Jordan Delivers Blast From Past

From his shoes to his shots, it was vintage Michael Jordan in what might have been his last game at Madison Square Garden.

Jordan, wearing an original pair of red, white and black Air Jordan sneakers from his rookie season, scored 42 points Sunday with a dazzling display of shooting as the Chicago Bulls beat the Knicks, 102-89, at New York.

“Some of the moves seemed to be coming from 1984,” Jordan said. “I kind of went retroactive today.”

Jordan shot 17 for 33 from the field, with some of his baskets coming on moves as outlandish as his signature line of shoes were considered in 1984 when they first came out of the box.

“I was doing some cleaning up at home and ran into them,” Jordan said, adding that he decided to wear them as a “sign of appreciation for all the respect I received here.”

It might have been Jordan’s final game at the Garden because he has said he will retire at the end of this season if the Bulls do not retain Phil Jackson as coach.

When Jordan finally checked out with 1:03 remaining and the Bulls ahead by 13, the sellout crowd of 19,763 gave a 15-second standing ovation to one of its greatest tormentors.

Scottie Pippen scored 25 points and Dennis Rodman had 20 rebounds for the Bulls, playing a team with a winning record for the first time since Feb. 25.

Allan Houston scored 24 points for the Knicks, who lost their third in a row after being outscored, 28-18, in the final quarter.

Seattle 99, Minnesota 98--Vin Baker scored 27 points as the SuperSonics erased a 13-point second-half deficit at Minneapolis to snap a two-game losing streak with an overtime victory.

Kevin Garnett’s turn-around jumper to win the game for Minnesota bounced off the rim as time expired.

Sam Mitchell led the Timberwolves with 21 points.

Washington 100, Philadelphia 91--Rod Strickland displayed his full range of scoring moves to score 26 points and dish out 10 assists as the Wizards held off the visiting 76ers.

Chris Webber scored 23 points as the Wizards, who won for the fifth time in seven games, moved within a half game of eighth-place Cleveland in the battle for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Strickland also helped hold Allen Iverson to 16 points on 4-for-14 shooting.

San Antonio 82, Portland 78--Tim Duncan had 25 points and 13 rebounds and Chuck Person sank a 20-foot bank shot for the go-ahead points as the Spurs held off the Trail Blazers at Portland, Ore.

Arvydas Sabonis had 23 points and 17 rebounds for Portland.

Indiana 104, Boston 100--Reggie Miller scored 25 points and Dale Davis had a season-high 22 at Indianapolis as the Pacers used a late 9-0 run to beat the Celtics for the third consecutive time this season.

Kenny Anderson led the Celtics with 17 points and 12 assists.

Charlotte 109, New Jersey 100--Anthony Mason converted two late three-point plays at East Rutherford, N.J., to lead the Hornets to their eighth consecutive victory.

Mason had 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter and added a team-high 15 rebounds as the Hornets moved to within a victory of tying their all-time winning streak.

Glen Rice led Charlotte with 31 points. Kerry Kittles had 21 points to lead the Nets, who have lost a season-high five in a row.

Atlanta 101, Cleveland 96--Steve Smith, who had missed the Hawks’ two previous games because of a sore right knee, scored 33 points at Atlanta, including six during a late 11-3 run, as the Hawks’ won for the sixth time in seven games.

Wesley Person led Cleveland with 26 points, including six three-point baskets.

Vancouver 113, Toronto 106--Bryant Reeves scored 15 of his game-high 38 points in the last 3 1/2 minutes at Vancouver as the Grizzlies ended an eight-game losing streak.

Reeves shot 12 for 18 from the field, 14 for 18 from the free-throw line and grabbed 11 rebounds.