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00:00Cartwright and Ewing, no love lost between these two players, and Patrick Ewing controls with Trent Tucker.
00:05And he is in the starting lineup. Gerald Wilkins missed the last couple of weeks, three weeks.
00:12Now with that angle injury, Tucker took over the starting position and has held it ever since.
00:21Cartwright and Ewing really like to battle down low. They push around a lot.
00:25Cartwright does an excellent job against Ewing, and that's one reason why those numbers have been down.
00:29This year. First turnover of the ball game coming at 11-31.
00:33Rob Fulham, Jack Gibbons with you from Chicago Stadium, Ernie Johnson, along with Rick Berry in our studios.
00:39And of course we have a second game coming up here tonight on TNT, so buckle the seatbelts.
00:44A lot of basketball the next four days. Ball tip, 13 on the shot clock. It belongs to the Knicks.
00:50It's interesting that the Knicks, the first two times down, have gone to Oakley to try to get him involved in the offense.
00:57Let's look, though, for them to try as hard as possible to get Ewing a shot here before long.
01:03For Chicago wearing the all-black sneakers for the playoffs, as they've been there accustomed their past couple years.
01:09And it is Chiefs. The veteran unpacks it.
01:13At six on the shot clock, had some time.
01:16Three on the shot clock. Chiefs lets it go.
01:18Here we have the first two points of the best-of-five series between the Knicks and the Bulls.
01:26Now the matchup will be vanned away on Diffton.
01:29George being part of a Trent Tucker, and Tucker laughed when he asked him about the matchup today.
01:33He says, who else will I cover?
01:35He understands, though, that he must get help.
01:37I think the Knicks, as a team, understand that you have to help out on Michael.
01:43Michael misses the shot. The Bulls crash the board.
01:46They're the better of the two rebounding teams.
01:48And we have our first foul of the ball game.
01:51That'll be on Trent Tucker, his first personal.
01:53This season, the Bulls have won all four, as we mentioned at the top of the show.
01:57In the last game, Bill Cartwright came up with two steals in the final 11 seconds to seal that Chicago win.
02:03John McClendon says, hey, we've been close to these guys all four games.
02:06We've had a chance to win it.
02:08Tip and shot won't go down.
02:09Ewing battles. Oakley gets the rebound.
02:13Oakley, third in the NBA in that category.
02:17Oakley does a good job on the offensive boards as well.
02:21Ewing, Cartwright.
02:23And that'll be a blocking foul on Cartwright.
02:26Cartwright used to getting Patrick Ewing in foul trouble earlier.
02:29Four meetings between these two teams.
02:32Remember that third meeting of the year.
02:34New York led by as many as 24, only to have that lead disappear.
02:38Tucker's shot will go down.
02:39Good hustle by Oakley.
02:44Despite the fact you have two of the best rebounders,
02:46New York is not a good rebounder.
02:48No basket. That is a traveling card.
02:51But still, that's going to be a matchup we'll have to watch here tonight.
02:53That matchup between Ewing and Cartwright.
02:57They do a lot of pushing.
02:58Ewing that time might have gotten away with the forearm.
03:01That's why the officials were a little bit quicker to call to travel in that situation.
03:05Chicago going into their triple post offense as designed in 1962 by Tech's winner.
03:10Cartwright just takes it away from Oakley.
03:20That's an area of the game that the Knicks must really concentrate on,
03:24and that is keeping Chicago off the offensive boards,
03:27in particular, Grant and Pippen.
03:30Oakley from way outside, and he rolls it around.
03:34Well, after it took Chicago, it was some 214 to get their first two points in the ballgame.
03:38The Knicks will back up by two.
03:43Jordan has the double team now.
03:44Tucker trying to get the loose ball.
03:46Jordan has it.
03:47Actually, with 10 on the shot clock.
03:50Jordan just out-hustling Charles Oakley for the rebound.
03:56As I mentioned, Chicago, an excellent offensive rebounding team,
03:59and, of course, Jordan at his size.
04:01You'll see him down there a lot.
04:03Jordan averaging six rebounds a game.
04:06But Grant and Pippen usually are the ones that hurt you on the offensive boards.
04:09Michael Jordan, fifth straight NBA scoring title,
04:14the second to accomplish that.
04:15Will Chamberlain, of course, with seven straight scoring crowns.
04:24The numbers on Michael Jordan, three tonight for Jordan, and the Bulls have three.
04:30Jordan, for the year 31.5, but his playoff average in his career, 35.8.
04:36Talk about elevating his game, including a couple of consecutive 50-point games
04:40in a series against Cleveland.
04:45Now you had that one game where you had 63 points.
04:48That's a playoff record.
04:53The 1986 versus Boston.
04:56Tied up at four, nine minutes remaining in the first quarter.
05:00She gets away from Paxson, takes it all the way to the hole,
05:03doesn't get it, but Oakley is there for the tip.
05:06Well, we talked about the Bulls going to the offensive boards.
05:11I mentioned Oakley.
05:13304 offensive rebounds on the season,
05:16so that's something that you'll see him doing a lot tonight.
05:20Right on the left block.
05:22We got him.
05:26Chicago having trouble fighting the range
05:28with just about eight to a half remaining in the first.
05:30They are now just one of seven.
05:32Now Ewing is fronted by Cartwright.
05:37Cartwright battling for position.
05:40Ewing would rather be on the left side of the floor.
05:43Baseline high arc and goes down.
05:45That's a shot the Bulls would like to see Patrick shoot,
05:48and he is more effective when he catches it down low
05:50and takes it to the basket.
05:51Well, you're going to hear this crowd very loud tonight
05:54after what happened to the Chicago Blackhawks
05:56being eliminated in the Stanley Cup.
05:59Playoffs is Horace Grant gets his first two.
06:01In fact, Phil Jackson said that is one of the points
06:04he has brought up to his club.
06:05Hey, the Blackhawks have the best record in the NHL.
06:08They were ousted.
06:09Let's not have the same happen to us.
06:10I think you must point those things out to your team.
06:12That's a good example right here close to home for Chicago
06:15that should serve as incentive for him to be up for this series.
06:19Two times down the court,
06:21Cheeks has found the lane wide open.
06:22This time he connects.
06:23He has four.
06:24Pippen down the other way.
06:25Patrick Ewing says,
06:27here's a souvenir for the Sands.
06:30And he stepped out.
06:33Ball belongs to the Bulls.
06:35Ewing third in blocks this year.
06:38John McLeod knows you can't let Scottie Pippen
06:40take it into the paint.
06:42I'll tell you, it was nice to see Pippen, though,
06:44push the ball down the floor.
06:47Now Nolan finds his, wait a minute.
06:49There's, there was really not a change of possession.
06:52There should be some time off the shot clock.
06:55Nolan will walk over along with Jess Kersey
06:57and try to figure it out with the scores table.
06:59With 7.38 left to be played in the first quarter.
07:02The Knicks by 4, 10.6.
07:06Of course, New York,
07:07all the players we're talking about today have practiced
07:09that, hey, let's not worry about the record.
07:11Remember what we did in Boston last year?
07:12They have the home court advantage.
07:13Well, any positive that you can point out
07:16at this time of the year,
07:18you'll have to use in that series
07:19against Boston last season.
07:21Definitely a plus for the Knicks.
07:27Tucker, the three-point threat,
07:29second in the NBA in that category.
07:31He doesn't get his first.
07:33Here comes Pippen out of the break.
07:35This is what John McLeod did not want to happen.
07:37It's such a luxury to have Pippen at 6'7", 6'8",
07:47who can get the rebound and then lead the fast break.
07:51And you see Trent Tucker, he tried to get out of the way,
07:53but gave him just enough body to let him know
07:57that this is, in fact, the playoffs,
07:59and it's not going to be easy
08:00when you take the ball to the basket.
08:02It'd be interesting to see the first time
08:03Michael Jordan gets open and takes it in there
08:05because one thing that the Knicks really talked about
08:08was making Michael work on defense,
08:09and when he brings the ball to the basket,
08:12make sure that he knows he's not going to get anything easy.
08:15Horace Grant says his high school friends
08:17thought he wouldn't amount to anything,
08:18so this is even more satisfying
08:20being in this position as he hits both free throws.
08:22Chicago now 4-4 from the charity stripe,
08:25and they trailed the Knicks by 2, 7-10 left in the first.
08:33Bandewee left open, gets away from Pippen.
08:36Shot won't go down.
08:38Clowns say he hopes Bandewee hits a hot streak
08:40because he's almost unstoppable when he does get out.
08:45Regan Cartwright, he's slapping the ball,
08:48and he's going to be called for his first personal foul.
08:50So as Patrick Ewing picks up his first personal foul,
08:556.50 remaining in the first quarter,
08:57the Knicks lead the Bulls by 2.
08:59We'll be back.
09:02This program is authorized and a broadcasting rights
09:05granted by the National Basketball Association
09:06solely for the entertainment of our audience.
09:08Any publication, reproduction, or other use of the pictures,
09:10descriptions, or accounts of this game
09:12without the expression or written consent
09:13of the National Basketball Association is prohibited.
09:1710-8 is our score.
09:18Here's Patrick Ewing.
09:19The Knicks have been able to get the ball to Patrick.
09:22You'll see him right here.
09:22He's going to take a step away from the basket.
09:25That is what Chicago wants him to do.
09:27They would like to have a little more pressure
09:28from Cartwright in that situation.
09:31This is something they don't want to happen,
09:32and that is Cheeks taking the ball to the basket.
09:35Cheeks on the season averaged just under 8 points a game,
09:38but in the playoffs he has an average of
09:40right at 15 points a game.
09:42And I look for Maurice Cheeks to elevate his game here
09:45and enjoy a good series.
09:48All right, a 70% free throw shooter.
09:50The Bulls have not led in this game.
09:51Only 2 of 10 from the floor.
09:56And Bill Cartwright will have a chance to nod it up.
09:58It'll be the third tie in the contest.
10:00Six points for Chicago from the free throw line.
10:12Here comes the fireman's drill press.
10:14Chicago calls it.
10:16Now they back off.
10:20They like doing that out of timeouts
10:21and it's a change of quarters.
10:25And the baseline throws up the shot.
10:27They go down and we've got a foul.
10:30Kiki Vandaway didn't make his first shot from the outside.
10:33I thought he shot it just a little quick.
10:35That time he used the screen of Ewing down low very well,
10:39put the ball on the floor,
10:40and picked up an opportunity to get to the free throw line.
10:44At the free throw line,
10:45I'll be Kiki Vandaway as Cartwright picked up
10:47his second personal foul.
10:48Trent Tucker with two fouls for the Knicks.
10:54Vandaway 90% on the year,
10:56averaging 16 points a ball game.
11:00He has played in 75 games this year.
11:03Considering the last three years,
11:05he's played in only 37, 45, and 22 ball games.
11:08This is quite a season for Kiki Vandaway to stay healthy.
11:10Well, that was the main thing for Kiki coming into this season.
11:15They wanted to get a maximum effort out of him,
11:19but they wanted him to stay healthy.
11:20He has been able to do that
11:22and has helped to mix this season.
11:24Tucker trying to stay on Jordan.
11:26Does a pretty good job defensively.
11:27Ewing with the rebound.
11:28Just in the NBA and rebound.
11:36Patrick and Cartwright again.
11:37Cartwright really leaning on Ewing on the left block.
11:40Tucker for three doesn't get it.
11:43Both of two from three-point land.
11:44Ball belongs to Chicago with 6-0-2 left in the first.
11:47Well, that's shot by Tucker from the corner.
11:49A good shot, but that's the shot the Knicks must make here
11:51because you know when Patrick catches the ball down low,
11:55the Bulls will double-team
11:56and in some cases triple-team
11:58to make sure Patrick gets the shot up.
12:00Those outside shots are not going.
12:02The Bulls will continue to play that way.
12:04Tucker now 0-3 overall.
12:07Kippen in the paint.
12:08Turnaround over Vandaway.
12:09We are tied up to 12 the fourth tie in the ball game.
12:19Now Grant on Oakley.
12:21Oakley trying to set the screen.
12:25Kippen almost with the steal.
12:27Ball loose on the floor.
12:28Nobody wants it.
12:29Now here comes Jordan.
12:30Watch this.
12:31Now you've got the crowd in the ball game.
12:41That is another thing that the Knicks could not afford to have happen.
12:45The Bulls with their first lead at 14-12.
12:48Sheeps again with me.
12:53To the hole.
12:55Go to the Knicks.
12:57Well, you mentioned this crowd.
12:59And of course, everyone around the NBA knows that this building,
13:02when it gets going, one of the loudest buildings in the NBA,
13:06the Knicks need to come down right now and score a basket
13:08and take this crowd out of its own.
13:10It is a four-point lead.
13:12And John McLeod says the 6-0 run by Chicago is enough.
13:16We need to talk about it.
13:174-54 left in the first quarter.
13:19The Bulls have the lead to the delight of the crowd in the stadium.
13:22Let's continue to do that.
13:27Patrick Ewan got a hand on it.
13:29The goaltending call was made, and Chicago, with this crowd going,
13:34very, very excited right now.
13:36Oh, yeah.
13:36And neither team can hear the whistle of Jess Kersey to come out on the floor.
13:42Listen to the crowd.
13:51It is extremely loud, to say the least, in this building.
13:54That young man just won $1,000 by hitting four shots from the outside.
13:59And I'm sure John McLeod right now could go for a couple of those shots from the outside.
14:04The quiet 16,000-plus in the stadium.
14:07I'll tell you, doing timeouts is a real good opportunity to get the crowd involved in a situation like that
14:13is one that this crowd needs to make sure that they're still in the field.
14:19Chicago's got it.
14:22Well, the Bulls healthier than any team probably in the NBA, which has been a key for their success this year.
14:28Looking to see where his teammates are, and fall away.
14:37That's real tough on the coach when you come out of a timeout situation, and you don't get a good shot.
14:43The Knicks turned the ball over here.
14:44This almost turned it over again.
14:47Wilkins is in the lineup for Tucker.
14:48But he's able to draw the foul at 414, showing up the ball.
14:55You mentioned Wilkins.
14:56Gerald Wilkins checking into the game during that timeout.
15:00Wilkins, of course, missed all those games right at the end of the season.