Michael Jordan gives in to injury, will miss rest of season

WASHINGTON (AP) _ It just didn't seem right to see Michael Jordan limping through games as a backup. <br><br>It's also jarring to realize that, after 13 years in which his last game was always

Thursday, April 4th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ It just didn't seem right to see Michael Jordan limping through games as a backup.

It's also jarring to realize that, after 13 years in which his last game was always a playoff game, Jordan ended this season scoring just two points against his former coach, Phil Jackson.

``He was a shadow of himself,'' said Jackson, now the Los Angeles Lakers coach.

After that career-low performance Tuesday against the Lakers, Jordan awoke Wednesday morning with a swollen right knee and decided enough was enough. He was placed on the injured list by the Washington Wizards, and he announced he was done for the season.

``I think it is best at this point to rest the knee and let it heal properly,'' Jordan said in a statement. ``I tried to get back and play as soon as possible and, early on, the knee responded well. But after the swelling this morning, I think it's best to give it rest.''

Jordan ended his season with a 22.9-point scoring average, the second-lowest of his career. He averaged 22.7 in his second season with the Chicago Bulls in 1985-86, when he played just 18 games because of a broken foot.

But his legacy remains intact.

``With all the expectations everyone had and the expectations he put on himself, to be able to turn that team around _ they have competitive games night in and night out _ and him playing as well as he has, I think it's unbelievable,'' Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said.

The Wizards (34-41) have a chance to win twice as many games as the 19 they won last season. But unless they rally to overtake Indiana for the last Eastern Conference berth, Jordan will have played for a non-playoff team for the first time.

``He's a great competitor, and he demonstrated that he can come back and be a top-10 player,'' NBA commissioner David Stern said. ``I hope he's better for next year.''

Jordan, 39, said he does plan to return.

``I signed a two-year contract to play,'' Jordan said. ``Obviously, my health will always determine my playing status. But at this time, my plan is to play next season.''

Jordan played a career-low 12 minutes and scored a career-low two points _ all in the first half _ in Tuesday night's 113-93 loss to the Lakers. For the first time in his career, he was a marginal, no-factor player off the bench.

Coach Doug Collins said he didn't play Jordan in the second half because the game was one-sided. Afterward, Jordan said his knee felt fine, but Jackson, Jordan's former coach with the Bulls, knew better.

``You could see it coming by the way he played that it was a struggle,'' Jackson said Wednesday night.

``At this point it's trying to beat a dead horse, the situation of trying to get into the playoffs takes the best effort Michael can give at this time, and it doesn't look like he's got that.''

Jordan rushed his rehabilitation from the arthroscopic surgery Feb. 27 that repaired torn cartilage in the knee. He missed just 12 games and returned March 20 in Denver. He was a reserve in all seven games after he came back, and his knee bothered him so much that he wasn't able to play unless he pedaled an exercise bicycle in the tunnel during games.

``I think Michael realizes he pushed the envelope trying to come back too quickly,'' Collins said.

Collins said Jordan's knee was swollen before the Lakers game, but Jordan wanted to play.

``You know Michael being the competitor that he is said, 'I want to give it a whirl or whatever,' and I said OK,'' Collins said.

``Now I got the call this afternoon that he recognizes the fact that the only way that knee is going to get better is to rest. And what he said to me was he's going to shut it down, let the thing heal, get the inflammation out of there. And whether that's six weeks or eight weeks or whatever it might be.''

Jordan traveled to Milwaukee late Tuesday for Wednesday's game against the Bucks, but he returned to Washington on Wednesday afternoon. Bobby Simmons was activated off the injured list for the Milwaukee game, which the Wizards lost 105-90.

Jordan battled tendinitis in both knees and his wrist, and he had to overcome back spasms and two broken ribs as he prepared for his second comeback last summer. Nevertheless, he vowed to play all 82 games.

The major blow came when he knocked knees with teammate Etan Thomas in the final game before the All-Star break. Neither Jordan nor the Wizards have been the same since.

Jordan struggled for five games after the break before opting for surgery. The Wizards, who were five games above .500 at the break, are 8-20 since.

Such an anticlimactic end to the season is one reason why teammate Tyronn Lue is pretty sure Jordan will be back.

``He doesn't want to go out like this,'' Lue said.