Bulls Show Off Their Better Half

NBA playoffs

In the first half, the Chicago Bulls looked like the NBA’s oldest team. In the second half, they simply looked like the most experienced - and the best - as they overwhelmed the Miami Heat.

The Bulls overcame 36 percent shooting and technical fouls on Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman to defeat the Heat 84-77 Tuesday night in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals.

Before the best-of-7 series started, Miami’s Tim Hardaway said: “I’m not saying they’re old … but you know, they’re up in age.”

But after falling behind by 16 points in the first half and trailing by 11 at halftime, the Bulls regrouped and looked like the younger team down the stretch.

“In the first half, we probably looked like an old team, missing layups, not really playing with the rhythm we’re capable of,” said the 34-year-old Jordan, who had 37 points. “But it’s two halves and we came out and we played like young men.

“We limited them to six field goals in the second half (and caused) 11 turnovers. So it didn’t sound like old men to me.”

Chicago’s other two old stars also atoned for their technical fouls. Pippen, 31, scored 24 points including a 3-pointer to spark Chicago’s game-ending 17-5 run. And Rodman, 36, pulled down 19 rebounds, by far his best showing this postseason, before fouling out with 1:19 left.

Miami, coming off a grueling seven-game series against New York, led 72-67 midway through the fourth quarter. But the Heat didn’t make a field goal for almost 6-1/2 minutes and fell to 0-7 against the Bulls in the playoffs.

Alonzo Mourning had 21 points and six blocks for the Heat but missed 5 of 6 free throws in the final 2:20. Miami was 15 of 30 from the line and missed all three technicals.

“They obviously showed their greatness at the end with their defensive pressure,” Heat coach Pat Riley said. “We succumbed to that. The turnovers and missed free throws, the factors we know we have to control against them … We led that game for 45 minutes and really let it get away from us.”

Hardaway, who scored 38 points in the Heat’s Game 7 win over New York in the conference semifinals, had only 13 points on 4-for-14 shooting against Ron Harper’s outstanding defense.

Rodman’s rebound basket began the Bulls’ late surge. After Hardaway made 1 of 2 free throws, Pippen and Harper hit consecutive 3-pointers to put Chicago ahead to stay, 75-73, and Jordan followed with a dunk after Pippen stole Jamal Mashburn’s inbounds pass.

Jordan got his technical for arguing an offensive foul, but Voshon Lenard missed the free throw. Mourning then went on his foul-shooting drought, and layups by Toni Kukoc and Jordan gave the Bulls an 81-74 lead.

“I’m not at liberty to discuss the refereeing because I don’t want a fine, but it certainly wasn’t great tonight. There were a lot of questionable calls,” Jordan said.

Notes

Jordan reiterated - with his strongest comments yet - that he will retire if Bulls coach Phil Jackson leaves after the season. “I won’t play for anybody else,” Jordan told The Chicago Tribune in a story published Tuesday. And he warned team owner Jerry Reinsdorf: “Don’t call my bluff.” … P.J. Brown returned for Miami after sitting out a two-game suspension for his role in a brawl during the Heat-Knicks series.

Bulls 84, Heat 77

Miami (77) - Mashburn 4-12 1-2 10, Brown 1-5 1-2 3, Mourning 7-13 7-15 21, Hardaway 4-14 3-6 13, Lenard 4-5 0-1 12, Majerle 2-6 0-0 5, Austin 2-4 0-0 4, Askins 1-2 0-0 3, Anderson 1-3 3-4 6. Totals 26-64 15-30 77.

Chicago (84) - Pippen 8-18 4-5 24, Rodman 2-5 0-0 4, Longley 2-4 2-2 6, Harper 2-9 0-0 6, Jordan 15-31 7-10 37, Williams 1-7 0-0 2, Kukoc 1-8 0-2 2, Kerr 1-4 0-0 3, Caffey 0-2 0-0 0, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Buechler 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-89 13-19 84.

Miami 25 24 17 11 - 77

Chicago 17 21 23 23 - 84

3-Point goals-Miami 10-26 (Lenard 4-4, Hardaway 2-8, Askins 1-2, Anderson 1-2, Majerle 1-3, Mashburn 1-5, Mourning 0-1, Austin 0-1), Chicago 7-14 (Pippen 4-6, Harper 2-4, Kerr 1-2, Jordan 0-2). Fouled out-Rodman. Rebounds-Miami 51 (Mourning, Austin 8), Chicago 65 (Rodman 19). Assists-Miami 15 (Hardaway 9), Chicago 18 (Pippen, Harper 4). Total fouls- Miami 24, Chicago 25. Technicals-Pippen, Rodman, Jordan. Flagrant fouls-Williams. A-24,544 (24,544).