Jordan in Some Rare Air at 29,000 Points

While the Chicago Bulls shoot for the NBA’s best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, Michael Jordan is nearing a 10th league scoring title.

And even though Shaquille O’Neal put some pressure on Jordan by scoring 50 on Thursday night, Jordan says he’s not counting.

“Sure I know Shaquille scored 50 and I’m aware of his standing,” Jordan said after scoring 41 Friday night as the Bulls defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 107-93, at Chicago. “But to go out and be selfish is not in the team’s best interest.”

Jordan, who is averaging 28.6 points to O’Neal’s 27.6, joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in league history to score 29,000 points.

Atlanta 107, Houston 87--Mookie Blaylock and Alan Henderson scored 22 points apiece and Eldridge Recasner matched his season-high with 21 to lift the Hawks at Atlanta.

Blaylock had nine rebounds and five assists for the Hawks, who need two wins to clinch a playoff spot. Hakeem Olajuwon led Houston with 15 points.

The Rockets activated forward Joe Stephens and center Charles Jones to replace injured forwards Matt Bullard and Rodrick Rhodes.

Utah 97, Denver 75--Karl Malone scored 22 points, Jeff Hornacek had 15 and Greg Ostertag blocked seven shots as the Jazz defeated the Nuggets at Salt Lake City.

Danny Fortson and LaPhonso Ellis each scored 17 for Denver (9-65), which still needs one more victory in its final eight games to avoid tying the worst record in NBA history. The Nuggets shot 30.5%

Boston 101, Detroit 100--Antoine Walker made a 19-foot jump shot at the buzzer to complete the Celtics’ comeback from an 18-point, fourth-quarter deficit at Auburn Hills, Mich.

With teammates shouting for him to shoot, Walker spun and launched a jumper that settled into the basket as the clock expired.

Brian Williams had 29 points for the Pistons, who had a 90-72 lead with 8:46 remaining.

Washington 120, Toronto 112--Rod Strickland had 22 points and 11 assists and led a 9-2 run midway through the fourth quarter at Washington.

The victory moved the Wizards into a tie with Orlando for ninth place in the Eastern Conference, half a game behind New Jersey. Dee Brown led the Raptors with 30 points.

Charlotte 96, Indiana 89--Glen Rice scored 13 of his 20 points in the second half and David Wesley had a career-high 15 assists as Charlotte avenged one of its worst losses of the season with a victory over Indiana at Charlotte, N.C.

The Hornets put the clamps on Reggie Miller, who was suspended and fined after last week’s victory over the Hornets for elbowing Vlade Divac under the jaw. Miller had 19 points and Divac scored 22.

Portland 109, Dallas 102--Rasheed Wallace scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half to lead the Trail Blazers at Portland, Ore.

Brian Grant scored 20 points and a career-high 20 rebounds for the Blazers.

Michael Finley scored 32 points for the Mavericks.

Seattle 138, Vancouver 98--Hersey Hawkins scored a season-high 29 points at Vancouver.

Hawkins went seven for nine from the three-point line as the SuperSonics set a team record with 17 three-point shots.

Milwaukee 87, Sacramento 86--Terrell Brandon scored on a layup in traffic with 20 seconds left and Mitch Richmond missed the final shot of the game at Sacramento.

Richmond, who led all scorers with 23 points, missed a difficult fallaway jumper from the baseline with about three seconds left.

Rookie Jerald Honeycutt scored 20 points for the Bucks.