Knicks Acquire Derek Harper

The New York Knicks, their backcourt depleted because of injuries, Thursday acquired veteran guard Derek Harper from the Dallas Mavericks for swingman Tony Campbell and a 1997 first-round draft choice.

The Knicks went after a guard when Doc Rivers was sidelined for the season because of a knee injury. Reserve guard Hubert Davis will sit out several weeks because of a broken bone in his right hand.

Since Rivers’ injury, Greg Anthony, a third-year pro, has stepped in as the Knicks’ playmaker.

The 6-foot-4 Harper, an 11-year veteran, is the Mavericks’ all-time leader in assists with 4,790; steals with 1,459, and three-point baskets with 645.

Baseball

The Angels lost out to the Colorado Rockies in their pursuit of free-agent pitcher Mike Harkey. Although the Angels outbid the Rockies, offering $1 million, Harkey accepted the Rockies’ offer of $600,000 with $300,000 worth of incentives. The Rockies eliminated the option year in their proposal, helping sway Harkey’s decision.

The Dodgers signed left-handed pitcher Gary Wayne to a minor league contract with triple-A Albuquerque. Wayne, 31, appeared in 65 games with the Rockies last season and was 5-3 with one save.

The Kansas City Royals claimed outfielder Tom Goodwin on waivers from the Dodgers. Goodwin, 25, a left-handed outfielder, played in 30 games for the Dodgers last season, hitting .294.

Outfielder Brady Anderson agreed to a three-year, $10.25-million contract with the Baltimore Orioles.

The Texas Rangers signed free-agent pitcher Jay Howell, who was 3-3 for the Atlanta Braves last season, to a one-year contract.

Criminal charges against Gary Sheffield of the Florida Marlins, stemming from an altercation with Houston police officers last summer, have been dismissed.

The Cincinnati Reds signed free-agent reliever Jeff Brantley, who had spent his six major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants, to a one-year contract worth $500,000.

Skiing

Ed Podivinsky became the first Canadian to win a World Cup downhill in nearly five years with a victory at Saalbach, Austria.

Sweden’s Pernilla Wiberg won her second World Cup slalom of the season at Morzine, France.

Tennis

Defending champion Nicklas Kulti moved into the quarterfinals of the Australian men’s hard-court championships at Adelaide, Australia, with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 victory over Canadian Greg Rusedski.

In the women’s hard-court championships in Brisbane, Lindsay Davenport beat Ann Grossman, 6-0, 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinals.

Top-seeded Magadalena Maleeva of Bulgaria defeated Natalia Baudone of Italy, 6-0, 6-2.

Anke Huber and Bernd Karbacher put defending champion Germany into the Hopman Cup final against the Czech Republic with a 3-0 victory over Austria at Perth, Australia. Huber beat Judith Wiesner, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2, and Karbacher beat Alex Antonitsch, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

Miscellany

Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward and injured rookie guard Bobby Hurley of the Sacramento Kings are among the 10 finalists for the Amateur Athletic Union’s Sullivan Award, which will be announced March 14. The other finalists are former Olympic wrestler Bruce Baumgartner, sprinter and hurdler Gail Devers, figure skater Brian Boitano, speedskater Dan Jansen, gymnast Shannon Miller, decathlete Dan O’Brien, basketball player Sheryl Swoopes and swimmer Jenny Thompson.

The Los Angeles Sports Council has been chosen as the first recipient of the “Foremost Sports Commission of the Year” award, the International Sports Summit announced.

Names in the News

Mario Lemieux, who hadn’t practiced or played in two months, worked out for 30 minutes with the Pittsburgh Penguins. . . . Former British Open champion Mark Calcavecchia suffered ligament and cartilage damage in his right knee in a skiing accident two weeks ago and might not be able to play golf until the end of January. . . . Texas Tech running back Byron (Bam) Morris, the nation’s No. 2 rusher as a junior in 1993, declared himself available for the NFL draft. . . . Swimmer Zhong Weiyue of China set her second short-course world record in as many days at Beijing, finishing the 50-meter butterfly in 26.44 seconds. . . . William Whetsell, a Marietta College basketball coach and member of the National Basketball Hall of Fame, died Wednesday. He was 76.