– This is progress: When Michael Jordan scored 16 points Monday and the Bulls defeated the Hawks, it marked a milestone of sorts. It was 15th time in the last four seasons that Jordan has failed to score 20 points or more. But it was just the Bulls` third victory in those 15 games, which spans 318 games, including playoffs.
For his pro career of 425 games, Jordan has been below 20 points 31 times. The Bulls are 6-25 in those games.
Also, no current Bull has scored more than 31 points in a game since playing with Jordan.
– He`s a longshot: Jordan`s improvement as a three-point shooter has been remarkable, but his chances of winning the three-point shooting contest during the All-Star weekend in Miami have to be considered remote.
That`s because Jordan, who is 16th in the league from long distance this season at 40 percent, is a far better three-point shooter at home (47.1 percent) than on the road (30.6) this season.
But even that road mark tops Jordan`s total high for any previous season. He was a career 20.2 percent three-point shooter after peaking at 27.6 last season. In his four other NBA seasons, he never shot better than 18 percent on threes, averaging 16 percent (31 for 189).
– He`s a hotshot: Craig Hodges, the league`s fourth-best all-time three-point shooter at 39 percent coming into this season, is currently fifth at 44 percent-49 in the Stadium and an impressive 42 on the road.
Hodges missed his first free throw of the season Monday after making 14 straight. In another oddity, Hodges, who hadn`t blocked a shot all season, made blocks in two straight games before going without any on Monday. He blocked only four shots all last season, none in the last 39 games.
– King-sized gain: Rookie Stacey King has scored in double figures in six of the last nine games, averaging 10.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 23.1 minutes per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field. ”The whole key was understanding what I`m supposed to do,” he said. ”Earlier this season, I didn`t know what the coach expected. Now I feel like I do.”
