Michael Jordan capped the Bulls’ sixth title with greatness and symbolism

He scored 23 first-half points and 45 for the night, symbolic of two numbers he wore throughout his unparalleled career.

He capped a brilliant sequence in which he stole the ball from Karl Malone at one end and sank a game-winning jumper over Bryon Russell at the other by holding his follow-through in the air, a move that later would be dubbed "The Pose."

How is it possible that Michael Jordan played another game, in another uniform, after leading the Bulls to their sixth NBA championship in eight years in 1998?

NBC Sports Chicago is airing the Bulls' Game 6 victory over the Utah Jazz Friday night at 7 p.m. CT, a game which concluded one of the greatest dynasties in sports history. Jordan indeed came out of retirement to play for the Wizards. But for this glorious night, he was ours. He was Chicago's.

"This is bittersweet in the sense that it was the toughest route, toughest challenge of the six championships that we've won," Jordan said postgame that June 14 night. "In some people's eyes, no one expected us to fulfill this. And that was part of the challenge."

The challenges moved beyond the court and into the Bulls' internal machinations. When the labor dispute that shortened the 1998-99 season ended, so did the Bulls as we knew them, with various parts moving in various directions and Jordan into his second retirement. It's why the Bulls called the 1997-98 season "The Last Dance."

We've called these re-broadcasts "The Final Chapter" and hope you've enjoyed them. Dynasties don't come around every day.