The Last Dance details Dennis Rodman's wild 1998 midseason vacation to Las Vegas, but it leaves out the other time he went there during his time with the Bulls. Originally a member of the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons that won two championships, Rodman signed with Chicago prior to the 1995-96 season and became an integral part of the franchise's second three-peat during the Michael Jordan era. Rodman was famous for his tenacious defense and rebounding, giving Chicago a major edge over their opponents. He led the NBA in rebounding all three years he was on the Bulls, and was named to the All-Defensive Team in 1996.
In addition to his play, Rodman was famous for being quite the character off the court. He very much marched to the beat of his own drum and didn't always do things by the book. Case in point: upon Scottie Pippen's return from injury halfway through the 1998 season, Rodman requested permission to go on a Vegas vacation so he could let loose for a bit. Gone for much longer than the approved 48 hours (Jordan had to go to Vegas to fetch Rodman himself), Rodman partied like an animal while away. His then girlfriend Carmen Electra joked it was an "occupational hazard" to be involved with Rodman. That story is great, but The Last Dance only paints some of the picture. Rodman was very fond of Las Vegas, and had gone that before on the Bulls' time.
The season before, Rodman took a short Vegas vacation in the middle of the 1997 NBA Finals. At the time of his team-approved break, the Bulls were tied 2-2 in the best-of-7 series against the Utah Jazz, losing consecutive games on the road. Rodman was not playing well during the series, and asked if he could go to Vegas to unwind. Bulls coach Phil Jackson and general manager Jerry Krause gave him the go-ahead, and Rodman went off with Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. Rodman returned for Game 5 (after going on another Vegas trip solo), and the Bulls won the series 4-2.
Rodman fouled out of 1997's Game 5 in just 22 minutes of playing time, but he was productive in the Game 6 clincher. He was never much of a scorer (Rodman netted a single point in the win), but he did post 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal (in addition to the intangibles he brought to the floor). So, a case can be made the Vegas vacation helped, as Rodman was a key contributor in the last game. It's a testament to Jackson's ability as a coach that he gave Rodman the leeway to go to Vegas in the Finals. He understood his individual players' needs and made sure he could accommodate them when he could. Jackson had a special bond with Rodman (The Last Dance touches on this), so there was a trust there. Jackson obviously expected the best out of his players and pushed them to reach their championship potential, but he also knew they were all human. As he said in '97, Jordan let off steam on the golf course. Rodman preferred going to Vegas.
As unorthodox as it might be to let Rodman jet off to Vegas whenever he wanted, one can't argue with the results. The Bulls won the NBA Finals all three years Rodman was on the team, and they likely wouldn't have gotten three in a row without him. Jackson was aware how important Rodman was to Chicago's success, and knew it'd be better to give him a leash than rule with an iron fist (which undoubtedly would have backfired). The Last Dance includes footage of Rodman talking about how all of the noise surrounding the Bulls off the court was difficult for him to deal with. Those Vegas vacations probably benefitted his mental health and helped him cope. If the Bulls hadn't won with Rodman, opinions on these stories would be different, but it all worked out in the end.