CHICAGO -- Michael Jordan scored 38 points, including Chicago's last 12, and grabbed a career playoff-high 19 rebounds in a 100-95 triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday night to send the Bulls to the Eastern Conference championship series for the third straight year.
Jordan, limping at times because of tendinitis in his left knee, came off a slow start to score 25 of his points in the second half, helping Chicago eliminate Philadelphia in five games of the best-of-seven second round for the second straight year.
The Bulls will face the winner of the semifinal series between the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics, which is tied 2-2.
Charles Barkley led the 76ers with 30 points. Armon Gilliam scored 21, Rickey Green 16 and Hersey Hawkins 15.
Chicago's Scottie Pippen added 28 points, including 24 in the first half. Pippen hit 13 of 18 field-goal attempts.
Philadelphia did not go easy. After trailing by as many as 13 in the third quarter, the 76ers scored 6 straight points to open the final period and close within 81-77. They kept on coming, pulling within 86-85 with 6:13 remaining on a Gilliam layin. Gilliam then tied it the score 92-92 on a pair of free throws with 3:10 left.
But Jordan converted a pair of free throws, then tracked down a loose ball near halfcourt and drove the lane for a layup and a 96-92 lead.
Hawkins answered with a 3-pointer from the right wing to cut the deficit to 96-95 with 53 seconds to go, but that was it for the 76ers. Jordan converted another layup with 42 seconds left, then iced it with two free throws with 17 seconds to go.
Jordan finished superbly after an extremely slow start. He missed 6 of 9 field-goal attempts in the opening quarter but Pippen hit all seven of his for 14 points with three assists, giving the Bulls a 30-29 lead after one period. Barkley countered with 18 points in the period on 7- of-8 shooting.
Of Philadelphia's 12 field goals in the first quarter, 10 came on layups or dunks. On the other end, Pippen repeatedly drove the lane for acrobatic jams.
Will Perdue came off the bench to start the second quarter and scored three quick baskets to spark a 9-1 run, building the lead to 39-30. Pippen accounted for the other 3 points during the run on a left-handed dunk and a free throw.
Pippen hit nine straight shots until finally missing a jumper with only four minutes left in the second quarter. He got the rebound, however, and dunked the ball, then followed on the next trip down the floor with a 3-pointer from the corner for a 52-41 advantage.
The Bulls stretched the lead to 12 before Green hit a 3-pointer and Gilliam a pair of free throws to bring the 76ers within 58-51 at halftime. Barkley had only 2 points in the second quarter, when Philadelphia shot 31 percent and was outrebounded 18-9.
The Bulls pulled ahead by as many as 13 midway through the third quarter but the 76ers followed with an 8-0 run to close within 5. Jordan then closed out the quarter with an end-to-end layup, was fouled and hit the free throw for an 81-71 lead heading into the final quarter.
