NBA ROUNDUP : Jordan Gets a Little Help From Friends

Here’s a switch: The Chicago Bulls are carrying Michael Jordan.

“I was just trying to hang on,” Jordan said Friday night after the Bulls defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 97-88, despite his nine-of-27 shooting at Chicago. “I’m struggling trying to fit in, yet we’re still winning games. They’ve been able to compensate. Other players have stepped up.”

Jordan, however, still finished with 28 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

The Bulls, shooting 51% and posting their sixth successive victory, are 7-2 since Jordan’s return from retirement March 19 and have taken a two-game lead over Cleveland in the race for the fifth Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Scottie Pippen added 25 points and Toni Kukoc 19.

Bobby Phills had 22 points for the Cavaliers, who have lost six of seven games.

Detroit 104, Orlando 94--Rookie Grant Hill’s 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists led the Pistons past the Magic at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Hill’s first triple-double overshadowed a 31-point, 18-rebound performance by Orlando’s Shaquille O’Neal, who also missed 11 of 16 free throws.

Orlando, playing without injured starters Anfernee Hardaway (inflamed esophagus) and Nick Anderson (concussion), didn’t help its cause with three third-quarter technical fouls.

Portland 127, Houston 109--Clyde Drexler got a standing ovation but had a frustrating return to Portland as the Trail Blazers defeated Houston to run their season record against the Rockets to 3-0.

Drexler had 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in his first Portland appearance since he was traded to the Rockets on Feb. 14. But things didn’t come easy for the Blazers’ all-time scoring leader, who was eight of 21 from the field and had seven turnovers before fouling out with 6:07 to play.

Rod Strickland had 27 points and 10 assists to lead Portland.

Sam Cassell had a career-high 31 points for the Rockets, again playing without Hakeem Olajuwon and Vernon Maxwell. Both players have iron-deficiency anemia.

Charlotte 98, Washington 93--The Hornets set a franchise record with their 45th victory, beating the Bullets behind Alonzo Mourning’s 25 points at Landover, Md.

Chris Webber led Washington, which lost its 10th in a row, with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, posting his second triple-double in 14 days.

Dallas 111, Minnesota 94--Jamal Mashburn scored 31 points and Jason Kidd added 11 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds as the Mavericks won at Dallas and pulled within 1 1/2 games of Denver and Sacramento for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

Christian Laettner had 22 points for Minnesota.

Atlanta 102, Indiana 90--Steve Smith scored 26 points, including a 21-point outburst in less than five minutes during the third quarter, as the Hawks ended the Pacers’ three-game winning streak in beating them for the first time this season at Atlanta.

Reggie Miller led Indiana with 15 points.

Boston 91, Philadelphia 81--Dominique Wilkins made two three-point baskets within 29 seconds during a 14-0 third-quarter run at Boston to help the Celtics earn their their fourth consecutive victory. Wilkins finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds.

The 76ers suffered their fourth loss in a row in their final game at Boston Garden despite 27 points by Dana Barros, who extended his NBA season record for three-point baskets to 50 consecutive games.

Milwaukee 107, New Jersey 92--Glenn Robinson scored 25 points and Eric Mobley had a career-high 14 with 10 rebounds at Milwaukee as the Bucks all but eliminated the Nets from the playoff race by handing them their sixth loss in a row while remaining in contention for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.