No matter how short-handed the Chicago Bulls get, they seem to be OK as long as Michael Jordan is around.
Jordan overcame the absence of an injured Scottie Pippen and the ejection of Dennis Rodman by getting 37 points and a season-high 16 rebounds, leading the Bulls to a 97-93 win over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday night."I'm willing to go out and battle and do whatever it takes to win games, and somehow we got a win out of this," Jordan said.
Steve Kerr hit two big 3-pointers, Bill Wennington made two jumpers and Jordan made four free throws down the stretch as the Bulls (57-7) continued their assault on the NBA's best regular-season mark - 69-13 by the Lakers in 1971-72.
"Obviously Michael kept us in the game until we got untracked," Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. "He found a way to get 37 points and 16 rebounds."
Point guard Chris Childs had 18 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds in posting his first triple-double and the second by a Net in as many games. Armon Gilliam added 21 points and Shawn Bradley - who had a triple-double Thursday - had 17 and 12 rebounds in the game highlighted by Rodman's ejection for a second technical foul late in the first period.
Before leaving the court, Rodman had a heated argument with Ted Bernhardt and appeared to butt heads with the official. He then pulled off and threw his Bulls jersey and knocked over a water cooler before running to the locker room.
Bernhardt said there was contact, although Rodman insisted it was accidental while saying he was the victim of a double standard by officials.
"If I butted then I butted him, suspend me," a frustrated Rodman said. "Rod Thorn. David Stern: Suspend me. You guys are so big, suspend me."
Jackson was annoyed with Rodman for leaving the Bulls short-handed on a night in which Pippen was out.
Jordan said Rodman has to be more careful.
"If he feels he is being singled out, he has to walk the line," Jordan said. "Maybe this was an outburst we needed. Maybe he has to be concerned with focusing on the game rather than how he is being perceived."
Knicks 94, 76ers 88
At New York, New York reversed its only loss under Jeff Van Gundy by defeating Philadelphia, the Knicks' third victory in a row.
The Sixers defeated New York eight days earlier on the day Van Gundy replaced Don Nelson as coach. That victory gave Philadelphia a better record than Vancouver, erasing the title of "NBA's worst team."
It looked like the Sixers might pull off another unlikely victory, but New York went ahead with a 10-2 run midway through the fourth quarter and led by at least three points thereafter.
Patrick Ewing scored 26 points and John Starks had 20.
Jerry Stackhouse led Philadelphia with 20 points, and Clarence Weatherspoon had 15 points.
Heat 121, Rockets 97
At Houston, Tim Hardaway had 28 points and 15 assists and Walt Williams scored 27 points, including five 3-pointers, leading Miami over Houston.
Hakeem Olajuwon had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Rockets, who tied the game three times in the third quarter, but were blown out by a 26-8 run that gave the Heat an 18-point lead early in the final period.
Chucky Brown, who scored 15 points, pulled Houston even at 69-69 with a 7-footer at the 7:04 mark in the third quarter, but Miami gained control after that, taking a 95-77 lead.
Spurs 119, Hawks 92
At San Antonio, Sean Elliott led six San Antonio players in double figures with 24 points, and the Spurs rolled to their ninth straight victory, defeating Atlanta.
The Spurs, who have won 14 of 16 games, also got 19 points from David Robinson and 17 from Avery Johnson. Charles Smith scored 14, Vinny Del Negro 13 and Will Perdue had all of his 12 in the first half.
Atlanta was led by Stacey Augmon and Grant Long with 14 points apiece.
Warriors 99, Bucks 94
At Oakland, Calif., Latrell Sprewell scored 31 points, and his midcourt steal and dunk with 1:28 to play sealed Golden State's 99-94 victory Saturday night over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Warriors broke a four-game losing streak that included three at home, while the Bucks lost their seventh straight.
The lead changed hands 15 times before Golden State, down 89-88 with 2:27 to play, scored the next six points. The Warriors made seven of eight free throws down the stretch, and after Sprewell's basket put them up 94-89, never led by fewer than four points.
Vin Baker tallied 25 points.