Chicago Newspaper article

[RAMANI_R@bentley.edu]

                               Freaky Friday for Bulls
                                  as they lose opener

                     By Terry Armour
                     TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
                     Web posted:Saturday, November 1, 1997

                     BOSTON--Here's a scary thought: What if Bulls Chairman
                     Jerry Reinsdorf's worst nightmare came true? What if the
Bulls
                     all of a sudden turned into the Boston Celtics, as
Reinsdorf had
                     feared?

                     The Scottie Pippen-less Bulls, they of back-to-back NBA
                     championships, pulled off a major role-reversal Friday at
the
                     FleetCenter. Or maybe it was the Celtics who reversed
roles.

                     The Bulls blew a 20-point first-quarter lead, shot just 30
percent
                     (7 for 23) in the third quarter, then let the trapping,
running
                     young Celtics tire them out. Boston finished the night
with a
                     92-85 victory in front of a raucous capacity crowd ready
to
                     usher in the Rick Pitino era.

                     The Celtics ended an 11-game losing streak against the
Bulls,
                     and for one night their days as a pushover appeared to be
over.
                     The Bulls lost their first season opener since 1990-91. A
sign of
                     things to come?

                     ``One game early in the season doesn't mean we're not
going to
                     win No. 6,'' said Michael Jordan, who led the Bulls with
30
                     points.

                     OK. But even Jordan had to admit he was a little tired
after
                     hitting just 7 of 23 shots and missing 2 of 4 free throws
with the
                     Bulls trying to get back in the game late in the fourth
quarter.
                     Trailing 86-83 after Jordan split two free throws, they
got no
                     closer.

                     ``I think it was their conditioning,'' Bulls coach Phil
Jackson said,
                     describing the young Celtics but also referring to his
older Bulls.
                     ``We'll see what (Saturday night) will bring. I think
we'll get in
                     game shape pretty quick.''

                     The Bulls were outrebounded 52-41. The Celtics had 22
                     offensive rebounds, which led to 20 second-chance points.

                     And without Pippen, the Bulls didn't have anyone who could
                     handle Chicago native Antoine Walker, who led all scorers
with
                     31 points.

                     But the Bulls' main problem was Boston's pressure defense,
                     which forced 21 turnovers. The Celtics also had some
problems
                     handling the ball, turning it over 24 times, including 10
in the first
                     quarter when the Bulls took a 32-12 lead.

                     ``It could have turned into a devastating loss for us,''
Pitino said.
                     ``They hung in there when they had opening-night
jitters.''