|
|
 |
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE | |
Losing effort Jordan scores 19 in Wizards' loss to Pistons
Updated: Monday November 05, 2001 8:19 AM
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Michael Jordan could spend a lot of time on the bench, if Washington head coach Doug Collins sticks to his word. Jordan scored 19 points in just 22 minutes -- because his team was getting dominated -- in his first back-to-back game of his second comeback as the Detroit Pistons beat the Wizards 100-78 on Sunday night. Collins said Jordan wouldn't play a lot of minutes when the Wizards are getting blown out. "There's going to be a lot of nights like this," Collins said. Jerry Stackhouse scored 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting, reserve Corliss Williamson added 18 points and Dana Barros had 17 for the Pistons (3-1). Stackhouse has help this season, unlike last year when he was essentially a one-man team. He knows Jordan feels. "I've been there when the whole defense is watching you and your teammates are watching you," Stackhouse said. "That's no way to play basketball." Jordan, who played just the first four minutes of the second half, shot 8-of-18 from the field and was 3-for-3 from the foul line. He also had eight rebounds and two assists. Jordan said he definitely wanted to play more in the second half, but didn't argue with Collins. "This is his team," Jordan said. "I'm not going to override him." Is Jordan afraid that there could be a lot nights when he's sitting next to Collins because the Wizards (2-2) are overmatched? "No," he said quickly. "I'm not afraid of that, but there could be nights like this. But you would have to define what 'a lot of nights' are. There's 82 games, hopefully we don't have more than three or four of these over the course of the season. If it gets up to 10 or 12, you're definitely going to see a frustrated athlete." Jordan, who played an average of 38.3 minutes in his first three games with the Wizards, has had one exceptional game -- scoring 31 in the win against Atlanta -- and a few lackluster efforts. He shot just 7-of-21 in the opening-night loss at New York and in the win over Philadelphia on Saturday. "I think my legs are starting to come around," Jordan said. The Pistons went on a 14-2 run in the second quarter with Jordan in the game -- and Stackhouse on the bench. Jordan then decided to make a run of his own as Detroit led 43-22 with six minutes left in the half. He scored seven consecutive points -- on a three-point play and two mid-range jumpers -- to pull Washington within 16, but the Wizards never got closer. The Pistons made four 3-pointers over the last few minutes to take a 61-37 halftime lead. When Jordan left for good, with 7:51 left in the third, the Pistons led 70-41. "We wanted to make him take tough jumpers over a hand and he hit some tough shots," Detroit head coach Rick Carlisle said. "If he stayed in the game, he could have scored a ton of points." The sold-out crowd chanted, "We want Michael," with about 10 minutes left, but he didn't budge off the bench. As Jordan struggled with his shot, his teammates were unable to help him out as they did the previous night. Jordan was the only starter with more than nine points. Richard Hamilton, who scored 29 points Saturday, was just 3-of-11 for six points. Reserve Tyronn Lue scored 11. "Rick Carlisle was nice to us tonight, he could have beat us by about 50," Collins said. "I'll have to take him out for a glass of wine."
Notes: The Pistons have won three in a row since losing the season
opener at Dallas and are 3-1 for the first time in two years. ...
After playing three games in four nights, the Wizards will not play
again until Wednesday at Boston and Collins said they won't
practice again until Tuesday.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
