While Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets awaited the start of the Western Conference Finals in Portland, in the East, the Celtics, Pistons, Bullets, and Bucks were advancing towards the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Celtics had an easy but somewhat embarrassing first round as they passed the Chicago Bulls. They were scorched by Jordan with 63 points and also lost a game in Chicago.
The Celtics were incredibly powerful, their 68-14 record was proof. They had a strong desire to win the championship and, like the Lakers last year, last year's finals loss motivated the entire team to make achievements this year.
But with one victory, Jordan pried open a tiny crack in the formidable shell of the Celtics, peering into the slightly weaker part of the team.
Of course, every team has its weak spots; the question is whether you can hide them well and not let the opponents find out during a series.