Posted on 02/22/2003 6:06:48 AM PST by Cagey
WASHINGTON (AP) - Michael Jordan didn't slow down at age 40. He hit another gear.
Four days after hitting the Big Four-Oh, Michael Jordan scored 43 points in 43 minutes - becoming the first 40-year-old in NBA history to score 40 or more. He also found a sudden burst of speed to make the game-winning layup as the Washington Wizards beat the New Jersey Nets 89-86 Friday night.
"I told the guys, I've got 28 games left; I'm going down with no bullets," Jordan said. "I'm going all out. It's the end of my career, and I don't want to see it end in a negative way. I want to see it end positive. I want to have fun."
Jordan was already the oldest player in NBA history to score 40, and he bettered that by making 18 of 30 shots and 7 of 8 free throws. He also had 10 rebounds, four steals and made the hustle move of the night, sprawling on the floor to save the ball after making a steal in the first quarter.
Then came his driving layup with 34 seconds to play. The Nets tried to collapse around him, but Jordan accelerated past everyone and made the shot that put the Wizards ahead 87-86.
|
The victory came at a crucial time for the Wizards, who had dropped three of four and had just lost their third-leading scorer, Larry Hughes, for three weeks with a sprained ankle. The victory left Washington just percentage points behind Orlando in the race for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
After the game, coach Doug Collins called his players "fragile."
It took every ounce of Jordan's effort to carry them to victory, starting when he poked the ball away from Aaron Williams and dove on the court to keep the ball from going out of bounds near midcourt.
"It set the tone in terms of how bad I wanted to win this game," Jordan said. "If they can't see that, if they can't see my love for the game, then obviously they don't need to be in uniform, and they definitely don't need to be on this team. Sometimes you've got to lead by example."
|
After Jordan's go-ahead layup in the final minute, Jerry Stackhouse, an 87 percent foul shooter who was 0-for-4 from the line to that point, made a pair to finish the scoring as the Wizards broke a six-game losing streak to the Atlantic Division leaders.
Richard Jefferson, who guarded Jordan much of the game, scored 25 points to lead the Nets. New Jersey had been 3-0 against Washington this season.
"You could tell in his eyes that he had his legs underneath him and that he was ready to go," Jefferson said. "I just knew, especially being his last season, that he wasn't going to let me or this team get the best of him for the fourth time."
Jordan hit the 40-point mark on two free throws with 4:09 to play, giving the Wizards an 81-79 lead. During one stretch, Jordan scored 16 of the Wizards' 20 points, including eight in a row to start the second half.
|
The game was action-packed. Jordan made two poke steals in the first quarter, taking the first one in for a two-handed dunk, then scoring eight of Washington's last 12 points in the first half.
Jordan was 4-for-5 in the second quarter and had 20 points as the Wizards trailed 45-44 at the break. He kept the pace with four straight jumpers for Washington's first eight points of the second half.
Jordan later gave as contemptuous look at Kenyon Martin before taking a quick dribble to the left and hitting a 16-footer. He also nailed another jumper from the left wing over Kidd at the shot-clock buzzer.
Jordan had 14 of Washington's 25 points in the quarter, and the Wizards led 69-68 to start the fourth. ^
|
It was Jordan's 173rd 40-point game. ... Washington is 6-0 when Jordan scores 30 or more. ... Washington last defeated New Jersey on Dec. 31, 2001, when Jordan scored 45. ... The Nets lost on a Friday for the first time this season, dropping to 12-1. ... The Wizards are 7-1 in games decided by three points or less.
Forsooth, you're going down with wizards.
Life begins at 40 - but so do fallen arches, rheumatism, faulty eyesight, and the tendency to tell a story to the same person, three or four times.
...................... Helen Rowland
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
