WASHINGTON -- Michael Jordan's right knee was so swollen, the trainer didn't think there was any way he could play.
Of course, Jordan played.
Not only that, he put on the Washington Wizards on his back and carried them again, making five straight shots in overtime for 10 of his 35 points in Thursday night's 100-98 victory over the Houston Rockets.
"I don't know how many guys would have played with what Michael had tonight," coach Doug Collins said. "If you could have seen his leg yesterday and this morning. It was totally puffed up. (Trainer) Steve Stricker said he didn't think there was any way he could play, and he played 50 minutes."
The victory came with a price. Guard Tyronn Lue separated his shoulder in a collision with Joaquin Hawkins in the fourth quarter and will miss up to six games. With Larry Hughes already out with a sprained ankle, the Wizards are down to Jordan, Jerry Stackhouse and Juan Dixon on the perimeter and will look to sign a player to a 10-day contract.
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| Washington Wizards' Michael Jordan (23) guards Houston Rockets' Yao Ming, back, during the first quarter, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003, in Washington. (AP) |
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Jordan, who also grabbed 11 rebounds, missed practice Wednesday with fluid buildup on his surgically repaired knee after a collision with Reggie Miller in Tuesday's victory over Indiana. He wasn't a sure bet to play until he got through warmups without a problem, but his shooting touch was as true as ever as he started 7-for-9 from the field.
Wearing a full-length compression black stocking to control the swelling, Jordan said he felt "about 85 percent." He was 5-for-6 in overtime, his only miss coming in the final 10 seconds.
"In the fourth quarter, because of the way the game was going, I kind of overdid it because my leg got a little exhausted," said Jordan, who is averaging 30.6 points in four games since turning 40 years old. "Steve told me that when the swelling gets into that thigh area, the muscles stop firing, so I got a little tired.
"Somehow I just played it through and in the fourth quarter it was more or less just gut. And in the overtime, just gut it out. I made some big shots. If we had to go through another overtime, it would've been tough."
Yao Ming got the rebound on Jordan's last shot, giving the Rockets a chance to tie or win. But rather than calling timeout, Houston hurried downcourt. Steve Francis left his feet behind the 3-point line but then decided not to shoot, and teammate Cuttino Mobley missed a desperation 3-point shot at the buzzer.
"Every game, there's a mental mistake," Houston coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We've got to get a timeout on the last play. Just got to give yourself a chance. ... Those aren't little things; those are big things. We've got to stop making those kind of mistakes and think on our feet in the game."
Jerry Stackhouse, who missed the morning shootaround with tendinitis in his knee, added 28 points for the Wizards, who shot 59 percent and have overcome a string of injuries to play their best basketball of the season. They have won three of four, with the only loss coming in overtime to Dallas.
Mobley scored 24 points to lead the Rockets, who finished 1-2 on their East Coast road trip. Maurice Taylor scored 21 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Rockets overcame a 24-point second-half deficit.
Yao, who was feted at the Chinese embassy the day before in Houston's only trip to Washington this season, had 16 points and 11 rebounds. But he had three shots blocked by Brendan Haywood in the second half.
"Shaquille O'Neal is much stronger than me -- and Brendan Haywood is definitely stronger than me," Yao said.
In addition to his lapse on the final play, Francis shot just 1-for-13 and finished with eight points.
The Wizards controlled the game until late in the third quarter. Mobley tied the score with a long 3-pointer with 13.1 seconds left in the fourth. Jordan, well-guarded by Taylor, missed a 20-footer from the top of key at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
Jordan's 10 overtime points included a one-handed dunk after blowing past Hawkins. The only other basket for Washington in the extra period was Stackhouse's desperation jumper at the shot clock buzzer with 34 seconds to go.
The game pitted the NBA's two ninth-place teams, both trying to work into playoff position in their respective conferences. The Wizards moved into a tie for eighth with Milwaukee.
Washington shot a season-best 78 percent in the first quarter to take a 29-20 lead and held Houston without a point over the final 4:25 of the first half to lead 55-35 at halftime.
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