After Jordan, Defense Is What Got Them There : Bulls: Chicago is giving up only 92.5 points a game during the playoffs, the lowest average in a decade.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — It’s more a sign of the times than a geographical fact, so don’t hold the Chicago Bulls too literally to this one. Besides, this is their day in the sand dune.

A team that is known for offense, with the most explosive player of all, the Bulls have played defense throughout the playoffs, which, many would argue, is a more important ingredient to winning an NBA title. Once Chicago fell into line with past champions in that regard, all that was missing--besides a video, maybe--was the next best thing, a nickname. Someone took care of that:

Desert Swarm.

The Bulls are allowing only 92.5 points a game in the playoffs, the lowest playoff average in a decade, and have allowed an opponent to break into triple figures only twice in 12 outings. Three of the last five NBA champions, Detroit in 1989 and ’90 and the Boston Celtics in 1986, also had the best postseason defenses.

“If we are able to maintain our pressure defense, we’re playing the type of game we want,” Michael Jordan said after practice Friday at the team’s suburban Chicago facility.

It’s no coincidence that the Bulls picked up where the Pistons left off. Defense has long been the one Detroit trademark that didn’t result in fines, and the Pistons ended Chicago’s season each of the previous three years.

So consider this the one time the Bulls won’t mind any comparisons.

“Our defense has become more of a unit,” Jordan said. “Instead of individual defense, it’s team defense. We’ve learned to cover for each other. Look at Detroit. Individually, I don’t consider them great defensive players. But as a team, they are a great defensive team.

“We had an up-close-and-personal look at their defense. To see that type of tenacious defense played by everyone as a team, we wanted to play that way as a team. But I don’t think we’ll try to take (opponents’) heads off.”

So there are differences.

“We’re not the same type of defense,” Chicago Coach Phil Jackson said. “We are good, but different. (The Pistons) have power defense. They have ruggedness. They play with their hands on people. They hit cutters coming through the lane. We’re more of a slashing, stealing, stripping team.”

The last Bull to leave practice Friday was Dennis Hopson, which made sense. It may be his best chance to break a sweat.

Hopson has been a huge disappointment this season after being acquired from the New Jersey Nets for a package of draft picks, including a No. 1 in 1990, to back up Jordan. He is averaging 11.9 minutes and 4.3 points while shooting 42.6% in 61 regular-season appearances. In the playoffs, Hopson has averaged four minutes in four games, the fewest of any Bull.

Now, Jackson is pondering the notion of using Hopson, along with Craig Hodges, to offset the Lakers’ backcourt scoring off the bench from Terry Teagle. Not exactly a comforting thought.

At least Hopson has some company who can relate to him at the end of the bench, proving, if nothing else, that he may not be a unanimous choice as biggest bust. Three years after the Bulls made him the sixth pick in the draft, Stacey King, a ballooning power forward-center, is far out of the rotation. Scott Williams, the undrafted rookie free agent from Hacienda Heights, is playing ahead of him.

The Bulls had formed a Laker fan club, but it disbanded Friday.

The day before, the Bulls were rooting for the Lakers to beat Portland in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals at the Forum. Chicago would have lost the home-court advantage if the Trail Blazers had reached the NBA finals, and the Bulls would also have had to wait until next Wednesday before opening their first championship series if a Game 7 had been needed in the West.

The Bulls, who last played Monday at Detroit, will have a wait anyway, raising a concern of sluggishness at the wrong time. Because Game 1 is Sunday afternoon and Game 2 Wednesday night, they will have played only one game in the current Tuesday-to-Tuesday stretch. They haven’t played at Chicago Stadium since May 21.