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00:00That was last Thursday in Chicago, Sunday afternoon at Chicago Stadium.
00:04A grinding 89-79 win by the Bulls, who took charge in the fourth quarter.
00:10Knicks played well in the first half.
00:12Phil Jackson most concerned about the fact that his club was beaten off the boards.
00:18Well, Marv, Gerald Wilkins now in the starting lineup for the Knicks.
00:22As Ewing opens it up quickly in familiar surroundings.
00:26But Gerald is back for the first time since March 28th against Golden State, the night he was hurt.
00:33As Gerald sitting it out with that sprained ankle, missed 11 games and did get back into it in time for the playoffs.
00:39He has looked a bit on the rusty side.
00:41Here's Jordan.
00:43He was picked up by the double team.
00:45And Grant able to bank it home.
00:47You know, Marv Grant did not mean to do that.
00:50He never aimed for the backboard straight away, but how lucky he was.
00:54Horace Grant, Harvey Grant, I've been thinking so much about Harvey lately, NBA's most improved player.
01:01Nice attempt at recovery.
01:03As Maurice Cheeks gives the Knicks a four to leave.
01:06Maurice comes off a good one on Sunday.
01:09Hits seven of ten for 15 points.
01:12Scottie Pippen got the step.
01:14Yes.
01:15And the basket counts.
01:17Scottie Pippen sat out practice yesterday with a bruised hip, but he said no way that he missed here tonight.
01:26Well, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and that's what Pippen voted for.
01:30He just faded right and then went straight to the hoop by Vanderway.
01:35You know how John McLeod desires that kind of movement from his team, as the Knicks will try and draw fouls, as Pippen just did.
01:42Ewing picked up the foul, and the Bulls take a 5-4 lead.
01:46Early pressure.
01:48Patrick Ewing waiting at center court.
01:50John McLeod telling us that he likes having Ewing handle the ball.
01:53He has been successful by using Ewing in that matter.
01:57The Knicks did have some problems on Sunday.
02:02That was last touched by Chicago when they went to Charles Oakley at center court as the man to penetrate to the front court against the press, and it did not work.
02:11Grant is so mobile, and that creates a lot of problems for Oakley as well, whereas Cartwright doesn't have the mobility to stay with Ewing.
02:19Here's Ewing.
02:20Stopped from behind by Jordan.
02:22So Phil Jackson going with some double-teaming of Ewing.
02:30Jordan will drop back from time to time.
02:33They double up on Cartwright.
02:35And a foul is called.
02:38This also, by design, as Maurice Cheeks picks it up, John McLeod feels that once Cartwright commits to his move, he can be stripped, and he has difficulty throwing it back outside.
02:51Nick's opening up once again with Oakley on the bigger.
02:55Bill Cartwright, part of the plan, of course, to keep Ewing out of foul trouble.
03:02Bulls with a 5-4 lead.
03:04Two minutes gone by.
03:08So Grant is being guarded by Ewing.
03:11And Michael Jordan hits on his first field goal attempt.
03:15Bulls 7, 6, 4.
03:17Well, Michael fell behind a pick, and it was easy for him.
03:19No one could get there.
03:20A basket count.
03:23It's a goal attempt.
03:26And right off the start of this game, you can see the intent of Maurice Cheeks is to get involved offensively.
03:33Well, Maurice bringing back memories here in the opening minutes of his incredible effort last year in Boston against the Celtics in Game 5.
03:41When he played the full 48 and truly did it all in that game.
03:45Earlier on Nick's game night, you may have seen John McLeod during the course of practice telling both Maurice Cheeks and Kiki Vandere that they must shoot more.
04:00John has been utilizing that philosophy regarding Cheeks right throughout the season.
04:06There's Pippen around Oakley.
04:11And he just defeats the 24-second buzzer.
04:15Bulls with a 9-6 lead.
04:19Wilkins guarded by Pippen.
04:21That's a three-pointer.
04:23Gerald Wilkins hits from downtown, and the game is tied at 9.
04:27Well, that's a bonus, and that's a dimension the Knicks missed Sunday.
04:30The Knicks want Gerald out there for this kind of motion that Pippen is providing, but the threes are welcome.
04:35Oh, is John McLeod happy?
04:45That's why Gerald is back in the starting lineup tonight.
04:49Bill Jackson wants a 20-second timeout.
04:54A good burst by the Knicks as they take an 11-9 lead.
05:00Well, Pippen has started out going to the hoop.
05:02Many times he got off a weak shot.
05:06Ewing was there to reject the follow-up, and Patrick dribbling the ball beautifully as a forward.
05:12And then Gerald Wilkins in the right spot at the right time.
05:17Another look at it now.
05:19Ewing on the rejection.
05:22Clears himself as well as a big man can do.
05:26And Wilkins flying with one dribble, covering a lot of ground in the air,
05:30like, you know, his hero, Michael Jordan.
05:38Three minutes, five seconds gone by in this first quarter.
05:43So the early 20 taken by Phil Jackson, Grant, and Ewing on the rebound.
05:49Ewing laid way off Grant, letting him shoot as he is guarding Grant instead of Cartwright.
05:54And then he just swept right in for that rebound.
05:57Here's Oakley.
06:05And Grant able to get to it.
06:08The other reason that John McLeod is happy with the early play of Gerald Wilkins
06:12is he looks for Wilkins to occupy Jordan at the other end.
06:17From time to time, that has worked well.
06:19Gerald has had some good games against Michael Jordan.
06:22John Paxson, who has not been shooting well, able to convert, and the game is tied at 11.
06:28The Knicks getting a taste of the balance the new-look Chicago Bulls of 90-91 have now.
06:33Everybody contributing.
06:36Wilkins gets it out to Cheeks.
06:38And here come the Bulls.
06:42Pippen decides to slow it down.
06:44Knicks got back.
06:44He had Paxson open, did not see him.
06:48Now Pippen backing Vandewa.
06:58Cartwright.
06:59And he'll go to the foul line.
07:02Hard-driving move by Bill Cartwright.
07:05Foul called on Vandewa.
07:07As usual, Ewing will be presented with a very interesting challenge,
07:17and that is to be aggressive, to be a defensive presence,
07:21and yet not get in foul trouble.
07:25Well, Cartwright had a solid game on Sunday.
07:30Did a key jump shot down the stretch.
07:35Looking to go offensive at the start.
07:37And did his usual good job on Patrick Ewing.
07:41Ewing got off to the fast start.
07:42He had 14 points in the first quarter.
07:45And then the combination of Cartwright and Pardewa did a good job in keeping Ewing away from the basket.
07:5213-11 Bulls.
07:53Here's the pressure by Chicago.
07:55Now the Knicks have no trouble with it.
07:58Vandewa from Oakley.
07:59A beautiful pass thrown on the hop by Oakley.
08:02Boy, that was clinically done.
08:03Get the ball to the middle, then to the sides, and up for the layup.
08:07Knicks by two.
08:09And Pippen again easily beats Vandewa.
08:12This is happening too much for Kiki Vandewa.
08:15He's got to change, or he will be changed on the floor.
08:18Pippen has hit three out of four.
08:20Bulls lead 15-13.
08:22And the Knicks take a timeout.
08:28Games of this series, Kiki Vandewa, Gerald Wilkins, and Trent Tucker have all struggled.
08:35And that also led to the problems of Patrick Ewing.
08:39They could successfully double-team Ewing.
08:41However, tonight, Knicks have hit a couple from the outside.
08:45And I know they're looking at that as a good side, although we're very early.
08:49And balance is what's needed by the Knicks.
08:52And as John McLeod said to his team yesterday,
08:54the best efforts possible have to come out of every player.
08:59Bulls with a two-point lead.
09:01Five on the shot clock.
09:03And Ewing's pass goes astray.
09:05It will be Chicago ball.
09:09Now the Knicks come with some light pressure.
09:11And Paxton moves it across.
09:14Both clubs remaining the same following the timeout.
09:17Vandewa picking up on Jordan.
09:23Michael Jordan with a gorgeous move to his left.
09:28And then hits on the pull-up.
09:29And what terrific help Vandewa got from Gerald Wilkins.
09:33He was right up there with him, but not high enough.
09:36Bulls for the 17-13 lead.
09:39Vandewa around Pippen.
09:4117-15, Chicago.
09:45Pippen with four points.
09:48That was artistry, how he won baseline and still made the backboard his friend on the final part of the shot.
09:53And John McLeod is going now with Vandewa on Jordan.
09:58He said he might do that from time to time on Sunday.
10:02In effect, he's conceding Jordan's points.
10:05Grant with the rebound.
10:07And Oakley gets to him.
10:09He's figuring that Jordan's going to score his 35-40 points.
10:13Cheeks putting the speed on.
10:14What a goal by Maurice Cheeks.
10:17And he's tied the game at 17 off the steal.
10:22Kiki Vandewa alertly turning around on that inbounds pass and getting it.
10:31That outs Jordan on Vandewa.
10:33And he's overfoul.
10:35And Kiki has been very significant.
10:38Last minute and a half.
10:41Ground ball on Pippen.
10:44Vandewa to the line.
10:45Well, the interesting thing was Vandewa was being killed by Pippen.
10:49And on the verge of heading to the bench, if a coach philosophizes in one direction.
10:53But no, John McLeod made the adjustment.
10:56Took Vandewa off Pippen, who was going around him.
11:00Put the quicker Gerald Wilkins on Pippen and Vandewa on Jordan.
11:03And I think possibly the reason for this switch is that Pippen was turning out to be Michael Jordan here in the opening moments.
11:10As we see Vandewa alertly getting that last inbounds pass.
11:14So McLeod wanted to put the Pippen fire out and not worry about Jordan for the moment.
11:18He was toying with doing that on Sunday.
11:21He thought he'd rather try to curtail the scoring exploits of Pippen and Paxton.
11:26And figure, hey, Jordan's going to get his numbers anyway.
11:30See how he plays it now.
11:32And there's Wilkins on Paxton.
11:35And Vandewa remaining the defender with Jordan.
11:37And Pippen able to slither in.
11:40Well, he got on that mismatch.
11:42Morey's cheeks on the pickup.
11:44And what a lovely pass by Paxton inside.
11:47Boy, they hit the money right away when they had the advantage.
11:50Game tied at 19.
11:51Five minutes left, first quarter.
11:54Vandewa.
11:5721-19 Knicks.
11:59A wonderful feeling to do it to the guys who are doing it to you as Vandewa did to Pippen.
12:06Jordan.
12:09And Oakley able to get to it.
12:15Michael Jordan now two out of three.
12:17He has four points.
12:18Last touch by the Bulls.
12:24Marv Albert, John Andres, out Troutwood.
12:27Walt Clyde Frazier from Madison Square Garden.
12:30Game three of the best of five.
12:32The Knicks hoping to stay alive and force a fourth game here on Thursday.
12:37Bad pass.
12:39And it will be Chicago ball.
12:41Passes, please.
12:43Passes, please.
12:43Next with a two-point lead.
12:52Paxton being forced to work to bring it up court.
12:56Down to ten on the shot clock.
12:58Pippen with the open shot.
13:01And Oakley with the one-hand rebound.
13:03Very dangerous.
13:04Grant nearly stripped him.
13:05He's owning the defensive boards.
13:07The Knicks are getting strong work on the boards.
13:09That three by Wilkins off.
13:12Ewing back up.
13:13And the Knicks win at 23-19.
13:16It's looking very solid.
13:18One thing, despite the fact the Bulls have won the first two,
13:20and all the look is that of domination.
13:23One thing the Bulls are fearing, and they're tasting it now.
13:25The Knicks rebounding.
13:26The Knicks killed them on the board Sunday.
13:29And they are owning the boards tonight in the early going.
13:32Knicks in the midst of a 10-2 run.
13:33And Joe Wilkins extends to a 25-19 lead.
13:45The Knicks have come out alive.
13:48And his first quarter with 3.33 remaining.
13:52And the Bulls want to talk it over.
13:54Well, the opening moments of this game saw Scottie Pippen running by Kiki Vandewey.
14:04Knicks made a defensive adjustment.
14:07Vandewey got involved with Jordan.
14:08And then his offense has come to life in a big way.
14:11And he returned the favor to Pippen on that beautiful drive.
14:16But in an off-balance defensive situation, the Bulls struck quickly.
14:20Pippen being guarded by Cheeks, and they got two points out of it.
14:22And Vandewey's come right back into this to make things a little interesting for his opponent tonight.
14:28And the Knicks lead at 25-19.
14:313.33 remaining in this first quarter.
14:37Grant.
14:39That is his second field goal.
14:41He has four.
14:44The Knicks lead is now four.
14:47On the basket, Ewing took off and had Grant beaten down court, but the Knicks didn't see him.
14:52Holding foul being indicated by Steve Jabbing.
14:56The Knicks.
14:56The Knicks.