Jordan Delivers Dud Home Debut Bulls Legend Goes 7 Of 23 At United Center As Chicago Falls To No. 1 Orlando 106-99

They screamed so loud, they never heard his name.

They sat on the edge of their seats and waited for the impossible, which Michael Jordan had delivered so many times across the street at the old Chicago Stadium.

Jordan, however, wasn’t ready to deliver this time. And in his unspectacular 44-minute homecoming performance and United Center debut, Jordan - in his own words - “stunk it up.”

“I’m used to playing across the street. But the dimensions are the same,” he said Friday night after struggling through the Chicago Bulls’ 106-99 loss to the Orlando Magic.

“You have to get used to the surroundings to where you feel comfortable,” he said. “I don’t really think that’s the situation with me right now. I think it’s more me than the circumstances or the surroundings.

“As much as I want to blame someone else, I’ve got to blame myself. As much as I want to contribute, I’m not quite ready to take on the responsibility. As much as I want to, I can’t just turn it on.”

He said he grew leg-weary and had trouble finding an offensive rhythm. Jordan scored 21 points but was 7 of 23 from the floor and 7 of 11 from the free-throw line.

“Was I trying too hard? Right now, I’m in the process of trying to push myself,” Jordan said. “A couple of times, I didn’t feel in rhythm but I had the shot. I can’t pass up an open shot. I just haven’t gotten my rhythm so far.”

Even with Michael Jordan out of rhythm, Chicago remains in love with him.

With the lights dimmed and flash bulbs popping from the most distant reaches of the new $175 million arena, public address announcer Ray Clay introduced the starting lineups. He saved Jordan for last.

No one in the United Center, where Jordan’s No. 23 was retired and a statue of him stands at the entrance, ever heard Jordan’s name.

The fans, 24,247 strong, were roaring.

“The crowd paid me a lot of respect,” he said. “It was disappointing that I couldn’t play the kind of basketball I expect to play.”

Despite the club-record crowd’s emotional outpouring for Jordan and the Bulls, Orlando showed why it is the NBA’s best team.

The Magic never got rattled in setting a franchise record with victory No. 51.

“Guys are making like it’s the championship round,” said Shaquille O’Neal, who had 24 points and 16 rebounds. “I told our guys, ‘You can’t get caught up in it. Go out and play our game.”’

ORLANDO (106)

Royal 1-4 2-4 4, Grant 7-11 5-6 19, O’Neal 10-21 4-9 24, Hardaway 7-15 6-7 22, Anderson 8-17 0-2 21, Rollins 0-0 0-0 0, Shaw 3-7 2-2 10, Scott 0-6 0-0 0, Bowie 2-2 0-0 4, Turner 0-2 2-2 2. Totals 38-85 21-32 106.

CHICAGO (99)

Pippen 8-18 1-2 18, Kukoc 6-9 0-0 12, Perdue 2-5 1-2 5, Armstrong 8-11 4-4 23, Jordan 7-23 7-11 21, Longley 4-5 0-0 8, Myers 0-5 1-2 1, Kerr 2-4 1-1 5, Blount 1-1 0-0 2, Harper 0-1 0-0 0, Wennington 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 40-87 15-22 99.

Orlando 32 25 20 29 - 106 Chicago 32 22 26 19 - 99

3-Point goals-Orlando 9-24 (Anderson 5-10, Hardaway 2-6, Shaw 2-4, Turner 0-1, Scott 0-3), Chicago 4-12 (Armstrong 3-3, Pippen 1-5, Jordan 0-2, Myers 0-1, Harper 0-1). Fouled out-Longley. Rebounds-Orlando 65 (O’Neal 16), Chicago 47 (Longley 8). Assists-Orlando 25 (Hardaway 6), Chicago 27 (Pippen 10). Total fouls-Orlando 16, Chicago 21. Technicals-Perdue, Krystkowiak 2, Orlando illegal defense. Ejection- Krystkowiak. A-24,247 (21,500).