NBA ROUNDUP : Jordan Propels Bulls Past Hawks, 125-113

Michael Jordan has won nearly every honor a professional basketball player can win. He has also played on an NCAA champion. There is one goal left.

The star of the Chicago Bulls won’t be content until he leads his team to an NBA championship.

Friday night, the battle was simply for first place in the Central Division. Jordan, who scored 52 points in a loss at Orlando Wednesday night, had 29 at Atlanta, but it was enough to lead the Bulls to a 125-113 victory over the Hawks.

Dominique Wilkins had 34 points and 11 rebounds, but many of his points came after the Bulls built a 105-86 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Bulls, who gave Jordan no offensive support in the loss to the Magic, obviously were out to make amends. Scottie Pippen had 25 points and nine rebounds and the Bulls shot nearly 60% from the field with Horace Grant making seven of nine shots.

“I have already proven,” Jordan told the Associated Press, “that I can score pass, rebound and play defense. What the Bulls need from me this season is leadership.

“I’m one of the oldest guys on the team. The younger players need me to lead. There are times when I have to be vocal, too. It’s necessary if we are going to win a championship.”

Utah 114, Charlotte 100--A team without a top power forward is overmatched against Karl Malone and the Jazz. The Hornets recently traded their big defensive forward, Kurt Rambis, to Phoenix.

As a result, Malone had 52 points, his most in an NBA game, and 17 rebounds at Charlotte and the Jazz pulled away in the closing minutes.

Malone made his last eight shots. With the Hornets within 100-94 with 4:14 left, Malone scored the first five points in a 10-0 run that ensured the Hornets’ 19th loss in 23 games.

The Jazz were coming off losses at Boston and New York.

Malone had 39 points and 12 rebounds in the 113-109 loss to the Celtics and was disappointed by his performance.

“If you have a big performance and win,” he said, “it means something. It doesn’t, if you lose.”

Golden State 150, Indiana 124--Mitch Richmond had a season-high 31 points at Oakland and the Warriors scored their sixth consecutive victory.

The Pacers, in the fourth game of a trip that ends tonight at Seattle, appeared to be tired. They made 22 turnovers and lost for the third time in four games.

The Warriors had six players in double figures.

Philadelphia 89, Boston 88--The Celtics fell apart in the fourth quarter at Boston.

Even though Larry Bird had a miserable night, the Celtics built a 17-point lead and were still ahead, 82-70, with seven minutes to play.

But Derek Smith led the 76ers’ rally, getting nine of his 13 points and the 76ers closed to 86-85 with 1:27 to play.

Ron Anderson then made two long jump shots to win it for Philadelphia.

Bird, who was five for 14 from the field, missed two long shots in the closing seconds.

New York 122, Washington 112--The way coaches, players and New York writers are praising Patrick Ewing, it’s easy to forget that the Knicks are not a one-man team.

After getting the Knicks off to a fast start at Landover, Md., Ewing got in foul trouble.

However, Johnny Newman, Gerald Wilkins and Charles Oakley took over the offense and the Knicks won their fifth in a row. Newman had 25 points, Wilkins had 19 and Oakley had 18 along with 12 rebounds.

The Knicks lead the Atlantic Division by three games.

Denver 137, Orlando 125--Ever since the Nuggets rejected Alex English’s plea to be traded, the veteran forward has been playing more and playing better.

English played 32 minutes in this game at Orlando, made 12 of 14 shots and finished with 25 points to lead the Nuggets to their third victory in four games.

With English setting the pace, the Nuggets shot 58.6% from the field.

Detroit 96, New Jersey 90--Joe Dumars scored six of his 27 points during a 20-6 rally in the third quarter that wiped out an eight-point deficit at East Rutherford, N.J.

Halfway through the final period, the Pistons led by only 78-77. But six free throws and a dunk by James Edwards gave the Pistons control again.

Houston 103, Sacramento 92--For the third game in a row on the road, the Kings built a lead in the first half only to fall apart in the second half.

After the Kings built a 30-18 lead, Akeem Olajuwon went to work. He had 29 points and 21 rebounds and the Rockets pulled away in the last quarter to hand the Kings their seventh consecutive loss.

Milwaukee 112, Cleveland 100--Jay Humphries scored six of his 27 points during a 12-0 spurt in the third quarter at Milwaukee that wiped out the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers, who fell behind, 30-18, in the first period, went on a 23-9 spurt to get the lead. They trailed, 61-58, when the Bucks went on their spurt.

San Antonio 119, Phoenix 115--Terry Cummings and David Robinson continue to provide a one-two punch for the Spurs. Cummings had 29 points and Robinson 28 at Phoenix and the Spurs came from behind in the last quarter.