Inspired Bulls Rout Rockets, Boost Floyd

For one night at least, the Chicago Bulls soothed the frustrations of Coach Tim Floyd, giving him the most lopsided win in his four seasons.

“Winning is the cure-all,” guard Greg Anthony said after the Bulls routed Houston, 103-75, Tuesday night at Chicago, sending the tired and depleted Rockets to their seventh consecutive loss.

Floyd wouldn’t comment before Tuesday’s game on reports that he told his players at a Monday meeting that he was going to ask General Manager Jerry Krause to relieve him of his duties. At the team’s morning shootaround, he said he had no intention of quitting although he did not deny the reports in two Chicago papers.

After the game, when asked if the circumstances of the previous two days sparked his team to victory, Floyd replied sarcastically: “It was a big trick.”

Ron Mercer led the Bulls (3-13) with 22 points, Marcus Fizer added 17 points and rookie Trenton Hassell had 15 as Chicago shot 54%.

San Antonio 103, Washington 88--With Michael Jordan watching from the sidelines, Antonio Daniels scored 15 points, and Tim Duncan and David Robinson added 13 each at San Antonio for the Spurs.

Six Spurs finished in double figures, while Richard Hamilton paced the Wizards with 24 points and Courtney Alexander had 16. Alexander, who did not play by coach’s decision in the three previous games, started in place of Jordan, who sat out because of a hyperextended right knee.

Minnesota 108, Seattle 83--Kevin Garnett had 21 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists at Minneapolis to help the Timberwolves end a three-game losing skid.

Sacramento 94, Philadelphia 84--Peja Stojakovic had 20 points and 12 rebounds as the Kings won at Sacramento.

New York 85, Milwaukee 71--Latrell Sprewell scored 28 points at Milwaukee and the Knicks took advantage of a rare shooting slump by Ray Allen, who was held to 10 points on four-of-20 shooting.

Cleveland 100, Detroit 88--Zydrunas Ilgauskas, playing for the first time in nearly a year, scored 11 points and Andre Miller had a career-high 34 for the Cavaliers at Cleveland.

Indiana 104, Denver 96--Jalen Rose had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Jermaine O’Neal added 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers at Indianapolis.

Utah 104, Charlotte 100--Karl Malone scored 22 points and John Crotty hit a crucial three-pointer with 3.2 seconds remaining at Salt Lake City to lead the Jazz.