GAME REPORT

FIRST QUARTER

CHICAGO: 16

UTAH: 21

* IN REVIEW: The Delta Center fans and the game’s pregame show hit new highs for noise, forcing Chicago Coach Phil Jackson to wear earplugs and several Bulls to cover their ears. Dennis Rodman made another fashion statement with a half-cranberry, half-multicolored hairdo. But his two missed three-point attempts really caught the Bulls’ attention. After missing four shots, Rodman was yanked with 2:38 remaining and headed to the locker room with an upset stomach. The Bulls managed to get eight points from Michael Jordan, who didn’t have any trouble backing in on Bryon Russell and making his fadeaway. Karl Malone struggled with his jump shot, but was more effective when the Jazz starting feeding him the ball inside. The Jazz outscored the Bulls, 9-4, during the final 3 1/2 minutes of the quarter. Jeff Hornacek scored Utah’s last seven points, including a three-point shot with six seconds left to give the Jazz a five-point lead. MVP Watch: Jordan, four of seven for 8 points; Malone, three of five, 7 points.

* BULL LEADING SCORER: Jordan, 8 points.

* JAZZ LEADING SCORER: Hornacek, 9 points.

SECOND QUARTER

CHICAGO: 40

UTAH: 35

* IN REVIEW: Jordan and Malone spent considerable time on the bench and were scoreless for the first eight minutes of the quarter. Without Malone playing defense, the Bulls used their size advantage to outscore the Jazz, 10-2, to start the quarter. Scottie Pippen, who was scoreless in the first quarter trying to post up Hornacek, scored six points while facing the basket. Pippen’s dunk gave the Bulls a 26-25 lead. Toni Kukoc made two consecutive three-point shots and the Bulls held their biggest lead of the half, 34-29. They maintained that five-point margin to take a 40-35 halftime lead. Bull center Brian Williams came off the bench to score six points and did a good job guarding Malone during Rodman’s absence. Playing with several reserves, point guard John Stockton scored four points and kept the Jazz offense running smoothly. MVP Watch: Jordan, one of four, two points; Malone, zero of three, two points. First-half: Jordan, five of 11, 10 points; Malone, three of eight, 9 points.

* BULL LEADING SCORER: Pippen, Williams, Kukoc, 6 points.

* JAZZ LEADING SCORER: Stockton, 4 points.

THIRD QUARTER

CHICAGO: 56

UTAH: 56

* IN REVIEW: Jordan went to the bench early after missing his first four shots. The Jazz started with a 7-0 run to take a 42-40 lead on Stockton’s three-point shot. Bull center Luc Longley scored two baskets, including a dunk, as the Bulls regained the lead, 44-42. After getting beat by Malone on a spin move, Rodman grabbed Malone’s leg while lying on the ground and was called for a technical foul. Russell made a three-point shot to complete a six-point run and the Jazz led, 48-44. With Jordan not making his shots, the Bulls turned to Pippen for offense. Pippen took on all defenders, including Utah center Greg Ostertag. Pippen had to be separated from the Utah center after a hard foul. The game also was stopped with Williams at the free-throw line, when a Jazz fan was escorted away from behind the Chicago basket. He had been taunting Rodman with a life-sized cardboard cutout of the flamboyant Bulls forward. While Jordan was shut out, Pippen scored nine of the Bulls’ final 11 points in the quarter. After starting the quarter making only one of six shots, Malone made his final two shots. MVP Watch: Jordan, zero of six, no points; Malone, three of six, six points.

* BULL LEADING SCORER: Pippen, 9 points.

* JAZZ LEADING SCORER: Malone, 6 points.

FINAL

CHICAGO: 73

UTAH: 78

* IN REVIEW: As hard as he tried, Russell couldn’t prevent Jordan from playing his game in the fourth quarter. After making only five of 16 shots, Jordan went to work. He drove past Russell to make a right-handed dunk and the Bulls led, 61-60. Russell made a three-point basket and Ostertag scored inside and the Jazz regained the lead, 65-61. Jordan made a shot from the top of the key. He then pumped faked until Russell left his feet and made a shot from the right baseline to tie the score at 65. The Jazz then went 5 1/2 minutes without a field goal, missing five shots. After Utah was called for a 24-second violation, Jordan missed a jumper and Pippen scored on a putback. Hornacek made one of two free throws. Jordan leaped high to score a six-foot shot and then made a two-handed dunk on a breakaway to give the Bulls five-point lead. Stockton, however, kept the Jazz in the game, sinking a long three-point shot. After Jordan made a fadeaway, the Jazz outscored the Bulls, 9-0, during the final 1:45. Stockton stole the ball from Jordan and was fouled by Jordan while trying to make a right-handed layup. Stockton made one of two free throws. Stockton made two more free throws after getting fouled by Pippen. Jordan then went right and cut back left, but missed a three-point attempt. Stockton got the rebound and threw a long quarterback-type pass to Malone, who beat Jordan back on the transition to make the layup, giving the Jazz a 74-73 lead with 44.5 seconds. After a Bull timeout, Jordan passed to Steve Kerr, whose three-point attempt from the right corner hit the front of the rim. Hornacek got the rebound and called timeout with 26.2 seconds left before falling out of bounds. With 18 seconds to play, Malone made two crucial free throws to give the Jazz a 76-73 lead. Jordan had a chance to tie the score, but his three-point attempt from 23 feet bounced from the back to the front of the rim and out of the basket. Russell then made a dunk to close out the scoring. MVP Watch: Jordan, six of 12, 12 points; Malone, three of five, 8 points. Final statistics: Jordan, 11 of 27 for 22 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists; Malone, nine of 19 for 23 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists.

* BULL LEADING SCORER: Jordan, 12 points.

* JAZZ LEADING SCORER: Malone , 8 points.