Lakers Win Despite 54 for Jordan : Pro basketball: Divac’s free throws with 2.2 seconds left in overtime make the difference against Bulls, 120-118.

The Lakers saw an entire reel of Michael Jordan’s highlight film, but they still won.

Down by 14 points in the Friday night’s fourth quarter, they rallied to beat the Chicago Bulls in overtime, 120-118, on Vlade Divac’s two free throws with 2.2 seconds left before the season’s first sellout, 17,505 in the Forum.

Jordan scored 54 points in defeat, the Forum record for an opponent. For good measure, he added 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Going down firing, Jordan missed a three-pointer at the final buzzer, getting off a shot that was straight but off the back of the rim.

The Lakers won the game on an inbounds play, James Worthy cutting down the right baseline, drawing the defense, then hitting Divac cutting down the lane, wide open. Jordan was forced to foul Divac, who made his free throws.

The loss ended the two-time defending NBA champions’ six-game winning streak, but it died hard.

The Lakers led, 110-108, near the end of regulation. Jordan missed an 18-footer in the dying seconds, but the rebound fell to the floor. Scottie Pippen then beat everyone to it and got off a 14-footer that dropped with 0.2 left on the clock, forcing the overtime.

The Bulls had been playing well. The first two games of their winning streak were modest enough, but then Jordan made his buzzer-beating, 28-foot three-pointer to beat Detroit in overtime.

Coincidence or not, the Bulls went wild after that.

They led Denver by 30 points at halftime.

They led Minnesota by 26 at halftime the next game.

In Seattle, where the SuperSonics were 4-0, the Bulls ran up a 17-point lead in the first quarter and a 33-point lead in the third.

“I think this (season) is a little bit easier,” Jordan said before the game. “The pressure of three-peating is less. It hasn’t been done in 26 years.”

Sure enough, the Bulls jumped into a 14-6 lead 5:40 into the game but the Lakers came back. It was 18-13 when rookie Anthony Peeler entered as a sub, matched against Jordan.

Peeler, of course, was a fan.

“Yeah,” he said before the game. “Who isn’t?

“You try to establish yourself after him. Now I’ve got a chance to play against him. I just got to show what I got.”

The first time Peeler tried, he beat Jordan on the dribble, spun into the lane but had his layup blocked by Horace Grant.

Then Peeler beat Jordan on another drive for a layup.

At the other end, Jordan went up for a 15-footer and Peeler grazed it. Jordan retreated on defense with a big smile on his face.

Moments later, Peeler went to the basket again. This time Jordan came flying across the lane to block his shot.

By halftime, Jordan had 21 points, six rebounds and four assists, but the Lakers were within 56-53. They jumped ahead in the third quarter, 70-67, on Divac’s three-pointer, but guess who intervened again?

Jordan made a running, hanging, five-foot banked hesitation shot for a 73-72 lead.

Jordan made a three-pointer to make it 76-72.

Jordan made a fallaway 15-footer while being fouled by Tony Smith to make it 78-73.

Jordan made a 20-footer to make it 80-75.

Jordan threw down a breakaway dunk to make it 82-75.

After scoring those 11 points in a row, Jordan ended his run himself, passing to John Paxson on a fast break for a layup.

Then Jordan came back to hit a 20-footer.

Then he nailed another.

Then, dribbling in alone for the piece de resistance, he fumbled the ball away and covered his face with his hands.

Laker Notes

Byron Scott sat out with a sprained right foot. He is doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Nuggets. . . . James Worthy, who had scored 27 points and shot 29% in his last three games, went scoreless in Friday’s first half, then scored 23 points.

MISSING IN ACTION: Forward Dennis Rodman is suspended indefinitely by the Detroit Pistons. C10

NBA ROUNDUP: Jeff Hornacek scores 32 points as Philadelphia defeats Miami in three overtimes. C10