As the world approached 1992, at the end of 1991, a superpower vanished.
The deeply symbolic red flag slowly descended from the Kremlin, and a social experiment concluded after 69 years.
Even America, the Soviet Union's greatest rival, was caught off guard by its rapid collapse.
Against the backdrop of such a monumental international event, the NBA's Christmas matchup seemed inconsequential. President Bush quickly addressed the nation in a televised speech, interpreting the major news Americans had just seen reported.
He framed the event as America's victory in a 40-plus-year struggle against the other camp. He declared the Cold War officially over, celebrating that America's values and ideals had ultimately prevailed.
A few weeks later, in his State of the Union address, Bush stated, "It is by God's grace that we have won the victory."
He also proclaimed that a new world order was taking shape, with America emerging as the sole superpower.
