NBA ROUNDUP : Bulls Hand Suns Worst Defeat of Season, 121-92

Michael Jordan scored 28 points and Scottie Pippen had 27 Monday night as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Phoenix Suns, 121-92, ending the Suns’ five-game road winning streak.

Jordan sat out the fourth quarter as the Bulls led by as many as 33 points. Chicago won for the seventh time in nine games and is 28-5 at home.

It was the worst defeat for Phoenix this season and only the third time the Suns had lost by more than 10 points.

“We played poor defense and had no offense,” said the Suns’ Tom Chambers, who was held to 20 points after scoring 60 Saturday against Seattle. “We were not prepared mentally or physically. We’re going to forget this and go on to Milwaukee,” where the Suns play tonight.

Phoenix Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons called it the “worst game” the Suns have played since he took over as coach two years ago. “This is the first time I’ve been disappointed in this team,” he said. “We will not get down; this will not happen again.”

Jordan and Pippen each had 10 points in the third quarter as the Bulls raced to a 94-67 lead.

Kevin Johnson led the Suns with 17 points.

Atlanta 113, Denver 102--Dominique Wilkins scored 36 points and Moses Malone added 25 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Hawks at Atlanta.

The Hawks never trailed after John Battle hit a 16-foot jump shot with one minute left in the third quarter, erasing a 76-75 deficit.

Joe Barry Carroll led Denver with 18 points.

Wilkins hit 10 of 18 shots and 15 of 17 free throws as Atlanta beat the Nuggets for the first time in five meetings.

Houston 113, San Antonio 95--Otis Thorpe scored 22 of his 30 points in the first half to lead the Rockets at Houston.

The Rockets are 33-36 and trail Seattle by 1 1/2 games for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Akeem Olajuwon finished with 27 points and 18 rebounds for Houston.

David Robinson led San Antonio with 24 points.

Charlotte 97, New Jersey 83--The Hornets’ Armon Gilliam scored 28 points and had 11 rebounds as the Nets lost their 24th consecutive road game.

Gilliam scored the first 13 points in a 16-1 Charlotte run early in the second quarter as the Hornets went from a four-point deficit to an 11-point lead.

It was the Nets’ 11th consecutive loss and their 30th in 33 games.

Purvis Short led New Jersey with 23 points.

Cleveland 116, Sacramento 95--Brad Daugherty scored 26 points to lead the Cavaliers to their eighth consecutive home victory.

With Cleveland ahead, 87-82, Chucky Brown led a 13-4 Cavalier spurt by scoring nine of his 15 points. John Williams scored the other four points during the rally to put Cleveland ahead, 100-86, with 4:44 left.

Rodney McCray led the Kings with 27 points.