Jordan’s 31 Is More Like It for Wizards

This is why Michael Jordan came back.

No, it wasn’t for a chance to fly through the air with his tongue wagging. No, it wasn’t to receive the adulation of a record crowd.

Jordan returned to the NBA for that feeling he got when he walked off the court, slapping hands with his teammates and reveling in a victory.

Jordan, looking more like His Airness than His Oldness, scored 31 points Thursday night and led the visiting Washington Wizards to their first victory of the MJ era, 98-88, over the Atlanta Hawks.

“We don’t want to be the doormats of everybody in the league,” Jordan said. “It’s going to continue to get better as long as everybody understands the passion it takes.”

After being held to 19 points in his return two nights earlier, Jordan mustered some vintage moves and a dunk out of his 38-year-old body and refused to let the young Wizards falter down the stretch.

The teams managed only three baskets in the final three minutes, but one of them--the clinching play--involved Jordan. He drew a double-team 12 feet from the basket and passed to an open Chris Whitney, who made a three-point shot with 39 seconds remaining to give the Wizards a 93-86 lead.

Jordan finally came out with 9.6 seconds remaining, the victory assured. He shot only 13 of 30, but also had six rebounds, six assists, two steals and only one turnover.

Dallas 99, Philadelphia 92--Dirk Nowitzki had 30 points and 13 rebounds and Steve Nash added 22 points to lead the Mavericks at Philadelphia.

Dikembe Mutombo had 19 points and 16 rebounds, Derrick Coleman had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Matt Harpring had 21 points for the Sixers, who were without injured guards Allen Iverson, Aaron McKie and Eric Snow.

Philadelphia, which opened last season with a franchise-best 10 straight wins, is off to an 0-2 start.

Detroit 90, Memphis 80--Jerry Stackhouse scored 13 of his 34 points in the final 3:38 as the Pistons ruined the Grizzlies’ debut at Memphis, Tenn., a city that had waited more than three decades for a major league team.

Cliff Robinson, who scored 24 points, sparked the Pistons after they trailed throughout the second quarter and for most of the third. He scored the final nine points of the third quarter for Detroit, including a three-pointer just before the quarter ended.

Milwaukee 102, Denver 101--Ray Allen scored 31 points on 10-of-12 shooting, and Ervin Johnson hit a free throw with 1.7 seconds left to lead the Bucks at Denver.

The Bucks, who trailed by as many as 15 points, were down 10 early in the fourth quarter before Allen and Glenn Robinson brought them back, spoiling a 44-point effort by Denver’s Nick Van Exel.

Seattle 114, San Antonio 108--Gary Payton scored 25 points, 13 in the fourth quarter, and Brent Barry added 24 as the SuperSonics beat the Spurs at Seattle.

Rashard Lewis scored 22 points for Seattle and Desmond Mason came off the bench to score 15, including two three-pointers in the final quarter.

Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Phoenix 107, Golden State 101--Penny Hardaway scored 26 points and Stephon Marbury had 24 points and 10 assists as the ix Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 107-101 on Thursday night.