ATLANTA -- If you took Michael Jordan at his word Sunday after his two-point performance when he said he didn't need to score to help the Washington Wizards win, then you also would have believed that his first two retirements would take.

After tying his career low, Jordan went for a season-high 30 points last night, hitting eight straight shots in one stretch and drawing the chants of "MJ! MJ!" from a disloyal Philips Arena crowd as the Wizards turned back the feisty Atlanta Hawks, 109-99.

Jordan, who shot 1-for-9 in Sunday's win over Toronto, but dished out nine assists and pulled down eight rebounds, made his first two shots last night and never looked back, hitting 12 of 18.

"I don't want anybody to think I can't score," Jordan said. "I can score if I want to. I can go and if I score two and we win I'm happy. I got into a great rhythm and I scored 30. Don't ever underestimate my scoring skills. I can still score if I have to."

Jordan was nothing less than vintage, making more than his share of off-balance shots, as well as a spectacular left-handed runner over Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Theo Ratliff in the final three minutes as the Hawks were making a last push.

"I've been working on that," said Jordan. "I had confidence that I could do it, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. I knew that we were in the penalty, so I wasn't going to settle on the jump shot, and I had [Abdur]-Rahim on me. So when I went, I saw Ratliff come over and I didn't have an opportunity to pass it, and it was in my left hand so I shot it. I can use my left if I want to."

Said Washington coach Doug Collins: "The guy is the most proud man I've ever known. Believe me, he absorbs that stuff a lot harder than anyone would ever know. He just is never going to show it. He's the ultimate professional and that's why he's the greatest player to ever play the game. He knew how important this game was for us."

The Wizards, who shot 56 percent from the floor, needed just about all of Jordan's scoring as the Hawks (10-14) sliced a 19-point first-half deficit to three early in the fourth quarter. Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson was primarily responsible, scoring 33 points for the game and 18 in the second half.

But Robinson got stoned by Washington center Brendan Haywood, who blocked a Robinson shot on the ensuing possession after Jordan's left-handed shot. Larry Hughes gathered in the loose ball and tossed an outlet pass ahead for Jerry Stackhouse, who threw down a one-handed dunk to take the Wizards' lead to nine and essentially end the contest.

Washington (11-13) got a huge fourth-quarter lift from veteran forward Charles Oakley, who got a big offensive rebound with just under four minutes to go, then assisted Jordan on a layup with 3:33 left to give Washington an 11-point lead.

"I just try to come in and bring some energy," said Oakley, who had two points and three rebounds in eight fourth-quarter minutes. "To be in the league, you have to do these kinds of small things and hope the young guys realize that you play a lot of minutes sometimes and sometimes you don't.

"The key is staying ready and knowing that when you go in there, you need to make something happen."

Stackhouse had 23 points for Washington, but only four in the second half, and Hughes had 20 points and eight rebounds.

The 64 points at the half not only represented a season high for Washington, but was only one point less than its entire output Friday in New Jersey.

Wizards tonight

Opponent: Memphis Grizzlies

Site: MCI Center, Washington

Time: 7

TV/Radio: Comcast SportsNet/WTEM (980 AM)