Jordan’s Back, All Right And Answers By Scoring 48 Points In Bulls’ Ot Win

His first playoff game in two years. His home state. Overtime.

Of course, it was Michael Jordan’s time.

Jordan burst back into the NBA playoffs with 48 points, 10 in overtime, and the Chicago Bulls took the home-court advantage away from the Charlotte Hornets with a 108-100 victory Friday night.

“I felt like a shark in the water,” Jordan said. “I saw blood. I just had to attack and bite the right person.”

Actually, the entire Charlotte team felt the bite as Jordan set the Bulls off on their playoff quest with a dominating performance in overtime. He hit all four of his shots, including a 12-foot bank shot that put Chicago ahead 100-95 with 2:03 left in OT.

He followed that with a bullet pass to Luc Longley under the basket that the center converted into a dunk.

After having a chance to win it in overtime, Charlotte looked defeated as soon as the overtime started, missing four of its first five shots and watching Jordan make all his.

In his first playoff game since the Bulls beat the Phoenix Suns for their third consecutive NBA title in 1993, Jordan hit the 40-point mark for the 31st time in the playoffs.

The best-of-five first-round series continues Sunday in Charlotte.

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NBA PLAYOFFS Friday’s games Chicago 108, Charlotte 100 (OT) Orlando 124, Boston 77 San Antonio 104, Denver 88 Phoenix 129, Portland 102

Today’s games Cavaliers at Knicks, 10 a.m. (NBC) Lakers at Sonics, 12:30 p.m. (NBC) Hawks at Pacers, 4:30 p.m. (TNT) Rockets at Jazz, 7 p.m. (TNT)