Muresan questionable as Bullets try to regroup

LANDOVER, Md. The Washington Bullets are down 2-0 in theirfirst-round playoff series with the Bulls and still smarting fromMichael Jordan's 55-point performance Sunday, and they got more badnews Monday.

Gheorghe Muresan, the Bullets' 7-7 starting center, is sufferingfrom a strained right hip flexor and is questionable for Game 3Wednesday.

Muresan, who missed five games at the beginning of the seasonwith the same injury, didn't practice Monday as the Bullets returnedhome to regroup.They watched the Jordan highlight film for an hour before theirworkout. Coach Bernie Bickerstaff would not divulge his Game 3strategy, but it doesn't take a genius to realize his main goal: StopJordan.For a while Sunday, it appeared the Bullets had Jordan rightwhere they wanted him: hemmed in between defending 6-3 RodStrickland and scoring against 6-7 Calbert Cheaney.Strickland is a great penetrating guard with deceptive speed andquickness. Cheaney is an exceptional scorer who moves well withoutthe ball and also is no slouch on defense, having held Indiana'sReggie Miller, New Jersey's Jim Jackson, Toronto's Doug Christie andother big scorers to subpar games.So between chasing Strickland around screens and trying to stophis penetration and dodging Cheaney on defense, the game plan wasobvious."We hoped we would wear him down," Strickland said. "That wasmy intention."Many were surprised Bulls coach Phil Jackson had Jordan guardStrickland instead of Ron Harper. The feeling was Jordan would burnso much energy chasing Strickland, he wouldn't have enough left toscore."But that's why Phil has had me chasing those little guards allseason," Jordan said. "It was to help me develop my legs so that Icould do a better job of it."Strickland, who scored 16 points on 5-for-18 shooting from thefield in Game 2, said he wasn't surprised Jordan has been guardinghim."I kind of figured that would happen," Strickland said. "And hehas caused me to struggle a little bit because I'm so used to gettinginto the lane. But now, I've got a bigger body up there against me,so it's been a little frustrating. I'm used to going all the way onthe penetration."But now they're laying back and making me take the jump shot.So at times, I'm a little more hesitant because I'm so used togetting into the game and driving down the lane."But Jordan has revoked Strickland's driving privileges down thelane - and when Strickland can't penetrate well, he finds it moredifficult to get the ball to his teammates.As for Cheaney's defense, he was simply at Jordan's mercy."Calbert played a good game," Bickerstaff said. "He just metMr. Jordan."Bickerstaff frequently had teammates help Cheaney overplay. ButJordan's quick release consistently beat the effort by the defenseto trap him. By the time a teammate arrived to help Cheaneydouble-team Jordan, he had shot, scored and was running backdowncourt."It wasn't his defense (or lack of it)," Jordan said ofCheaney. "I just made some tough shots."In the end, Jordan ended up defying his age - 34 - rather thanshowing it.And it's a safe bet the Bullets will double-team him even morein Game 3, try to take the ball out of his hands and force histeammates to try to be the ones who make the great plays.