Beleaguered Chicago Bulls fans wanted to see Michael Jordan as he is immortalized on the monolithic statue of him outside the United Center: ``The best there ever was.''

But Chicago sported that Jordan in the mid-1990s. The incarnation playing for the Washington Wizards is a little creakier.

Saturday, Chicagos prodigious son returned for the first time as an opponent, scoring 16 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a 77-69 victory before a capacity crowd of 23,534.

Jordan was one turnover short of a dubious triple-double, but no matter. The Bulls had one of the worst shooting displays in league history, making 24.7 percent of their shots.

Until they hit five of their last six shots, the Bulls had shot 19 percent, which would have been a league record.

Holding back tears, the crowd cheered for more than a minute during player introductions and booed lustfully when the lights downed to introduce the Bulls.

``Thank God they cut the lights out,'' Jordan said. ``Wed probably still be sitting there.''

He got huge cheers when he came up with a jump ball. He got huge cheers when he scored his first jumper.

He got bigger cheers when he turned over the ball to s Ron Artest, though. It was that kind of game, messy and jittery.

``Guys were trying to do well so bad, we ended up looking bad,'' Wizards guard Tyronn Lue said. ``We had to win the game for M.J., and we werent going to have it any other way.''

Jordan said he was less primed for blood. In addition to returning home with divorce proceedings and his retired number hanging over his head, there was the matter of having played more than a decade as a Bull, with whom he won six titles.

``Its like playing against a relative,'' Jordan said. ``The enthusiasm, the motivation just wasnt the same.''

For all the drama, the pregame electricity felt fabricated. Fans sported nearly as many Wizards No. 23 jerseys as Bulls No. 23s.

Many fans seemed less interested in the fortunes of the 7-31 Bulls and more in those of the 13-3 Bears, whose first home playoff game in 11 years started an hour after the Bulls lost. Jerseys of Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher outnumbered Jordan jerseys. At one point, a chant of ``Lets Go Bears'' welled out of the lower deck.

Fans began to flee around the end of the third quarter, when the Wizards led 55-38. Rick and Dianna Heinz of Hindsdale, Ill., had Bears tickets.

``We were hoping to see Michael elevate at least once,'' Rick Heinz said on the way out the door. ``Hasnt happened yet.''

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Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards

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