Jordan Outscores Hardaway As Bulls Win Grudge Match

NBA

Not so fast, Penny. Michael Jordan isn’t ready to step aside for you or anyone else.

Jordan atoned for a poor performance against Anfernee Hardaway in their last meeting, outscoring the young Orlando star Wednesday night as the Bulls defeated the Magic 112-103 in Chicago.

“I came in a little more pumped up,” said Jordan, who outscored Hardaway 36-26 on Wednesday. “I’d be crazy if I didn’t come in here to really redeem myself in terms of the way I played last game against this team. Nothing against Penny personally … but it was a motivating factor.”

Orlando probably played its last game without Shaquille O’Neal, who is expected back when the Magic meets Utah on Friday.

Bulls 112, Magic 103

ORLANDO (103)

Scott 8-17 5-5 24, Grant 5-10 4-4 14, Koncak 2-4 0-0 4, Hardaway 7-18 8-10 26, Anderson 1-9 2-4 5, Wolf 2-3 0-0 4, Shaw 5-11 0-0 11, Bowie 5-7 0-0 10, Royal 1-2 3-4 5. Totals 36-81 22-27 103.

CHICAGO (112)

Pippen 9-17 5-6 26, Rodman 3-8 2-2 8, Longley 4-7 2-2 10, Harper 2-7 2-2 6, Jordan 15-30 2-6 36, Wennington 0-1 0-0 0, Kukoc 9-12 3-4 21, Kerr 2-3 0-0 5, Buechler 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 44-86 16-22 112.

Orlando 26 23 16 38 - 103

Chicago 29 32 19 32 - 112

3-Point goals-Orlando 9-24 (Hardaway 4-10, Scott 3-6, Anderson 1-4, Shaw 1-4), Chicago 8-21 (Jordan 4-7, Pippen 3-8, Kerr 1-2, Harper 0-1, Buechler 0-1, Rodman 0-2). Fouled out-Shaw. Rebounds-Orlando 40 (Grant 10), Chicago 58 (Rodman 19). Assists-Orlando 20 (Shaw 6), Chicago 22 (Pippen 6). Total fouls-Orlando 24, Chicago 19. A-23,895 (23,895).

Lakers 101, Pistons 98 Auburn Hills, Mich.

Nick Van Exel scored a season-high 30 points to lead Los Angeles to a comeback win against Detroit.

Detroit was within five points in the last 2 minutes, and had a chance to get within three points, but Elden Campbell rejected Theo Ratliff’s dunk attempt.

The win was Los Angeles’ second over the Pistons in four days.

L.A. LAKERS (101)

Campbell 8-12 1-5 17, Ceballos 7-14 6-6 21, Divac 3-7 3-3 9, Jones 5-11 4-4 16, Van Exel 10-19 6-8 30, Peeler 0-2 0-0 0, Blount 2-3 0-0 4, Roberts 0-1 2-2 2, Threatt 1-6 0-1 2, Miller 0-1 0-0 0, Lynch 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 36-76 22-29 101.

DETROIT (98)

Hill 12-22 1-4 25, Thorpe 4-9 2-4 10, Leckner 1-1 0-0 2, Hunter 5-9 3-5 17, Houston 7-17 4-5 19, West 0-1 1-2 1, Dumars 2-5 5-5 9, Ratliff 3-7 0-0 6, Mills 4-10 0-1 9, Roe 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 38-81 16-26 98.

L.A. Lakers 26 22 39 14 - 101

Detroit 25 34 16 23 - 98

3-Point goals-Los Angeles 7-17 (Van Exel 4-8, Jones 2-4, Ceballos 1-3, Threatt 0-2), Detroit 6-15 (Hunter 4-6, Mills 1-1, Houston 1-7, Dumars 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Los Angeles 49 (Campbell, Ceballos 8), Detroit 51 (Hill 8). Assists-Los Angeles 22 (Van Exel 7), Detroit 15 (Hill 9). Total fouls-Los Angeles 24, Detroit 26. Technicals-Los Angeles illegal defense 2. A-14,579 (21,454).

Celtics 111, 76ers 100 Boston

Dino Radja scored 21 points to lead Boston past Philadelphia as the 76ers suffered another rout in losing for the 15th time in 16 games.

The loss was the 12th by at least 11 points for Philadelphia. The Celtics reached .500 for the first time since they were 7-7 after losing to Phoenix on Dec. 2, 1994.

Rookie Eric Williams scored a season-high 20 points and Rick Fox added 15 for Boston.

PHILADELPHIA (100)

Weatherspoon 8-14 3-4 19, Stackhouse 6-13 14-17 26, Wright 10-12 2-5 22, Skiles 2-8 4-6 10, Maxwell 6-12 0-1 13, Wilson 1-3 2-2 4, Malone 1-3 0-0 2, Ruffin 0-0 0-0 0, M.Brown 1-1 2-3 4, Alston 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 35-69 27-38 100.

BOSTON (111)

Radja 9-14 3-3 21, Fox 5-7 4-4 15, Montross 4-7 1-4 9, D.Brown 3-7 2-2 10, Barros 4-10 3-4 13, Day 2-10 2-2 8, Ellison 0-0 0-0 0, Wesley 5-9 1-3 13, Williams 8-13 4-7 20, Minor 1-4 0-0 2, Lister 0-0 0-0 0, Burrough 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 41-83 20-29 111.

Philadelphia 23 22 23 32 - 100

Boston 23 28 34 26 - 111

3-Point goals-Philadelphia 3-8 (Skiles 2-5, Maxwell 1-2, Stackhouse 0-1), Boston 9-19 (D.Brown 2-2, Wesley 2-4, Day 2-5, Barros 2-7, Fox 1-1). Fouled out- Weatherspoon, Day. Rebounds-Philadelphia 47 (Wright 11), Boston 49 (Radja, Montross 8). Assists-Philadelphia 19 (Skiles 6), Boston 24 (Barros 9). Total fouls- Philadelphia 30, Boston 34. Flagrant fouls-Wilson. A-16,504 (18,600).

Rockets 100, Grizzlies 89 Vancouver, B.C.

Robert Horry had 20 points and Hakeem Olajuwon made 10 blocks as Houston sent Vancouver to its 19th consecutive loss.

The Grizzlies already hold the NBA record for most consecutive losses by an expansion team and can tie the record for the longest losing streak by losing to Portland on Friday night.

HOUSTON (100)

Horry 7-13 1-2 20, Brown 5-10 3-5 13, Olajuwon 5-14 5-10 15, Drexler 5-16 3-4 16, Smith 4-9 2-2 12, Cassell 4-12 8-8 16, Chilcutt 0-2 0-0 0, Bryant 4-7 0-0 8, Breaux 0-0 0-0 0, Recasner 0-2 0-0 0, Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-85 22-31 100.

VANCOUVER (89)

King 3-8 0-0 6, Avent 1-2 0-0 2, Reeves 2-9 4-4 8, Edwards 7-18 2-2 19, Anthony 5-17 6-8 18, Amaya 5-9 3-5 13, Scott 3-12 1-2 8, Martin 3-8 0-0 6, Mobley 2-3 0-0 4, Mouten 2-6 0-0 5. Totals 33-92 16-21 89.

Houston 28 20 26 26 - 100

Vancouver 18 25 23 23 - 89

3-Point goals-Houston 10-26 (Horry 5-8, Drexler 3-5, Smith 2-6, Brown 0-1, Cassell 0-2, Chilcutt 0-2, Recasner 0-2), Vancouver 7-19 (Edwards 3-9, Anthony 2-4, Scott 1-2, Mouten 1-2, Martin 0-2). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Houston 65 (Olajuwon 14), Vancouver 59 (Amaya 11). Assists-Houston 25 (Drexler 9), Vancouver 18 (Anthony 8). Total fouls-Houston 17, Vancouver 24. A-15,715 (20,049).