Damon Stoudamire

Toni Kukoc added 18 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who improved to a league-best 21-1 at home with their 12th win in 13 games overall. Chicago avenged losses in each of its last two meetings with Toronto, including a 97-89 setback on December 8th in which Jordan was scoreless in the second half. "This was a game played with more intensity than our last four games," Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. "We got on a roll in the fourth quarter and we got the lead and were able to finish." Damon Stoudamire scored 26 points for the Raptors, who handed the Bulls one of their 10 losses last season. Toronto fell to 4-16 on the road with its fourth loss in six games overall. The Raptors closed to 36-28 on a short jumper by Acie Earl with 10:15 remaining in the second quarter before the Bulls grabbed control with a 19-4 burst over the next four-plus minutes. Jordan made three three-pointers and a layup and Ron Harper sank a jumper to give Chicago its largest lead at 55-32 with 6:04 to go in the first half. The Bulls led 65-49 at halftime, but a 10-2 spurt capped by two foul shots by Doug Christie pulled the Raptors within 67-59 with 6:38 left in the third quarter. However, Luc Longley made a pair of free throws and Jordan sank a jumper, rebuilding the lead to 12 points. "We're out to beat everyone, not just the Toronto Raptors," said Longley. "We have to play tough against everybody. We've had a lot of tough games with theses guys." Chicago took an 87-67 lead into the final period but Toronto made another run, closing to 97-88 on Stoudamire's three-pointer with 7:10 left. But Toronto's Popeye Jones missed a layup and Harper, who had nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, answered with a three-pointer and the Raptors got no closer than eight points thereafter. "My guys competed. We played hard and I'm happy with that," Raptors coach Darrell Walker said. "I knew Chicago would be ready, since in the last game we beat them. I thought we played hard down the stretch when we got it to nine, but then Popeye missed the layup that would have got it to seven and that was it." Jordan shot 10-of-16 from the field and played just 31 minutes. Longley scored 16 points and Scottie Pippen added 12 and eight assists for the Bulls, who shot 56 percent (47-of-84) from the field are were outrebounded 47-28. Chicago improved to 4-1 without suspended forward Dennis Rodman, who leads the NBA in rebounding but will miss at least six more games. "I think no matter what the score was, Phil was going to have me sit," Jordan said. "But because the game got a little tight at times, he had to play Scottie a little more than he wanted to. But it's nice to get the win and the rest." Rookie Marcus Camby scored 23 points, Walt Williams added 19 and Popeye Jones had 17 and 16 rebounds for the Raptors, who shot 45 percent (37-of-82). Stoudamire handed out 11 assists but also committed 12 turnovers, as many as the entire Chicago team and the third-highest individual total in league history. "Twenty-four turnovers, that's what got us," Walker said. "I think Damon had too many unforced turnovers. He's a real competitor and he's in there admitting that he had a bad game." "My 12 turnovers were just me having a bad game handling the ball," Stoudamire said. "I've seen lines before where Scottie and other guys have had as many. It was just a tough night."