Chicago Bulls

CHICAGO -- Everybody got to play for the Chicago Bulls last night. Superstar Michael Jordan invited his teammates to join in the fun, as the Bulls evened the NBA championship series, 1-1, by routing the Los Angeles Lakers, 107-86.Apparently stung by Jordan's suggestion that his supporting cast was not ready to respond to the pressure, John Paxson (8-for-8 from the field), Horace Grant and Bill Cartwright put in prime-time performances to avenge the 93-91, opening-game loss at home. The Bulls hit 67 percent of their shots.

A person familiar with the situation says Kyle Korver is following Carlos Boozer from Utah to Chicago after agreeing to sign with the Bulls. The person spoke Friday on the condition of anonymity because the contract was not finalized The deal is reportedly for three years and about $15 million. Korver is a career 41 percent 3-point shooter who hit 59 of 110 last season, a NBA-best 53.6 percent, while averaging 7.2 points. He came off the bench in all 52 games he played in '09-10.

CHICAGO -- As he emerged from the Chicago Bulls' huddle, walking onto the United Center court with a swagger, Michael Jordan knew it was his moment. Who else do you call a play for with the game tied and just over four seconds left -- Luc Longley?Jordan started the final sequence under his own basket, somehow pulling free from the two-handed waist-grip applied by Atlanta Hawks guard Steve Smith. Taking the inbounds pass at the top of the key, Jordan dribbled twice to his right in a move that put Smith and forward Chucky Brown -- running to double team Jordan -- on a collision course.

There were no chants of "Boooooooooooth," as there used to be at Cole Field House when he was playing basketball for Maryland. But Keith Booth, the former Terps star turned assistant coach, got his share of attention at Ravens camp in Westminster yesterday. And most of it had to do with the commitment the Terps just received from St. Frances star Sean Mosley, the latest Baltimore player to announce he was headed to College Park. "As a young player growing up in Baltimore, having the opportunity to play at the University of Maryland and come back as a coach, it's really good to walk around and be recognized for things that you've accomplished.

Basketball NBA -- Fined the Chicago Bulls $25,000 for not making their players available to the media.HockeyNew Jersey Devils -- Announced the resignation of coach Herb Brooks.Horse racing Churchill Downs -- Suspended jockey Pat Day for careless riding during Saturday's card at Churchill Downs.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Washington Bullets fell to 0-6 in exhibition games with a 114-101 loss to the Chicago Bulls last night before 22,104 at the University of Tennessee's Thompson-Boling Arena.

BASEBALL (AL) * Chicago White Sox -- Signed Kirk McCaskill (pitcher) to a three-year contract.BASKETBALL (NBA) * Chicago Bulls -- Activated Bill Cartwright (center) from the injured list. Waived Mark Randall (forward).* Miami Heat -- Announced they have matched the Los Angeles Lakers' offer sheet for Sherman Douglas (guard).FOOTBALL (NFL) * Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Announced the resignation of Phil Krueger (general manager).COLLEGE * Arkansas State -- Named Ray Perkins football coach.

The Washington Bullets will play two games against the world champion Chicago Bulls to highlight their eight-game preseason schedule in October.They face Michael Jordan and the Bulls in Birmingham, Ala., Oct. 18, and meet again four days later in Knoxville, Tenn.There will also be a homecoming for coach Wes Unseld, center/forward Pervis Ellison and rookie guard LaBradford Smith when the Bullets play the Utah Jazz at Freedom Hall in Louisville. All three are Louisville graduates.The itinerary begins Oct. 13 with a game against the New York Knicks at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. The Bullets will travel to the Bahamas Oct. 20 to play the Miami Heat.

VS.MILWAUKEE BUCKS* WHEN: Tonight, 8* WHERE: Capital Centre, Landover* TV/RADIO: HTS and WBAL-AM 1090* OUTLOOK: The Bullets (1-2) hope the familiar confines of the Cap Centre will be as beneficial this week as last, when they upset the Chicago Bulls in their home opener. The Bucks (3-1) are coming off a big win at home last night against the 76ers, while the Bullets will be trying to rebound after a tough road loss to the Knicks.

BaseballChicago White Sox -- Agreed to a 3-year contract with P Kirk McCaskill (10-19, 4.26 ERA with the California Angels) worth between $6 million and $7 million.BasketballChicago Bulls -- Activated C Bill Cartwright off the injured list. Waived rookie first-round draft pick F Mark Randall (1.7 ppg).Miami Heat -- Matched the Los Angeles Lakers' offer sheet to restricted free-agent G Sherman Douglas. The Lakers signed Douglas to an offer sheet reportedly worth $17 million on Dec. 13.CollegesC7 Arkansas State -- Named Ray Perkins football coach.

WASHINGTON - The wait lasted eight years, seven coaches and countless players, including one who many considered the greatest ever to put on an NBA uniform. The Washington Wizards finally accomplished this season what they couldn't do with Michael Jordan or anyone else in that span. They made the playoffs. By virtue of a nationally televised 93-82 victory over the Chicago Bulls last night at MCI Center and Indiana's win over New Jersey, the Wizards will play in the postseason for the first time since the 1996-97 season when the then-Bullets lost to Jordan's Bulls in a three-game opening-round sweep.

THOUGH YOUR summer tan may be fading, think of it this way: By the time the NBA season ends, you could be working on a new one. Network television coverage of the regular season begins with a TNT doubleheader Tuesday, starting at 8 p.m. (Houston Rockets-Detroit Pistons, followed by Denver Nuggets-Los Angeles Lakers) and then an ESPN doubleheader Wednesday, also starting at 8 p.m. (Miami Heat-New Jersey Nets, followed by the Lakers-Utah Jazz). Joining ESPN this season is an old favorite, analyst Steve "Snapper" Jones.

Until Monday night, the only air of joy that surrounded the Orlando Magic revolved around the March wedding of Croatian guard Gordan Giricek and the pending birth of his first child. But then the Magic came up with another reason to smoke cigars and pop champagne corks: the end of a 19-game losing streak, as Orlando knocked off the Phoenix Suns at home, 105-98. "You know for the first time in a long time, we have a very happy locker room," coach Johnny Davis said. "And for the first time in a long time, I can actually smile for a change.

CHICAGO - There was 13 years' worth of pent-up emotion waiting for Michael Jordan at the United Center last night, and he really didn't want any of it. In what is presumed to be the last game that he will play in the city he put on the basketball map, Jordan reluctantly accepted a four-minute pre-game ovation before grabbing a microphone and, in a sense, asking the crowd to stop and let him play one final time. Given how poorly he and the Washington Wizards played, Jordan perhaps should have let the crowd keep cheering, to forestall the 104-97 loss the Chicago Bulls hung on him - the first time Chicago has beaten Jordan since he returned to the NBA last season.

CHICAGO -- In the box score of the Washington Wizards' 107-82 rout of the Chicago Bulls last night, Michael Jordan was credited with five assists, but his biggest assist of the evening had nothing to do with the game. Jordan's ability to dominate attention once again assisted the Wizards' young forward, Kwame Brown, allowing him to draw a bead on personal rival Tyson Chandler rather than entertain the media. And, focused on Chandler , Brown came through with a strong performance by tying a career high with 20 points, as well as grabbing 14 rebounds.

DENVER -- Flashbulbs popped, teen-aged girls screamed and there was a measurable buzz around the Pepsi Center last night, which could only mean one thing: Michael Jordan is back. Jordan made his return here last night after 12 games on the injured list with torn cartilage in his right knee, just in time to take part in the Washington Wizards' 107-75 pasting of the Denver Nuggets. Jordan, who had arthroscopic surgery on the knee on Feb. 27, played 16 minutes and chipped in seven points -- the third time this season he has failed to score in double figures -- as he looked to be more in the mode of getting accustomed to playing again than taking over.

Opponent: Chicago BullsSite: USAir ArenaTime: 1 p.m.TV/Radio: HTS/WTEM (570 AM), WWLG (1360 AM)Outlook: This is the Bullets' first look at G Michael Jordan since his return to the NBA late last season. Jordan leads the league in scoring and had 48 points against Philadelphia on Saturday. The Bullets have lost two straight to the Bulls and are short-handed. G Mark Price (sore left foot) did not play the second half of Saturday's game and is listed as day-to-day. G Ledell Eackles gets the starting assignment against Jordan.

He has endured the longest losing streak and some of the worst shooting performances of his legendary career. He has battled a persistent case of tendinitis in his knees, as well as in his right wrist. He has watched some of his teammates on the Washington Wizards play as if they were members of the Washington Generals. He has also had moments when he looked like, well, Michael Jordan. The game he haunted the Utah Jazz and Bryon Russell by scoring 44 points. The quarter he shut down Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics.