Michael Jordan - 44 points vs New York Knicks (Jan 9, 1998)

It was the way Michael Jordan kept hitting his shots as the Knicks kept hitting flesh. And it was obvious that no matter what the circumstances, the color of this rivalry had not faded without Patrick Ewing.

The evidence spilled onto the floor at Madison Square Garden last night as each Knick who was fed up with the prickly Dennis Rodman shoved, tripped or barked at him. Pick one, Larry Johnson, John Starks or Charles Oakley.

The trio displayed the kind of anger and aggression that provided the only chance the Knicks had to beat Jordan. And yet, just as Jordan has done throughout his career, he ruined the best group effort by the Knicks, gathering a remarkable 44 points as the Bulls won, 90-89.

"I thought we had tremendous effort," Knicks Coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "We were beaten by a championship-caliber team, by the greatest player ever probably. We had our opportunities."

The victory was not assured until Chris Childs missed a 3-pointer just before the buzzer as the Knicks declined to call a timeout to set up a final play.

"I would have gone inside, but I didn't think I would have gotten the call," Childs said. "I thought the shot I took was good. It just didn't go in this time."

Suddenly, the additions the Knicks have made to surround Ewing with complementary players were on the spot against Chicago last night. More attention was on Houston, though. He had Jordan, but Jordan got the best of him in the second half.

"I don't think I got the job done in the second half," Houston, who had six turnovers, said. "We just didn't get it done. I don't look back and say it was because we have had injuries and that type of thing."

The Bulls had to deal with injuries, too. Scottie Pippen has been out, and Toni Kukoc did not play because of a chest cold.

"We were limited with what we had our there in our arsenal," Bulls Coach Phil Jackson said. '"But we got it done."

The Knicks did not. And that was the bottom line to most of them. Few took solace in playing the Bulls close, but they did believe the team proved something to those who thought this rivalry had lost much of its edge without Ewing.

"We have a lot of talent, still," Oakley said. "People are going to say what they're going to say. As long as we know in-house what we have and keep working, we'll be in a lot of close games."

Maybe they will even win a few, but not this one, not while Jordan had anything to do with it.

"The Knicks came out and played with a lot of dignity," Jordan said. "We were not healthy, either. So we expected a battle."