Another game. Another technical. Another hair color.
Perhaps most important for the Bulls and Dennis Rodman, another start–the first since his six-game suspension for headbutting referee Ted Bernhardt March 16. Conincidentally, the start came on the same floor the incident took place.
This visit to the Continental Airlines Arena, while not without incident, was definitely a bit more subdued for His Hairness. Rodman was slapped with a technical foul in the third quarter, but even coach Phil Jackson said Rodman “kept his cool” during the Bulls’ 113-100 victory.
Rodman did a good portion of his night’s work–12 rebounds and six points in 30 minutes–at center, jockeying against New Jersey Nets big man Shawn Bradley.
In the Bulls’ game Sunday against the Magic, Rodman also assumed center duties, guarding the brick house that is Shaquille O’Neal in the paint. Jackson said Rodman would see more center assignments during the playoffs.
“I love playing the center,” Rodman said. “I love playing guys that are dubbed very difficult for other guys to play. Put me on them and let me do what I can do. It brings out the best in Dennis Rodman.”
In adding to his forward duties, Rodman will not only fill in for injured Luc Longley but also provide the Bulls with a fourth center, behind Bill Wennington and James Edwards.
Rodman earned his technical with 2 minutes 38 seconds left in the third quarter, as he gave a Nets forward Armon Gilliam a more-than-gentle nudge into the padding under the basket while Gilliam drove down the middle and forcefully slam-dunked over him.
“I came up and I guess I charged at him,” Rodman said.
To avoid a second technical and further outbursts, Jackson promptly benched Rodman.
“When I got the technical,” Rodman said, “Phil sat me down again. I was like, `Well, it’s going to start all over again.’ “
But it didn’t. Jackson inserted Rodman back into the game in the fourth quarter.
Moreover, Jackson sounded very pleased with Rodman after the Bulls’ 67th victory. “Dennis played a big part in the first half,” Jackson said.
And finally, hot pink. That was Rodman’s hair color on Thursday, just days after sporting a deep red. Rodman, whose hair billboard along the Kennedy Expressway had to be moved because of the traffic jams it caused, called himself “Pretty in Pink.”
