Jordan Wins MVP Award, but It Doesn’t Have Ring to It

Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls capped a season of honors Wednesday by being named the National Basketball Assn.’s most valuable player.

Jordan was playing golf in the East and could not be reached, said Jerry Krause, the Bulls’ vice president for basketball operations. Krause added that Jordan has not reached his primary goal.

“Michael wants to win. I don’t think he will be satisfied until we win it all,” Krause said.

“And then I don’t think he’ll be satisfied until we win the second one. As Bill Russell said, ‘You like to have (championship) rings on both hands.’ ”

Jordan received 47 of a possible 80 first-place votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters for a total of 665 points.

Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, a three-time MVP, finished second with 16 first-place votes and 527 total points. Magic Johnson of the Lakers, last year’s MVP, also received 16 first-place votes and accumulated 508 total points to finish third. Charles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76ers received one first-place vote.

Jordan earlier was named the league’s top defensive player. But Jordan, only the fourth guard to win the MVP in the award’s 22-year history, has said winning is more important to him than individual honors.

“I want to win, I want to have fun and I want to entertain people,” said Jordan, who joins Johnson, Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson as the only guards named MVP.

Jordan, who led the league in scoring for the second consecutive season with a 35.0 average, led the Bulls to a 50-32 record and second place in the Central Division.

Jordan scored an NBA season-high 59 points against the Detroit Pistons on April 3.

The Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round but were ousted by the Detroit Pistons.

Jordan led the league with 259 steals and blocked 131 shots. It was the second consecutive season Jordan had more than 200 steals and 100 blocks--something no other NBA player has done.