Michael Jordan scored 40 points Friday night, including a pair of free throws with four seconds left, to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 113-111 vic-tory over New York, eliminating the Knicks from the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals in six games.
Jordan fought off a feisty New York comeback bid by hitting 8 of 8 free throws in the final 1:18. Johnny Newman's 3-point attempt at the buzzer hit the back of the rim.The Bulls, who fired in a club-record eight 3-pointers, advance to the Eastern Conference finals and will face the Pistons in another best-of-seven series starting Sunday at Detroit. They have not been to a conference final since 1975.
The Knicks, who finished first in the Atlantic Division with a 52-30 record, lost their ninth straight at Chicago Stadium.
Craig Hodges broke out of a shooting slump by hitting three 3-point attempts for Chicago and finished with 15 points. Bill Cartwright added 16 points, while Horace Grant chipped in 11.
Patrick Ewing, Mark Jackson and Gerald Wilkins scored 22 points apiece for New York.
With the score tied 103-103, Jordan made two free throws with 1:18 left. After Ewing missed a short turnaround jumper, Bulls reserve guard John Paxson hit a long jump shot from the right corner to make it 107-103. The Knicks kept coming back.
A pair of Jordan free throws with nine seconds to go made it 111-107. Trent Tucker hit a 3-pointer with six seconds left and was fouled by Hodges. He then hit the free throw to knot the score at 111-111.
Chicago called time and inbounded at midcourt, where the Bulls found Jordan on the right wing. He drove to the lane and was fouled as he put up a fadeaway jumper. He made the decisive shots to put the Knicks away.
The third quarter started the same way, with Hodges hitting a 3-pointer to kick off an 11-3 spurt as Chicago went back in front 70-64. The Bulls then took their largest lead at 86-76 with 1:39 left in the quarter on a breakway layup by Hodges.
The quarter ended with Chicago ahead 86-79, but only after Bulls starting forward Scottie Pippen and Knicks reserve Kenny Walker were ejected for a scuffle under the basket, the second such incident of the game.