NBA Playoffs : Jordan Scores 50; Defense Turns It On as Bulls Win

When the Chicago Bulls fell behind, they went to Michael Jordan. After pulling ahead, they turned to defense.

Jordan scored 50 points and the Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 104-93, Thursday night at Chicago to win for the first time in their last eight playoff games.

Game 2 is Sunday in Chicago.

Chicago held the Cavaliers scoreless for just under five minutes in the the final period to seal the victory in the opener of their Eastern Conference playoff series.

“Our defense didn’t turn it on until the fourth quarter,” Jordan said. “We kept turning over the game and just didn’t get it together until that time.”

Jordan made a 3-point play with 10:22 left in the game to give Chicago a 78-77 lead and the Cavaliers never caught up. The Bulls added 11 more points before Cleveland’s Craig Ehlo scored to make it 89-79 with 5:38 left.

Cleveland had a seven-point lead in the first quarter and led, 29-23, after one before Jordan warmed up.

Jordan made 9 of 14 shots in the second quarter and scored 20 points in the period as Chicago moved out to a 53-48 halftime lead.

“The guys were a little tight, and I had to show my leadership and get something going,” Jordan said.

The Cavaliers were without injured star guard Ron Harper, but Craig Ehlo filled in and scored 21 points. He also had 6 assists and 6 rebounds.

Detroit 96, Washington 87--Isiah Thomas had 26 of his 34 points in the second half to rally the Pistons past the Bullets in an Eastern Conference opener at Pontiac, Mich.

Game 2 is Saturday night at the Pontiac.

Washington had a 42-38 edge at halftime and Steve Colter hit the Bullets’ first six points of the second half, increasing the lead to 48-41.

Thomas had 12 points and Adrian Dantley added 7 in the third quarter, as Detroit surged back.

Detroit took a 62-61 lead on a breakaway layup by Thomas with 4:33 left in the quarter and led the rest of the way. The Pistons led, 67-61, after three quarters.

Thomas scored 12 of the Pistons’ first 16 points to start the fourth quarter, but Jeff Malone, hitting 15 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, kept the Bullets close.

A basket by Moses Malone narrowed the Pistons’ lead to 91-87 with 57 seconds remaining. But Dantley hit a free throw and Thomas added two more in the closing seconds.

Dallas 120, Houston 110--Roy Tarpley outplayed Akeem Olajuwon down the stretch and the Mavericks beat the Rockets in the first game of their Western Conference series at Dallas.

Game 2 is Saturday afternoon at Dallas.

Tarpley scored 24 points and although Olajuwon finished with 34 points and 14 rebounds, he could not stop Tarpley late in the game with the outcome still in doubt.

Houston was within three points in the final minutes, but Tarpley beat Olajuwon and was fouled for a 3-point play. Moments later, Tarpley again spun around Olajuwon for a layup that boosted Dallas’ advantage to 11.

In the third period Tarpley caused Olajuwon to pick up his fourth foul and the Houston center was forced to sit out the last six minutes of the third quarter and the first four minutes of the fourth.

Portland 108, Utah 96--Clyde Drexler and Jerome Kersey scored 26 points apiece as the Trail Blazers downed the Jazz in a Western Conference opener at Portland.

Game 2 is Saturday night at Portland.

The Blazers, who lost 4 of 5 games to the Jazz in the regular season, outscored Utah, 16-3, during a span of 6:18 late in the second quarter to take a 60-48 halftime lead and went on to an 84-64 lead with 1:41 left in the third period.

Utah, beaten badly on the boards most of the night by the smaller Trail Blazers, pulled to within 11 twice in the final quarter, the last time at 98-87 on John Stockton’s two free throws with 5:47 remaining.

Terry Porter’s 20-footer and Drexler’s rebound basket put Portland back in control for good.

Karl Malone, who averaged 33.8 points per game against Portland during the regular season, wound up with 16, only 4 in the second half. Malone, who made 5 of 22 shots, scored at least 31 points in each of Utah’s last eight regular-season games.