CHICAGO (AP) – The comparisons between Ben Gordon and Michael Jordan now carry some postseason credibility.

The rookie scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter Sunday, lifting the short-handed Bulls to a 103-94 victory over the Washington Wizards and giving Chicago its first playoff victory since the dynasty days.

Fellow rookie Andres Nocioni also had a huge game, scoring 25 points and grabbing 18 rebounds while playing all 48 minutes.

Gordon has reached double figures in the fourth quarter 22 times this season, but none was bigger than this show. Already hampered without ailing starters Eddy Curry and Luol Deng, the Bulls looked like they might come up short with Tyson Chandler in foul trouble and Gilbert Arenas finally finding his groove.

After going scoreless in the first half, Arenas converted a three-point play to give Washington an 82-77 lead going into the fourth quarter.

But just as he’s done all season, Gordon was there to carry the Bulls.

His late-game heroics have many in the city calling him the next Jordan, as in, “Gordon, rhymes with Jordan.” Gordon shies away from the comparisons, but it’s hard to argue with his numbers.

Gordon scored 10 points as the Bulls opened the fourth quarter with a 13-4 run. He got it started with a pair of free throws after getting fouled by Anthony Peeler, then followed with a jumper from the top of the key. On the other end of the floor, Chris Duhon poked the ball away from Juan Dixon and took it in for a fast-break layup, cutting Washington’s lead to 84-83 with 8:42 to play.

After a timeout, Nocioni tied the game on a free throw, and Gordon hit a 3 to put Chicago ahead for good, 87-84, with 8:18 to play. He pushed the lead to 90-86, making all three shots when he was fouled on a 3-point attempt by Larry Hughes.

Antawn Jamison pulled Washington within 94-92, but Gordon was right there again, scoring on a fast-break layup. The Wizards failed to score in the last 3:21.

The loss spoiled a superb night by Larry Hughes, who scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half on 10-of-12 shooting. But the Wizards got little from the rest of their Big Three. Arenas scored nine points – 16 below his average – on 3-of-19 shooting, and Jamison had 14 points.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night in Chicago.

This is Chicago’s first playoff appearance since Jordan’s Bulls won their sixth title in 1998, a drought as horrid as it was long. Chicago lost 341 games from 1999-2004, going through countless players and almost as many rebuilding plans.

But they made a remarkable turnaround this year, and it looked almost like the good old days at the United Center.

The arena was filled with raucous fans in red and black, and a video montage before the game showed highlights of the dynasty days before fading into shots of the current team.

The Bulls even broke out black shoes for the first time this season. Black shoes were an unofficial part of the playoff uniform in the dynasty days, and the current group wasn’t about to mess with the tradition.

The Wizards have made their own impressive turnaround, going 45-27 to make their first playoff appearance since the 1996-97 season.

Adding intrigue to the matchup is the bad blood that’s been brewing between these teams since a preseason scuffle ended with Washington’s Brendan Haywood and Chicago’s Davis scrapping in a pile on the floor.

Just a few days ago, Arenas accused the Bulls of having some dirty players, though he didn’t name names.

But there were no shenanigans Sunday. No chance for them, really, with the Bulls’ big men plagued by early foul trouble. Chandler, Davis, Othella Harrington and Jared Reiner all had two fouls by the end of the first quarter, and Chandler played just two minutes the entire first half.

The Wizards had their own troubles. Arenas, Hughes and Jamison were the most prolific scoring trio in the NBA this year, averaging 67 points a game. But the Big Three was down to the Big One in the first half. Arenas, who came into the game averaging 25.5 points, was scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting. Jamison had three on 1-of-8 shooting.

Fortunately for the Wizards, Hughes topped his previous career high for a playoff game with 24 points in the first half and was 10-of-12, including a perfect 6-for-6 in the second quarter.

Arenas and Jamison finally got on track in the second half. Arenas made his first basket 45 seconds into the third quarter, and he and Jamison finished off a 10-0 run with back-to-back 3s that gave Washington a 67-60 lead – its largest of the game – with 7:24 left in the quarter.

Notes: Hughes’ previous career high for a playoff game was 14, against Orlando in 1999 when he was with Philadelphia. … Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr and Bill Wennington, members of the last three-peat, were at the game doing broadcast duties. … The Wizards were swept by the Bulls in their last playoff appearance.

AP-ES-04-24-05 2044EDT