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Today is the 30th anniversary of Game Two between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls in the first round of the Eastern Conference of the 1996 NBA Playoffs. I have gone ahead and rewatched this game, listing my observations of what I saw with a fresh set of eyes. Here is some background on the first and second games of this series.
Game 1 Recap: Chicago pulled away midway through the third quarter to win 102-85. A frazzled Heat team was hit with seven technicals in this game, including three ejections. The Bulls played about a B-/C+ game, which should be scary for the Heat entering Game Two off a 17-point loss.
5 Quick Observations/Revelations from Game 1:
1) How good was Michael Jordan as a player? He had a pretty quiet Game One, scoring a ho-hum 35 points!
2) This was Pat Riley's first-time ever coaching a team that did not have home-court advantage in the first round. In fact, this was Riley's first year with the Heat, a franchise he is still with as the team's president.
3) This game immediately shifted once Dennis Rodman entered halfway through the first quarter, with the Heat getting drawn into the Worm's antics, which included drawing two quick double fouls. Especially shaken was rookie power forward Kurt Thomas, who would go on to have a long career in the NBA, including with the Bulls in the late stages.
4) The Bulls were such a suffocating defense, especially when locked in. From the mid third quarter on, Chicago had Miami flustered, with the Heat ending up with nearly 30 turnovers (27 to be exact) in the first game.
5) While competing with the Bulls in the first half, thanks to Tim Hardaway's heroics, the Heat looked like boys going up against men when Jordan and his teammates got down to business in the second half.
What I remember from the day of Game Two: I previously wrote how I missed the first half of Game One attending a wake on Friday night. That Saturday morning we attended the funeral and luncheon, during which I convinced my parents to let my younger cousin Jimmy sleep over. I remember Jimmy wanted to see me pitch later that afternoon as my grade school had a baseball game. Well, Jimmy got to see me pitch, and he got to see me get rocked. Speaking of getting rocked, the following morning my brother and I got into an argument upstairs as we were trading basketball cards with Jimmy. We began pushing each other, with one of us knocking down Jimmy, whom I think was only in kindergarten. We felt really bad as we helped our crying young cousin off the ground. My Dad made us apologize to my Uncle Larry when he picked up Jimmy later that afternoon. My Uncle laughed and basically said, "Boys will be boys."
What I remember from Game Two between the Heat and Bulls: This was the third and final game of the day on NBC. I used to love those playoff tripleheaders back during the 1990s. After my cousin Jimmy went home, I watched this game alone in my living room. The Bulls absolutely destroyed the Heat from start to finish, with Scottie Pippen making a beautiful steal, fake-behind-the-back pass and layup in his glorious 1996 Uptempo shoes. How I always wanted a pair of those puppies? Anyways, I have a refrigerator magnet of Scottie Pippen from, what I think, is from this play against the Heat.
Game 1 Recap: Chicago pulled away midway through the third quarter to win 102-85. A frazzled Heat team was hit with seven technicals in this game, including three ejections. The Bulls played about a B-/C+ game, which should be scary for the Heat entering Game Two off a 17-point loss.
5 Quick Observations/Revelations from Game 1:
1) How good was Michael Jordan as a player? He had a pretty quiet Game One, scoring a ho-hum 35 points!
2) This was Pat Riley's first-time ever coaching a team that did not have home-court advantage in the first round. In fact, this was Riley's first year with the Heat, a franchise he is still with as the team's president.
3) This game immediately shifted once Dennis Rodman entered halfway through the first quarter, with the Heat getting drawn into the Worm's antics, which included drawing two quick double fouls. Especially shaken was rookie power forward Kurt Thomas, who would go on to have a long career in the NBA, including with the Bulls in the late stages.
4) The Bulls were such a suffocating defense, especially when locked in. From the mid third quarter on, Chicago had Miami flustered, with the Heat ending up with nearly 30 turnovers (27 to be exact) in the first game.
5) While competing with the Bulls in the first half, thanks to Tim Hardaway's heroics, the Heat looked like boys going up against men when Jordan and his teammates got down to business in the second half.
What I remember from the day of Game Two: I previously wrote how I missed the first half of Game One attending a wake on Friday night. That Saturday morning we attended the funeral and luncheon, during which I convinced my parents to let my younger cousin Jimmy sleep over. I remember Jimmy wanted to see me pitch later that afternoon as my grade school had a baseball game. Well, Jimmy got to see me pitch, and he got to see me get rocked. Speaking of getting rocked, the following morning my brother and I got into an argument upstairs as we were trading basketball cards with Jimmy. We began pushing each other, with one of us knocking down Jimmy, whom I think was only in kindergarten. We felt really bad as we helped our crying young cousin off the ground. My Dad made us apologize to my Uncle Larry when he picked up Jimmy later that afternoon. My Uncle laughed and basically said, "Boys will be boys."
What I remember from Game Two between the Heat and Bulls: This was the third and final game of the day on NBC. I used to love those playoff tripleheaders back during the 1990s. After my cousin Jimmy went home, I watched this game alone in my living room. The Bulls absolutely destroyed the Heat from start to finish, with Scottie Pippen making a beautiful steal, fake-behind-the-back pass and layup in his glorious 1996 Uptempo shoes. How I always wanted a pair of those puppies? Anyways, I have a refrigerator magnet of Scottie Pippen from, what I think, is from this play against the Heat.
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Here is Game Two between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls.
Make the jump to see the Game Two starting lineups and read my observations as I rewatch this game for the first time in years. Note: I believe I last saw this game during the pandemic, when one of the local cable stations was showing old Bulls' playoff games.
Game Two Starting Lineups: Miami vs. Chicago
Head Coach: Pat Riley vs. Phil Jackson
Announcers: Marv Albert on play-by-play, Matt Guokas on color.
- Point Guard: Tim Hardaway vs. Ron Harper
- Shooting Guard: Rex Chapman vs. Michael Jordan
- Small Forward: Walt Williams vs. Scottie Pippen
- Power Forward: Kurt Thomas vs. Toni Kukoc
- Center: Alonzo Mourning vs. Luc Longley
Head Coach: Pat Riley vs. Phil Jackson
Announcers: Marv Albert on play-by-play, Matt Guokas on color.
First Quarter, Under-8 Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 10-2 with 7:07 remaining as Miami takes a timeout. The game was joined with a couple of minutes gone by as the first round game between the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs was wrapping up. Alonzo Mourning is shown after just hitting a corner jumper. The Bulls lead 6-2. Kukoc, who is starting for Rodman again, misses a three, but Pippen gets the offensive board. Jordan then scores on a driving layup. He is 2/3 to start the game. Mourning gets fouled and misses two free throws. He is 0/4 at the line to start. Riley calls a timeout after Kukoc hits a floater on the left block. Chicago is getting to the rim at will. Marv Albert notes how Kukoc has been very successful against the Heat this season. The Croatian sensation had 21 points in Game One.
First Quarter, Under-3 Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 22-11 with 2:46 remaining. Oh, how I miss these Sunday Bulls' home playoff games. The United Center crowd is rearing to go this game, bringing much more energy than in Game One. Apparently, a local promotion passed out clackers, which are quite loud as the Heat are at the foul line. The Bulls have come out to play tonight. Kukoc is cooking with three field goals, including a backdoor dunk off a beautiful pass from Jordan, and a teardrop floater in the lane. Kukoc has 6 points with three made field goals after scoring 10 points in the first quarter of the first game. Jordan is truly amazing. After Chapman misses a jumper, Jordan responds with a quick three. When Chapman later hits a three, Jordan immediately gets down court, posts Chapman and scores a lefty layup. Jordan also had a steal of a Mourning outlet pass, but missed a banker. Jordan leads all scorers with 11 points on 4/7 from the field. After Tim Hardaway scored on a nice dribble drive banker, Rodman quickly throws the ball downcourt for a Pippen dunk. What a heady play. Speaking of Hardaway, he was hit with a technical after being called for a travel (that would not be called today) off his patented UTEP 2 Step move. Miami has inserted local product Tyrone Corbin of DePaul in to guard Pippen. Corbin did not play in the first game.
End of First Quarter Observations
Chicago leads 28-19 at the end of the first quarter. Albert and Guokas are talking a lot about Riley complaining about the officiating in Game One. That was one thing that was always annoying when the Bulls played Riley teams in the playoffs. Both Riley and Jackson would always work the officials through the media between games. As for the actual game, Pippen hits a quick three off a beautiful give and go from Rodman, who later tries to catch the Heat napping on another inbound play. While trying to hit Pippen up ahead, Miami steals the ball leading to a Hardaway three. Chapman later hits a baseline runner but then commits a dumb foul on Steve Kerr at halfcourt with one second left in the quarter. Kerr hits both free throws. Gatling throws a pretty bounce pass to Hardaway, who misses a three from halfcourt to end the first half. Chicago has controlled the first quarter, getting to the basket with ease, while Miami is being kept afloat by Hardaway and Chapman. No other Heat players are making an impact. If my memory serves me right, a second-quarter avalanche is coming courtesy of the Bulls.
Second Quarter, Under-10 Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 34-19 with 9:34 remaining. Jordan has been very aggressive, getting into the lane, dishing out to Bill Wennington, who swings it to Rodman, who hits Kukoc, who cans a corner jumper. On the next possession, Jordan quickly turns the corner on the baseline, drawing a foul on Mourning. After hitting two free throws, Jordan later posts up and scores against the much smaller Tony Smith. Miami had four awful possessions to start the half, with Gatling blowing a layup off a nice pass by Hardaway, Mourning getting the ball stripped down low, Walt Williams throwing up an air ball on a corner three and Mourning committing an offensive foul on a moving screen. Four of Mourning's seven fouls this series have come on offense! Rodman has been very active this game, sweeping the defensive glass and limiting Miami to one and done. Chicago has 11 assists on 13 field goals. The Bulls are shooting 54% from the field.
Second Quarter, Under-7 Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 43-30 with 6:51 remaining. The Bulls were up 19 at one point, but Miami's Tony Smith has hit two threes. The Bulls came out like gangbusters, with Pippen passing up an open three to find Steve Kerr, who canned one. Jordan then posted up Smith, hitting a ridiculous fadeaway plus the foul. Jordan then drew another two fouls on Smith. Chicago is already in the bonus. As for the earlier NBC games, Albert lets us know that the Magic defeated the Pistons to take a 2-0 lead while the Spurs defeated the Suns to take a 2-0 lead as well, with David Robinson scoring 40 points and grabbing 21 rebounds. For the Bulls, Longley came in briefly and picked up a hard offensive foul on a screen. He now has three fouls and has been replaced by John Salley. Chapman had a nifty layup at the rim and has 9 points to lead the Heat. I forgot how good of an offensive player Chapman was back in the day. He would probably be a superstar in today's game.
Second Quarter, Under-6 Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 47-33 as Miami takes a 20-second timeout with 5:45 remaining. After Pippen misses two free throws out of the break, he makes his beautiful layup that I wrote about earlier. After Harper deflects and steals an inbound pass, Pippen gets the ball on the break, fakes a behind-the-back pass to Harper, leaving Smith in quicksand, and glides in for a layup. Jordan then hits a banker on a possession extended by an offensive rebound of a missed Jordan three. It feels like it is about to get ugly for the Heat. Jordan has a game-high 20 points.
Second Quarter, Under-4 Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 54-33 with 3:28 remaining as Miami takes another timeout. Pippen is all over the place, hitting a three, drawing an offensive foul on Chris Gatling, and then getting an offensive rebound leading to a Jordan three. Pippen has 10 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists so far. What an all-around ballplayer Scottie was! In comparison, Mourning has just 14 points and 9 fouls so far in the first two games. Jordan has 23 points, and this game is quickly becoming a blowout. The Bulls are making quick work of the Heat in Game Two. After only hitting two threes in Game One, Chicago has found the range from deep in the second game.
Second Quarter, Under-3 Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 55-33 with 2:29 remaining as the Bulls take a 20 second timeout. After missing the back end of a free throw, Jordan gets the long offensive board and make a nice spin move to the baseline, where he draws a foul and comes up lame with a twisted back, leading to the timeout. By the way, NBC shows Jay Leno and his band leader Kevin Eubanks at the game. Apparently, Leno was hosting The Tonight Show in Chicago this week, with Pippen joining him on Monday night. :) Jordan is 8/13 from the field, 6/8 from the line, and has 14 of his 24 in the second quarter. In comparison, Miami has 14 points as a team in the second quarter. Chapman just picked up his third foul. Miami has no answer guarding Jordan.
Halftime Observations
Chicago leads 63-38 at the half. Jud Buechler hits a three for the Bulls right before the end of the half. Keith Askins misses a three at the buzzer, and then Ron Harper and Mourning get into it as the Bulls get to the lockeroom. Mourning takes his towel and rubs it in the face of Harper, who is restrained by teammates. Apparently, Harper bumped into the Heat's Jeff Malone, dressed in street clothes, which Mourning did not appreciate. After tweaking his back, Jordan spent the last few minutes in the lockerroom getting looked at. That was a choppy end to the quarter as the refs are calling tight whistles, including a technical on Rodman for elbowing Kurt Thomas. This second half should be extended garbage time. The only concern for Chicago is Jordan's health. Jordan led all scorers with 26 points. Chicago has a 25-14 advantage on the boards, with Mourning have just 3 rebounds and 4 points.
Third Quarter, Under-9 Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 72-40 as Miami is forced to take a timeout. The Heat are not even trying to play defense. The Bulls are getting whatever they want, beginning with a Longley half hook, a three-point opportunity for Pippen posting up Chapman, a Harper layup off a Pippen steal of another Mourning outlet pass, a Jordan jumper at the foul line and a Pippen baseline connection with no one near by. Mourning has five turnovers for the game, and Miami has effectively given up on Game Two. Jordan is moving in pain as his back is giving him some issues. Riley looked like he didn't want to take the timeout but had to out of principle as his team is giving such poor effort on both ends.
Third Quarter, Under-3 Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 81-49 with 2:45 remaining. Well that was an ugly stretch of 90s basketball with foul calls on basically every possession. Hardaway has picked up four of his five fouls during this stretch. Keith Askins committed a hard foul on a driving Jordan. Luc Longley was fouled hard on a breakaway by Askins and Mourning. Rodman picked up a couple of quick fouls and then got his second technical, leading to an ejection, while jawing with Mourning. There have been 43 fouls called this game, 25 on Miami and 18 on the Bulls. Mourning is 4-for-10 at the foul line with 7 turnovers. Pippen hit a three in this stretch and Jordan looked like he was back to his spry self after missing a few jumpers. Longley has had a nice third quarter after not playing much in the first half due to his own foul trouble.
End of Third Quarter Observations
Chicago leads 87-57 at the end of the third. Yuck. That was one of the ugliest quarters of basketball, with no flow and the refs having extremely tight whistles. There was a foul on Chicago pretty much every possession. Steve Kerr had a nice jumper off an assist from Jordan in the triangle while Pippen had a beautiful straight-on layup off a nice ball fake at the rim. It's time for Phil Jackson to rest his starters. Hopefully, this fourth quarter moves better than the third quarter did. That couldn't have been fun to watch 30 years ago; it certainly wasn't just now. :-)
Fourth Quarter, Under-10 Minute Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 93-59 with 9:44 remaining. Former Bull Stacey King is in for the Heat. If you did not know, the Bulls traded King for Luc Longley during the middle of the 1993-94 season. While I was not a fan of Jerry Krause, that was quite the trade as Longley would start for three title teams and King would be out of the league shortly. On the court, Pippen had a nice dunk on a behind-the-back pass from Kukoc during a broken play, Harper had a stick-in layup off a missed Kukoc three and Kerr hit a nice jumper again out of the Triangle Offense. Miami's defense has been a step slow all night.
Fourth Quarter, Under-6 Minute Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 95-62 with 5:45 remaining. It is offically garbage time as not one starter is on the floor. Miami just inserted Danny Schayes while Chicago has put in James "Buddha" Edwards, the former Piston who hit a nice fadeaway. Miami's Tyrone Corbin made a layup to break a six-minute scoring drought for the Heat. By the way, Jordan is back in the locker room getting his back worked on in preparation for Game Three.
Fourth Quarter, Under-2 Minute Timeout Observations
Chicago leads 103-71 with 1:59 remaining. Edwards hit another nice fadeaway, this time to the baseline. Miami's Sasha Danilovic had a Pippen-like layup with a behind-the-back fake and also hit a three. We are almost at the finish line of this annihilation.
Final Score: Chicago Bulls 106, Miami Heat 75.
Randy Brown scores six quick points late in the game as every Bull who played, with the exception of Bill Wennington, scratched. That was an embarrassing performance from the Heat and a tough second half to watch. All in all, Chicago dominated this game from the start to finish. Here is the box score.
Five Stars of the Game
1. Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls. Jordan was en route to a much bigger night before tweaking his back late in the second quarter. At that point, Jordan had 24 points. He would finish with a game-high 29 points.
2. Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls. Pippen was phenomenal on both ends, finishing with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 1 block.
3. Toni Kukoc, Chicago Bulls. Kukoc did not score in the second half but had all 8 of his points by early in the second quarter, helping Chicago get off to a fast start. Kukoc added 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
4. Ron Harper, Chicago Bulls. Harper had 6 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals in 29 minutes.
5. Chicago Bulls Bench. Every reserved played at least 8 minutes, with Steve Kerr scoring 13 points, Randy Brown 6, James Edwards 5, Jud Buechler and John Salley 3 apiece, and Dennis Rodman 2 points to go with 5 rebounds, an assist and steal before his ejection.
2. Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls. Pippen was phenomenal on both ends, finishing with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 1 block.
3. Toni Kukoc, Chicago Bulls. Kukoc did not score in the second half but had all 8 of his points by early in the second quarter, helping Chicago get off to a fast start. Kukoc added 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
4. Ron Harper, Chicago Bulls. Harper had 6 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals in 29 minutes.
5. Chicago Bulls Bench. Every reserved played at least 8 minutes, with Steve Kerr scoring 13 points, Randy Brown 6, James Edwards 5, Jud Buechler and John Salley 3 apiece, and Dennis Rodman 2 points to go with 5 rebounds, an assist and steal before his ejection.
Bums of the Game: 80% of Miami's Starting Lineup
With the exception of Rex Chapman, who had 11 points, the rest of the Heat starters were pretty brutal. Mourning had only 7 more points (14) than turnovers (7). Tim Hardaway was not aggressive, finishing with just 9 points on 9 shots while Kurt Thomas and Walt Williams combined for 5 shots and 0 points in 34 total minutes.
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