NBA PLAYOFFS PREVIEW : Bulls, Proving They Can Do It All, Must Do It Again

Michael Jordan clutched the Larry O’Brien trophy as if it were a baby, holding it gently as tears dripped onto the prize after the Chicago Bulls had won the NBA championship by defeating the Lakers last season.

Will the scene be repeated this season?

“There were a lot of expectations on this team coming into the season, and thus far we’ve surpassed those expectations,” Jordan said.

“We’ve become a dominant team. A lot of people had some doubts we could do that. They thought we would get complacent with what we accomplished last year. Instead, we’ve improved. So in that respect, we’re a better team.”

The Bulls, who finished with the best overall record in the NBA (67-15) and will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, open defense of their title Friday against the Miami Heat, which is making its first playoff appearance since entering the league four years ago.

The Boston Celtics, who won 15 of their last 16 games to overtake the New York Knicks for the Atlantic Division title, are seeded second in the East behind the Bulls and open the playoffs against Indiana tonight. The Celtics needed five games to beat the Pacers in the first round last season.

The Portland Trail Blazers, who have posted the best record in the Western Conference the last two seasons, will try to make the NBA finals for the second time in the last three seasons. They open against the Lakers tonight.

The Utah Jazz, who open the playoffs against the Clippers on Friday, are seeded second to Portland in the West.

Here’s a look at the first-round series, excluding the Laker-Trail Blazer series and the Clipper-Jazz series:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Seattle vs. Golden State-- There is no love lost between these teams, who play tonight at Golden State.

Warrior guard Tim Hardaway and SuperSonic center Benoit Benjamin were ejected for fighting during a game in December.

Warrior guard Sarunas Marciulionis suffered a sprained neck when he was knocked down by Benjamin in February.

In March, Benjamin was called for a flagrant foul against Marciulionis. In April, Chris Mullin was injured in a collision with Seattle guard Gary Payton, who was ejected from the game.

Although the SuperSonics were 11-3 while Benjamin was sidelined because of a broken right hand, he has been activated for the playoffs, and Coach George Karl will probably start him.

San Antonio vs. Phoenix--The Spurs, who were ousted by the Warriors in the first round last season, don’t figure to get past the first round this season because they are without David Robinson and Willie Anderson.

Sun forward Tom Chambers, who sat out the final week of the season because of an ankle sprain, and Jeff Hornacek (strained knee) are expected to return for the series, which begins Friday at San Antonio.

The Suns won three of four games against the Spurs.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Miami vs. Chicago--The Heat needed four seasons to make the playoffs, but it will probably be gone in three games.

The Bulls were 4-0 against the Heat this season and are 14-0 against Miami, which earned the eighth Eastern Conference playoff berth after Cleveland defeated Atlanta on the last day of the season.

The winner of this series will play the winner of the Detroit-New York series in the second round.

New York vs. Detroit--The Knicks, who had a five-game lead over Boston with eight games left, collapsed in the last month of the season.

Coach Pat Riley took the team to Charleston, S.C., for a mini-camp to prepare for the playoffs, which start Friday at New York.

“What’s happened and how it was covered (in the media) saps you, your spirit and your confidence,” Riley said. “We have to be professional and stoic and get it done and hope the enthusiasm comes back. When your spirit is dampened, it’s hard to be enthused.”

The Pistons defeated the Knicks twice in the last two weeks, limiting Knick center Patrick Ewing to 14 points in a 72-61 victory two weeks ago. Ewing missed 16 of 20 shots from the field.

Boston vs. Indiana--Larry Bird, who sat out the last eight games of the season because of a back injury, hopes to return for the playoffs.

“We’re confident heading into the playoffs,” Celtic forward Kevin Gamble said. “Playing without Larry had forced other people to step up, and that can only help you in the playoffs.”

The Celtics might need Bird to defeat Indiana, which came within four points of eliminating the Celtics in the first round last season, losing the fifth game, 124-121, when Chuck Person missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Cleveland vs. New Jersey--Bill Fitch, who was almost fired this season and later survived a mutiny by Derrick Coleman and Chris Morris, deserves consideration for coach of the year for getting the Nets to the playoffs for the first time since 1986.

“This has been the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced,” Fitch said. “There were times when I nearly threw in the towel and wondered if it was worth it. Right now, I just go day to day. I don’t think about next year. I just figure I’ll be coaching, if not here then somewhere else.”

The Nets, who defeated Orlando in their regular-season finale to make the playoffs, won eight of their last 11 games, overcoming the distractions caused when Coleman and Morris refused to re-enter games in the fourth quarter because they were unhappy about their playing time.

The Cavaliers haven’t won a playoff series since 1976, and the Nets haven’t won a playoff game since 1984. Game 1 is tonight at Richfield, Ohio.