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Second to the devil might be Rodman, whose billboarded visage in Chicago recently had to be moved before it caused any more accidents. The Worm's affectations are not restricted to the hue of his locks or the Cinerama on his body. There are the 17 pierced areas above his neck and the one below his waist, for instance. In a better world, Rodman would be admired for his rebounding and passing skills, which are extraordinary, or for his work ethic--which is considerable when he chooses to work. But those aren't the reasons kids come to arenas all across the land in magenta-colored hair. The Bulls were smart enough to realize what Rodman the player could do for them, and that Jordan was a strong enough influence to keep him in line. But there are those who think Rodman's sneakers will drop on the Bulls, just as they did--quite literally--on the San Antonio Spurs last year, when he unlaced his shoes and sat out the rest of a play-off game.
Second to Michael on the Bulls is Pippen. He is also first in assists, second in scoring and third in rebounds. After a recent practice at the Bulls' Berto Center, Jordan nudged Pippen and said, "I want to be like Scottie." Mike wasn't just making a play on one of his own commercials. The improved relationship between the Buzz Lightyear and the Woody of the Bulls is another reason the team seems headed for infinity and beyond. While Jordan was gone, Pippen became the team leader, and now they willingly play good captain/bad captain. "Scottie will do a lot of patting on the back," says Jackson. "Michael, well, he's not afraid to rebuke and give a guy a hard look if he screwed up." Pippen and Jordan also go hard after one another in practice, and that, says Jackson, "brings the level of the team up."
The Bulls' supporting cast has a decidedly international flavor: Croatian Kukoc provides instant offense off the bench, Australian Longley and Canadian Bill Wennington share the pivot, and Kerr, born in Beirut, can spell either Ron Harper or Jordan and throw in a three. And Jackson keeps them all happy. "Phil kind of choreographs the whole thing," says Kerr. "He knows how to blend personalities. A lot of teams would not be able to accept three guys getting all the attention, but we have no problem with that. Besides, we certainly get a lot more recognition than we would on any other team. Every single guy is happy to be here." No two Bulls are less alike than the straight-arrow Kerr and the bizarro Rodman, but the other night in New Jersey, they both went after a loose ball and, after falling into the seats together, came up hugging each other and laughing. It was a nice metaphor for a team that's truly together.
Are the Bulls invincible? "If they are beat," says Albeck, "it'll be by a club with a dominant center and a red-hot shooter--maybe the Magic with Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, or the Pacers with Rik Smits and Reggie Miller. The Bulls also have some weak free-throw shooting--Rodman, Pippen, Harper--and that's what cost the Magic last year. But we're talking a loss or two. Michael is not going to let them lose a whole series."