They Said It

? Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls guard, after scoring 32 points against the Boston Celtics, whose defensive ace, Dennis Johnson, was sidelined with an ankle injury: "I took advantage of the absence of his presence."

? Jimmy Johnson, Miami football coach, whose Hurricanes yielded 128 points in their last three games, on why he was named a defensive coach for one of the all-star teams in last Saturday's Japan Bowl: "I understand the Japanese like a high-scoring game."