The play of two Chicagoans on the 76ers, Hersey Hawkins and Ron Anderson, reflected well the kind of night it was for Philadelphia.
Hawkins was 4 for 13 from the field and Anderson was 3 for 14 in the Bulls` victory Tuesday night.
”The bottom line was, we just didn`t score,” Hawkins said. ”The whole game, we just couldn`t hit any shots. Even our open shots were not falling. It was just one of those nights. Ron, Johnny (Dawkins) and myself take a lot of outside shots. We live and die by them. Tonight, they just didn`t go.”
Latest returns: Charles Barkley remains atop the NBA Eastern Conference All-Star voting with 385,686 votes in the latest tally. Larry Bird is second among East forwards with 327,859 votes, ahead of Michael Jordan, who leads the guards with 314,860. Scottie Pippen is third among forwards at 157,668.
Behind Jordan at guard is Indiana`s Reggie Miller at 97,149 and Detroit`s Isiah Thomas at 96,845.
The tightest race in the East continues to be at center, where the Knicks` Patrick Ewing currently leads with 177,232, ahead of Washington`s Pervis Ellison (165,258), Milwaukee`s Moses Malone (148,405) and Cleveland`s Brad Daugherty (132,291).
The Western Conference will announce its latest voting on Wednesday.
Medical miracle: Jeff Ruland`s return after five years away from organized basketball has observers around the league shaking their heads-the Bulls among them.
Ruland, who signed a multiyear contract based on games played, is averaging eight points and four rebounds in the four games since his return, including Tuesday`s six points and two rebounds.
”Five years hasn`t dulled his senses,” Philadelphia coach Jim Lynam said before the game. ”I was pleasantly surprised.”
Bulls center Bill Cartwright said it is ”amazing he`s back. Obviously, he`s very fortunate. I don`t know how much he messed around playing basketball because it obviously took a while for the knee to come back to where he could jump up and down on it. Clearly, he has a lot of desire to play . . . and getting that paycheck (again) eased the pain.”
”There`s always going to be that need for the big man,” Will Perdue said.
No harm: Horace Grant banged his elbow on the court late in the third quarter and left the game, but he returned in the fourth quarter and later said he was fine.
First move: Scottie Pippen said he always looks forward to playing against Barkley, even though he knows it will be an especially tough physical task.
”I expect and anticipate all the physical play when I guard him,”
Pippen said.
”Basically, you try to be the one to make the first blow.”
