography. Jordan is presented warts and all. From cruelly ripping long-time Bulls general manager Jerry Krause — the driving force of the ill-conceived desire to tear apart the team — to his face, to being relentless with his teammates during tough stretches, there’s a reason Jordan told director Jason Hehir (Andre the Giant, The Fab Five, The ’85 Bears) that people will think he’s “a horrible guy” and won’t understand why he acted the way he did when they watch the film. “My innate personality is to win at all costs. If I have to do it myself, (I will) do it … It drives me insane when I can’t,” Jordan says years later in trying to explain his mindset and actions. His mother, Deloris, and brother, Ronnie, also provide some insight into where he got those traits from, based on his upbringing.
And that’s the true triumph of the series. Incredibly, for once, Jordan, one of the most famous and scrutinized people on the planet for over 35 years now, is presented as human. When can you ever recall Jordan being revealed as such? Not just as a myth, but as a living, breathing, person. It’s impossible not to chuckle when Jordan is handed a tablet showing a video of his mother reading a letter a teenaged Jordan wrote to her while at college at North Carolina. In it, Jordan, who is now a billionaire and owns the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, says he’s down to his last $20, so could use a handout, along with some stamps from his parents. “And sorry about the phone bill,” Jordan adds. In another moment Jordan laughs and tells a story when asked about the cocaine problems of some of his rookie season teammates.
While sports provides much of the background of the journey, there’s so much more here. There are Survivor and Big Brother elements owing to the rare, up close and personal footage, which was simply not done at the time. Jordan commissioned the crew when it became clear that 1997-98 would be the end of a remarkable era and head coach Phil Jackson and ownership were on board. What they revealed was the fractious nature of the organization at the time. All of the palace intrigue is there. Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf tries to explain the still baffling reasoning behind tearing down the iconic group and starting a rebuild, reminding that the Bulls nearly made the mistake of doing so a year earlier, following the fifth title. It’s something to see Jordan openly challenging management and ownership while up on a dais right after winning number five. That same night, Jordan’s running mate Scottie Pippen, also featured heavily throughout, particularly in Episode 2, holds nothing back in talking about being underpaid and disrespected by the Bulls. Jordan also is there saying he won’t play for another coach if Jackson is pushed out by Krause, which basically forced ownership’s hand in giving Jackson one more year. Jackson called that final season “The Last Dance.”
Jordan talked about how angry the idea of not trying to win again made him.
“We’re entitled to defend what we have until we lose it.” Then he scoffed at the idea of rebuilding and buried the Chicago Cubs by saying they’d been rebuilding for 42 years, took a shot at ownership by saying they should have respect for the people who made them profitable — an open response to Krause saying organizations win championships, not players — which got under Jordan’s skin. Krause would unsuccessfully try to clear up the controversial quote, by saying he said players and coaches alone don’t win championships.
“We felt like we were the greatest team ever,” Pippen says at one point, making it clear he still doesn’t understand why some were so eager to move on.
And, oh yes, there’s plenty of Dennis Rodman, the most unique athlete we’ve ever seen, as well as thoughts from the likes of Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, James Worthy, Jordan’s Canadian Bulls teammate Bill Wennington (who provides strong insight throughout), former Raptor and close Jordan pal Charles Oakley (who is memorably shown roughhousing with an overly confident rookie Pippen). Bill Clinton, a fellow Arkansas native, even appears to discuss seeing Pippen play for the first time when Clinton was still governor of that state.
The late David Stern and Krause and even Chicago native Barack Obama, who talks about not being able to afford a ticket in Jordan’s early years, when the hoops icon had saved the franchise and nearly tripled their attendance, all provide some historical context.
Jordan can’t save the world, but thanks to his foresight in hiring the camera crew and the work of so many in the ensuing decades to make The Last Dance happen, he and his friends and foes can at least brighten up our days a little bit for the next few weeks.
Vancouver, BC – The Vancouver Canucks today announced that Rogers Arena doors will open at 5:30 p.m. PT, for Tuesday’s Stanley Cup Playoff Game #2, 30 minutes earlier than normal. The enthusiasm and passion of fans wanting to arrive early and not miss the Toyota Party on the Plaza as well as the in-arena pre-game show experience, encouraged the team to ensure the bowl is loud and proud when the pre-show begins at 7:00 p.m.
“Our players could not have been clearer after Game #1 that the fans played a huge part of the victory on Sunday night,” said Michael Doyle, President, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, Business Operations. “Our players are feeding off this energy and we want them to feel it from the second they step out of the dressing room.”
“I know the players and there was a lot of ‘wow’ with how loud the crowd was,” said Rick Tocchet, Head Coach. “Some guys told me they got emotional during it. I’m sure the crowd is going to be just as loud (for Game 2).”
The Toyota Party of the Plaza will open at 4:30 p.m. with a wide range of activities for fans of all ages. From face-painting and ball hockey to the Michelob Ultra beer garden and live music on the Air Canada Stage with The Anthony LaRosa Band, the North Plaza will be the place to be to get ready for Game #2.
The Canucks also announced that a number of tickets and suites have been released and are available to the public at canucks.com/tickets.
We remind our fans to be cautious of fraudulent ticket sites and activities. Only authentic and verified Ticketmaster resale seats are protected. We encourage fans to avoid off-platform sites and purchasing through social media platforms as we cannot validate the legitimacy of tickets purchased outside of our organization or through Ticketmaster directly.
Rogers Arena will host an official ‘Away Game Viewing Party’ for Game #3 of the first round of NHL Playoffs. Presented by Rogers, the Viewing Party will be a ticketed event, costing $15, with proceeds benefiting the Canucks for Kids Fund. Watch the game on one of the biggest and brightest videoboards in the NHL, be entertained throughout the experience, and receive special Rogers Value Menu food and beverage offerings thanks to Rogers. Visit canucks.com/watch to secure your tickets.
Vancouver Canucks playoff merchandise is now available on vanbase.ca. From locker room exclusive items and jerseys, to car flags, player fanchains and Viper sunglasses, we recommend you order quickly or drop by the Canucks Store at Rogers Arena to get playoff ready.
Follow us on social media, download the Canucks App, and stay connected as unique content, contests and more announcements are made.
Media are reminded that any content-gathering on the plaza requires approval from the Vancouver Canucks Communications Team at [email protected]
Go Canucks Go!
In his 52nd NHL playoff game, the same amount that vaulted Doug Gilmour to the Maple Leafs’ franchise lead with 77 playoff points, it was high time for Auston Matthews to step up this spring.
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Toronto’s season likely would be toast if it came home trailing 2-0 to playoff nemesis Boston, with faith already shaken outside the room after a Game 1 clunker. Matthews, highest paid of the Core Four forwards at $13.25 million US a season, needed to have a huge presence in a Game 2 that looked at times as it, too, would be fumbled away.
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He embraced his inner Killer and like Gilmour, had significant shifts throughout the 200-foot stage, capped by the 3-2 winner on a full steam breakaway. Matthews’ three-point night tied a career single-game high and though still trailing Gilmour 77-47 in post-season production, Matthews earned himself and his club and extended runway in this series, tied 1-1 heading home.
“Auston’s all over the stat sheet tonight,” head coach Sheldon Keefe praised to media in Boston. “A goal, two assists, but to me it’s the way he worked — hard, physical, winning puck battles all over the ice.”
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Game 3 is Wednesday in Toronto, where the Leafs could get William Nylander back and now have a very confident Ilya Samsonov in net after Boston chose to take Leaf nemesis Jereny Swayman out Monday for Linus Ullmark.
In the teeth of the Bruins’ TD Garden den, Matthews played a team-high 23 minutes and 24 seconds, had eight shots on Ullmark and delivered six hits. After labouring in vain to reach his 70th goal in the last three regular season games, he finally nailed it in style, one-handing a long aerial bomb from Max Domi at the Boston line away from the flailing stick of Charlie McAvoy, settling the disc and deking Ullmark.
“It’s all about just trying to get to the net,” Matthews said. “It’s a battle at the net fronts out there, and I guess on the goal, just a flip out of the zone and just try to anticipate and time it well.”
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With less than eight minutes to go, it was Toronto’s first lead on Boston in six games all season. Matthews then helped kill the final seconds with Ullmark on the bench, after Tyler Bertuzzi served a potentially devasting penalty.
“There is just a lot of belief and trust in that room in one another,” captain John Tavares told Sportsnet. “A lot of guys have been in different situations over the years. We just continued to stay with it and got rewarded.
“Good for the power play to come through (1-for-16 against Boston this season coming in) and anytime you give No, 34 a look like that, he’s obviously a special player who made a good play.
“The way the guys were blocking shots, closing time and space, Sammy being big and seeing pucks and guys battling hard for him, it was a hard-fought win.’
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The Leafs had lost the previous eight to Boston going back to last year and in their previous eight playoff game versus Tampa, Florida and Boston, had not scored more than two.
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At times Keefe flipped Domi and Mitch Marner on Matthews’ right side to put Marner with his long-time centre. It’s just as important to give Marner some jump, too, especially with William Nylander missing a second game with an undisclosed injury … Tavares’s goal when Matthews found him alone in the slot was preceded by two power play video reviews that went against the Leafs, which Keefe cited in saying he “loved the resolve” of the Leafs. Calle Jarnkrok’s shot that Ullmark gloved was inconclusively not over the goal line, and a Bertuzzi’s mid-air bat looked low enough until the cameras zoomed in … As in Game 1, a good Leaf start came undone trying to show Boston they wouldn’t be intimidated on Causeway Street. Jake McCabe cross-checked Jakub Lauko after a whistle and Boston capitalized, Jake DeBrusk adding to his productive Game 1 setting up Morgan Geekie after David Kampf and Timothy Liljegren got confused on who should make an easy clear.
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Kudos to the Leafs for coming right back 14 seconds later, Matthews corralling a high puck, firing it off of the crossbar, with Domi following up, which made Max and Tie Domi the first Leaf father and son with Toronto playoff goals … The fourth line of Ryan Reaves, Kampf and Connor Dewar once more out-played Boston’s group, though the Leafs cratered in the last 20 seconds of the first period. Samsonov whiffed on a hand-off to Liljegren, giving Charlie Coyle an extra shot that broke Samsonov’s mask. In the time it took the goalie to get his broken strap fixed, Boston had time to double check a faceoff drill, Pavel Zacha winning it, defenceman Simon Benoit unable to tie up David Pastrnak, who then eluded Marner for his first of the series … Starting Ullmark left Boston cosch Jim Montgomery open to criticism, messing with Jeremy Swayman’s 4-0 record against the Leafs this season with only three goals against the past three in regular season and playoffs. But Montgomery was not going to break up what has been an effective rotation.
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