Electronics : Search

Over the course of 15 hours on four double-sided DVDs, Chicago Bulls: The 1990s documents the Bulls' incredible run of six NBA championships in eight years led by the game's greatest-ever player, Michael Jordan. Like the earlier DVD release Ultimate Jordan, it collects a number of programs originally released on VHS, in this case the yearly highlight videos that summarized each of the six championship seasons, plus a five-minute introduction that covers the franchise starting in the 1960s and ending with its drafting of Jordan.

Where the NBA Dynasty series (the other initial entry is the slightly meatier Los Angeles Lakers: The Complete History) outdoes Ultimate Jordan is in the six playoff games--one for each year--as they were originally broadcast, minus halftime and commercials. Having the nearly complete game (usually running 90-100 minutes, from the TV introductions to post-game interviews) means you can skip straight to John Paxson's clutch basket or what was expected to be the final shot of Jordan's career. Or you can savor each game in its entirety, all the better to appreciate the artistry of Jordan in his three-pointer barrage against Portland or his "flu game" against Utah. You can see other great players too, of course, including Jordan's teammates--Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman--and those opponents unfortunate enough to face the Bulls--Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Karl Malone, and others. Because these are all NBA Finals games, you won't see Jordan's shot over Craig Ehlo or his 63-point coming-out party against Boston, but the 1990s Chicago Bulls were a team for the ages, and merely having their games--some of them all-time classics--available for home viewing is a major milestone in archived sports. --David Horiuchi

Perhaps more than any other sport, basketball is a star-driven event: Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Dennis Rodman, Shaquille O'Neal--the list could go on and on. But it's not necessarily these athletes' overall careers that we remember as much as the breathtaking individual plays these illustrious men have given us. Is it possible to break down a hundred of these greatest moments in NBA history? The NBA's 100 Greatest Plays certainly tries.

While last-minute heroics tend to be the standard by which we define excellence, there are many other moments that have left an indelible impression, many of them highlighted here. The video clips fall into 10 categories: Dunks, Alley-oops, Assists, Steals, Blocks, Teamwork, the Clutch Shot, Moves, Hustle, and Buzzer-Beaters. At the beginning of each section is a brief introduction. Before showing the top 10 dunks of all time, for example, we learn about the evolution of the dunk--from the first slam to the man who could fly, Michael Jordan--and we hear background commentary from NBA legends such as Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Dr. J, and Bill Russell. This video recalls familiar moments of NBA lore that you will want to own for countless repeat viewings. --Jeremy Storey