Bulls Keep Firing in Rout of Rockets

Chicago held Houston to one field goal in the second quarter and Michael Jordan scored 38 points as the Bulls defeated the Rockets, 100-86, Wednesday night at Chicago.

The game between the two teams that have won the last five NBA titles became one-sided by the end of the second period after Chicago outscored Houston, 32-12, in the quarter.

Dennis Rodman had 15 rebounds as the Bulls improved to a league-best 26-3 overall and 16-0 at home.

The Rockets trailed by as many as 26 points before rallying behind Hakeem Olajuwon, who had 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. But after the two-time defending champions cut the deficit to 93-82 with 1:49 to go, Jordan made a three-pointer and a layup to clinch the victory.

“This was not a really good barometer of the situation,” Jordan said. “Neither one of us came out of the blocks great, but somehow we got ourselves going while they maintained a certain coldness that carried over. That was not the Houston championship team.”

Playing its eighth consecutive game without injured star Clyde Drexler, Houston led 18-15 after a poorly played first quarter but then went one for 15 from the floor in the second.

“It was like going into war and not even bringing all of our weapons,” Houston Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. “It would be tough even if we had everybody, but I think it’s going to be a different deal next time.”

Drexler is expected back by Jan. 30, when the teams meet in Houston.

“We know Houston is a bigger challenge than this,” said Scottie Pippen, who had 16 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Bulls.

Mario Elie made the Rockets’ only field goal in the second quarter with 2:14 left.

The NBA record for fewest field goals in a quarter is none, by the Sacramento Kings against the Lakers on Feb. 4, 1987.

OTHER GAMES

Rod Strickland scored three of his 27 points in overtime as Portland won on the road for the second time in as many nights with a 114-110 victory over Boston. Strickland finished with a season-high 18 assists and eight rebounds for the Blazers, who had lost seven in a row on the road before beating New York on Tuesday. . . . Dennis Scott scored 15 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to help Orlando pull away to its sixth consecutive victory, a 121-110 triumph over Toronto in Orlando, Fla. Anfernee Hardaway had 34 points on 14-of-17 shooting and Shaquille O’Neal made 11 of 15 shots and scored 26. But it was Scott who led a 13-2 run that broke the game open. . . . Glenn Robinson scored 19 points, Vin Baker had 18 and Benoit Benjamin 16 as Milwaukee beat Detroit, 96-82, at Milwaukee to snap its two-game losing streak and end the Pistons’ three-game win streak. . . . David Robinson scored 31 points and Vinny Del Negro had a season-high 26 as San Antonio solidified its hold on second place in the Midwest Division with a 111-97 victory over Utah at San Antonio. San Antonio took the lead at the 5:20 mark of the second quarter and never relinquished it. . . . Rony Seikaly scored 21 points to lead the Golden State to a 122-111 victory over Philadelphia at Oakland after the 76ers pulled within six points after trailing by 32 in the third quarter.