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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago's Brad Miller can tell you from
first-hand experience what it's like trying to stop Shaquille
O'Neal as he charges to the basket.
"He's a Mack truck coming at you," Miller said.
"There's not much you can do about him. He's just a big son of
a gun, that's all there is to it. And now he's even hitting his
free throws. That adds a whole 'nother dimension to their team."
The Bulls tried just about everything Thursday night against
O'Neal. They hacked, they smacked, they doubled him, they grabbed
him and tried to pin his arms down.
Nothing worked as O'Neal bulled his way to 39 points and the
Lakers beat the Bulls 100-88 for their 50th victory.
"I did what I do best and everybody looks little against me,"
O'Neal said. "I just want to take high percentage shots and take
it to the basket."
With Kobe Bryant again sidelined by a foot injury, the Lakers
just pounded the ball into Shaq and he responded with a 13-for-17
shooting night and also made 13 of 22 free throws to go with 10
rebounds.
With the Bulls almost helpless to stop him, O'Neal had 22
first-half points on 8-for-10 shooting, including four dunks, and
also hit six of 10 free throws as the Lakers took a modest 57-52
lead.
"We were hacking the heck out of him and he still made the
shot," Miller said.
"Shaq was just a load for us. He hurt us with his passing and
his kickouts. He just creates a lot of space for others," Bulls
coach Tim Floyd said.
Devean George's two layups and a dunk off a break put the Lakers
up by 11 points in the third period and they increased it to 14
before a Chicago rally.
O'Neal, fouled hard several times during the game, was called
for a flagrant foul with 45 seconds left in the third period after
knocking Jake Voskuhl to the floor. Brian Shaw and O'Neal were
subsequently called for technical fouls, and after Voskuhl missed
both free throws, A.J. Guyton's jumper got the Bulls to be seven
points down with a quarter remaining.
"He (Voskuhl) was coming at me 80 mph," O'Neal explained.
"And he hit a brick wall. I just stood there. When you hit a brick
wall, you fall."
Isiah Rider hit a pair of jumpers, and O'Neal roared in for
another dunk during a 14-5 final-quarter run that put the game
away.
Miller led the Bulls with 21 points.
Game notes
Bryant missed his seventh game out of the last eight with a
sore left foot. Coach Phil Jackson said Bryant is doubtful for
the game Friday night at Boston ... Chicago's Ron Mercer missed the
game with a sore ankle. ... Highlights of the Bulls' 1991
championship, their first with Jackson as coach and current Laker
Horace Grant at forward, was played throughout the night on the
overhead scoreboard. Jackson said the United Center, once so
vibrant, was "just flat." "There are just so many people in
there and they're not energized. It's really noticeable to the
players." ...The 39 points were two shy of O'Neal's season high.
... The Lakers had 50 points in the paint to only 12 for the Bulls.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
LA Lakers Clubhouse
Chicago Clubhouse
Jackson in Chicago, saying Jordan thinking comeback
RECAPS
New York 93
Washington 80
Sacramento 92
Utah 86
LA Lakers 100
Chicago 88
Dallas 108
Atlanta 94
Houston 91
Seattle 88
San Antonio 101
Denver 80
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