Bulls Vets Gore L.A. Kids

Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman and the rest of the Chicago Bulls’ old-timers did just about everything better than the kids from Los Angeles, defeating the Lakers 104-83 Wednesday night in Chicago.

The 34-year-old Jordan, often matched against teenager Kobe Bryant, scored 36 points. And Rodman, 36, with a new dye job featuring a smiley face on the back of his head, grabbed 14 rebounds as the Bulls improved to 11-1 at home.

Luc Longley, who had missed the previous game with a sprained ankle, added a career-high 23 points for the two-time defending NBA champions, who shot 50 percent and outhustled the league’s supposed team of tomorrow.

Bryant scored a career-high 33 points - 16 in the garbage-time fourth quarter - for Los Angeles, which is 7-6 since its franchise-record 11-0 start.

The Lakers entered as the league’s top scoring (107 points per game) and shooting (48 percent) team but hit only 35 percent from the floor in finishing with its lowest point total this season.

Mourning not enough

Even the return of Miami’s Alonzo Mourning couldn’t stop the Washington Wizards’ mastery at their new building.

The Wizards raced to a 32-12 lead after one quarter and Rod Strickland scored 21 points as Washington improved its record at the MCI Center to 6-0 with an 88-74 victory over the Miami Heat.

Mourning, who underwent surgery in September for a torn knee tendon, was activated from the injured list earlier in the day. He came off the bench and had 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting with nine rebounds, four blocks, a flagrant foul and a technical.

Hawks stay in flight

Steve Smith scored 23 points and the Atlanta Hawks extended their winning streak to four games, pulling away in the fourth quarter to beat Cleveland 94-83 in Atlanta.

The Cavaliers lost for the second time in three games after a 10-game winning streak.

The Hawks, coming off a four-game West Coast trip in which they won the final three, sealed the victory with a 18-5 run in the fourth period.

Ackerley nixes Marlins

Seattle SuperSonics owner Barry Ackerley has decided not to be part of a group trying to buy the Florida Marlins baseball team.

Ackerley spent the last month in negotiations with Marlins president Don Smiley, who is trying to assemble a group to buy the team from billionaire Wayne Huizenga.

But Ackerley recently opted to drop out of the talks, a spokeswoman said Monday.

“After in-depth exploratory discussions, the Ackerley Group decided not to participate in buying the Marlins,” Rosanne Marks said.

The deal “was not consistent with the Ackerley Group’s investment criteria. Their philosophy takes a leadership role,” Marks said.

The family run Ackerley Group, a media and entertainment conglomerate based in Seattle, owns AK Media in Florida, an outdoor advertising business.