Bulls Look Better Than Best Team

The Seattle SuperSonics have the NBA’s best record. The way the Chicago Bulls are playing, that might not be the case much longer.

“With a team like that, it’s hard to make statements,” Michael Jordan said Tuesday night after he shook off a cold to score 40 points and lead the Bulls to a 101-91 victory over the SuperSonics at Chicago. “But we feel that if we had our team intact all season long . . . we would have the best record.”

The Bulls again have Scottie Pippen, who had 11 points and six rebounds in his second game after sitting out the first 2 1/2 months while recovering from foot surgery.

“Chicago, with Pippen, is the clear-cut favorite in the East,” SuperSonic Coach George Karl said. “If they would get beat, in my mind it would be a huge upset.”

Pippen looks rusty offensively, but has strengthened an already tough defense.

“His activity level is terrific,” Chicago Coach Phil Jackson said. “He really gives us an opportunity to take their first options away and make them have to search to find a way to score.”

Chicago’s Ron Harper said it doesn’t matter that the Bulls (26-11) are three games behind Seattle (29-8) in the overall standings. “The best record doesn’t mean anything right now,” he said.

San Antonio 97, Boston 88--Big men David Robinson and Tim Duncan got most of the attention from the smaller Celtics, but point guard Avery Johnson made the biggest plays for the Spurs at Boston.

Johnson scored eight of his season-high 22 points in the fourth quarter and came up with a crucial steal and layup with 2:13 left as the Spurs pulled away to their 14th victory in 16 games.

The Celtics, who matched their longest losing streak of the season at five, missed 15 of their first 16 shots and were held to 31% shooting.

Atlanta 91, New York 89--Steve Smith told the Knicks exactly what he was going to do, then went out and did it at New York.

Smith scored 35 points and made a running 10-footer despite being double-teamed with 2.6 seconds left to lead the Hawks.

Smith tied his season-high and backed up a boast he made after the Knicks beat the Hawks by 21 points in November.

“We felt the Knicks went out of their way to try to embarrass us,” Smith said. “They were calling us overrated all game, clowning around big time. See what happens next time.”

Starks led New York with a season-high 34 points, making four of his six three-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Houston 100, Dallas 87--Kevin Willis scored 14 of his 30 points in a comeback third quarter at Houston as the Rockets ended a three-game losing streak. The Mavericks have lost 18 of their last 19 games.

New Jersey 81, Charlotte 68--It wasn’t Kendall Gill’s controversial history in Charlotte that motivated the Net guard, it was his defensive assignment that proved the catalyst at Charlotte.

Gill, who weathered two turbulent tenures with the Hornets, the last of which ended in a trade to the Nets last season, said, “I was really trying hard, but that was because I didn’t want Glen Rice to score.”

Gill and New Jersey held Rice, who had been averaging a team-leading 22.7 points a game, to 10 points on three-for-17 shooting. Rice didn’t score in the second half.

Cleveland 102, Phoenix 84--Derek Anderson scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, including six in 1:03, as the Cavaliers ended a three-game losing streak by winning at Phoenix.

Philadelphia 107, Vancouver 89--Theo Ratliff had 18 points and six blocked shots and rookie Tim Thomas scored a season-high 23 points at Philadelphia as the 76ers handed the Grizzlies their 11th consecutive loss.

Orlando 98, Denver 84--The Nuggets lost a team-record 17th in a row as Horace Grant had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic at Denver. The Nuggets (2-32) have not won since Nov. 28.

Miami 76, Portland 68--The Heat held the host Trail Blazers to their all-time lowest point total. The previous low was 69 against San Antonio on Jan. 2.