Wizards98

Nets76

WASHINGTON – For the entire electrifying evening, Michael Jordan churned his 38-year-old body up and down the MCI Center court with all the deadly productivity of the 20-something MJ. No defender was too much to handle, no shot too impossible to make.

But for a span of 5:50 on this special night, the follow-up to Saturday’s 51-point performance, Jordan was even better. He was simply “Michael.” There is no better way to put it. And Jordan went off into his own little rhythm after Nets forward Kenyon Martin let a little secret slip.

“That was right about the time Kenyon Martin told me he had a back problem, that he was wearing a back brace. I don’t think he wants to tell me that,” Jordan smiled. “I just started attacking from that point on.”

So in that remarkable 5:50 trek – covering the final 1:55 of the first half and the first 3:55 of the third quarter – Jordan was invincible, making all nine of his shots from the floor and all four of his attempts from the line. In so doing, he forged the second greatest solo run in NBA history, a streak of 22 consecutive points (a run topped only by 23 from guess which Bull?).

When the night and the Wizards’ 98-76 dismantling of the Nets was complete, Jordan’s total read 45 points – after he had scored 51 in his previous game. Not too shabby for an encore that handed the Nets their worst beating this season.

“I’m feeling a lot better in terms of health,” said Jordan, who fell five points shy of recording back-to-back 50-point games for only the sixth time in NBA history. “So keep all those old player conversations down a little bit. Kenyon is a 6-9 guy but I felt I had the quickness over him. He took away some of my post up so I just tried to utilize my quickness.”

And run the guy with the bad back ragged.

“I’m fine. I’m making no excuses,” said Martin (16 points), who was doubled over with 1:55 left in the first half and driven to the bench with back spasms before returning to start the third quarter. “He had it going. He hit one of those stretches where he had it going. I contested him but on a couple [shots], he just knocked them down.”

And did damage elsewhere. Like on the boards. It wasn’t enough that Jordan personally outscored the Nets, 22-7, in that 5:50 stretch, turning a 36-34 Washington deficit into a 56-43 advantage. His Airness also was one of four Wizards to grab double-figure rebounds (he had 10, along with seven assists, three steals and 16-of-32 shooting). Washington dealt the Nets a merciless beating on the boards, 62-30, as Popeye Jones (14), rookie Brendan Haywood (13) and Jahidi White (10) joined Jordan in the double-digit board club to the disgust of Byron Scott.

“He was good no doubt,” said Scott, whose Nets maintained the East’s best record (19-10) despite the loss. “But I don’t think MJ was why we lost. We got a royal ass kicking on the boards.”

Richard Jefferson insisted it was more than Michael. “Yeah, Michael had 45 and he was a determining factor but it was 50-50 Michael and the rest of the team.”

But 16-point scorer Keith Van Horn said the Nets were guilty of star watching as Jordan came back strong a second straight game after a career-low six point game.

“You have a tendency when a guy is as hot as Michael Jordan to kind of ball watch,” Van Horn said.

“Well if you’ve got direct TV, you can watch him all season long. It’s not a time to watch him on the court when you’re guarding him,” said Jason Kidd (10 points, 11 assists). “He does draw so much attention but you’ve got to be able to box out. He was doing it all.”