Jordan and Wizards Have a Rough Day

Michael Jordan missed his first 14 shots en route to his first four-game losing streak in 111/2 years.

Jordan scored a season-low 16 points--making only five of 26 shots--as the Wizards lost to the Seattle SuperSonics, 99-84, Sunday at Washington.

“It was probably one of the worst shooting nights I’ve had in my career,” Jordan said. “I had great shots.”

Among Jordan’s misses were an easy alley-oop which he decided not to dunk, two reverse layups, and an open jumper.

When Jordan made his first field goal, a tip-in with 4:17 left in the third quarter, he received a long standing ovation.

Jordan’s NBA-record streak of games with at least 10 points--now at 847 games--was in jeopardy until he made a couple of jump shots in the fourth quarter.

“It’s frustrating,” said Jordan, who played 39 minutes and had 12 rebounds and hadn’t been involved in four losses in a row in the same season since February 1990 with the Chicago Bulls.

Gary Payton scored 12 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter as the SuperSonics ended a three-game losing streak.

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Portland 100, Detroit 98--Bonzi Wells scored 10 of his game-high 30 points in the final 3:24 to help the Trail Blazers end the Pistons’ four-game winning streak with a victory at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Jerry Stackhouse, who led the Pistons with 29 points, missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Denver 96, Toronto 85--Nick Van Exel scored eight of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to lead Denver at home. Vince Carter scored 22 points on six-for-21 shooting for Toronto, which had its four-game winning streak ended.

Atlanta Hawk forward Chris Crawford will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Saturday’s loss at San Antonio.