Alf's Blog

Game 2

 

The Bulls once again came out with hot shooting, matching their previous first-quarter showing at 52%. And this time, it was the Bulls who dominated the glass, outrebounding the Spurs 13-6 for the quarter. However, the defense wasn't quite as sharp, as the Spurs improved on their pitiful 31% shooting in the first quarter of Game 1, shooting 43%. Bulls 30, Spurs 24 at the end of 1.

 

The Bulls expanded their lead to 10 points midway through the quarter, but as in Game 1, when Jordan and Pippen went to the bench, the Spurs capitalized, going on a 17-1 run, as the Bulls went scoreless from the field for nearly five minutes. Pippen returned with 2 1/2 minutes to go in the half and converted on a quick three-point play, but Duncan answered with two baskets inside to close out a quarter which featured a 5-for-22 shooting performance from the Bulls. Spurs 52, Bulls 44 at the half.

 

The Bulls slowly chipped away at the lead for several minutes in the third quarter, before finally breaking out with a 17-6 run over the final five minutes. Pippen was the key factor in the run, taking a double-double into the fourth. Bulls 76, Spurs 68 after three.

 

With the key players out to start the fourth, this time it was the Bulls' complimentary players coming up big, as Jud Buechler and Bill Wennington made key baskets. Duncan returned midway through the quarter and got a quick dunk to cut the lead back to six, but the Bulls would score the next 9 points and never looked back.

 

FINAL SCORE: Bulls 102, Spurs 90

 

series tied 1-1

 

Pippen (CHI) 15-27, 36 points, 10 reb, 2 blk

 

Duncan (SA) 13-22, 26 points, 12 reb, 7 blk

 

CHI: Jordan 28, Kukoc 11, Longley 9, Buechler 8, Wennington 3, Kerr 2, Rodman 2, Harper 2, Brown 1, Simpkins/Burrell DNP

 

SA: Robinson 24, Elie 12, Jackson 8, Johnson 8, Rose 6, Elliott 4, Kersey 2, Daniels 0, Perdue 0, Kerr 0, King DNP

 

Game 3 tommorrow as the series heads to San Antonio.

Game 3

 

Pretty evenly matched first quarter, with the big two for each team carrying most of the load. The Bulls shot at a little higher clip, and closed out the quarter strong. Bulls 27, Spurs 24 after 1.

 

Both sides went cold in the second, but the Bulls started to pull away late, going on a 7-0 run capped off by a three from Chicago Steve Kerr, despite having one attempt turned back by San Antonio Steve Kerr. The Spurs charged back, despite the Bulls' dominance of the offensive glass behind Rodman and Longley, as Duncan scored and was fouled by Rodman with 20 seconds to go in the half, and Elliott put back his miss from the foul line the reclaim the advantage for the Spurs. However, Ron Harper charged right back down the floor and scored to bring it even. 43-43 at the half.

 

Both teams picked it up considerably on offense to start out the second half, but this time it was the Spurs who made the big defensive stops late, blocking shots on the last four Bulls possessions. Spurs 67, Bulls 62 at the end of three.

 

Jordan took Mario Elie to school in the post to start out the fourth, then came up with a big block which led to a Kukoc basket. David Robinson answered with two quick blocks and a basket of his own, setting the tone for the next several minutes, as the Bulls got no easy shots and endured a three-minute scoring drought. However, Chicago Steve Kerr got the first wide-open look for the Bulls in the quarter, and drained a three from the right corner, keying an 11-2 run and putting the Bulls back on top, during which the Spurs put up a near three-minute drought of their own. But out of the Spurs timeout, San Antonio Kerr tied the game with a long two, then Duncan split a pair of free throws give to the Spurs a one-point lead into the last minute. Following a Pippen miss, Sean Elliott hit a dagger three as the shot clock expired, making it a four-point advantage, then Duncan blocked Kukoc's attempt and the Spurs salted it away at the line.

 

FINAL SCORE: Spurs 88, Bulls 84

 

Spurs lead series 2-1

 

Robinson (SA) 11/19, 27 points, 15 reb, 7 blk

 

Pippen (CHI) 14/31, 32 points, 10 reb, 3 blk

 

SA: Duncan 27, Elie 11, Jackson 8, Elliott 7, Johnson 4, Kerr 2, Kersey 2, Rose 0, Perdue 0, Daniels 0, King DNP

 

CHI: Jordan 19, Kukoc 13, Kerr 6, Longley 5, Harper 4, Wennington 2, Buechler 2, Brown 1, Rodman 0, Simpkins/Burrell DNP

 

Game 4 tommorrow.

Game 4

 

All Spurs in the first quarter, despite early foul trouble with David Robinson, as the Bulls came out ice cold, shooting just 26% from the field. The Spurs moved the ball nicely, picking up 7 assists to just one for the Bulls. Duncan once again had his way with the Bulls' bigs, and Mario Elie made all four of his shots from the field, and was the difference with 9 points. Spurs 26, Bulls 17 at the end of 1.

 

The Bulls looked to the bench for a spark in the second, and got it, as they dominated the glass and wittled the lead to three late in the quarter. However, Dennis Rodman missed two gimmies under the basket that could have given them the lead, and San Antonio Kerr hit a three on the other end to push it back to six. The Bulls would score on their next two possessions, but Pippen missed a three at the end of the half that would have given them the lead. Spurs 40, Bulls 38 at the half.

 

The Spurs came roaring out of the gate in the third, pushing their lead to double digits once again, punctuated by a big baseline dunk by Sean Elliott over Michael Jordan. The Bulls once again got nothing easy, as Toni Kukoc, who made just two of his first 17 shot attempts, was fouled hard by David Robinson on a dunk attempt, and missed both foul shots. Pippen followed shortly after with a pair of misses, as baskets by Malik Rose and Tim Duncan gave the Spurs their biggest lead heading into the fourth. Spurs 67, Bulls 55 after three.

 

The Bulls struck first in the fourth, as Pippen drove in for a huge dunk and converted for a three-point play. Dennis Rodman ran the floor nicely, getting a layup and a pair of free throws, but weren't able to pull any closer than seven thanks to second-chance points (and in some cases, third, fourth, and fifth) for the Spurs. However, Kukoc broke out of his slump late with two big threes, pulling the Bulls to within four with a minute to go. He added a third following a David Robinson basket, but Duncan put in yet another second-chance basket, and the Bulls would not threaten again. The final quarter pushed the Bulls' shooting percentage just over 30% for the game, as they made just one of their first 17 attempts from three-point range before Kukoc's barrage.

 

FINAL SCORE: Spurs 88, Bulls 83

 

Spurs lead series 3-1

 

Duncan (SA) 14-27, 31 points, 18 reb, 6 blk, 3 ast

 

Longley (CHI) 7-13, 16 points, 18 reb, 2 blk, 2 ast

 

SA: Elie 16, Robinson 16, Rose 9, Johnson 6, Jackson 4, Kerr 3, Elliott 3, Daniels 0, Kersey 0, Perdue 0, King DNP

 

CHI: Pippen 19, Kukoc 14, Jordan 12, Rodman 6, Wennington 5, Kerr 5, Buechler 4, Brown 2, Harper 0, Simpkins/Burrell DNP

 

I may have Game 5 later tonight, if I get bored.

Game 5

 

Jordan and Pippen led the Bulls to an early six-point lead, but Tim Duncan led the Spurs back, scoring 14 points in the quarter, and the Spurs pulled even after Jaren Jackson's free throws with 1.8 seconds. 28-28 after 1.

 

The Spurs went cold in the second, but looked like an offensive juggernaut compared to the Bulls, who made just 4 of 23 shots from the field. Late free throws by Jordan and a dunk from Pippen kept it from getting out of hand. Spurs 46, Bulls 40 at the half.

 

The Spurs continued to pile it on in the third, jumping out to a 14-point lead, as the Bulls' shooting woes continued. As has been a problem all series, the Bulls were able to match the Spurs on the offensive boards, but couldn't convert underneath as the Spurs had. The Bulls did close out the quarter strong, as Ron Harper had a big dunk over Tim Duncan and converted on a three-point play. Spurs 69, Bulls 61 at the end of three.

 

The Bulls charged back in the fourth, outscoring the Spurs 18-6 and taking the lead on a Jordan dunk with just over five minutes to go. Duncan looked to turn the tables, but Rodman's defense forced him to pass the ball off, and Avery Johnson was swatted away inside, leading to a three from Chicago Steve Kerr on the other end for a five-point Bulls lead. However, the Spurs came back strong, scoring the next six points to take a one-point lead with two minutes to go. After Elie and Pippen traded baskets, Sean Elliott missed a three as the shot clock expired, and Kukoc gave the Bulls the lead on the other end. The Spurs got the ball back with 23 seconds to go, as Avery Johnson milked clock, and found David Robinson, who made a leaning 12-footer with 8.7 seconds. The Bulls inbounded to Ron Harper, who lost the ball. It ended up in the hands of Luc Longley, who had to force a turnaround, which was blocked by David Robinson as time expired to give the series to the Spurs.

 

FINAL SCORE: Spurs 89, Bulls 88

 

Spurs win series 4-1

 

Robinson (SA) 11-29, 23 points, 9 reb, 8 blk

 

Jordan (CHI) 11-26, 28 points, 8 reb, 3 blk

 

SA: Duncan 34, Elie 10, Jackson 8, Rose 6, Kersey 4, Johnson 2, Elliott 2, Kerr 0, Perdue 0, Daniels/King DNP

 

CHI: Pippen 18, Kerr 12, Kukoc 8, Longley 8, Harper 5, Wennington 4, Buechler 3, Brown 2, Rodman 0, Simpkins/Burrell DNP