Magic and Bulls were at a crossroads of destiny.
The outcome of this playoff series would determine so much.
In the East finals, Magic didn't have the home-court advantage, so the battle had to start in Chicago.
Even the Chicago fans probably didn't expect such a smooth start to the East finals for the Bulls.
In the first two games in Chicago, the dominant 72-win Bulls took two straight victories, taking an early 2-0 lead.
In the first game, Roger blasted 38 points, and Shaq scored 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.
It turned out the rest of the Magic team combined for only 7 field goals!
In the third quarter, facing the Bulls' oppressive defense, Roger and Shaq passed the ball to their teammates, but they failed to seize the opportunity.
Throughout the third quarter, the Bulls played a 26-13 run, directly securing their victory.