Bulls’ Kukoc Lost For 2 Games

Chicago Bulls forward Toni Kukoc injured his back during practice Friday and will miss the next two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks.

The Bulls, leading the best-of-seven series 2-0, play today and Sunday in Madison Square Garden.

Kukoc was injured on a jump-stop maneuver near the end of the workout in suburban Deerfield and was taken by ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said team physician Dr. James Hefferon.

“He jammed his back in practice today and he was in a lot of pain, a lot of back spasms - so much so it was hard for him to even get up off the floor,” Hefferon said. “He’s feeling much better now.”

Bulls assistant fined

The NBA fined Bulls assistant Jim Cleamons $2,500 for exchanging words with New York center Patrick Ewing late in Game 2.

Cleamons said his words were directed at Bulls center Luc Longley. But Ewing approached Cleamons and had to be restrained by Michael Jordan and others. “That was the mark of a team that was coming apart a little bit at the seams,” Bulls coach Phil Jackson asserted.

Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy returned fire when informed of Jackson’s comment: “They know they can talk and No. 23 will back it up. I’d be like that, too, if I’d only coached in the NBA with him on my team.”