BULLS WORRY JORDAN : MVP FRETTING ABOUT COMPLACENCY, INJURY.

Byline: Mike Nadel Associated Press 

Limping and yawning their way through the preseason, the Chicago Bulls are severely testing the theory that the NBA's best team is Michael Jordan and any four other guys.

Battered by injuries, the defending champions have lost four of their six exhibition games. And, to Jordan's dismay, he seems to be the only one who cares.

During Tuesday's embarrassing 102-80 home loss to Atlanta - a game the Bulls played without starters Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Luc Longley - Jordan repeatedly screamed at his teammates. He argued with referees. And he got mad at himself for scoring only five points on 1-for-10 shooting.

``I got frustrated because I think we should be playing better,'' Jordan said. ``People are going to have to learn we can't live off what happened last year. Repeating is one of the toughest things to do because you lose a little bit of that edge.''

Asked if he would sharpen that edge by prodding his teammates in the coming days, Jordan smiled and said: ``I will give (coach) Phil Jackson the chance first. I don't want to be a tyrant this early.''

The Bulls have two more exhibitions before they open their season Nov. 1. They'll probably be without Pippen, who has yet to compete after undergoing arthroscopic ankle surgery last month, and Rodman, who is recuperating from a strained hamstring. Longley missed Tuesday's game with arthritic knees. Starting guard Ron Harper and backup center Bill Wennington also have skipped preseason games with injuries.

That's why Steve Kerr said the preseason is meaningless.

``We're not exactly rolling along,'' Kerr said. ``But to get Scottie and Dennis and Luc out there for the benefit of playing well during the preseason wouldn't make sense.''

Jordan refused to use the injuries as an excuse. He noted the Bulls went long stretches without Pippen, Rodman, Longley and others last season but still set an NBA record with 72 victories.

``We should play a lot better no matter who's on the court,'' Jordan said of Tuesday's game. ``We had nine of the guys who were on the championship team.'' Rodman is in no hurry to get back. He caused a flap last week by not showing up for a game and spent Tuesday in the locker room instead of on the bench with his teammates.

Rodman hates exhibition games and said his teammates share that dislike: ``The guys are out there just going through the motions.''

Not Jordan, who last season won his eighth league scoring title and fourth MVP award.

``I used to be the same way. I remember I thought preseason was just a waste of time,'' he said. ``But we've shown that we need some practice. The preseason games have illustrated that.''

Jordan was especially concerned that the Bulls have lost two of three exhibitions at the United Center - where they went 52-2 last preseason, regular season and postseason.

``We can't come in and play like this in front of our crowd,'' he said. ``Since it's preseason, we have another excuse. But before long, we're not going to have any excuses.''

Jordan, who led the Bulls to three NBA straight titles before retiring after the 1992-93 season, came out of retirement in 1995 and helped Chicago reach the Eastern Conference semifinals that year before sparking the team to its fourth NBA championship last season.

Jordan averaged 30.7 points and lead the Bulls in field goals, free throws and steals last season.

That, combined with the all-around play of Pippen and the inside strength of Rodman, who won his fifth consecutive league rebounding title, helped Chicago break the Lakers' 24-year-old league record of 69 wins in a season.

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Photo: Michael Jordan, who managed just five points in Tues day's 22-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks, is concerned about the Bulls' sluggish preseason start.

Associated Press