Today in Performance Sneaker History: Scottie Pippen Ties NBA Finals Record in the Nike Air Pippen 1

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Complex Original

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The NBA Finals begin tonight in Miami, promising to be an exciting, well-contested series between the Heat and Spurs. Sixteen years ago, it was the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz facing off in the '97 Finals. Led by Michael Jordan, the Bulls would end up capturing their fifth NBA Championship and contributing to their second three-peat. Jordan ended up winning the Finals MVP honors, but teammate Scottie Pippen's performance was just as valuable.

On June 6, 1997, in Game 3 of the Finals, Pippen outscored Jordan with 27 points. Although the Bulls lost the game 104-93, Pippen hit seven three-point field goals, shooting 7-11 overall for three, which tied Kenny Smith's record from 1995. Since then, only Ray Allen has surpassed Pippen and Smith with eight threes made in a Finals game.

Pippen wore a number Nike the '90s, including the Air More Uptempo and Air Maestro, but it wasn't until 1997 that Nike laced him in his own signature model. The retail version of the Nike Air Pippen 1 featured ample Air Max cushioning, however Pippen's personal pairs utilized Zoom Air cushioning.

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