NBA Roundup : Jordan Gets 45 Points in Bulls’ 117-104 Win

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls got off to a fast start Saturday night, then coasted to a 117-104 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at Chicago.

Jordan scored 15 points in the first quarter and finished with 45, tying his season high. The Bulls hit 16 of 19 shots (84%) in the first quarter and took a 36-25 lead while holding the Hawks to 42%.

Jordan added eight points in the second quarter as the Bulls built a 19-point lead with 7:36 remaining in the half. It was 61-48 at the intermission.

Before the half, Chicago reserve forward Sidney Green and Atlanta’s Scott Hastings were ejected for fighting.

Dominque Wilkins, who led the Hawks with 30 points, scored 13 in the third quarter, but the Bulls had a 89-74 lead entering the final quarter. Kevin Willis scored a season-high 24 points for the Hawks.

Milwaukee 105, Houston 102--Terry Cummings scored 28 points, including nine in the final quarter, as the Bucks won at Houston. The Bucks, winning their seventh straight, maintained their three-game lead over Detroit in the Central Division.

Sidney Moncrief added 19 points for the Bucks and connected for six of his team’s last 12 points as they moved away from a 95-95 tie.

Washington 110, Phoenix 105--Tom McMillen scored five of his career-high 37 points in overtime to lead the Bullets at Landover, Md.

McMillen surpassed his previous high of 31 in regulation, which ended at 95-95, then hit a pair of jump shots from the corner to rally the Bullets, who had fallen behind, 105-102, in the extra period.

The Bullets have won four straight games with McMillen starting at center. Regular front-court starters Cliff Robinson and Jeff Ruland have missed each game in the streak, and Rich Mahorn, who injured his wrist earlier in the week, had missed the two previous contests. Mahorn returned to action Saturday, but his heavily bandaged wrist limited him to only two shots from the field.

New Jersey 103, Dallas 93--The Nets snapped a four-game losing streak with this victory at Dallas. Micheal Ray Richardson scored 24 points to lead the Nets, while Mark Aguirre had a season-high 38 for the Mavericks.

After trailing by 12 points early in the third quarter, Dallas fought back to 76-73 entering the fourth quarter. But Richardson scored the first nine points of the final period as the Nets outscored the Mavericks, 15-3, to take a 91-76 lead with 6:59 left.

Kansas City 120, Golden State 111--The Warriors’ losing streak reached 14 and their record dipped to 10-33, worst in the NBA. The game at Kansas City saw 16 lead changes and 14 ties before the Kings took the lead for good at 89-88 with 8:41 left.

Reggie Theus scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and Mark Olberding had nine of his 23 in the fourth quarter as the Kings pulled away. Purvis Short scored 34 for the Warriors.

Detroit 132, Seattle 113--Center Bill Laimbeer scored 14 of his 35 points in the third quarter at Pontiac, Mich., as the Pistons won their seventh straight. The 35 points tied Laimbeer’s career high.

Laimbeer sank a 17-foot jump shot with 5:10 remaining in the third quarter to put Detroit ahead for good, 83-82, after the lead had changed hands six times in the period.

Jack Sikma was the top scorer for the Sonics with 25 points.

Denver 144, Cleveland 127--Alex English scored 26 points and Dan Issel added 24 at Denver to lead the Nuggets to their fifth straight victory.

The Cavaliers have not won in Denver since 1978.

New York 109, Indiana 106--Pat Cummings scored 24 points, including four in the final minute, at New York as the Knicks won their third straight.