Jordan reaches 25,000-point milestone

Michael Jordan is looking forward to another 25,000 points.
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It's the usual tandem of Michael and Scottie on this full-court connection.
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Game flow

SAN ANTONIO -- Michael Jordan scored 35 points to become the second-fastest player in NBA history to reach 25,000, and the Chicago Bulls improved to 5-1 on their current road trip with a 97-88 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

The Bulls wrap up their two-week trip Tuesday at Milwaukee.

Jordan, who needed exactly 35 to reach the 25,000-point plateau, hit an 18-footer from the right baseline with 29.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter to attain the milestone.

Jordan reached the mark in 782 games, 91 more than it took Wilt Chamberlain to accomplish the feat.

"It feels pretty good," Jordan said. "I kind of hoped I would do it in Milwaukee so my wife could see it, but I'll take it."

Other than that, it was business as usual for Chicago. At 15-1, the Bulls are ahead of last season's 72-win pace by one game.

San Antonio center Will Perdue, acquired from Chicago last October in exchange for Dennis Rodman, grabbed a career-high 23 rebounds and scored nine points against his former team.

Rodman finished with 14 rebounds and seven points, and he unveiled a new multicolored hairdo of purple, aqua and orange.

Dominique Wilkins scored 25 points and Avery Johnson added 23 for the Spurs, who have lost eight in a row and fell to 1-7 at home.

Johnson pulled San Antonio within 64-62 with 3:30 left in the third quarter before the Bulls pulled away. Steve Kerr started the run with a 3-pointer, but Johnson answered with a layup. Chicago's Bill Wennington hit a 12-foot jumper and Ron Harper added a basket to make it 71-64 after three quarters.

Scottie Pippen finished an alley-oop pass from Jordan to make it 73-66 with 10:24 to play. Perdue hit two free throws, but Wennington and Jordan each made a pair of foul shots to give Chicago a 77-66 lead with 8:53 to play.

Pippen finished with 20 points and Wennington 18 for Chicago, which shot 45 percent (38 for 85) from the floor, including seven for 13 from 3-point range.

"I knew I was going to play a lot more with Luc (Longley) injured," said Wennington, who was eight for 11 from the field in 32 minutes.

"I don't think I've played this many minutes in three years," Wennington joked. "Anyway, I've got to do what I have to do to help this team win."

Sean Elliott had 17 points for San Antonio, which shot 40 percent (33 for 82) from the field and committed 20 turnovers leading to 17 points.

"We've been right in nine of the last 12 losses," Perdue said. "It's not like we're coming in there and stinking up the joint. We need a win. It would've been a nice little kick-start to December."