NBA ROUNDUP : 37,401 Watch as Jordan, Pippen Help Bulls Beat SuperSonics

Michael Jordan scored 35 points and Scottie Pippen added 21 Thursday night at Seattle as the Chicago Bulls won their sixth in a row with a 108-99 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.

The two-time champion Bulls dominated the SuperSonics before a sellout crowd of 37,401 at Seattle’s Kingdome. The Bulls handed the SuperSonics their first home defeat of the season. It was the fifth time this season the Bulls held an opponent to fewer than 100 points.

Chicago led, 37-20, after one quarter and was ahead, 104-71, before the SuperSonics’ reserves rallied in the final eight minutes.

Gary Payton led Seattle with 18 points. Shawn Kemp had 17 and Derrick McKey added 15.

But Seattle’s best was not good enough. Bull Coach Phil Jackson played his substitutes the final eight minutes. The only time Seattle cut the deficit to fewer than 10 points after the first quarter was with 10 seconds left.

Jordan made 14 of 22 shots and had six rebounds and two assists.

Jordan had 18 points and Pippen added 15 as the Bulls led, 58-44, at halftime. Chicago’s starting guards, Jordan and B.J. Armstrong, outscored the SuperSonics’ backcourt tandem of Payton and Nate McMillan, 25-2, in the first half.

An 18-6 spurt during the first quarter helped the Bulls take a 23-11 lead they stretched to 37-20 after one quarter.

Orlando 126, Golden State 102--The Warriors took their turn against Shaquille O’Neal and found out what the rest of the NBA is quickly learning: He is virtually unstoppable when Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott are also on their games.

O’Neal had 29 points and 16 rebounds, Anderson added 30 points and Scott scored 25 against the Warriors, who have lost five of the last six games.

The victory was the fifth in seven games for the Atlantic Division-leading Magic, off to the best start in the franchise’s four-year history with the high-scoring trio of O’Neal, Anderson and Scott combining for an average of almost 71 points per game.

“We always talk about it. If I’m hitting on all cylinders, and Nick is hitting on all cylinders, and the big fella’s hitting on all cylinders, I don’t think too many teams--maybe Chicago with Pippen and Jordan, and a couple of other teams--can really mess with us,” said Scott, who made five of seven three-point shots.

Houston 99, Cleveland 92--Instead of elaborate play diagrams, Sleepy Floyd went back to playground moves for some crucial shots in the Rockets’ victory at Houston.

Floyd scored nine of the last 11 points for Houston, including two drives down the lane after the Cavaliers pulled to within two points.

“Those were schoolyard moves,” Floyd said of his 12-for-18 shooting performance for 28 points. “I’m just glad they went in. I just read the defense instinctively. I just caught a seam and went for it and felt confident they would go in since I had been shooting well.”

Houston Coach Rudy Tomjanovich praised Floyd, who was starting in place of injured Vernon Maxwell.

“Sleepy made a couple of gigantic plays at the end,” Tomjanovich said. “I told Sleepy to quit going for the outside shot and turn the corner on people for layups.”

Hakeem Olajuwon had 28 points and 20 rebounds, the 38th time in his career that he has had at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game.

“We have the talent and chemistry to win,” Olajuwon said. “You have to give Rudy a lot of credit for blending this team together.”

Denver 99, Detroit 87--Dikembe Mutombo had 23 points and 14 rebounds and the Nuggets shot better than 50% for the first time this season in beating the Pistons at Denver.

The victory ended a five-game losing streak for the Nuggets and Detroit lost its third consecutive game.

Reggie Williams had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Denver. The Pistons played without Isiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman, both out with injuries.

New Jersey 108, Atlanta 101--Derrick Coleman and Sam Bowie sparked a late 13-0 run as the Nets ended a 16-game losing streak in Atlanta.

The Nets’ last victory in Atlanta was on March 26, 1985. Coleman had 24 points and Bowie scored 22. Coleman also had 11 rebounds and two steals.

New Jersey, which has won three of its last four, overcame a seven-point deficit with the 13-0 run in the final seven minutes after Stacey Augmon’s layup gave the Hawks a 94-87 lead.

Dominique Wilkins scored 24 points and Augmon had 17 for the Hawks.

San Antonio 123, Dallas 95--Sean Elliott has been struggling with his outside shooting, but the Mavericks helped him end the slump.

Elliott made 10 of 17 shots and scored 26 points, leading the Spurs to victory at San Antonio.

“I was happy that we were able to run tonight,” said Jerry Tarkanian, San Antonio coach. “I really love the running game. I want to run so much that it makes me cry.”