NBA ROUNDUP : Jordan Ill at Ease, but Bulls Win Anyway

A statue of him is in front of the building and his former number hangs from the rafters. But the United Center is not Michael Jordan’s kind of place . . . yet.

“I hate this building--right now. I’m not comfortable yet. It’s not a fit with me yet,” Jordan said Saturday night after scoring only 12 points on five-of-19 shooting as the Chicago Bulls struggled to a 91-84 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers to clinch a playoff spot.

“I stunk up the place, but we won the game,” Jordan said after also getting six assists and five rebounds. It was his lowest scoring output in seven games since coming out of retirement.

“The road is different,” he said. “Wherever we go, I played there. Here, it’s still new and it’s going to take some time to adjust.”

Scottie Pippen and B.J. Armstrong came to the rescue for the Bulls, who have their first four-game winning streak this season. Pippen scored eight of his 18 points in the final quarter when the Bulls, who squandered a 15-point second-quarter lead, overcame a three-point deficit. Armstrong scored 17 and made two key jumpers in the final quarter, and Toni Kukoc added 15.

“It was an ugly game, but we were able to win, and these are the games we haven’t been able to win the entire season,” Armstrong said. “We all have our troubles at that west end. Michael got his first taste of what it is really like. It’s tough, and for whatever reason we don’t shoot well down there.”

The Bulls are 5-2 since Jordan returned.

Clarence Weatherspoon had 27 points for the 76ers.

Milwaukee 93, Houston 87--Glenn Robinson scored the last two of his 29 points on free throws with 19.6 seconds left, quelling a comeback by the wounded Rockets and leading the Bucks to victory at Houston.

The Bucks snapped a three-game losing streak against the Rockets, who opened without starters Hakeem Olajuwon and Vernon Maxwell, both suffering from iron deficient anemia.

Robert Horry joined them on the sideline with 3:02 left in the third quarter after injuring his back in a fall.

Clyde Drexler led Houston with 23 points, but he couldn’t keep the Rockets from losing for the fifth time in six games.

“We have three key guys out; hopefully we can hold onto the sixth (playoff) spot until we get them back,” Rocket swingman Mario Elie said. “But it puts so much pressure on Clyde.”

Minnesota 126, Golden State 104--Isaiah Rider scored a season-high 42 points and the Timberwolves had a team-record 77 points in the first half of a victory at Oakland.

Minnesota won its third consecutive game against Golden State, clinching a season series over the Warriors for the first time in franchise history.

Donyell Marshall scored 27 and Chris Mullin 25 for Golden State. The Warriors’ leading scorer, Latrell Sprewell, committed seven turnovers and scored only five points.