There is a story making the rounds among NBA players, a story that we would assume is apocryphal if not for the credibility of the teller and the history of the subject.
     A Mavs player intimates: ?The other night, Jordan walked over to where Riley was sitting before the game, grinned and said, ?Pat, you look worried. It?s OK. I?m not going to get a double-nickel on you like the last time you saw me.??
     Yes, Michael Jordan is indeed back, with 18 points that night as his Wizards pounded coach Pat Riley?s Heat in that preseason game, when he scored 24 points against Detroit a few nights later, when he hit for 41 against New Jersey a few nights later. Going into Monday?s 18-point effort against Philly, Michael was third in the NBA in scoring at 23.3 points per.
     Rusty, eh?