GAME REPORT

FIRST QUARTER

UTAH: 20

CHICAGO: 25

* IN REVIEW: After saying his left foot felt better during the pregame, Scottie Pippen aggravated the injury while blocking Bryon Russell’s shot. Michael Jordan, who made the winning shot in Game 1, scored the first basket of Game 2. Pippen scored on a back-door play going around Russell and Luc Longley dunked over Greg Ostertag as the Bulls held a 6-0 lead. The Jazz missed their first four shots, but avoided an early blowout as the Bulls got into early foul trouble. Longley picked up two quick fouls and was replaced by Brian Williams. Jordan, not known for his three-point shooting, made the first of three consecutive three-point shots for the Bulls. Steve Kerr made the other two. Trailing, 22-13, Karl Malone made a layup, running into Pippen. While bracing his fall, Malone tears skin off the heel of his right shooting hand. Malone had suffered a floor burn on his right hand earlier in the season and the injury had been slow to heal. MVP watch: Malone two of five, six points; Jordan five of seven (one of one three-point shots), 11 points.

* BULL LEADING SCORER: Jordan 11.

* JAZZ LEADING SCORER: Malone 6.

SECOND QUARTER

UTAH: 31

CHICAGO:

* IN REVIEW: Chicago started the game making 11 of 13 shots. The Bulls missed their final three field goals in the first quarter and their first six in the second quarter. The Jazz had a 9-2 run before Jordan made a fallaway to end the slump and put the Bulls ahead, 31-24. The Bulls went 7 minutes and two seconds between field goals. Chris Morris made a long three-point basket and Malone made a shot as the Jazz pulled within two, 31-29. Jordan grabbed his eighth rebound to make a putback and Ron Harper made a three-point shot for his first basket as the Bulls regained a seven-point advantage. Malone missed three of six free throws in the first half, including his first two attempts. After Morris’ three-point shot, the Jazz were outscored, 16-2, to fall behind, 47-31, at halftime. The Jazz scored 11 points in the quarter to tie the championship game record-low set last by the Bulls in Game 4 of last year’s finals against Seattle. MVP watch: Malone one of seven, 3 points; Jordan two of seven, 9 points. First-half totals, Malone three of 12, 9 points, 4 rebounds; Jordan, seven of 14, 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists.

* BULL LEADING SCORER: Jordan 9.

* JAZZ LEADING SCORER: Carr 4.

THIRD QUARTER

UTAH: 59

CHICAGO: 78

* IN REVIEW: Ostertag showed his frustration early, getting called for three fouls and a technical foul within 79 seconds of the second half. Malone had his burned hand to blame for his poor shooting. But John Stockton also was quiet, making only one of his first six shots. The game turned into a Jordan scoring show with the MVP runner-up scoring 10 consecutive points and making a brilliant pass to Brian Williams that led to a basket and the Bulls led, 72-51. MVP watch: Malone two of four, 8 points; Jordan four of five, 10 points.

* BULL LEADING SCORER: Jordan 10.

* JAZZ LEADING SCORER: Malone 8

FINAL

UTAH: 85

CHICAGO: 97

* IN REVIEW: With the game pretty much decided, Jordan attempted to earn his first triple-double in the finals. After reaching double-figures in points and rebounds, Jordan needed only four assists to do it. He got his first assist on a pass to Jud Buechler for the Bulls’ first basket. After getting two more assists, Jordan nearly reached his mark with a perfect pass underneath, but Pippen missed the layup with 3 1/2 minutes to play. On his next possession, Jordan lost his dribble which resulted in a jump ball. Pippen also missed a three-point shot and a short jumper after getting a pass from Jordan. The Jazz, meanwhile, chipped away at the Bulls’ lead and pulled within eight, 93-85, on Jeff Hornacek’s three-point shot before the Bulls closed them out for a 14-point victory. Jordan, however, came up one assist short of the triple-double. MVP watch: Malone, one of four, three points; Jordan zero of one, eight points. Final statistics: Malone, six of 20, 20 points, 13 rebounds, one assist. Jordan, 11 of 20, 38 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists.

* BULL LEADING SCORER: Jordan 8

* JAZZ LEADING SCORER: Hornacek 8

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE SCHEDULE

Best of Seven

BULLS LEAD SERIES 2-0

* Game 1: Chicago 84, Utah 82

* Game 2: Chicago 97, Utah 85

* Friday--At Utah: 6 p.m.

* Sunday--At Utah: 4:30 p.m.

* June 11--At Utah-x: 6 p.m.

* June 13--At Chicago-x: 6 p.m.

* June 15--At Chicago-x: 4:30 p.m.

x-if necessary