Back spasm sidelines Jordan

WASHINGTON: Michael Jordan’s birthday match finally came, and he wasn’t able to finish it.

Jordan left with back spasms in the second quarter of the Washington Wizards’ 89-86 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, a match squeezed into the schedule after a snowstorm postponed it from Jordan’s 40th birthday on February 17. “That’s how fate works,” coach Doug Collins said. “We shouldn’t even have been playing.” The snow could eventually be blamed for the demise of the Wizards’ season if Jordan doesn’t return quickly. The makeup forced Washington to cram six matches into nine days, just as Jordan was starting to rack up 40-plus minutes per match to get to the playoffs one last time — no matter what the toll on his body. “Michael wants to play every match as if it’s his last, and that’s the way we’re going to do it,” Collins said. “If we’re in a match we’ve got a chance to win and I tell Michael, ‘I’m going to sit you down four minutes to rest,’ I’m going to be lasered.”

Jordan hasn’t missed a match this season, and the Wizards can’t afford to lose him now. The loss put them one fixture behind Milwaukee for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Jordan was not available to comment after the match. He appeared to hurt himself when he twisted his body just before making a pass near the free-throw line. The pass was intercepted by Alvin Williams, and Jordan stumbled as he started to run downcourt. He left during the next timeout, with 4:34 left in the half. Jordan put his hand on his lower back as he walked into the tunnel. The Wizards were leading 40-33 — their biggest lead — and he had scored four points in 15 minutes. With Jordan gone, the Wizards wilted in the fourth quarter.