Notes : Already, Game 2 Is Crucial for Anxious Bulls

Don’t look now, but here comes the first must-win game of the series.

If it didn’t take long, it’s because it didn’t take the Bulls long to lose the home-court advantage earned by virtue of the franchise-record 61 victories, three more than the Lakers.

“I think it’s a must-win game for us,” Chicago’s Horace Grant said of Wednesday’sGame 2 at Chicago Stadium. “We don’t want to go down 0-2 and go to L.A. and have to scratch our way back.”

What’s the most important game to win in the best-of-seven NBA finals? Other than the seventh game, teams that have won game one have gone on to win 31 of 44 NBA finals, or 70.5%.

But despite winning the series opener, the statistical probabilities don’t favor the Lakers.

Since the NBA went to a two-three-two format for the finals 10 years ago, the team with the two sets of home games has won nine of the previous 10 series.

The only exception was when the Lakers defeated the Celtics in 1985.

The Lakers, who had the second best defense in the NBA during the regular season, limiting their opponents to 99.6 points per game, have been just as effective in the playoffs.

After holding Portland to 97.8 points in the Western Conference finals, the Lakers limited Chicago, which had averaged 105 points in the playoffs, to 91 Sunday. It was the Bulls’ second-worst offensive output of the playoffs, behind a 89-79 first round victory over the New York Knicks.

Laker Coach Mike Dunlealvy, asked if he thought Michael Jordan was looking to score more often now that the Finals have arrived than in the four games of the Eastern Conference finals against Detroit:

“I don’t know. I know he’s a great player and had a great game. If he wants to score less, I won’t complain.”

The Lakers improved to 5-2 on the road in the playoffs and also handed the Bulls their first post-season home loss after seven consecutive victories.

Going back, the Bulls had won 15 in a row at Chicago Stadium. The last playoff defeat before Sunday? June 2, 1989 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The Chicago Stadium isn’t as glitzy as the Forum, and there weren’t very many celebrities on hand for the series opener.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and actress Darryl Hannah attended. Jackson strolled the court before the game. After Laker broadcaster Stu Lanz shook hands with Jackson, Chick Hearn extended his hand, but Jackson didn’t see Hearn and walked past him.

Forward John Salley of the Detroit Pistons, who attended the game, was booed when he entered Chicago Stadium before the game. Chicago fans must have forgotten that Salley was one of the few Pistons to shake hands with the Bulls after they swept Detroit out of the playoffs.

When “Do you believe in Magic?” was played during a timeout in the first half, the Bulls fans began to boo because they believe in Air Jordan, and the song was quickly stopped, much to the delight of the fans.

Vlade Divac’s 14 rebounds were a career playoff high, surpassing his previous playoff high of 11. His regular season high was 17.

Magic Johnson’s triple double of 19 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds was the 29th playoff triple-double of his career.

Times staff writer Chris Baker contributed to this story.