Brick by brick, Bulls build 2-0 lead

Bulls-Heat
series page

MULTIMEDIA

Dr. Jack Ramsay explains why the Bulls bench did not have to score much in Game 2.
149k wav

Fortunately for the Bulls, their defense allowed for offensive ineptitude as Chicago crawled past the Heat 75-68 in the lowest-scoring playoff game in NBA history.

Toni Kukoc (7), Brian Williams (18) and Steve Kerr (25) combined to miss seven of eight shots in Game 2.

The Bulls can feel good about their 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Chicago should feel some concern, however, about the efforts they're getting from top reserves Toni Kukoc, Brian Williams and Steve Kerr.

After stars Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen combined for 73 percent of the team's offense in Game 1, the Bulls were once again primarily a two-man show in Game 2.

Jordan and Pippen had 23 apiece. The bench had a total of nine points. Guard Ron Harper was the only other Chicago player in double figures with 11.

The numbers are just plain bad for the Bulls' top reserve trio.

Kukoc, the Bulls' third-leading scorer during the regular season at 13.2 ppg., continued his miserable postseason Wednesday. Kukoc missed all three of his shots from the field and was a virtual non-factor.

Reserve center Williams was also ineffective, misfiring on his three shots from the floor, including a wide-open dunk in the fourth period.

Kerr, the league's second-best 3-point shooter during the regular season, was the only one of the trio to score. But he managed only two shots in the game, hitting one field goal.

So how did the Bulls still win a game in which they got only four points from their top three bench players?

With suffocating defense. The Heat shot only 33 percent (25 of 74) from the floor, including a horrid 3-for-26 from 3-point range.

Kukoc, who had two steals, and Kerr, who picked off one pass, helped a little defensively. Williams pulled down four rebounds in his 15 minutes.

But the Bulls likely will need more scoring from the bench as the series shifts to Miami. ... Unless the Heat enters the bad half of the NBA record book once again.