Jordan now No. 7 on all-time scoring list
Game Flow
CHICAGO -- Michael Jordan became the No. 7 scorer in NBA history, scoring 31 points as the Chicago Bulls took a 108-90 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scottie Pippen scored 25 points and Luc Longley and Jason Caffey scored 13 apiece for Chicago (51-7). Dennis Rodman grabbed 11 rebounds.
Jordan has 26,277 career points, 19 more than San Antonio's Dominique Wilkins.
"I feel old," joked Jordan, who turned 34 on Feb. 17. "I feel like gradually some of the things I've done over the years are starting to add up. It's another accolade; I feel proud about. I haven't focused in on it yet.
"The scary part about it is: What happens if I hadn't retired for a year and a half and hadn't been hurt in my second year?"
Jordan played only 18 games during the 1985-86 season because of a foot injury. He was retired during the entire 1993-94 season and didn't return until late in 1994-95.
"It's been a pleasure since Michael's come back," Bulls coach Phil Jackson said Monday. "He's made it again a joy to watch an artist in his work. You're not surprised at the incredible amount of scoring Michael does."
Pippen scored 21 points in the third period, going eight for 11 from the field in the quarter, including three for four from 3-point range. He scored 12 straight Chicago points during one stretch and sat out most of the final period.
 |
|
Joe Wolf, left, and Dennis Rodman battle for a rebound. The two got into an altercation during the game.
|
"The way things are going for us, it probably looks easy," said Jordan, who scored 24 points in the first half . "But we are complementing each other perfectly lately. I had a big first half and Scottie was on fire in the third quarter.
"Milwaukee is a good team. When some of their young guys mature, they can be better."
Glenn Robinson scored 23 points and Vin Baker added 16 for the Bucks (25-33), who have lost six in a row.
"Right now, the way we are playing, it's very tough on me," Baker said. "I've never been this depressed. We're just not playing the way we can."
Elliot Perry scored 11 points and Joe Wolf grabbed 11 rebounds for the Bucks. Wolf and Rodman scuffled after battling on consecutive third-quarter possessions, with Rodman taking a swing at Wolf the first trip and Wolf getting Rodman into a headlock on the next.
Wolf said Rodman caught him in the groin when the two were jostling on the first possession. "You just can't take that," Wolf said. "You've got to keep playing hard. I don't care if we're down by 20 or up by 20."
Jordan's big first half staked Chicago to a 53-46 lead. Pippen opened the second half with a layup and 10-footer and Jordan hit two free throws to give the Bulls a 59-46 advantage with 10:05 left in the third quarter.
A basket by Armon Gilliam drew the Bucks within 70-58 with 4:57 to go, but Pippen scored eight straight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, to boost the Chicago lead to 20 points.
"The third quarter has been particularly tough for us since the All-Star break," Milwaukee coach Chris Ford said. "In the NBA, good teams that are behind at the half step up in the third quarter and take control of the game, and good teams that are ahead at the half send the other team home packing."
The Bucks trailed 86-63 after three quarters and got no closer than 16 points in the final period.
