NBA ROUNDUP : Bulls Stay on Record Pace, Improve to 32-5

When the Lakers set the NBA record with 69 victories in 1971-72, they did it with the help of a 33-game winning streak.

The Chicago Bulls are bidding to become the first team to win 70 games, and they seem capable of setting the record without a long winning streak.

Michael Jordan scored 20 of his 31 points in the third quarter Friday night at Chicago as the Bulls came from behind to beat San Antonio, 102-96.

The Bulls, who have won eight in a row, trailed by nine points at halftime, but Jordan went to work and by the end of the third quarter they led by six.

The Bulls are on a pace to break the Lakers’ record. In improving their home record to 18-2, they made their overall record 32-5. At the same pace they would wind up 71-11.

About the only thing that could stop them would be an injury to Jordan. There was a scare early in the game when Jordan caught an elbow in the jaw from teammate Scottie Pippen.

After his brilliant performance, Jordan went to the hospital for X-rays that were negative.

The Bulls have been almost invincible since losing two out of their first three games this season.

Last season, when they won 61 games and went on to win the NBA championship, the Bulls were 27-10 after 37 games.

“It’s way too early to think about that kind of record,” Bull Coach Phil Jackson said. “First, we have to win the division (Chicago leads Cleveland by seven games). Then we’ll think about other things.”

Sean Elliott, who dislocated a finger on his non-shooting hand Thursday night, played 40 minutes for the Spurs and was seven-for-10 shooting. David Robinson had 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Boston 98, Philadelphia 95--For the first time in almost a month, there is some good news for the injury-riddled Celtics. Dee Brown and Larry Bird are working out and Robert Parish returned to help beat the 76ers at Boston.

While Charles Barkley was having one of his worst games--13 points on four-for-15 shooting, seven rebounds and eight assists in 47 minutes--Kevin Gamble (30 points) and Reggie Lewis (24) helped the Celtics end a losing streak at three games.

Parish, who passed the 20,000-point mark, had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Parish, 38, is the oldest player in the league and the 16th to reach 20,000.

In a fitting end to a miserable game, Barkley missed a three-point shot that would have tied the game at the buzzer.

“Parish is a Hall of Famer,” said Jeff Ruland, who recently came out of retirement. “He makes everyone around him a better player.”

Orlando 127, Indiana 120--Scott Skiles, a former Pacer, had a career-high 41 points at Indianapolis to lead the Magic to just its second win in the last 22 games.

Skiles, a disappointment with the Pacers, led a rally that wiped out a 14-point third quarter deficit. It was the 11th loss in the last 14 games for the slumping Pacers.

Milwaukee 90, New York 85--Ageless Moses Malone won the battle of the big men at Milwaukee and the Bucks ended a losing streak at four games.

Malone, 36, had 20 points and Ewing, plagued by foul trouble, had only 16. Both played 32 minutes and had seven rebounds.

Phoenix 134, Sacramento 94--Kevin Johnson scored 16 of his 20 points in the first quarter to get the Suns going in their 14th victory in a row at home.

The victory was also the 1,000th for the franchise. The Suns are in their 24th season.

Portland 120, Charlotte 104--The Trail Blazers jumped in front early at Portland and easily won their fourth in a row.

Clyde Drexler had 25 points for the Trail Blazers, who built a 67-54 halftime lead and coasted.