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jack finn wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
Yes I think he'd help us a lot, especially in the playoffs. The only concern is that he seems to be a rather weird fellow. Seems like the type of person who would get shot by his brother on a boating trip in Greece. Yes, that makes sense what I said.
AIN'T OVER TILL. . .: BULLS 129, LAKERS 123 - OH, YEAH, IN OT - JACKSON: VICTORY A `GOOD TYPE' FOR BULLS , HEARTBREAKER FOR L.A.
Chicago Tribune - December 18, 1996
Author: Terry Armour, Tribune Staff Writer.
The Bulls should have lost this one. They know it. The Los Angeles Lakers know it.
But it didn't work out that way. After trailing by 22 points in the first half and 18 after three quarters, the Bulls shocked the Lakers with an intense fourth quarter and held off Los Angeles with a 129-123 victory in overtime at the United Center.
The Bulls (21-3) outscored the Lakers 13-7 in the extra period to come away with their toughest victory of the season. Toni Kukoc (31 points, 6 of 9 from the three-point line) gave the Bulls a 123-121 lead with 1 minute 38 seconds left on a three-pointer but after Nick Van Exel (36 points) answered with a jumper to tie the score at 123 on the Lakers ' next trip up the floor, Scottie Pippen (35 points, 10 rebounds six assists) scored on a goaltending call on Shaquille O'Neal (27 points, 13 rebounds) with 42 seconds left to give the Bulls the lead for good.
"That was a good type of a win for us," said Bulls coach Phil Jackson. "Emotionally, we played with a lot of heart. That was a heartbreaking loss for L.A."
For three quarters, the Lakers (18-8) made quite a statement to the Bulls : You guys might not be ready to pass the torch so we'll gladly try to yank it away.
The Lakers played like they want to be where the Bulls are right now. For those three quarters, everything that could go right for the Lakers did and everything that could go wrong for the Bulls did.
When the third quarter ended with the Lakers up 101-83, several on their bench, especially Van Exel, celebrated wildly.
The Bulls simply woke up. More like Kukoc woke them up.
Kukoc scored 18 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, including four three-pointers, as the Bulls erased the 18-point deficit. The Lakers , who shot 65 percent (15 of 23) in the first half and 50 percent in the third quarter, shot just 29 percent (6 of 21) in the fourth quarter. They scored just 15 points in the period.
This let the Bulls force the overtime on a Kukoc three-pointer with 47 seconds left in regulation over the outstretched arms of O'Neal, who went scoreless in the fourth quarter and overtime period.
The Bulls needed Kukoc 's heroics. They ended up shooting 44 percent from the field, with the Lakers outscoring them 58-40 in the paint. Michael Jordan's 30 points came on 10-of-32 shooting. Randy Brown also helped the Bulls , scoring 13 points off the bench.
O'Neal and Van Exel combined to score 20 of Los Angeles' 36 first-quarter points. The Bulls , in the meantime, turned the ball over six times while trying to get something going early on. Scottie Pippen had 10 first-quarter points and Bill Wennington chipped in eight first-quarter points. But with Jordan scoring just four points in the period, the Bulls were down 36-22 going into the second period.
Los Angeles continued its hot shooting through the second quarter. O'Neal had no trouble scoring no matter who was on him. The Bulls started with Wennington on him then Robert Parish and then Dennis Rodman. They double-teamed him. He still had 23 points in the half on 10-of-15 shooting.
The Lakers also had strong first halves from Van Exel, who hit four three-pointers, and Elden Campbell, who was seven of nine from the field in the half.
Even though Jordan finally got his offense in gear, ending up with 20 first-half points, the Bulls couldn't cool off the Lakers , who scored 38 inside points.
CHAMPS ARE STILL YOUNG AT HEART
Chicago Tribune - December 18, 1996
Author: Bernie Lincicome.
The weather outside was frightful, but inside the United Center, it felt a lot like June.
There is still a winter and most of a spring to get through, and there is no certainty that it will be the Lakers on the other end, but if this was a preview of the Finals, the wait will be worth it This one deserved to be a playoff definer, a Game 7, a keeper for the ages, not just another game to vanish into the regular-season pile, not just another 22-point comebacking, Kukoc -glorifying, Rodman-romping, Shaq-squishing midweek victory. In overtime.
"Chicago showed why they are champions," said Lakers coach Del Harris.
If the Lakers came to make a statement to the defending champions, it may be that they will be waiting, but it should be that the next time the Lakers promise to bring their hearts with them.
"My heart goes out to Los Angeles," said Phil Jackson, a generous offer but not made until after the Bulls had won, 129-123.
The Lakers lost this game from 22 up in the first half, from 19 up in the fourth quarter, from so far in front that they couldn't hear Toni Kukoc explode.
"He's a firecracker," said Jackson. "You never know when he is going to go off."
With Michael Jordan mired in ordinariness, Kukoc --and Scottie Pippen as well--rescued the Bulls . Kukoc hit six three-point shots and finished with 31 off-the-bench points. Pippen had 35 points and Jordan 30.
"I just got hot, they gave me the ball and I kept shooting," Kukoc said.
The Bulls still have Houston ahead to measure themselves against, and a rematch with Utah. In the East, Miami has yet to be dismissed, and the Knicks await.
But this was a game that could tell the Bulls what lies ahead, how they stand against the half-dozen teams that may be able to keep them from defending their championship.
And yet they started the game without the required fire, allowing the Lakers to dominate inside and outside, preferring to whine about the officiating while Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones were streaking in for layups.
"You learn from this how champions fight to the end," said Jones.
Dennis Rodman seemed the most disinterested of the Bulls , playing indifferent defense on Elden Campbell and smoldering at the officials, once needing Jordan to put himself between Rodman and one of the refs. Rodman can turn a tiny pique into a giant rage in an instant.
The lesson should not be lost on Rodman. Had he been tossed early, he could not have made the difference he did at the end on Shaquille O'Neal.
O'Neal looked out of uniform in the purple and gold of the Lakers , but in the end he was the same Shaq of Orlando.
The new West Coast O'Neal was all ankles and mischief early, using either muscle or moves as necessary, toying with whomever the Bulls put on him.
Bill Wennington on O'Neal was like tissue on a sneeze. Wennington couldn't stop what was coming; he could merely absorb it.
Rodman took over in the fourth quarter, and O'Neal reverted to his familiar inadequacy, becoming so frustrated that after Rodman had grabbed the rebound of O'Neal's second critical free-throw miss, O'Neal shoved Rodman without censure.
Alertly, both Jordan and Pippen grabbed Rodman as if he had been aggressor, tackling him to the floor, Jordan choking Rodman, a happy mugging as it turns out. The three of them arose, laughing.
"This was a game of pride and desire," Pippen said. "We never thought we would lose. They are a young team that hasn't had the experience we have had down the stretch."
"Emotionally it took all our hearts and energy to win this one," said Jackson.
Los Angeles might want to take notes for later.
O'NEAL FINDING EVERYONE PLAYS HARD AGAINST LAKERS
Chicago Tribune - December 18, 1996
Author: Sam Smith, Tribune Pro Basketball Writer.
Shaquille O'Neal knew what was coming, but he didn't exactly expect this.
"Anytime a player plays against me or a team plays against us, they play well above their heads," said O'Neal. "(Even Portland's) Chris Dudley hit two free throws the other day (against the Lakers ). Wherever I go, teams play hard. They just try to win. They try to beat Shaq. That wasn't the case for most of three quarters Tuesday night in one of the most exciting and entertaining Bulls games in years.
The Lakers ran up a 101-83 lead and then withered under the assault of Toni Kukoc , who scored 13 straight Bulls points early in the fourth quarter and then two free throws to send the game into overtime. He had 18 points in the fourth quarter.
O'Neal scored 23 points in the first half as the Lakers took a 72-57 halftime lead in one of the most remarkable scoring bursts by a Bulls opponent in years.
The Bulls were unable to control Nick Van Exel, who played brilliantly down the stretch and finished with 36 points. He hit a 17-footer jumper with 56.3 seconds left in overtime to tie the score at 123, but the Bulls went on to win 129-123.
"We're learning from each other," said O'Neal. "We've been playing a lot better defense. But we have to learn to be consistent. Early on, we've been beating a great team and backing off against the lesser teams."
That wasn't the case Tuesday as the Lakers were sharp until seeming to feel the pressure in the fourth quarter as the Bulls got back into the game forcing three straight turnovers, two by Bryon Scott with Kukoc guarding him.
"I don't believe in pressure," said O'Neal, who missed two free throws in the overtime with the Bulls ahead by two points. "Pressure is what you guys try to put on us. I don't have that in my life. I'm a pressure-free young man."
But the Bulls , who swept Shaq's Orlando Magic in last season's playoffs, are "always on my mind," said O'Neal. "They're the best team in the world. They beat us fair and square. They are a great team. Our team is doing okay and hopefully we'll get better at the end of the regular season and toward the playoffs.
"We have to get used to playing with one another. That takes some time. We lost some games we're not supposed to lose."
"(But this) doesn't make or break a season. It's still early."
But the Lakers will remember this one for some time.
As will the Bulls
TB#1 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
I've never in my life uttered the words " I want a Little Caesar's pizza."
Jo Jo English wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
Just to clarify, I typed this message well over ten years ago. At that point in time I had never lived in the Chicago area and hadn't yet been exposed to "real" pizza. Hey, don't blame a kid for liking a McDonald's hamburger when it is all he's ever had the chance to eat.
There are many things I would like to tell the 1996 version of myself - a discussion about pizza quality is just one of those things.
