Bulls Survive Orlando Run For 66th Win

NBA

If Sunday was a preview of the Eastern Conference finals, the NBA is in for a treat.

Michael Jordan hit a turnaround jumper with just under a minute to go, Anfernee Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal missed shots in the final 10 seconds and Chicago and Orlando battled down to the last possession before the Bulls escaped with a 90-86 victory in Orlando, Fla.

O’Neal, who returned to Orlando’s lineup after missing two games because of the death of his grandmother, shot an airball after Hardaway missed on a drive. Either shot would have tied the game, but the Bulls rebounded and Kukoc sealed the win on two foul shots.

Bulls 90, Magic 86

Chicago (90) - Pippen 6-13 4-5 17, Kukoc 5-12 5-5 20, Wennington 3-8 2-2 8, Jordan 10-30 5-5 27, Harper 4-5 1-2 9, Edwards 1-5 0-0 2, Rodman 1-2 1-2 3, Kerr 2-4 0-0 4, Caffey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-79 18-21 90.

Orlando (86) - Scott 0-7 2-2 2, Grant 6-11 2-2 14, Koncak 0-1 0-0 0, Anderson 2-4 4-4 8, Hardaway 11-23 1-2 25, Shaw 4-8 2-2 11, O’Neal 10-16 1-2 21, Bowie 1-1 0-0 3, Wolf 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 35-75 12-14 86.

Chicago 28 22 25 15 - 90

Orlando 21 21 26 18 - 86

3-Point goals-Chicago 8-20 (Kukoc 5-8, Jordan 2-4, Pippen 1-6, Harper 0-1, Kerr 0-1), Orlando 4-15 (Hardaway 2-5, Bowie 1-1, Shaw 1-2, Anderson 0-2, Scott 0-5). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Chicago 46 (Pippen, Rodman 13), Orlando 46 (Grant 10). Assists-Chicago 17 (Pippen, Harper 5), Orlando 21 (Hardaway 6). Total fouls-Chicago 20, Orlando 22. Technicals-Chicago illegal defense. A-17,248 (17,248).

Lakers 107, Spurs 97

Inglewood, Calif.

Vlade Divac had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Eddie Jones scored 13 of his 19 points in the third quarter as Los Angeles beat suddenly cold San Antonio.

San Antonio’s David Robinson had 40 points and 11 rebounds in a losing cause, the third time he’s scored 40 or more points in a game this season.

San Antonio (97) - Smith 2-9 1-2 5, Elliott 6-11 5-5 17, Robinson 15-26 10-13 40, Del Negro 5-9 2-2 12, A.Johnson 5-13 0-0 10, Person 5-7 0-2 13, Perdue 0-1 0-0 0, Rivers 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 38-76 18-24 97.

L.A. Lakers (107) - Campbell 3-7 3-3 9, M.Johnson 4-11 5-6 15, Divac 9-17 1-1 19, Jones 6-13 4-5 19, Van Exel 3-10 2-4 8, Ceballos 5-11 3-4 13, Threatt 2-3 0-0 4, Peeler 3-5 0-0 9, Lynch 4-5 1-1 9, Strong 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 40-83 19-24 107.

San Antonio 26 29 23 19 - 97

L.A. Lakers 23 34 29 21 - 107

3-Point goals-San Antonio 3-7 (Person 3-5, Del Negro 0-1, Johnson 0-1), Los Angeles 8-12 (Jones 3-3, Peeler 3-4, Johnson 2-3, Van Exel 0-1, Ceballos 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-San Antonio 39 (Robinson 11), Los Angeles 53 (Divac 11). Assists-San Antonio 23 (A.Johnson 13), Los Angeles 27 (M.Johnson 7). Total fouls-San Antonio 22, Los Angeles 21. Technicals-San Antonio illegal defense. A-17,137 (17,505).

Jazz 107, Kings 92

Sacramento, Calif.

Karl Malone had 35 points as Utah broke a season-high four-game losing streak.

The loss cut the Kings’ margin over the idle Golden State Warriors to 1-1/2 games in the battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Utah (107) - Benoit 1-4 4-6 7, Malone 15-26 5-7 35, Spencer 1-1 0-0 2, Hornacek 5-9 7-7 17, Stockton 2-5 2-3 6, Eisley 2-5 0-0 4, Ostertag 0-1 4-4 4, Keefe 1-3 4-6 6, Morris 4-9 0-0 9, Carr 6-8 3-4 15, Russell 1-1 0-0 2, Foster 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 38-72 29-37 107.

Sacramento (92) - Grant 6-11 5-6 17, Polynice 1-10 1-2 3, Causwell 0-4 0-0 0, Richmond 7-15 8-10 27, Edney 5-10 5-6 15, Hurley 2-7 3-3 7, Owens 2-6 1-2 6, Smith 1-3 0-2 2, Marciulionis 4-8 1-2 11, Simmons 1-4 0-0 2, Williamson 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 30-80 24-33 92.

Utah 19 29 25 34 - 107

Sacramento 19 25 29 19 - 92

3-Point goals-Utah 2-5 (Morris 1-2, Benoit 1-3), Sacramento 8-15 (Richmond 5-6, Marciulionis 2-4, Owens 1-1, Edney 0-1, Simmons 0-1, Hurley 0-2). Fouled out- None. Rebounds-Utah 50 (Keefe 9), Sacramento 51 (Grant 9). Assists-Utah 25 (Stockton 8), Sacramento 22 (Hurley 7). Total fouls-Utah 21, Sacramento 28. Technicals- Malone, Marciulionis, Utah illegal defense 4. A-17,317 (17,317).

Nuggets 111, Rockets 105

Denver

Jalen Rose and LaPhonso Ellis hit key baskets down the stretch, helping Denver keep its slim playoff hopes alive.

Houston (105) - Horry 7-16 0-0 16, Brown 2-5 2-2 6, Bryant 12-19 3-4 27, Drexler 7-17 8-11 23, Smith 4-11 0-0 8, Recasner 2-6 2-2 7, Chilcutt 2-2 0-0 5, Elie 1-5 2-3 4, Mack 4-10 0-0 9, Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 41-91 17-22 105.

Denver (111) - D.Ellis 8-14 3-6 21, L.Ellis 8-13 2-2 18, McDyess 3-8 4-7 10, Rose 7-7 5-7 19, Stith 9-17 1-1 20, MacLean 6-20 3-4 15, Fish 1-3 1-2 3, Grant 2-4 0-0 5, Overton 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 44-88 19-29 111.

Houston 21 33 30 21 - 105

Denver 18 29 32 32 - 111

3-Point goals-Houston 6-23 (Horry 2-6, Chilcutt 1-1, Recasner 1-3, Drexler 1-4, Mack 1-5, Elie 0-1, Smith 0-3), Denver 4-10 (D.Ellis 2-5, Grant 1-2, Stith 1-3). Fouled out- None. Rebounds-Houston 47 (Bryant 8), Denver 62 (L.Ellis 11). Assists-Houston 17 (Horry 5), Denver 24 (Rose 9). Total fouls-Houston 27, Denver 20. Technicals-Denver assistant coach Littles, Denver coach Bickerstaff 2. Ejections-Denver coach Bickerstaff. A-15,832 (17,171).

Celtics 98, Pistons 97

Boston

Todd Day scored 11 of his 16 points during a 19-5 fourth-quarter run that put Boston in the lead for good.

Detroit (97) - Hill 6-20 4-7 16, Thorpe 7-15 2-5 16, Reid 2-2 2-2 6, Dumars 3-5 2-4 10, Houston 10-21 3-3 26, Hunter 3-12 0-0 7, Mills 2-4 0-0 6, Ratliff 2-4 2-2 6, Curry 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 37-85 15-23 97.

Boston (98) - Ellison 6-10 6-7 18, Fox 3-7 0-0 8, Lister 1-2 0-0 2, Wesley 4-11 3-4 12, Minor 6-11 0-0 12, Williams 4-14 3-6 11, Brown 4-10 5-6 15, Day 6-12 2-4 16, Barros 2-4 0-0 4, Burrough 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 36-82 19-27 98.

Detroit 19 28 19 31 - 97

Boston 23 21 26 28 - 98

3-Point goals-Detroit 8-18 (Houston 3-7, Mills 2-3, Dumars 2-4, Hunter 1-4), Boston 7-17 (Day 2-2, Brown 2-3, Fox 2-6, Wesley 1-5, Barros 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Detroit 53 (Hill 10), Boston 57 (Ellison, Lister 12). Assists-Detroit 18 (Hill 10), Boston 20 (Wesley, Brown, Barros 4). Total fouls-Detroit 23, Boston 23. A-18,624 (18,624).

Suns 112, Grizzlies 92

Vancouver, British Columbia

Kevin Johnson scored 26 points and Wesley Person made six 3-pointers as Phoenix broke its four-game road losing streak.

Phoenix (112) - Finley 6-12 0-0 13, Barkley 4-8 5-7 13, Williams 4-8 2-3 10, Person 7-12 2-2 22, Johnson 8-16 9-9 26, Tisdale 8-12 4-4 20, Perry 1-2 0-0 2, Green 1-5 2-3 4, Kleine 1-1 0-0 2, Carr 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 40-76 24-28 112.

Vancouver (92) - King 5-9 2-3 13, Amaya 4-5 3-5 11, Reeves 6-13 1-2 13, Edwards 5-10 1-4 12, Anthony 4-13 0-0 11, Manning 2-3 0-0 4, Scott 4-10 0-0 10, Murdock 3-9 0-0 7, Avent 3-8 0-0 6, Moten 1-5 0-2 2, Martin 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 38-86 7-16 92.

Phoenix 33 28 27 24 - 112

Vancouver 24 22 22 24 - 92

3-Point goals-Phoenix 8-15 (Person 6-9, Johnson 1-2, Finley 1-3, Barkley 0-1), Vancouver 9-18 (Anthony 3-6, Scott 2-5, King 1-1, Martin 1-1, Edwards 1-2, Murdock 1-3). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Phoenix 46 (Barkley 15), Vancouver 51 (Avent 10). Assists-Phoenix 24 (Johnson 7), Vancouver 24 (Anthony 9). Total fouls-Phoenix 17, Vancouver 23. Technical-Vancouver illegal defense. A-19,193 (19,193).