Wizards win on Jordan's return to line-up

Michael Jordan, back in Washington's line-up after missing one game to rest his knee injury, led the Wizards to an 85-82 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

Jordan, who missed his first game of the season on Tuesday after having fluid drained from his swollen right knee, scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to rally his team to victory.

"He's a great player and it's hard to believe that he can still do what he does," said Houston coach Rudy Tomjanovich. "He got it going tonight in the fourth quarter."

The 38-year-old NBA legend had not missed a game through injury since 1993 when he was with the Chicago Bulls.

His return appeared to be premature after he made just 4-of-15 shots through three quarters.

But Jordan sparked a key 8-3 fourth-quarter burst with three baskets and an assist as Washington grabbed a 72-65 lead with 5:11 left.

Jordan also had an assist on a clutch jumper by Tyronn Lue with 91 seconds left and finished with 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds in 33 minutes.

"I hadn't touched the ball in a few days, so my rhythm was off," Jordan said. "It took me three quarters to get it going but things finally started to happen."

Richard Hamilton led Washington with 26 points and Popeye Jones added 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Cuttino Mobley led Houston with 25 points but the struggling Rockets suffered their eighth straight defeat and lost swingman Glen Rice to a foot injury in the third quarter.

In Milwaukee, Ray Allen scored 30 points and Sam Cassell added 23 as the Bucks snapped a five-game losing streak with a 95-89 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

CARTER MISSES

Allen bounced back from one of the worst shooting performances of his career in Tuesday's loss to New York. In that game, he made just 4-of-20 shots, including 1-of-14 from three-point range.

Milwaukee led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth before Toronto made it interesting with a 23-11 run to close within two points.

But Toronto's Vince Carter missed a pair of shots in the final two minutes and the Bucks made six free throws to seal the win.

Carter finished with 26 points and seven assists to lead Toronto, which has dropped its last five meetings with Milwaukee.

In Portland, Lee Nailon scored 13 of his career-high 26 points in the fourth quarter as the Charlotte Hornets ended a three-game losing streak with a 95-89 victory over the Trail Blazers.

Nailon, who has been filling in for the injured Jamal Mashburn, added 11 rebounds and has scored in double figures in each of the last nine contests.

Baron Davis added 22 points and 12 assists while David Wesley chipped in with 18 points for the Hornets who took control in the third quarter by outscoring the Blazers 28-18.

Rasheed Wallace led Portland with 18 points.

In Memphis, Terrell Brandon had 22 points and 10 assists and Kevin Garnett collected 20 points and 15 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a four-game road losing streak with a 105-80 rout of the Grizzlies.

Brandon made nine of his 15 shots from the field and all four of his free throws while Garnett recorded his 11th double-double in the last 12 games for Minnesota, which led by 21 at the half.

Spanish rookie Pau Gasol led Memphis with 22 points and 11 rebounds.