Rockets launch in Philly
PHILADELPHIA -- Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley each scored 23 points and Hakeem Olajuwon added 18 points and 14 rebounds as the Houston Rockets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-87 Wednesday night.
The Rockets, just 11-22 in the Western Conference, improved to 13-3 against the East by defeating the team with the NBA's best record.
Matt Bullard, who had just seven points combined in the last five games, finished with 18 points as the Rockets won their second straight.
Allen Iverson had 26 points on 10-for-28 shooting and Theo Ratliff added 14 for Philadelphia, which lost for the third time in four games and slipped to 36-14.
Spurs 107, Cavaliers 89
CLEVELAND -- Tim Duncan had 23 points and 12 rebounds and Danny Ferry scored 11 points, including two timely 3-pointers in the second half, as San Antonio won its eighth straight.
Derek Anderson added 17 points for San Antonio and teamed with Ferry for 6-of-8 shooting on 3-pointers. The Spurs shot 9-for-15 from 3-point range.
Antonio Daniels matched a career-high with 12 assists and reserve Samaki Walker had 14 points for the Spurs.
Clarence Weatherspoon had 16 points and 12 rebounds as the Cavaliers dropped their seventh in a row and lost for the 20th time in 25 games.
Celtics 94, Bucks 91
BOSTON -- Antoine Walker had 36 points and 13 rebounds and Paul Pierce added 27 points as Boston won for the seventh time in eight games and for the 10th time in 15 under interim coach Jim O'Brien.
Tim Thomas scored 21 points, Ray Allen had 20 and Glenn Robinson finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who lost for just the third time in 14 games.
Timberwolves 117, Kings 88
MINNEAPOLIS -- Kevin Garnett tied his career high with 40 points as Minnesota extended its winning streak to an NBA season-best 11 games.
Garnett, who made 17 of 22 shots, dominated Chris Webber in a matchup of All-Star power forwards, scoring his 40 points in 34 minutes.
Webber scored 22 points on 10-for-22 shooting after getting off to a 2-for-12 start.
Magic 107, Wizards 98
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Darrell Armstrong scored 32 points and Tracy McGrady added 24 as Orlando earned its season-high sixth straight victory.
The Magic moved two games over .500 for the first time this season.
Juwan Howard led Washington with 25 points, but scored just four in the last quarter.
Knicks 96, Mavericks 93, 2OT
NEW YORK -- Latrell Sprewell had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Allan Houston added 18 points and a strategic intentional foul in the final second of the second overtime period as New York outlasted Dallas.
After watching Dallas tie the game with last-second shots at the end of regulation and the first overtime, the Knicks made sure it didn't happen again.
Houston fouled Michael Finley with 0.8 seconds left in the second overtime, preventing the Mavericks from attempting a game-tying 3-pointer.
Trail Blazers 97, SuperSonics 80
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Damon Stoudamire scored 21 and Steve Smith added 19 as Portland handed Seattle its third loss in five games.
Dale Davis had 13 rebounds for the Blazers, who entered the All-Star break with a two-game lead in the Western Conference.
Lakers 85, Suns 83
LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant hit a 15-foot jumper with 2.3 seconds remaining to clinch the victory and finished with 32 points as Los Angeles extended its winning streak to three games.
Bryant's shot over the tight defense of Shawn Marion in the final seconds capped a 23-point second half. Bryant also finished with eight rebounds, nine assists and four steals.
Cliff Robinson's jumper from the top of the key missed as time expired.
Warriors 89, Clippers 88
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Bob Sura's free throw with 0.7 seconds remaining helped Golden State snap its five-game losing streak.
Sura finished with 22 points. Antawan Jamison led the Warriors with 27 points, and Marc Jackson added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Mookie Blaylock finished with 14 points.
Jazz 92 Grizzlies 82
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Karl Malone scored 10 of his 34 points in the final 5 minutes as Utah won its fifth straight and improved to 11-0 in Vancouver.
Malone sandwiched a pair of free throws around four field goals for 10 consecutive points as the Jazz broke open a one-point game.