NBA ROUNDUP : Bulls’ Rodman Returns With 20 Rebounds

A month off didn’t bother Dennis Rodman. Neither did the New York Knicks.

Despite missing the previous 12 games because of a calf injury, Rodman grabbed 20 rebounds in 38 minutes in Chicago as the Bulls rallied for a 101-94 victory Wednesday night.

“Teams have to pay him respect,” said Michael Jordan, who scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half. “He gets you so many offensive rebounds that, sooner or later, you’re going to make some shots. And he understands this offense better than we think.”

Rodman scored only six points, but his basket on a give-and-go pass from Jordan cut the Knicks’ lead to 73-72 after three quarters and brought the 23,828 fans to their feet.

Orlando 109, Golden State 107--Anfernee Hardaway scored 23 points, including a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left, as the Magic defeated the Warriors in a scrappy, foul-filled game in Oakland.

Dennis Scott also had 23 points for Orlando in a game that included 52 fouls, six technical fouls and a flagrant foul.

Tim Hardaway had 31 points and Chris Mullin scored 18 points for the Warriors.

After Anfernee Hardaway hit his two free throws, the Warriors fumbled away their last chance for a tie when Latrell Sprewell lost the ball. The Magic then avoided getting fouled as they ran out the clock.

Philadelphia 108, Dallas 87--The Derrick Coleman era began in Philadelphia, and just like that, the 76ers’ 11-game losing streak came to an end.

Coleman, acquired from New Jersey on Nov. 30 for Shawn Bradley, combined with Jerry Stackhouse and Vernon Maxwell, in leading the 76ers to the victory.

It was the first game of the season for Coleman, who had been unable to play because of an irregular heartbeat. He played 31 minutes, scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and admitted he was a little tired at times.

“For the first time out, I feel really good, but I did get winded at times,” Coleman said. “I just tried to fit in with my new teammates, but I’ll be very sore tomorrow.”

Maxwell, who made 6-of-9 from 3-point range, was the game’s high scorer with 25 points. Stackhouse had 21 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

Jamal Mashburn scored 22 points for the Mavericks, who lost their third in a row and finished their trip 1-5.

Charlotte 94, Cleveland 82--Scott Burrell scored 19 points and fueled a third-quarter run as the Hornets rediscovered a lost commodity--defense--in a victory over the Cavaliers at Charlotte, N.C.

The Hornets, who had been allowing opponents to shoot 49.9%, the most generous figure in the NBA, had not held anyone under 42% this season. But they limited the Cavaliers to 28-of-72 shooting, 39%.

Washington 96, Atlanta 79--Chris Webber scored 12 of his 27 points in the decisive second quarter, and the Bullets snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Hawks.

Washington outscored Atlanta, 31-12, in the second period to take a 51-36 halftime lead. The Hawks, who shot 31% in the first half (12-for-39), had eight turnovers and just three baskets in the second quarter.

The Bullets built the margin to 21 early in the second half, and Atlanta never cut the gap below 12 points the rest of the way.

Webber, playing his fourth game of the season after being sidelined with a dislocated shoulder, made 11 of 18 shots and had 10 rebounds. Juwan Howard scored 14 points for the Bullets in their first win over Atlanta since Jan. 5, 1993.

Boston 105, Miami 101--Todd Day’s tie-breaking 3-pointer from the corner with 17 seconds left helped the Celtics beat the Heat for the second time in three nights.

The Heat’s Alonzo Mourning flirted with a quadruple-double, which has been accomplished only three times in NBA history, before finishing with 26 points, 13 rebounds, nine blocked shots and seven assists. He tied his career high in blocked shots and established a new high in assists.

Minnesota 108, New Jersey 97--Isaiah Rider led a torrid shooting attack with 20 points as the Timberwolves snapped the Nets’ three-game winning streak.

Shawn Bradley, playing his first game with the Nets since the Nov. 30 trade that sent Coleman to Philadelphia, scored seven points and blocked nine shots in 16 minutes.