clarinews@clarinet.com (01/14/90)
CHICAGO (UPI) -- Michael Jordan scored 28 points, including 16 in the first quarter to break open the game, as the Chicago Bulls extended their home winning streak to a club-record 13 straight games with a 117-111 win over the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday night. The Bulls shattered their previous record for consecutive home triumphs set in the 1974-75 season, when they captured their only division title. The defeat snapped the Clippers' three-game winning streak on the road. Chicago, which never trailed and led by as many as 30 points late in the second quarter, shot 70 percent from the field in the first half. Benoit Benjamin and reserves Joe Wolf and Michael Young led a comeback that sliced the margin to 105-93 with 6:53 left in the fourth quarter. But Jordan answered with two free throws, followed by rookie B.J. Armstrong's layup, and Los Angeles could get no closer than the final margin. Wolf and Gary Grant paced Los Angeles with 17 points apiece, while Benjamin added 16, Young 15, Charles Smith 14 and Ron Harper 10. John Paxson scored 16, Scottie Pippen 15, Bill Cartwright 13, rookie Stacey King 13 and Horace Grant 10 for Chicago. Behind Horace Grant's six points, the Bulls went on a 20-5 tear to increase the lead to 63-33 in the second period. After Smith's layup pulled Los Angeles within 12-10, the Bulls outscored the Clippers 25-11 en route to a 37-21 advantage after one quarter. Jordan contributed 12 points to the outburst, including a pair of three-point field goals.