NBA ROUNDUP : Bulls Pull Away From Celtics, 101-89

For one half, the Boston Celtics stuck with Chicago. Then Michael Jordan picked up his scoring and the Bulls tightened their defense for a 101-89 victory Sunday at Boston.

Jordan scored 11 of his 32 points in the third quarter as the Bulls turned a one-point halftime deficit into an 83-66 lead. Chicago also held the Celtics to 34% shooting in the second half.

Trailing, 51-50, the Bulls outscored the Celtics, 33-15, in the third quarter. Jordan started it with an 18-foot jumper that gave the Bulls the lead for good. His layup began a 13-5 quarter-ending spurt.

Phoenix 110, Indiana 100--Charles Barkley scored 32 points and rookie Oliver Miller had a season-high 16 rebounds as Phoenix ended the Pacers’ club-record home winning streak at 11 games.

Miller and Barkley, who had 13 rebounds, led the Suns to a 61-38 advantage off the boards as Phoenix avenged its only loss in its last 10 games.

New York 108, San Antonio 103--Patrick Ewing scored 27 points, Doc Rivers added a season-high 24 and John Starks had 21 as the Knicks won in overtime, extending their winning streak to six games.

The victory kept New York one game ahead of Chicago in the race for the best record in Eastern Conference.

San Antonio got 28 points from David Robinson.

Cleveland 105, New Jersey 99--Mark Price scored 27 points and had 13 assists at Cleveland as the Cavaliers ended a three-game losing streak.

Price, who on Friday had his consecutive free-throw streak snapped at 77, one short of the NBA record, made all 11 of his attempts and has converted 88 of his last 89.

Miami 124, Orlando 106--Steve Smith scored a career-high 31 points and two reserve centers contained Shaquille O’Neal to help the Heat at Miami.

Matt Geiger and Alec Kessler took turns against O’Neal, who scored 18 points and had six turnovers.

Denver 120, Minnesota 94--Chris Jackson scored 24 points and Dikembe Mutombo added 16 points and 18 rebounds as the Nuggets scored their most lopsided victory of the season at Denver.

The Nuggets, whose reserves outscored the Timberwolves’ by 26 points, have won five of their last six games and moved within four games of the Lakers for the final Western Conference playoff berth.

Philadelphia 112, Sacramento 102--Hersey Hawkins scored 33 points as the 76ers defeated Sacramento to snap a six-game losing streak at Philadelphia.