Kukoc Confounds Magic 3-Pointers Help Bulls Win Easily In Possible Preview Of Playoffs

Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Scottie Pippen were on the bench. Anfernee Hardaway and Dennis Rodman might as well have been.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the game belonged not to the biggest names on basketball’s marquee teams, but to Toni Kukoc.

“There is no doubt in my mind he was the difference,” Orlando coach Brian Hill said Sunday after Kukoc buried the Magic in an avalanche of 3-pointers in leading the Chicago Bulls to a 111-91 victory. “When Kukoc came in and started dropping threes on us, I felt maybe we got a little discouraged.”

A starter last season who has become a role player this year, Kukoc scored a season-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting - including 6-of-8 from 3-point range - as the Bulls improved to 25-0 at home. Kukoc scored Chicago’s first 11 points of the fourth quarter to break the game open.

“I thought in a game like this, Mom’s watching back in Croatia and he’s got a reputation at stake, he would be effective,” Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. “Toni has a tendency to play very big in big games.”

Once known as “Europe’s Magic Johnson,” Kukoc has had trouble adjusting to life in the NBA especially since Jordan came out of retirement last March.

“I was playing 40 minutes (in Europe). I came here and my role changed,” Kukoc said. “Here is MJ. Here is Pip. I’ve really got to wait for my chance. It was great to play like this. I wish I can every night. But sometimes it’s hard coming off the bench.”

The Bulls led only 74-70 before Kukoc opened the fourth quarter with three 3-pointers and a bank shot for an 85-76 lead.

After Orlando’s Nick Anderson hit a 3-pointer, the Bulls scored the next 11 points to make it a rout. Luc Longley began the run with two baskets and Kukoc capped it with a driving layup.

Kukoc also made three consecutive 3-pointers in the second quarter as the teams played to a 53-53 halftime tie.

“Kukoc really hurt us in the first half when he hit those threes,” said Hardaway, who had 24 points but couldn’t keep the Magic’s six-game winning streak going. “Then, he did it in the second and that’s what killed us.”

The Bulls are unbeaten in 32 regular season games at the United Center, last losing on March 24 to Orlando in Jordan’s first home game since returning. Chicago (49-6), rebounding from Friday’s loss at Miami, moved nine games ahead of Orlando in the Eastern Conference standings.

“It’s a little jockeying for playoff momentum. And we defended our home court,” Jordan said. “The loss to Miami was one of those games where you just stink up the place. We showed our character that we could bounce back and focus on a much better team. We knew what the game meant from a mental aspect. We were ready.”

Bulls 111, Magic 91

Orlando (91) - Scott 1-8 1-1 4, Grant 6-9 1-2 13, O’Neal 13-23 7-17 33, Hardaway 10-19 2-2 24, Anderson 5-9 2-2 13, Koncak 0-0 0-0 0, Shaw 1-6 0-0 2, Bowie 0-1 0-0 0, Wolf 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 37-77 13-24 91.

Chicago (111) - Pippen 5-18 2-2 14, Rodman 3-8 1-1 7, Longley 6-15 2-2 14, Harper 4-7 2-4 12, Jordan 8-19 6-8 23, Kerr 2-4 2-2 7, Wennington 3-7 1-1 7, Kukoc 8-11 2-2 24, Buechler 1-1 0-0 3, Caffey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 40-90 18-22 111.

Orlando 30 23 17 21 - 91

Chicago 28 25 21 37 - 111

3-Point goals-Orlando 4-14 (Hardaway 2-5, Scott 1-3, Anderson 1-3, Grant 0-1, Shaw 0-2), Chicago 13-27 (Kukoc 6-8, Harper 2-3, Pippen 2-10, Jordan 1-1, Buechler 1-1, Kerr 1-3, Rodman 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Orlando 49 (O’Neal 16), Chicago 56 (Rodman 17). Assists-Orlando 21 (Shaw 7), Chicago 27 (Jordan 7). Total fouls-Orlando 23, Chicago 17. Technicals-Chicago coach Jackson. A-24,102 (21,771).