ESPN Network: ESPN.com | NFL.com | NBA.com | NHL.com | NASCAR | WNBA.com | ABCSports | EXPN | FANTASY | INSIDER

  Scores/Schedules
  Standings
  Statistics
  Transactions
  Injuries
  Players
  Message Board
  NBA StatSearch
  NBA en espaņol
Clubhouses





Monday, Dec. 11 8:30pm ET
Suns take Bulls by storm

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

CHICAGO (AP) -- Jason Kidd understood why most fans stayed away on a bitterly cold and snowy night.

Tony Delk
The Suns' Tony Delk drives around Chicago's Khalid El-Amin in the fourth quarter Monday.
"They are smart," he said after the Phoenix Suns weathered a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Chicago Bulls 86-80 Monday night before a small crowd at the United Center.

"The fans stayed home and watched on TV or listened to the radio," Kidd said. "But you have to tip your cap to the few who were here. It was ugly outside."

With a major snowstorm burying the city, the 21,711-seat United Center was approximately one-quarter full, although official attendance -- including season tickets already sold -- was announced at 20,962.

With thousands of empty seats, public address announcer Ray Clay invited those sitting in the two upper levels to move down into the lower seats during the first quarter, creating a mass movement of bodies while the game was in progress.

"My first thought was it was unbelievable that we had anybody," Bulls coach Tim Floyd said. "We talked about it today as a staff and we thought there would be about 1,000."

Bulls center Elton Brand said he also was surprised so many fans attended.

"My mother wanted to come tonight and I made her stay home," he said.

The Suns threatened to run away with a 19-0 second-half run, but the Bulls regrouped with a 12-point run of their own before losing their sixth straight game.

Cliff Robinson had 24 points, Kidd added 12 points and 13 assists, and Rodney Rogers had 17 points and nine assists for Phoenix.

Ron Mercer had 26 points and Brand added 23 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago.

"In the first half we went out for a Sunday stroll, but we became the aggressors in the second half and got everybody involved," Kidd said.

"We played back-to-back and we didn't bring our game from the beginning like we should have," Rogers said. "Maybe it was because we were lounging around with the snow and everything."

Kidd posted for a jumper, drove through the middle for a basket and Robinson hit his fourth 3-pointer just before the buzzer as Phoenix closed the third quarter with 12 straight points for a 64-57 lead.

Tony Delk hit a basket, Tom Gugliotta dunked and then Delk swished a 3-pointer to put the Suns up 71-57 early in the fourth, completing the 19-0 run.

But Mercer hit two jumpers, a free throw and made a breakaway dunk and Brand had two baskets as the Bulls rallied within 75-73 as Robinson fouled out with 4:19 left.

Kidd then passed to Rogers and Gugliotta for baskets, and after Ron Artest missed on a short baseline shot, he hit two free throws and the Suns held on.

Game notes
The Bulls gave fans who braved the weather the chance to receive a free ticket to another game by mailing in their stubs. ... The Bulls haven't had a game snowed out since 1979, although a game in 1986 was postponed because fog prevented the Bulls' plane from arriving in time. ... The Suns were prepared to stay around for another night in Chicago, keeping tentative hotel reservations, but planned after the game to try and fly out. ... The Suns won consecutive road games for the first time this season and finished their four-game road trip 3-1.
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard

Phoenix Clubhouse

Chicago Clubhouse

RECAPS
Minnesota 96
Philadelphia 91

Phoenix 86
Chicago 80

San Antonio 91
Utah 83

Houston 82
Vancouver 75

LA Clippers 92
Orlando 80


ESPN.com:  HELP |  ADVERTISER INFO |  CONTACT US |  TOOLS |  SITE MAP
Copyright ©2000 ESPN Internet Group. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Employment opportunities at ESPN.com.