Steve Kerr has had problems finding his jump shot in the Finals, but he contributed a key play in the closing minute of Game 2 Friday.
The Bulls were trailing by one when Kerr missed a pullup three-pointer on a fast break with about 47 seconds remaining. But he rebounded the miss and fed Michael Jordan for a layup. Jordan was fouled and added the free throw for an 88-86 lead the Bulls never lost.
“When it came down to that fast break and (Kerr) came up with that three, I just thought it was a gutsy shot,” teammate Jud Buechler said. “And it is a great shot for him. Then he goes in and gets the rebound and feeds Michael for the basket. He is a very smart basketball player, and that’s why you have to have him on the floor.”
After John Stockton clinched Utah’s Game 1 victory with a runner over Kerr in the final minute, Bulls coach Phil Jackson was criticized for having Kerr on the floor instead of Ron Harper, who is superior defensively.
Kerr, who hit the game-winning shot in Game 6 of last year’s Finals to give the Bulls their title, was only 1 for 5 from the field in 27 minutes Friday.
“I was told the other day that Jerry Sloan tells (Jeff) Hornacek and Stockton: `Do not leave Kerr at the end of the game,’ ” Buechler said. “That’s the scouting report. They are not going to let him have any open shots. In the first half, they gave him just a little bit of light and Steve hit that big three. After what happened last year, they are not going to double-team off him (to stop Jordan).”
Retiring sort? Nobody is making a big deal out of it, certainly not as big as his excursion to Las Vegas, but Dennis Rodman is saying that this might be it for him.
Rodman, who earlier this season said he wanted to play one more season with the Bulls, has told friends that in light of a possible NBA lockout and with the uncertainty surrounding the Bulls he might retire after this season.
But during a late-night conversation with friends on Thursday, Rodman, who recently turned 37, said this likely is his last season in basketball.
“It’s just the politics of the game,” said Rodman’s agent, Dwight Manley. “We had a discussion about that (Thursday night). Dennis is prepared not to play next year, and he doesn’t have to play next year. He wants to be a Bull, and he wants everybody to come back, but he knows he’s not going to have any bearing on that. Whether it’s his last year or not, he realizes it’s definitely the twilight of his career.”
Rodman played a solid game in the Bulls’ 93-88 victory in Game 2 Friday. He had nine second-half rebounds–including three key offensive boards–to help the Bulls. He also played solid defense on Karl Malone, especially with Luc Longley in foul trouble. Longley eventually fouled out.
“Everybody was making a big deal out of me going to Las Vegas and things like that,” Rodman said. “I just wanted to go out there and play my game, and the referees were letting me play instead of taking me out of my game. It’s a different story. I can play Malone.”
Touchy subjects: In his most notable game against the Detroit Pistons, in Game 7 of the 1990 Eastern Conference finals, Scottie Pippen suffered a migraine. Almost a decade later, Isiah Thomas still is giving him headaches.
Pippen said that at first, he didn’t understand why reporters kept asking him about the shouting match/friendly discussion he and Jordan had near the end of Game 1.
Then he watched a tape of the game, with the volume up.
“I think you guys got that from NBC,” Pippen said after the Bulls’ Friday shootaround. “After looking at the tape, (I saw that) Isiah made a comment that Michael was yapping at me.”
As he spoke, Pippen had one of those let’s-change-the-subject looks on his face. And the topic was changed. Unfortunately for Pippen, the new topic was Jerry Reinsdorf, Jerry Krause and the anticipated breakup of the Bulls.
Pippen rolled his eyes, smiled and braced for the questions.
Does he still plan to sign with another team this summer?
“It’s time to move on,” Pippen said. “There has been so much dirt in the last few years. It’s time to get a new start in life.”
Does he agree with Karl Malone’s comment that Krause and Reinsdorf believe they, not the players, are the show?
“I think that’s a fair assessment,” Pippen said. “It comes along with success.”
Pippen also said he wouldn’t apologize for previous shots at Reinsdorf and Krause.
The Bulls’ other Scott, Burrell, has been with the team for only one season, but he has formed his own opinion.
“It might spoil everybody–players, fans, everybody,” Burrell said. “People might get a little bored seeing the Bulls win.”
Grand theft: Ron Harper scored only three points in 24 minutes of Game 2 but made two steals, including a clutch theft of an inbound pass intended for Stockton with 14.2 seconds remaining and the Bulls leading 90-86.
The name game: Buechler has been catching a lot of flak from his teammates because of Malone’s butchering of his name during television interviews.
Malone calls Buechler “Jed” instead of “Jud.”
“I guess it’s nice to be mentioned at all,” Buechler said. “And it’s better than being called `Jeb.’ The problem is now Scott Burrell keeps calling me `Jed.’ I think Karl gets it from `The Beverly Hillbillies.’ “
