Just when he’s needed most, the Worm appears to be turning.
On himself, on the world, on his team, whatever.
Please don’t ask for a detailed analysis. Columnists who attempt to interpret Dennis Rodman’s behavior risk turning into the Jack Nicholson character in “The Shining,” typing the same line over and over.
Now is the time for all good Rodmen to come to the aid of their team. Now is the time for all good Rodmen . . .
Sorry. Rodman is driving me almost as crazy as he appears to be driving his coach and teammates. Tuesday night at the United Center, it basically took 41 points from the Bulls’ most valuable player to offset the out-of-it, foul-plagued liability of the team’s second most valuable. Michael Jordan’s MVP-embossing performance overcame a mere six rebounds–and a late middle finger of a three-point shot–from Rodman.
Jordan sounded as angry about Rodman as he was happy with the Bulls’ 104-98 victory and 2-0 lead over Indiana.
Asked if Rodman is flaking out again, Jordan said, “The last thing we need is some B.S. from Dennis. He’s not flaking out, he needs some attention. If he needs it, we’ll give it to him.”
Four-letter-word attention.
Jordan’s irritation rose as he said, “Phil (Jackson) has been unhappy with Dennis’ antics of late–his being late. If anybody should be able to be late, it should be me and Scottie (Pippen). We gave him time to be Dennis. Now it’s time to work.”
Jordan finished with what sounded like a warning: “Dennis doesn’t want to be the reason we lose.”
Sometimes you wonder about that–though not for too long.
Rodman’s recent string of tardies continued Tuesday night when he arrived 30 minutes later than Jackson allows. Players are supposed to be in the locker room no later than 90 minutes before tipoff. Yet not until 6:30 did Rodman come dragging his feet down the hall as if he had just awakened and was on his way to the shower. He still wore what appeared to be pajama bottoms.
Perhaps putting on a show, Rodman appeared to stumble against the hallway wall. Asked what was wrong with Rodman, a member of his entourage responded with a roll of the eyes and a “don’t-ask-me” shrug.
Of course, Rodman occasionally failed to make the 90-minute deadline during the season. Yet by Rodman’s bad-as-he-wants-to-be standards, he has been an altar boy. Now, apparently, he has turned back into the alter boy, changing team chemistry just when the real playoffs are starting for the defending champs.
For the second straight game, Rodman did not start. Of course, Jackson has insisted that he isn’t disciplining Rodman–that he wants Rodman to cancel the off-the-bench intensity brought by the Pacers’ Antonio Davis midway through every first quarter.
If so, that’s more difficult to comprehend than Rodman. Time out, coach: You’re bringing the NBA’s best rebounder off the bench to counter a sixth man? You’re playing with Rodman’s nitro psyche just so you can play 94-foot chess with coach-of-the-year Larry Bird? You’re risking wounding Rodman’s childlike pride and sending him into a skunk funk?
You’re limiting the minutes of the one antidote you have for Indiana’s inside muscle? You’re heaping even more responsibility on Jordan to basically beat the Pacers one on five?
Now is the time for all good . . .
Sorry.
At least the Bulls’ bench got a kick out of sending for Rodman midway through the first quarter. Rodman, of course, had made a spectacle of leaving the bench area to ride the exercise bike or pout of whatever he does in the locker room. When Jackson called for Rodman, players on the bench began tapping their arms the way a baseball manager does when he wants a left-hander or right-hander from the bullpen. Several Bulls tapped their left arms.
Rodman plays right-handed, but thinks left-headed.
An usher used a two-way radio to signal locker-room attendants to tell Rodman he was needed. That’s part of the problem: He’s basketball smart enough to know just how badly he’s needed. Right on schedule, as the playoff spotlight gets hottest, Rodman is begging for attention by seeing just how far he can push his coach.
Perhaps the negative publicity is seeping into the subconscious views of referees. Who knows? Perhaps they’ve been warned to keep Rodman in check with a quick foul or two.
Whatever, Rodman was whistled for three fouls in the mere seven first-half minutes he lasted. So Rodman was basically useless during a first half in which the Bulls were outrebounded 25-14.
If not for the man Bird once compared with God, the Bulls might be heading to Indiana with the series tied 1-1. Yes, Pippen again terrorized Mark Jackson into game-turning turnovers–seven total. But when the Bulls had to have points, Pippen (6 of 18) wasn’t able to score them.
Jordan was.
The best thing about the 104-98 victory was that it basically was accomplished without Dennis the Menace. Now Rodman can’t say, “Hey, I don’t need to be on time to kick butt.”
Jordan basically volunteered to help Jackson kick Rodman’s, if necessary.
Jackson said, “I’ll have a talk with Dennis over the next couple of days and see if we can’t get him straight.”
Jackson might also find time to cure cancer. But straightening out the Worm has once again become a June key for this team.
