Clippers Can’t Slow Air Jordan : Chicago All-Star Scores 36 Points in 111-94 Victory

Ken Norman, the Clippers’ fine rookie forward, was given a Mission Impossible assignment for Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls: Guard Michael Jordan.

Norman had about as much chance of shutting down Jordan as does Spike Lee, the pint-sized movie director who appears with Jordan in the latest of Jordan’s shoe commercials.

“He (Jordan) isn’t God,” Norman said. “But nobody in the NBA can stop him. He just has awesome one-on-one ability.”

Jordan dunked his way to 36 points, including 20 in the first half, as the Bulls embarrassed the Clippers, 111-94, before a sellout crowd of 15,167 at the Sports Arena.

“Michael is an unbelievable player. He’s one of the best you’re ever going to see,” Clipper Coach Gene Shue said of Jordan, the leading scorer in the National Basketball Assn. over the last two seasons. “Not only is he a winning player, but he’s one of the very best one-on-one players we’ve ever had in the NBA, and probably before it’s all over he’ll be the very best.

“He and Julius Erving are players who are spectacular, but it never interferes with their games.”

Asked why he put Norman on Jordan, Shue said: “Ken Norman has been doing a good job as a defensive player, and I thought he could match up strengthwise with Jordan. He (Norman) was supposed to get a lot of help from our other players.”

Jordan said he was stunned that Norman, a forward, was assigned to check him. The Bulls adjusted by switching Jordan from guard to forward for much of the game.

“I felt confident because I played against (Norman) in the summertime in Chicago,” Jordan said. “I thought they would put Woody (Mike Woodson) on me because he guarded me in Chicago, or Darnell (Valentine) on me.

“It surprised me when Norman was on me but I wasn’t going to complain. We started out slow, but we put it in a faster gear in the second quarter.”

After scoring just 6 points in the opening quarter, Jordan got 14 points as the Bulls outscored the Clippers, 36-16, to break the game open. He added 12 points in the third quarter and had 4 in the final quarter before retiring for the evening with 4:10 remaining in the game.

Jordan, pro basketball’s master of midair, didn’t disappoint his fans, coming up with four spectacular dunks, including three in a row in the second quarter. He scored his final basket on a double-pump dunk with 5:01 left.

He made 15 of 25 shots and all 6 of his free throws. Jordan also had 6 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 assists in 34 minutes.

Jordan, who received an ovation on several occasions from the sellout crowd, the Clippers’ third this season, said he appreciated the fan response.

“It felt like I was playing at home,” Jordan said. “They really responded to my style of play.”

Center Dave Corzine added 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Chicago (41-29). Forward Charles Oakley, the league’s leading rebounder, grabbed 17 rebounds as the Bulls beat the Clippers on the boards, 64-50. Guard Sam Vincent passed off for 10 assists and scored 10 points.

After taking early leads of 9-0 and 11-2, the Clippers collapsed.

“Needless to say, with a full house and TV, I thought we’d play a terrific ballgame,” Shue said. “We started out the game strong and then it all went to hell. We just got blown out in the second quarter.”

The Clippers were colder than a winter day in Chicago, hitting just 38 of 97 shots (39.2%). Norman made just 7 of 17 shots, and guard Quintin Dailey hit only 4 of 17. Valentine made 4 of 11, and Woodson was 5 for 14. Center Benoit Benjamin missed 6 of 7 shots.

Woodson and Norman scored 16 points apiece for the Clippers, while forward Michael Cage grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds.

Clipper Notes

Rookie forward Joe Wolf of the Clippers, who is sidelined with a sprained right knee, said he hopes to return in two weeks. . . . The Clippers play the San Antonio Spurs Friday night at the Sports Arena. The Clippers are 0-4 against the Spurs this season. . . . Center Benoit Benjamin of the Clippers said he weighs 246 pounds after a bout with bronchitis. It’s the least Benjamin has weighed during his three-year NBA career.