NBA Roundup : Jackson Hits Like Jordan; Knicks Win

Mark Jackson couldn’t quite stay up with Michael Jordan--who can?--but the New York Knicks didn’t mind.

Jackson scored 25 of his 33 points in the second and fourth periods, lifting the Knicks past the Chicago Bulls, 110-98, Monday night at New York for their 13th consecutive home-court victory.

“I have a lot of confidence in my shooting,” Jackson said. “My job on offense is to make things happen. I’ll shoot or pass depending on what the defense gives me.”

Jackson is the favorite to become the National Basketball Assn.’s rookie of the year because of his passing, averaging 10 assists per game.

On this night, his point total rivaled Jordan, who scored 38, but “they were a tough 38,” Knick Coach Rick Pitino said. “We tried to tire him out by making him fight through a lot of picks and screens on defense.

Jordan said Jackson “is turning into a good player. The Knicks gave him the opportunity to step in, and he’s done that. He’s going to get better and better. He’s already looking like a veteran.”

Added Pitino: “(Jackson) was brilliant. It’s great being on the sidelines knowing he has the ball.”

Jackson, whose previous scoring high was 22 points, scored 13 in the second period as New York outscored the Bulls, 33-19, to turn a seven-point deficit into a 54-47 halftime lead.

New York built the lead to 80-66 on a basket by Pat Cummings with 1:49 left in the third period. Chicago responded with a 15-5 spurt to close the gap to 85-81, but that was as close as the Bulls could get.

Jackson scored all of his 12 fourth-quarter points in the final 8:32 as the Knicks held on. Jordan, the NBA’s leading scorer with an average of 33.9 per game, was held to seven in the fourth quarter.

Utah 105, New Jersey 81--Thurl Bailey and Karl Malone scored 21 points each, and Bobby Hansen added 20 as the Jazz trounced the Nets at Salt Lake City for their fifth straight victory.

John Stockton added 15 points and 9 assists, and Malone grabbed 19 rebounds as the Jazz handed Net Coach Willis Reed his first loss after three wins.

Tim McCormick scored a season-high 25 points for New Jersey. Pearl Washington contributed 13 points, and John Bagley and Otis Birdsong each added 12.

Sacramento 116, Denver 114--Reggie Theus sank two free throws with two seconds left in regulation to tie the game, then hit three more foul shots in the final eight seconds of overtime to push the Suns past the Nuggets at Sacramento.

Theus scored 33 points to make Jerry Reynolds’ season debut as coach a success. Reynolds, an interim coach for the Kings last season, replaced Bill Russell eight hours before the game. Russell was reassigned as the Kings’ vice president of basketball operations.

Lafayette Lever scored 23 points, Michael Adams added 20 and Alex English had 18 for the Nuggets.

Kenny Smith added 21, and Derek Smith had 17 for the Kings, who snapped a four-game losing streak.