NBA ROUNDUP : Jordan Here, Jordan There, Everywhere; Suns’ Barkley Gets 47

With two years of rest while playing baseball, presumably Michael Jordan had plenty of energy to deal with the Charlotte Hornets.

He needed it Tuesday in Chicago.

Jordan made three-point shots and dunks, defended 5-foot-3 Muggsy Bogues on the perimeter and, in his spare time, helped double-team Alonzo Mourning in the Bulls’ 103-80 victory in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference playoff series.

Jordan scored 25 points, including 13 during a 19-4 run that spanned the end of the second quarter and start of the third.

Chicago holds a 2-1 lead and can wrap up the series at home on Thursday night.

Chicago is 14-1 at home against Charlotte since the Hornets entered the NBA in 1988.

Mourning, dominant in Game 2 with 23 points and 20 rebounds, was missing in action most of Game 3. He had two points and one rebound in the first half and finished with 13 and seven. When he did get in position to score, the Bulls committed hard fouls or tore the ball from his grasp. He committed six of Charlotte’s 22 turnovers.

Jordan said guarding Bogues “was one of those suggestions I came up with at practice. I thought it would give us a little more rebounding and let us help out on (Mourning). We were trying to get to him before he made his move, just keep a hand on him, steal the ball, knock the ball down, just not let him get any rhythm.”

Mourning carped at the officiating.

“It’s frustrating playing against not just five but eight guys,” he said.

Toni Kukoc scored 14 of his 22 points in the third quarter for the Bulls, who haven’t lost a first-round playoff series since 1987.

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Phoenix 117, Portland 109--Charles Barkley scored 47 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Suns at Portland, where they finished a first-round sweep.

Barkley’s 47 points were one shy of the 1995 playoff-high set by Jordan, who scored his 48 against Charlotte last Friday. It was the second-highest playoff point total for Barkley, who had 56 last season against Golden State in an opening-round series, and the highest by an opponent in a playoff against Portland.

Barkley made 16 of 26 shots in leading the Suns, who had been eliminated by Portland in their last two playoff meetings, in the 1992 and 1990 Western Conference finals.

Indiana 105, Atlanta 89--Reggie Miller scored 32 points at Atlanta where the Pacers finished a series sweep over the Hawks and advanced to the second round of the playoffs without a loss for the second season in a row.

Last season, the Pacers swept Orlando, then beat the Hawks, 4-2, in the conference semifinals.

Miller scored 12 of his points in a decisive 26-5 second-half run.

Mookie Blaylock led the Hawks with 20 points.