|
The Morning Line
Sports Illustrated staff writer Marty Burns checks in after each game of the NBA finals
Posted: Monday June 8,
1998
GAME 3: BULLS 96, JAZZ
54
Michael Jordan cracked jokes. Scottie Pippen called plays.
Ron Harper pointed out signs in the crowd. Hey, even Dennis
Rodman was seen chatting with reporters. That was the scene
on the Bulls' bench late in the fourth quarter of Chicago's
amazing 96-54 annihilation of Utah in Game 3 Sunday
night.
Normally during the Finals, the Chicago bench is a pretty
subdued place. After all, collecting rings is serious
business for His Airness. But Sunday was not a normal game
and Michael and his mates were not going to let the biggest
rout in
NBA Finals history pass without celebrating
big-time.
"Hey, one shot! Get it to Bill!" Pippen yelled
from the bench in an effort to get center Bill Wennington
on the score sheet in the closing seconds. When Wennington
indeed nailed a jumper over Utah center Greg Ostertag with
5.3 seconds left, becoming the 12th Bulls player to score
in the game, Pippen howled with glee and pumped his fists
as Harper and Jordan smiled. It was that kind of night for
Chicago.
Meanwhile, on the losers' bench, there was only stunned
silence. Jazz guard John Stockton, stifled for the second
straight game by Pippen and the Bulls' Doberman D, simply
stared into space, rubbed a towel over his face and
periodically checked the overhead scoreboard in disbelief.
He didn't seem to notice the Bulls goofing around at the
other end of the court. No doubt he was too busy thinking
about Game
4.
| 
NBA Finals
