Show 11m- IXi I Nmvjursey M NeviYork jn Eastern Conference GB LfMO Sir 23 M 61 Home 35 444 U 17 VW2 171I5 Burton ?7 7?46 W4 Miami ?6'j6 419 PtniwlBlptWi ?4 3B 387 Washington 70 40 333 Orlando 18 46 281 CENTRAL W I Pel Indiana 46 16 74? 3 ?'j 60S 33 28 541 New Ortoaris 33 ?9 6')? Cleveland ?f 36419 Toronto ?6 36 419 ?Q Atlanta JO 4? X-- 26 Ctwaiju IB 43 ?95 ? ' Detroit MrtwaukM L - 219 YTt 12 "8 8?4 17 20 1022 17 22 Away - ?4 6 "221U 8 2W 4 6 4 i21-1- W West Yao Con) 238 26 1O20 14 " 19 L2 13 ?0?6 9 23 20 12 16 4 6 623 1520 18 710 - 7'3 San Afitonio 21 661 3 7 3 Dallas 22 639 4 7 3 4 Hounlon 26 Denver 29 Utah 31 pacific"- "- iT Away Conl A Inkuts 6 5)2 11 'j Hi 7t19 5 Pet GBLst10 ?7-- "iCWi 8 W1 22 5 45 16 443 IB' Goldrm SUiii ' 2 i "41 12 lotion 14 339 IIJ9 Iwwito J£2iwT 3 T?5 3- 3 10! MempimallA Chiraqa 6jf11 al pro Cim3 7 Pluiddoiphid al pm Dcwf 9pm 9 pm San Antonio alPtioemi Ulan Utltt t!8 ltlJ!M 30pm M'luaulwalUovftdmt 730pm 100 MmmutalW H(liiV 1225 Today's Games aVrwiglun'W SanArilwwill 24 "lT-1- AIM UN 94 "T7-I- I0M6 1317-- ?0 4 17 10 lTjB-1- Friday's Games (wt 16 19 Conl Away K1?20335" Uipnflis Ni' Home Slrk W 3 ')4 Orlando 18 8 2 32 Ptioernii W3 LT"21-1- 13 Seattle A 22 8 14-1- 500 Portland L ?4 W2 V Sacramefito I 54 l 82 84 46 M)BV Homa Sir LH10 GB at Portland 10 pm llm'ifdlllpfl rlmJmr8 Wii 5174 -- 1 UP STRICKLAND Toronto Riptors signed veteran point guard Rod Strickland lor the rest of the season on Fr iday and waived guard Jannero Pargo The Strickland requested and received his release from the Orlando Magic earlier who have the NBA's worst record seasons and Strickland ranks seventh in history with 7889 assists third among active players behind Houston's Mark Jackson and Gary Payton of the Los Angeles Lakers in —— game drew a rebuke from the meeting with league officials "He will ing will NBA Lewis 44 Evans 11 Polapenko Alkxi 33 Daniels Ann llMKKNPKiT7fa4mwflrra right drives past Houston's Garnett scored 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds but it wasn't enough as Minnesota lost by three Kelvin Cato chance with 31 seconds left alter Adrian Griffin missed two free throws but Garnet t's straightaway three-poin- t attempt was way off "We got what we wanted we just missed the shots" said Sam Cassell who had 25 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota "That's how the game goes" "That's playoff basketball" said Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders Neither Hudson nor Garnett got clean looks at the basket as Rockets' defenders played them tight down the stretch Cuttino Mobley had 18 points and Maurice Taylor added 16 off the bench for Houston which had lost two straight overall and four in a row on the road 20 spokesman Tim Frank said declin- A Spurs 14 12 3511-2- 67 Percentage 22 222 l FT ems 4 0 Danets 1S 4 14 Howard 27 0 19 Fortson 10 13 15 5 0 5 2B Totals 2 3 2 0 3 8 26 91 k Evans Radmanovic A L 7 2 6 Medvedenko 21 0 0 8 O Noal 39 KM6 6 0 3 32 7 4 16 0 2 11 40 Russell 14 George Fisher 15 00 M 37 t 0 00 9 6 0 5 22 99 17 Totals 22 240 Percentages: Goals: FG 452 318 (Rush Warion Fra 765 George Russell Rebounds: 10 Team Turnovers: Seattle 22 25 28 16 LA Lakers 28 28 23 20 Detensrve Fouls: West Coast road trip -- Combined news services - three 39 7 19 y FT 100 31 829 Nowitrki Walker Williams Jamison 38 6 Itnrd Flagrant Fmey 2 IB third Eeded Reb FT M M 5 54 Ot 00 00 M FG 500 FT 45-1- 9 (31-3- (1320) 31 Hunter 14 Tom Gugliotta (24 ppg) Current Streak: Jazz 1 game Last Meeting: Jazz 86 Blazers 81 (Feb 10) Line: Blazers by 5V? Zach Randolph rebounds 31 Andrei Kirilenko Darius Miles (96) (171) Last 4 games: Jarron Collins (57) Ttieo Ratliff 55 rebounds as a starter Carlos Arroyo l (132) ast visit 20 points 5 assists Sasha Pavlovic (50) 6 for 8 FG 14 points in Oct 29 meeting and hel)ed Roanoke pull within one game of first place by winning all three "1 was back with my old team so time went by pretty fast" M(xre said "I went to Atlanta chirked on my apartment then drove to Asheville (NC) and played that night" Moore said he wasn't frustrated by beinR let go because he understood the Jazz's uncertain roster situation as the trade deadline approached "Coach Merry Sloan told me I deserved to be in the league" Moore said "He said if possible he woulrfrry to get me back up" aHaWja 2) ppg) 3 games vs Jazz (79) Leads NBA in blocks (32game) Damon Stoudamire (129) t: vs Jazz this year Derek Anderson (129) 367 FG shooting is career-wor- M(X)re played seven scoreless minutes in his first game back with the Jazz Giriceksgctagirl McGrady Lue 4310-2- 4 2 0 7 17 OO 1 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 26113 0 Parker Totals 24040-7- 19 2 Willis 3 -1- 00 13 James Officials: -3 11 (HI Turnovers: Gordan Giricek's wife Na- first child Friday afternoon in Orlando Ha Lara Giricek a girl was born at 1 pm MST Giricek will remain in Orlando where he played until he was traded to the Jazz on Feb 19 today and rejoin the Jazz in time for Monday's home game against the Inkers 4 Naikm 15 2 B Bathe 29 M 0 0 11 Ofl 1 1 Wagner 12 19 4 17 4 1 8 4 1 4 0 2 12 6 4 4 50 0 0 7 00 Teem 28 26 32 21 Toronto A 19267 35 25 29 14 Officials: Rockets 9 Yao 32 4 3 16 Francis 44 0 0 0 Mobley 0 1 "5 20 96 PF Pts 5 9 3 16 0 2 7 2 28 6 3 20 0 4 0 2 0 0 0 14 3 8 2 3 0 0 0 19 FT 6 5 25 45 5 2 18 Taylor 25 2 3 16 Wlhrspoon Griffin 20 2 11 6 (Gooden 2 McGrady Hunter Howard Penigar) Turnovers: 11 (Lue 2 Penigar 2 McGrady Hunter Stevenson Rooks Howard Gooden Bogans Steals: 9 (McGrady 2 Lue 2 Stevenson 2 DeCleroq Gooden Gaines) Technical Fouls: None 22 23 26 25 96 Atlanta 22 31 18 30 -1- 01 Orlando A 13293 (17248) T - 2:18 Officials: Mike Callahan Jason Phillips Violet Palmer 81-8- 0 "We didn't fold" said Carlisle whose Pacers own the best record in the NBA at "All 46-1- 6 of our players stepped up and make huge plays" Artest in particular The r forward just three games back from thumb surgery scored six straight Pacers points all of them from point-blanrange over Kirilenko A move was followed by a drive which was followed by a simple post-ulayup misThe Jazz's takes — the same sort they had forced in their opponents during the winning streak — probably doomed them no matter what defense they had played While Artest was pinballing score Indiana's Kirilenko r missed a then threw the ball out of bounds Carlos Arroyo in for Lopez tried a pass that was picked off by Reggie Miller then bounced an entry pass off Jarron Collins' stomach "Every time we got in a tough situation we just threw the ball away" Sloan said "And some shots we took I don't know what we were doing" In all the Jazlf misplaycd big-tim- e k p p last-minut- e fast-brea- H WASH Mm Brown 29 Hayes 40 Haywood Arenas 25 --68 29 20 -- 45 Jm dark 23 1 OtftcWs: 29 Defensive Laetlner 5 Thomas 27 Blake 7 Totals 240 FG Percentages: Goals: M 06 4 00 2 2 4 1 1 9 7 3 1 26 3 17 O0 FT 390 5 12 2 5 0 0 6 0 1 5 12 0 1 2 18 25 90 654 Arenas Team Blake Pis 6 A PF 346 (Dixon Jettnes Reb FT 46 32 897 Rebounds: Hayes 15 Team 24 (30 PTS) Blocked Shots: 6 (Thomas 2 Brown 2 Haywood Turnovers: 22 Jettnes) (Brown 6 Jeflnes 5 Arenas 5 Thomas 2 Haywood Turnovers: 37 8 1 12 41 3 2 32 BOSTON OtowokanrJ 21 2 5 12 Welsch 13 Hunter 18 FT Hassel Cassel 24 Johnson 5 2 Reb 2 39 0 19 Madsen 21 Hudson 23 00 OMiller Totals 3 6 2 12 0 2 4 OO 0O 0 0 0 FT 551 692 417 (Hudson 21 109 ThreePoht Cassell Team Rebounds: Sprewell 2 2 30 FG Percentages: 0 OO 240 Goals: 0 0 2 36 38 Atkins 26 Pierce 44 Mihm 12 OO Davis 37 4 McCarty Banks 28 22 56 Jones 2 OO Totals 240 Percentages: FG 461 250 (McCarty Gamed 2 0 1 4 2 4 1 4 17 4 6 0 3 24 FT 655 3 1 17 3 11 4 6 23 22 12 10 94 Three-P- Davis Banks Turnovers: 10 (Cassell 4 (Olowokandi 2 Hassell) Olowokandi 2 Sprewell HudGamelt Szczertnak son) Steals: 8 (Cassell 3 Garnet! 2 Sprewell Hud- 2 Welsch Attiins Pierce Team Rebounds: 9 Teem Turnovers: 19 (19 PTS) Blocked Shots: 2 (Pierce Blount) Turnovers: 19 (Blount 5 Welsch 4 McCarty 2 Pierce 2 Banks 2 Hunter Davis Mihm Atkins) Steals: 15 (Pierce 5 Technical Fouls: Coach Saunders Madsen) 6:17 first: Hudson 4 08 second Defensive Three Sec- cal Fouls: ond Coach Carroll Turnovers: 11 Blocked PTS) (12 3 Shots: son 30 third Detensrve Three Second Houston Minnesota A - 20109 (19006) T - 222 Pat Fraher Rodney Mott Banks 3 Davis 3 Bourn 2 Hunter 9 31 fourth 36 28 20 28 -1- 12 28 37 24 20 -1-09 Officials: Joe FT Foster 32 Tmley 30 Miller 31 Harrington AJohnson 21 16 (HI FJones 13 OO Bender 10 4 Croshere Totals 34 04 00 44 OO 0O 00 240 Kinlenko 40 Gugtott) 29 26 Arroyo Pavlovic X Ostertag Be 24 17 30 00 30 34 10 00 34 3 17 5 30 1 4 7 5 3 4 2 2 16 3 4 4 1 0 3 1 2 10 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 21 25 96 0O 7 21 Rutin 1 Totals 240 Percentages: FG 30 00 0O 390 FT 133 (Lopez Williams Luis Gift) 1 5 6 7 2 13 0 4 5 2 7 1 4 17 1 OO PACERS When he wasn't sticking outside junipers the Pacers' picked up fouls inside and the combination produced a night STATS OF THE GAME mg 35 0 5 2 9 2 0 2 0 6 0 15 27 86 733 Kinlenko INDIANA Ja field-go- forged an 86-8- 6 remaining shooting after they tie with 3:41 19 1 0 16 Lopez Wtkame 2:19 Officials: Leroy Richardson 5 0 0 5 1 20 30 Moore -- 90 17 22 21 34 —64 T Jovuhie O'Neal Pts 5 3 FG 483 FT 695 Percentage 500 (Miller 47 Bender F Jones Goeli: Teem Artest Rebounds: 8 Team Turnovers: 16 (16 PTSI Blocked Shots: 3 (Harrington ONeal FJones Turnovers: 15 (Tiisley 4 Foster 3 Anest 3 Harrington 2 Bender O'Neal F Jones) Steals: 9 (Miller 3 Artest 2 Harrington Foster TmsKy AJohnson) Technical Foula: None FT Reb FG Mm UTAH A PF Pts Cns Welsch) TechniSecond 1:40 second 24 25 16 25 (16624) Ron Garretson A PF 4 (H) Three 504 second Washington Boston Forte Reb 38 S Detensrve PLAYER OF THE GAME Mln Pollard " 12 3 Goals: Teem 8 00 2 Pts A PF Min Blount 0 1 OO (M 9 4 1 4 25 13 OO Pts PF 3 (Davis Armstrong Sprewell Garnett 36 Pavnvlc (15 PTS) 2 Mashbum) 3 Davis 3 Laettw Hayes) Steals: 7 (Arenas 3 Thomas Diran Jeflnes) Technical Fouls: None FT Reb FG O Neal points scored by the Pacers the most the Jazz have allowed in a first quarter all season PLAY OF THE GAME Bel Gugjctta Arroyo Rebounds: 13 Team Turnovers: 14 (16 PTS) Blocked Shots: 6 (Kirtenko 5 Pavtovic) Turnovers: 14 (Kirilenko 6 Arroyo 6 OaMag Pavlovic) Steals: 8 (Coins 2 Bel 2 Kinlenko Arroyo Pavlovic Wakams) Technical Fouls: Coach Sloan 1017 Hist Defensive Three Second 1122 second Oslenag 340 second Indiana 36 22 IS 24 —96 Utah 23 21 22 22 -- M A 19911 (19911) T - 220 Odtdals: Tom MarcDav Washington Monty McCutJwn Teem Lynch A Attest Goals: 0 Mm FG dunk The crowd was cranked up the Jazz were confident and the Pacers 2:20 4 65 Gary Zielinski Dixon SUMMARY pick-and-ro- 17795 (17200) T Jeffries toss away shot at win D3 19 (M) Team 23 20 3 Pacers 96 Jazz 88 Continued from 20 Steals: 9 West) 21 19112 0 0 0 0 Maojoire Lynch Fouls: None FG Jazz INDIANA Wesley PBrown 1 0 0 Celtics 94 Wizards 90 2 28 third Trent ' 2 7 4 0 5 1 16 PBrown 4 14 (Maojoire 26 2 842 Wesley Mashbum Rebounds: 6 Team Turnovers: Blocked Shots: 6 (West 3 Magjoire 28 second: FT 381 Aimstrong 0 6 Szczertnak - FG 250 (Davis Augmon 2 1 00 OO PFPts 3 21 4 5 6 13 1 OO OO 240 2 1 240 MINN 619 ThreePoint (16 PTS) 1 Goals: A 27 00 W) 4 New Orleans 2 FG Lue 11 Percentages: Percentages: 588 (Francis Goals: Mobley Team Rebounds: 7 MJackson JJackson Team Turnovers: 13 (20 PTS) Blocked Shots: 2 (Cato JJackson) Turnovers: 12 (Francis 5 Yao 3 Cato 2 Mobley J Jackson) Steals: 7 (Francis 3 Fouls: Mobley Cato Griflin JJackson) Technical Rebounds: Bteked Shots: Augmon Mashbum 4 6 Team Bogans Armstrong 17 Mashbum 6 4:08 21 03 Pts 2:39 first Francis OO -1- 1 FT 4 31 Benie 3 500 45 Wesley West Turnovers: PF FG 31 09 2 Totals Magkxre Davis 5 3 0 4 6 0 -1- 3 B A 39 Ron Otesiak 04 Reb FT 40 6 Reb llgauskas Technical PBrown Totals A MJackson 23101 Gooden (McGrady FT FG 2 Mclnnis) Mashbum 5 109 Min Naion Min Wesi) Technical Cleveland 112 Three-Po- NEWORL Glover Shots: Blocked EWilliams Wagner Fouls: None Lynch Srrith Rebounds: 524 Steals: 7 (James Melons) Wagner Boozer 15103 Peterson 5 0 68 Team Rebounds: Wagner 15 Team Turnovers: 14 (9 PTS) Blocked Shots: 4 Battie 4 Boozer 10 (llgauskas Mdms) 13 (Ugauskas 5 James 4 Boozer 2 Turnovers: Tbree4HHnt 700 1 18 Mclnrw FG 1 1 E Witams 0- Pts 32 FT Goals: 4 12 21 00 Percentages: FG 418 £50 (James Mar- 12 240 Totals 9 4 8 Ofte second 9 00 0 4 11 19 2 New York 0 3 Turnovers: 5 James Reb 9 (13 PTS) 18 0 24040-7- Team 4 35 9 2 Bosh 2 Moiso Strickland) Turnovers: (Glover 5 Strickland 2 Palace Marshall Steals: 3 DefenFouls: Glover) Technical (Carter Marshal Cato 18 Stevenson 6 9 37 16 2 (Carter Three Second M 4 519 2 2 25 (Marshall Strickland 21 0 FG 11 714 FT 506 FG 2 15 Percentages: 421 Goals: Bowen Team 39 Penigar Rooks Gaines three-pointe- tasha gave birth to the couple's pmiller(asjj£-ibcv- Totals Team Three Second all-sta- from field (342) Ranks 15th in offensive rebounds Averaging (29-3- (205 13 rebounds in 2 Jazz road games in 17 Carter Reb (M) 3 10 (Rose T 2 48 (18500) Dan Crawford Zach Zarba Howard OO tB 15 27 40 18797 TV:KJZZ Radio: KFNZ-A- TRAIL BLAZERS 1) 25 Moiso 7 A 6 29 30 27 27 -1- Antonio A 38 Bogans Gooden 820tourltl Sen Mm Stevenson 16 Steals: Nesterovic) 2 Turkogtu 2 Bowen T Parker Neslerovlc) Fouls: Coach Popovich 806 trrst Horry Dallas ORLANDO 40 0 00 Strickland Francis FT FG DeCleroq 21 (21 PTS) 7 Horry 2 Rose Bowen) Turnovers: 4 Rose 3 T Parker 3 Turkoglu 3 Craw- Fouls: Defensive 4 21 Rebounds: II Blocked Shots: 11 2 Bowen N Diaye) Technical 3 26 first Oblivious JAZZ 29 Percentages: 391 Goals: ! Percentages: FG 417 FT 786 211 (Crawtord Goals: Vaughn Terry 0Sura Pereon Jackson 06) Team Rebounds: 13 Team Turnovers: 18 (26 PTS) Blocked Snots: 5 (N Diaye 3 Crawtord Sura) Turnovers: 18 (Przybilla 5 Terry 4 Jackson 4 NDiaye 2 Crawtord Vaughn Person) Steals: 7 2 Draw Crawtord Jackson Przytalla (Terry 5 27 11 M 00 OO 3 689 T 4 5 23 600 (Turkoglu Teem Gmotdi M 5 5 0 240 13 M 3 0 Turnovers: -- 91 -- 99 4 18 04 2 43 llM'li 2-- 1 Peterson 42 240 11 Percentages: Terry 29 19109 00 HOUSTON Totals ii Jazz lead 70-5Al Portland: Blazers lead 23 JJackson 1 Now out of limbo Moore can give more Season series: Jazz lead 24 Palado 2 H H H I I Jazz Notes htil Glover 9 11 3 Capers At the Rose Garden 4 15 Vaughn 19 Totals ford Leon Wood Troy Raymond Tribune 39 2 Fuller Ward Technical Joe Bosh 5 4 Hart first Officials: 18997(18997) OO 4 9 27 Technical Waltonl 40 18 3 9 A PF 4312-2- Marshall 15 1 tauskas 0 Mln Carter 3 1 20 21 FT 1 36 2 T Thomas (Houston PFPts A 33 1 00 FT 479 FG Boozer 1M9 OO OO 1 6 18 Hony Ginoo Paylon Second 8 13 Mm Mclnms 3 240 1 14 11 Rush Medvedenko OO 1 0 fHi Pis Willis OA 0 0 2 5 38 21 7 2 36 26 6 PF 38 40 Przybilla Diaw 19 0 2 Neslerovlc Crawtord 3 2 4 24 2 Tudioglu Ginotxi 44 Pts Sura Person 2 16 third TParkar Jackson A PF 4 A Paylon Russell Turnover!: 13 (Payton 4 ONeal 3 Foi 2 Rush 2 Fisher Walton) Steals: 7 Fo 2 2 00 29 3 Reb FT 0 33 4 Medvedenko 9 (ONeal 14 Hardaway Anderson (19BO0) T - 2:04 Fryer Gary Benson David Jones Mm ATLANTA 4 4312-2- Sweetney TORONTO 96 Hawks 2 4 33 13 (12 PTS) 2 Rush missed the first three games ol the Nets' Shots: 00 36 13 4 3 FG Boston Paul Pierce scored 24 points grabbed 10 rebounds and had eight assists to lead Boston to its fourth straight 22 Mln Horry DBrown Paylon Team Blocked 45 54 3 Team Rebounds: 9 Team Sweetney bury Turnovers: 10 (13 PTSI Blocked Shots: 3 (SweetTurnovers: 10 (Sweetney 2 ney 2 Mohammed) Marbury 2 Mohammed 2 TThomas 2 KThomas Steals: 7 (KThomas 2 Marbury 2 Hardaway) Mohammed 2 Hardaway) Technical Fouls: None 90: At N'Diaye Rose Goals: Bucks: signed guard Brevin Knight and released guard Anthony Goldwire Nets: Jason Kidd sat out his third straight game missing New Jersey's meete ing with Golden Slate because of a bone bruise in his left knee Kidd a seven-timAll Star was hurt in a Los He the has week Lakers last Angeles game against Jf Celtics 94 Wizards 12 Bowen SAN ANT FT fisher Mohammed Percentages: 571 Goals: 95-9- 0 4 2 18 Ihird Finley Coach Don Nelson 7 2 37 Marbury r comeback Dirk Nowitzki held to four points in the first three periods in the fourth for 17 went as the Mavericks points slashed a deficit to with nearly three minutes remaining 0 Don Nelson 2 2 18 third NowiMi 9 0 19 Jamison tools 0 6 0 3 2 Naiera Daniels Williams) 13 (Nowitrki 4 Howard 3 Nash 2 Naiera Fodson Jamison) Technical Fouls: Coach Daniels 0 I 00 19 Walton AROUND THE LEAGUE M H 611 KThomas 2 OO 30 Houston fourth-quarte- 2 Daniels 2 Steals: Pts 28 Cook sprained Nothing has chatiKwl about Mikki Moore's game he said — but things will be a lot different anyway Moore returned to the Jazz on Friday one day after signing a contract for the rest of the season That contract changes his approach to the game Moore said and should change the results Z "I'll he more relaxed more able to fixais because I'm not playing for a job anymore" said the 7 foot forward who was released by the Jazz three weeks ago when the second of his contracts expired "Now I'm playing to get this team to the playoffs not keep my job" He will have the job for the final 21 games of the season which as a six year veteran will pay him more than $2(X)(XX) for six weeks of work While not expiration staring at a anymore Moore is still motivated by earning another contract "My goal is to make the playoffs get past the first round and convince the Jazz to sign me for next season" he said "I'd like to get a plare here stay here all summer and get ready to help this team next season tx)" T I Ic hopes his presence in Utah has the positive effect that it did in Roanoke Va where he returned to his NHDL team after the Jazz cut him loose Moore played three games for the Dazzle in the interim scored 22 11 and 2?) points earned a technical Ciml in each — "There's a referee whfTflix'sn't like me" he said — nhomas EWiiams Reb FT FQ CLEV Pts PF A Mln Y Totals 0 FG A PF Mm Paylon Rush Bryant missed six games earlier tins season because his right shoulder was lltr Sail hih a 2 Team Howard None Fra Bryant Ihere was no immediate report on how badly his shoulder was hurt although learn spokesman John Black said Bryant had jammed it Technical Fouls: FT Reb FG Murrayl 21 Rebounds: 13 Team Turnovers: 16(19 PTS) Blocked Shots: 3 (Bradley Howard Jamison) Turnovers: 15 (Nash- 4 Nowitzki 2 Fortson 2 Potapenko (Murray 4 Allen 2 Lewis fladrnanovic Ftrinour) Steak: 9 llewis 3 AJWi 2 James Potapenko 7 4 13 H) 24034-9- 0- 1) 769 Allen 0 3 0 0 I Nash Pts PF 12 Percentages: FG 378 273 (Firiley Goals: 0 0 M 8 2B Team Rebounds: 5 Murray 10 (12 PTS) Blocked Shots: 4 Team Turnovers: (James Murray Daniels Ridnour) Turnover: 10 Kobe Bryant injured his right shoulder in a collision with Seattle's Reqqie Evans in the first minute of the Lakers' game Friday night and left the arena to have an MRI ii N 113 Mavericks 100: At San Antonio Tony Parker scored 25 points Hedo Turkoglu added 21 and San Antonio put together two big first-hal- f runs and then held off Maqic 101 3 29 17 24 2 11 9 Bradley Jamison Daniels L Mii Cavaliers 88 Hornets 85 Reb FT FG Spurs FG A 34 6 6 439 39 0 1 FG 25 NowMi Naiera Besl 18 19 Walker Nash Pts 1 240 Golt:4-1- INJURES SHOULDER I'iiii Knicks 109 Raptors 103 OTHER GAMES: Reb FT FG Mln DALLAS Williams PF t 0 (H Murray Rartnanovic Mavericks 100 113 Fintey A M James Sesay Totals minutes at league headquarters in New York said Lamell McMorris a spokesman lor the National Basketball Referees Association Hv Garnett had 32 points and and 18 rebounds Michael Olowokandi had 12 points and seven rebounds for M innesota The Timberwolves lost for just the third time in 12 games sive Three Second Reb 42 Rumour to give details about the meeting Henderson met wilh NBA officials including deputy commissioner Russ Gran-iand senior vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson (or about 90 BRYANT Mm SEATTLE return to the court immediately alter resume his normal schedule" FT FQ TO COURT NBA - - Minnesota's Kevin Garnett Lakers 99 SuperSonics 91 whose blown call at the end of a Relet ee Michael Henderson margin Magic 101 Hawks 96: At Orlando Ha Tracy McGrady had 28 points and Tyronn Lue scored eight consecutive points in the final 1:42 for Orlando's third victory over the Hawks this season Knicks 109 Raptors 103: At Toronto Stephon Marbury h 84-8- 16 the Raptors need a point guard because of injuries to Jalen Rose and Alvin Williams who are expected to miss at least three more weeks RFF WHO BLEW CALL RETURNING i three-pointe- this month He wanted the opportunity to sign with a playoff team Strickland averaged 68 points and four assists in 46 games for the Magic NBA y ? with- n TORONTO PICKS rf had 35 points and Nazr Mo20 hammed had a season-higpoints and 18 rebounds to make New York coach Lenny Wilk-en- s a winner in his return to Toronto Wilkens returned to Toronto for the first time since being fired after last season Fans booed his introduction Lakers 99 SuperSonics 91: At Los Angeles Shaquille O'Neal took over after Kobe Bryant went out early with a shoulder injury scoring 32 points O'Neal added eight rebounds and six assists as Los Angeles won for the ninth time in 11 games Nets 78 Warriors 74: At Oakland Calif Richard Jefferson scored 23 points and New Jersey rallied late for another victory without Jason Kidd Jason Richardson scored 22 points for the Warriors who lost their fourth straight three-pointe- outlast the Timberwolves 112 109 Friday night "The last couple games we weren't really able to get it going or get into a rhythm defensively" said Francis who scored 14 points in the second half "Tonight we just contested harder late in the game" "From the beginning of the game we played great offense but coach was continually getting on us about our defense" Yao said through an interpreter The Rockets entered the garni ranked first in opponent field goal percentage (402) but had faltered defensively in losing two straight On Friday they held Minnesota to 40 percent shooting in the fourth quarter to win for the third time in IB Western Conference road games "We came into a tough place against a tough team and dug out a big win for us" said Clarence Weath-erspoowho scored 11 points and defended Kevin Garnett down the stretch Minnesota had a chance to tie the game with 34 seconds left but Troy Hudr son's hit the front of the rim The Timberwolves got a second 23 TfT 17 f stood two last second shot attempts by Minnesota to "l17 A2 64 and the Rockets 2T) lT it r Ming scored 27 points Steve Francis added T-wol- ves win Ricky Davis scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half and Mark Blount added 17 points for the Celtics whose winning streak is their longest under interim coach John Carroll Cavaliers 88 Hornets 85: At New Orleans LeBron James scored 19 points and Carlos Boozer had 18 to lead Clever land James hit a with 1:22 left to put Cleveland and Boozer made a ahead secpair of free throws with 6 onds remaining for the final The MINNEAPOLIS found Houston Rockets detheir fense just in time to gain a rare road victory against one of the hest teams in the 1429 Home Ii 13 2Mo" 9 22 Slrk 1?TM W 17 14 62313 27 LltlO GB Minnevjta Memphis 2(XH leufjue-leadin- iiTii" 2V5 5 Pel L f 1'riss 'I'm: Associ vit o "nO W1 "m3-- Away Conl Western Conference MIDWEST Salimlav Man h Rockets overcome Garnett NBA fl STANDINGS ATLANTIC NBA Siilt I jikcTrilHiiic - Mo Williams' speed and hustle produced one of the season's most spectacular steals late in the second quarter Racing down the court Williams tipped away an k Indiana pass but rather than let it go out of bounds the Jazz rookie dove after it somehow reaching it just in time to blindly backhand it to Raul Lopez seven consecutive possessions turning a winnable game into a bitter loss that drops them back to 500 two games behind Denver for the final Western Conference playoff spot "We can't let games like tonight slip away" said Raja Bell who scored 17 points off the bench "We didn't take our time and that's when you have really got to execute coming down to the last minute" That is execute the fay they had for the last four games Now the Jazz must travel to Portland for tonight's game with the Blazers (8 pm MST KJZZ) a team just a game back in the playoff chase "Tomorrow is going to be big" Raja Bell said "The way we lost tonight tomorrow is going to be especially tough" since the Particularly fourth-quarte- r formula suddenly doesn't work pmtlletiasltritcom Jl |