Chicago 110, Toronto98

Game flow

CHICAGO -- Michael Jordan scored 11 of his 24 points during a second-quarter run as the Chicago Bulls built a 23-point lead and cruised to their 14th consecutive home win, a 110-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

Toni Kukoc added 18 points and a career-high 13 assists for the Bulls, who improved to a league-best 21-1 at home. Chicago avenged losses in each of its last two meetings with Toronto, including a 97-89 setback on Dec. 8 in which Jordan was scoreless in the second half.

"We had that game on our mind," Jordan said. "They were ready. They had a big crowd of over 30,000, they played hard and they beat us. I think we take 'em lightly and we shouldn't, because when we do, they sneak up on us."

Damon Stoudamire scored 26 points for the Raptors, who handed the Bulls one of their 10 losses last season. Toronto fell to 4-16 on the road with its fourth loss in six games overall.

Stoudamire handed out 11 assists but also committed 12 turnovers, as many as the entire Chicago team and the third-highest individual total in league history.

"Twenty-four turnovers: that's what got us," Raptors coach Darrell Walker said. "I think Damon had too many unforced turnovers. He's a real competitor and he's in there admitting that he had a bad game."

"My 12 turnovers were just me having a bad game handling the ball," Stoudamire said. "I've seen lines before where Scottie (Pippen) and other guys have had as many. It was just a tough night."

CHICAGO was outrebounded 47-28, but still managed to improved to 4-1 without suspended forward Dennis Rodman, who leads the NBA in rebounding but will miss at least six more games.

"We are not rebounding the way we want to and today was an extreme example," Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. "We have to work on the boards."

The Raptors closed to 36-28 on a short jumper by Acie Earl with 10:15 remaining in the second quarter before the Bulls grabbed control with a 19-4 burst over the next four-plus minutes.

Jordan made three 3-pointers and a layup and Ron Harper sank a jumper to give Chicago its largest lead at 55-32 with 6:04 to go in the first half.

The Bulls led 65-49 at halftime, but a 10-2 spurt capped by two foul shots by Doug Christie pulled the Raptors within 67-59 with 6:38 left in the third quarter. However, Luc Longley made a pair of free throws and Jordan sank a jumper, rebuilding the lead to 12 points.

"We're out to beat everyone, not just the Toronto Raptors," Longley said when asked about the revenge factor. "We have to play tough against everybody."

CHICAGO took an 87-67 lead into the final period but Toronto made another run, closing to 97-88 on Stoudamire's 3-pointer with 7:10 left. But Toronto's Popeye Jones missed a layup and Harper, who had nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, answered with a 3-pointer and the Raptors got no closer than eight points thereafter.

"My guys competed. We played hard and I'm happy with that," Walker said. "I knew Chicago would be ready, since in the last game we beat them. I thought we played hard down the stretch when we got it to nine, but then Popeye missed the layup that would have got it to seven and that was it."

Jordan shot 10 for 16 from the field and played just 31 minutes. Longley scored 16 points and Pippen added 12 points and eight assists for the Bulls, who shot 56 percent (47 for 84) from the field.

Rookie Marcus Camby scored 23 points, Walt Williams added 19 and Jones had 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Raptors, who shot 45 percent (37 for 82).