‘New Guy’ Helps Bulls, but Jordan Still the Star

Scottie Pippen returned, but Michael Jordan again bailed out the Chicago Bulls, scoring 17 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter of an 87-82 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night at Chicago.

Making his season debut after sitting out the first 35 games while recovering from foot surgery--and after saying he never wanted to play for the Bulls again--Pippen started and had 14 points, four rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes.

“I would like to finish the season here,” said Pippen, who had demanded to be traded two months ago because he felt mistreated by General Manager Jerry Krause and owner Jerry Reinsdorf. “I think the team is looking forward to us going for a sixth title [in eight years].”

Pippen received a loud standing ovation when introduced and bumped chests with Ron Harper.

As the Bulls ran onto the floor to start warmups before the game, a sign greeted them: “Who’s The New Guy?”

Jordan was glad to have Pippen back.

“It’s about time,” he said before the game.

Even with Pippen’s return, the two-time defending NBA champions looked lethargic as they played their fourth game in five nights. Going into the fourth quarter, they trailed the Pacific Division’s worst team, 58-57, and were shooting 36%.

The Bulls pulled ahead, 76-67, with 4:24 left after Jordan scored 11 points during a 14-7 run. The Warriors got within 80-77 with 1:15 to go, but Dennis Rodman made two free throws, Pippen made one and Jordan made a layup on an alley-oop pass from Pippen for an 85-77 lead and the Warriors couldn’t recover.

Utah 111, Houston 84--Coach Jerry Sloan won his 600th NBA game as the Jazz took advantage of an injury-depleted Rocket team at Houston.

Sloan improved his career record to 600-370. His victory total includes 506 with the Jazz and the rest with the Chicago Bulls from 1979-1982.

Houston played without four injured starters--Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon and Matt Maloney, whose string of 113 consecutive starts ended because of a bad elbow.

San Antonio 109, Sacramento 67--Tim Duncan scored 28 points, David Robinson had 24 and the Spurs rebounded from a crushing loss in Phoenix to rout the Kings at San Antonio.

A night after their five-game winning streak was ended by a 21-point loss to the Suns, the Spurs ended Sacramento’s winning streak at four games.

Orlando 90, Boston 82--The struggling Magic didn’t have any empathy for the travel-weary Celtics at Orlando. The Celtics were playing their fourth game in five nights in a fourth city.

The Magic outscored the Celtics, 29-5, from the foul line and got 19 points and 12 rebounds from Rony Seikaly.

The victory was only the third in the last 13 games for the Magic.

Toronto 102, Cleveland 93--The Raptors, the NBA’s second-worst team, manhandled the Cavaliers at Cleveland as Damon Stoudamire scored 34 points, two short of his career high.

Cleveland’s Shawn Kemp did not attempt a field goal in the first quarter and had only six points after three quarters. He finished with 16.

Toronto’s Lloyd Daniels, the New York playground star getting another chance in the NBA, came off the bench to score 21--including two free throws off the backboard.

Indiana 84, Dallas 79--Reggie Miller’s three-point shot with 32.5 seconds left gave the Pacers the lead for good at Dallas.

The Pacers had to rally from a 19-point third-quarter deficit.

Minnesota 108, New Jersey 101--Tom Gugliotta scored 24 points, including six in the final four minutes, as the Timberwolves won at East Rutherford, N.J.

Milwaukee 95, Portland 90--Ray Allen scored 23 points and Armon Gilliam had four of his 21 in overtime as the Bucks won at Portland.

Kenny Anderson scored a season-high 31 points and Rasheed Wallace had season highs with 23 points and 10 rebounds for Portland.