They planned a tribute at the United Center Tuesday and a basketball game broke out.
“Our defense held together,” Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “And we made a few stops in the fourth quarter. I told them defense wins championships, and it does. It was special for me and I thanked Shaq.”
That was because the Lakers’ center, with 29 points and 20 rebounds, and the Lakers’ defense shut out the Bulls for more than five minutes late in the fourth quarter to allow Jackson to leave Chicago in his first game back as an opposing coach with an 88-76 victory.
But the team Jackson coached to six NBA championships–or, at least, their uniforms–put a scare into the Lakers for 3 1/2 quarters as the Bulls, despite an untypically poor game from Elton Brand, stayed with the powerful Lakers.
When Dickey Simpkins rolled in for a layup on a Ron Artest pass with 6:05 remaining, the Bulls (10-38) trailed only 73-72.
“It’s a 48-minute game and it’s about finding depth and ability,” Jackson said. “Benches win games in this league and our bench finally got going and helped us win this game.”
Particularly Rick Fox, who finished a game for the third straight time for Glen Rice.
Fox scored all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter, including two three-pointers after the Bulls pulled within one, and Jackson was able to escape after expending just a little more perspiration than planned or hoped as the Lakers improved to 38-11.
But that was just the sideshow to the main event, which was Jackson’s return as a coach. Of course, Jackson returned last year to have his name retired on a Bulls banner that hangs in the United Center. But Chicago celebrates its former heroes like few other cities and one can imagine what it will be like if Cliff Levingston ever comes back.
Jackson mostly was generous and patient. He received a warm welcome and standing ovation as he walked on the court before the game, offering a shy wave. Then during the introductions, public address announcer Ray Clay breezed through Jackson’s name quickly.
“In the pregame I thank the Bulls for not doing anything extraordinary,” Jackson said. “I might have broken down and cried.”
We think he was joking about that.
But the Bulls’ effort Tuesday was no joke as they surrounded O’Neal with an effective sinking defense and led 39-36 at halftime, holding the Lakers to a season-low point total in the half.
Even with Kobe Bryant supporting O’Neal with 21 points, the Bulls trailed 58-57 after three quarters and didn’t appear intimidated.
Bulls coach Tim Floyd said the Bulls, as they did in sending O’Neal to the free throw line 31 times when the teams met in November, would foul O’Neal. Indeed, both Will Perdue and Simpkins fouled out. But O’Neal upset the plan by converting 11 of 12 free throws.
Perdue even slammed O’Neal down midway through the fourth quarter, drawing a flagrant foul, but O’Neal made both free throws.
“He’s a bum and tried and tried to take me out hard,” said O’Neal. “But I kept my cool.”
And the Bulls couldn’t chill the Lakers because of O’Neal, whom Jackson congratulated in a rare tender moment for him as O’Neal left the floor with the outcome decided.
“I had told him that game was for him,” O’Neal said. “I’m real glad he decided to come out of retirement and coach me, and I know I’m part of the reason he came out of retirement.”
