At 38-3, Bulls Halfway to Lakers’ Record

Michael Jordan can be on a roll or in a rare slump. Scottie Pippen can be in control or unusually out of sorts. Dennis Rodman can be pulling down rebounds or nursing injuries.

None of that seems to matter for the Chicago Bulls, who simply keep winning and winning and winning.

Jordan scored 31 points, Scottie Pippen added 21, and Rodman had 20 rebounds Sunday as the Bulls defeated the Phoenix Suns, 93-82, reaching the midway point of the season as one of the best teams in NBA history.

“We know we’re doing something special,” Coach Phil Jackson said after the Bulls set a franchise record with their 15th consecutive victory.

Said Pippen: “It’s gone fast. Forty-one games, we must be having some fun. It’s going smooth and easy. It’s been a good season so far. It can be a great one.”

In league history, only the 1971-72 Lakers matched the Bulls’ 38-3 start. The Lakers went on to win an NBA-record 69 games.

The Bulls resume pursuit of the 70-victory mark Tuesday, when they begin a six-game trip at Houston. In 1991-92, they were 36-5 at midseason before a losing trip ruined their bid to break the Lakers’ record. Earlier this season, Chicago went 6-1 on a similar Texas and West Coast swing.

“It’s special already,” Jordan said, “but we have to go out and play the remaining 41 games with the same attitude.”

Charles Barkley had 20 points and 16 rebounds for the Suns, who are 2-2 on a club-record eight-game trip. Phoenix is 3-4 since Cotton Fitzsimmons replaced Paul Westphal, who was fired as coach on Jan. 16.

“It’s hell to have exhibition games in midseason,” Fitzsimmons said, referring to his lack of training camp as coach.

Chicago, which broke the club record of 14 consecutive victories set in 1991-92, also stretched its team-record home winning streak to 29. It hasn’t lost at the United Center since last March 24, Jordan’s first home game after coming out of retirement.

Barkley said Chicago’s championship teams of 1991, 1992 and 1993--the latter defeating the Suns for the title--were better than these Bulls.

“They’re good, but that’s it,” Barkley said. “Michael Jordan is a very good player now, but he will never capture what he was a few years ago.”

“Who cares what Charles thinks?” Pippen said. “We’re just going to keep on rolling.”

Asked to rate his first half of the season on a scale of 1 to 10, Pippen smiled and said: “Thirteen.” And Jordan? “He’s about a 15,” Pippen said.