Jordan, Pippen Cool Heat

Michael Jordan played in pain and inflicted some on the Miami Heat, whose coach, Pat Riley, was moved to prophecy.

“I can’t see anybody getting in their way,” Riley said Wednesday night of the Bulls’ chances at winning the NBA title after the Heat lost to Chicago, 112-91, in Miami to give the Bulls a sweep in their first-round playoff series.

It was the first time Riley had failed to advance out of the first round of the playoffs in 14 seasons as an NBA coach.

The teams had traded caustic comments throughout the series, and when it ended, most of the Heat players declined to shake hands with the Bulls. Chicago’s three victories were by an average of 23 points.

“It was thorough,” Riley said. “I know how bad we feel and how bad a lot of people in this town feel about the show we put on tonight.”

Jordan scored 26 points in 33 minutes and said his back is improving with treatment.

“It was tough getting loose,” he said. “Once I got loose, I felt pretty good. Every now and then when I twisted, I could feel the pull.”

When he wasn’t taking charge, teammate Scottie Pippen was. Pippen added his 17th lifetime triple-double, scoring 22 points, grabbing 18 rebounds and handing out 10 assists in 39 minutes.

Jordan scored 17 points in the first 14 minutes as Chicago raced to a 42-25 lead. But for the second game in a row, he gave the Bulls a scare by leaving in the first half because of his back.

This time he hurt it driving to the basket when Keith Askins grabbed him around the waist. Jordan later declined to criticize Askins.

“I anticipate those situations, or I wouldn’t be out there,” Jordan said. “I don’t take it in a negative way.”

New York 81, Cleveland 76--The Knicks survived a terrible fourth quarter at New York and swept their first-round playoff series from the Cavaliers.

The Knicks, who opened a 19-point lead in the second quarter and seemed to be cruising in the third, went scoreless for more than five minutes in the final period and fell into a 70-70 tie with 4:51 left.

John Starks, who taunted Cleveland Coach Mike Fratello late in the third quarter when the Knicks led by 13 points, made his fifth three-point basket of the game and 14th of the series with 3:22 left to restore order.

Portland 98, Utah 90--Rod Strickland had 27 points and seven assists and Arvydas Sabonis had 25 points and made all three of his three-point shots and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who won at home to even their first-round playoff series, 2-2.

Phoenix 94, San Antonio 93--Danny Manning scored 12 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter for the Suns, who staved off elimination with a victory in Phoenix.

Charles Barkley, who was scoreless in the first and fourth quarters, finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds for Phoenix.

San Antonio missed two chances to win the game in the final 8.8 seconds. Vinny Del Negro missed a three-point shot from the left wing and Sean Elliott missed a jump shot from beyond the foul line.

NBA Notes

A group of investors led by land developer Ross Perot Jr. and auto dealer David McDavid purchased a 67% interest in the Dallas Mavericks for $125 million and immediately fired coach Dick Motta. . . . The New Jersey Nets have been taken off the market, but their ownership will be restructured with Henry Taub, who owns 19% of the team, replacing Alan Aufzien as chairman and chief executive officer. . . . Police say they expect to issue an arrest warrant for guard Tony Dumas of the Mavericks, who allegedly punched his pregnant girlfriend, Georgia Foy, in the torso last week, forcing her to leap from a car after it had slowed on the highway.