ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, July 29, 1996 TAG: 9607290107
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: Associated Press
Scottie Pippen showed Toni Kukoc who's the better Bull and the United States proved that Croatia is still a world behind.
In a rematch of the gold medal game from the 1992 Olympics, the Dream Team took pride in shutting down Croatia's NBA players in a 102-71 victory Sunday night.
Nowhere was the defensive attention more pronounced than in the matchup of Pippen on Kukoc, teammates on the NBA champion Chicago Bulls.
``I was out to do my best on him from a defensive standpoint,'' Pippen said. ``He had a pretty good game today - after I left.''
Just like he did at the '92 Games, Pippen stuck to Kukoc and barely let him take an uncontested shot. By the time Pippen left midway through the second half, the United States was ahead by nearly 30 and Kukoc had scored only seven points.
``He was telling me to come back in, and I told him he can score now,'' Pippen said.
Kukoc finished with 10 points - 7.5 below his Olympic average - and shot 4-for-11 from the field. Pippen had three 3-pointers, three assists, two steals and nine points.
Mitch Richmond led the United States with 16 points, Charles Barkley had 14 points and 12 rebounds and David Robinson had 13 points.
The United States finished opening round play 5-0 and advanced to the quarterfinals against Brazil on Tuesday night. Croatia finished third in Pool A and will play Australia in the quarters.
Dino Radja, one of three NBA players on Croatia's roster, finished with nine points as he had trouble scoring against Barkley and Karl Malone's man-to-man defense. Zan Tabak, who plays for the Toronto Raptors, led Croatia with 19 points.
At the end of the game, Pippen and Kukoc shared a hug at center court.
``We have more of a friendship now, and it wasn't as big a challenge because we know each other now and have mutual respect for each other,'' Pippen said.
``I know Scottie much better now and he knows me,'' Kukoc said. ``The first time [in 1992], they were much more serious. Today, we could have some laughs.''
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. David Robinson of the United States holds on to theby CNBball as Vladen Alanovic (right) applies pressure during the Dream
Team's 102-71 demolition of Croatia on Sunday night.