NBA ROUNDUP : Rodman a Royal Pain in Return

What shoulder injury?

Dennis Rodman, returning to the San Antonio Spurs after sitting out 14 games because of a separated shoulder, grabbed 15 rebounds in 22 minutes as the Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings, 98-88, Friday night at San Antonio.

The Kings (37-40) fell a game behind Denver (38-39) for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth.

David Robinson led the Spurs with 32 points and 16 rebounds.

After the game, Rodman displayed his usual candor, smiling and using an expletive in a live television interview to explain that his shoulder was still hurting.

“Pain drives me. It makes me get into my game that much more,” said Rodman, who got a 25-second standing ovation upon entering the game with 7:29 left in the second quarter. “I was going to do what it took to play. I just had to go out and do what I could. It was no big deal.”

Rodman, who separated his right shoulder in a motorcycle accident March 19, left the game grimacing in pain because of muscle spasms in his right shoulder blade seconds before halftime. But after working with a physical therapist, he returned.

Mitch Richmond led the Kings with 22 points.

Denver 102, Phoenix 87--Bryant Stith scored a season-high 27 points as the Nuggets took sole possession of the No. 8 Western Conference playoff spot at Denver while ending the Suns’ four-game winning streak.

The Suns (55-23) fell into a tie for first atop the Pacific Division with the idle Seattle SuperSonics (54-22) and also dropped 2 1/2 games behind San Antonio (57-20) in the race for the best record in the Western Conference.

Kevin Johnson scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to lead Phoenix.

New York 88, Indiana 84--Derek Harper made a three-point basket with 7.5 seconds left to help the Knicks strengthen their grip on the Eastern Conference’s second-best record at Indianapolis.

The victory pushes the Knicks 3 1/2 games ahead of the Pacers, the Central Division leaders. The division winner would get the second seed, but after the opening series the team with the best record gets the home-court advantage.

Patrick Ewing led New York with 30 points. Derrick McKey had 23 for Indiana.

Cleveland 83, Atlanta 70--Tyrone Hill had 16 points and 18 rebounds at Cleveland as the Cavaliers moved two games ahead of the fast-closing Hawks for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta Coach Lenny Wilkens was ejected after two technical fouls.

Cleveland was without starters Mark Price (sore left heel) and Chris Mills (sinus headache).

Minnesota 104, Milwaukee 100--Isaiah Rider’s three-point basket with 1:38 left in overtime helped the Timberwolves end a 10-game losing streak in overtime games and drop the Bucks two games behind Boston for the eighth and final Eastern playoff spot at Minneapolis.

Christian Laettner led Minnesota with 25 points. Glenn Robinson had 28 points for Milwaukee.

Charlotte 94, Detroit 86--Alonzo Mourning scored 23 points as the Hornets eliminated the Pistons from playoff contention at Auburn Hills, Mich.

NBA Notes

Seattle SuperSonic guard Gary Payton has a broken finger and his status for today’s game at Golden State is uncertain. Meanwhile, the Sonics activated center Bill Cartwright from the injured list and placed forward Dontonio Wingfield on it.