Bulls and Jordan Enjoy Christmas With Punch : Pro basketball: He scores 37 in a rough victory over the Pistons.

Michael Jordan, celebrating the birth of his second son, scored 37 points Tuesday, including eight in a rough-and-tumble fourth quarter, as the Chicago Bulls held off the Detroit Pistons, 98-86, Sunday.

The Bulls avenged a 105-84 defeat at Detroit last week with some help from the Pistons, who managed only eight field goals and 36 points in the second half.

“It was tough for me to sleep, but I was in good spirits and very joyous,” said Jordan, whose son, Marcus James, was born 32 hours before the tipoff.

“It was very inspiring to go out and play knowing that you’ve helped bring somebody into the world,” Jordan said. “I figured the only way it would get better is if we went out and beat up on the Pistons. Then we did that.”

The pushing and shoving that was evident under both baskets at the start flared briefly near the end. It led to the ejection of Chicago’s Horace Grant with 3:05 remaining and the Bulls ahead, 89-79.

Joe Dumars of Detroit, who was not ejected, threw an elbow into Grant’s stomach as the Bulls’ Scottie Pippen was moving the ball upcourt. Grant retaliated by throwing a right hand to the midsection of the retreating Dumars in full view of the officials, who then stepped between the two before any more punches.

“I’m sorry for what happened. It was just an unfortunate incident,” Dumars said. “I apologized to him before he came over and left the court.”

The Bulls began the final period protecting a 73-64 lead, and the Pistons never got closer than four points the rest of the way. Detroit, losing for the ninth time in 10 road games, was led by Dumars’ 24 points. Isiah Thomas added 23.

Thomas, who has of late come under some criticism from teammates, made some critical remarks as he tried shake the team from its current lethargy.

“Last year, when we were losing, we were playing hard,” he said. “We don’t have the same type of attitude to win. We don’t have the right, proper frame of mind. Until we get that, we’ll be bouncing up and down all season.”

John Paxson had 15 points and Pippen 14. Grant, who lost his starting role to Stacey King for the first time this season, had eight before he was ejected.