Chicago Dumps Phoenix, 93-82
NBA
Michael Jordan scored 31 points as the Chicago Bulls set a franchise record with their 15th consecutive victory by beating the Phoenix Suns 93-82 Sunday.
Dennis Rodman had 20 rebounds and Scottie Pippen 21 points for the Bulls, who are 38-3 at the season’s midway point. Only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, who went on to win an NBA-record 69 games, ever won 38 games by the midseason.
The Bulls resume pursuit of the 70-victory mark Tuesday, when they begin a seven-game road trip at Houston. Earlier this season, Chicago went 6-1 on a similar Texas and West Coast swing.
Chicago, which broke the club record of 14 straight wins set in 1991-92, also stretched its team-record home winning streak to 29. It hasn’t lost at the United Center since last March 24 - Jordan’s first home game after coming out of retirement.
Charles Barkley had 20 points and 16 rebounds for the Suns, who are 2-2 so far on a club-record eight-game road trip. Phoenix is 3-4 since Cotton Fitzsimmons replaced Paul Westphal, who was fired as coach on Jan. 16.
Pippen scored nine points in the first quarter as Chicago took a 21-19 lead. The Suns shot 62 percent in the second quarter to go up 52-47 at halftime.
Bulls 93, Suns 82
Phoenix (82) - Finley 8-12 0-0 16, Barkley 6-14 8-10 20, Green 3-5 0-0 6, Person 6-15 0-0 13, Johnson 2-14 7-8 11, Carr 3-6 0-0 6, Tisdale 3-7 0-0 6, Perry 1-1 0-0 2, Williams 0-5 2-2 2. Totals 32-79 17-20 82.
Chicago (93) - Pippen 7-16 5-7 21, Rodman 1-7 2-2 4, Longley 5-12 1-1 11, Harper 2-6 0-0 4, Jordan 13-25 5-7 31, Caffey 0-1 0-2 0, Kukoc 2-6 0-0 7, Kerr 3-7 1-2 9, Buechler 2-3 1-2 6, Brown 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-83 17-25 93.
Phoenix 19 33 16 14 - 82
Chicago 21 26 24 22 - 93
3-Point goals-Pho 1-9 (Person 1-3, Barkley 0-2, Johnson 0-2, Carr 0-2), Chi 6-19 (Pippen 2-7, Kerr 2-5, Kukoc 1-2, Buechler 1-1, Jordan 0-2, Rodman 0-1, Harper 0-1). Fouled out- Green. Rebounds-Pho 46 (Barkley 16), Chi 60 (Rodman 20). Assists-Pho 20 (Barkley 8), Chi 26 (Jordan 6). Total fouls-Pho 25, Chi 23. Technicals-Coach Fitzsimmons, Williams, Jordan, Chi illegal defense. A-23,927 (21,771).