Jordan Does A Number On His Bosses
Michael Jordan says he won’t back down as he and the Chicago Bulls trade opposing views of the team’s future.
Jordan has repeatedly said this will be his last year if the Bulls replace coach Phil Jackson at the end of this season - even if the Bulls win their sixth championship this decade. And Bulls management has been equally adamant that this will be Jackson’s final season.
“The question is, who’s going to take a step back. Who’s going to flinch? Not me,” Jordan wrote in the second edition of ESPN magazine, which went on sale Wednesday. “I’ll tell you this. I’m not coming back as a player-coach. Never. There won’t be any coaching for me at all.
“You want odds on me coming back. OK. 70-30. Which way? Whichever way you want,” he wrote.
He also said Jerry Reinsdorf should consider selling the team, and he took shots at a few other people.
“I won’t play for another coach. If Reinsdorf and the other owners don’t like it, sell the team. Let somebody else come in. The Bulls are worth a couple hundred million. Reinsdorf put in $13 million, so that’s a hell of a profit.”
Jackson said his current one-year contract will be his last.
Alleged Jordan caller arrested
Thomas Christopher Davis, 23, of Rocky Mount, N.C., was arrested late last week in connection to a hoax played on Jordan.
It’s alleged Davis called the Target Center in Chicago during the Dec. 30 Minnesota-Chicago game, identified himself as Larry Jordan and said Jordan’s mother had been rushed to a hospital.
Issel gets Nuggets post
The Denver Nuggets named Hall-of-Famer Dan Issel vice president and general manager. He replaces Allan Bristow, who resigned Feb. 4.
Strickland fined $5,000
Washington Wizards guard Rod Strickland was fined $5,000 for berating the referees and failing to leave the court after being ejected Tuesday night against Portland.
On the courts
Stephon Marbury scored six points and Anthony Peeler had four in the final 2:40 as the Minnesota Timberwolves held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 99-97 in Phoenix.
Shaquille O’Neal had 25 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots as the surging Los Angeles Lakers beat Sacramento 114-91 in Inglewood, Calif.
The win was the fifth in a row and 11th in 12 games for the Lakers, who remained two games behind the Pacific Division-leading Seattle SuperSonics with 13 games left in the regular season.