Heat Goes Afoul as Bulls Break Away

There was trash-talking galore, flurries of fouls and, in the end, a victory. The Chicago Bulls got everything they expected in their playoff opener.

The Bulls defeated the Miami Heat, 102-85, Friday night behind Michael Jordan’s 35 points and Ron Harper’s excellent third-quarter play. Game 2 will be Sunday.

“We anticipated a war,” Jordan said. “Pat Riley’s team is always intimidating, or trying to be, anyway.”

Riley was ejected with 3:49 to play after getting Miami’s second bench technical foul--one of six technicals against the Heat.

“This whole thing should be about equality, even though it’s not,” Riley said. “They won 72 games, we won 42. But it’s still two teams who want it just as badly. That’s the absurdity of it.

“One team gets [36] free throws, the other team gets [15]. It’s going to be hard to win. That’s not a complaint, it’s reality.”

The sloppy, slow-paced game included 56 fouls, 32 on the Heat. Miami center Alonzo Mourning was never a factor, with only 10 points and two rebounds in 21 minutes before fouling out.

Mourning got his sixth foul with 3:49 left, exchanging insults with Scottie Pippen as he left the court and getting a technical foul.

Bull Coach Phil Jackson pulled a mild surprise by starting Toni Kukoc instead of Dennis Rodman, and Kukoc scored 21 points. Rodman grabbed 10 rebounds.

Tim Hardaway scored 26 of his 30 points in the first half, when Miami played Chicago to a 54-54 tie despite having Mourning on the floor for only eight minutes.

Orlando 112, Detroit 92--Beginning what they hope will be a journey back to the NBA finals, the Magic squandered an early 13-point lead, then scored 65 in the second half to pull away for a rout at Orlando.

Dennis Scott made six three-point shots and finished with 23 points for Orlando, which broke open the game by outscoring Detroit, 33-17, in the third quarter.

Shaquille O’Neal had 21 points and Anfernee Hardaway 18 for the Magic, who resume the series Sunday at Orlando.

Grant Hill led Detroit with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Seattle 97, Sacramento 85--The SuperSonics, trying to overcome the bitter disappointment of first-round failures the last two seasons, easily downed the Kings despite playing without suspended Shawn Kemp.

Gary Payton scored a career playoff-high 29 points in the absence of Kemp, who was suspended for fighting in the regular-season finale.

Mitch Richmond led Sacramento with 18 points.