NBA ROUNDUP : Smith Finds a Rude Homecoming

Many of the fans at the sold out arena in Landover, Md., came to see the return of NBA rookie sensation Joe Smith.

They all went home talking about Chris Webber.

Webber scored 40 points against his former teammates, and the Washington Bullets snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Golden State Warriors, 115-94, Wednesday night.

Webber made 18 of 25 shots, including three of his four three-point attempts, to top his previous personal best of 37 points. He also had 10 rebounds and 10 assists in overshadowing the homecoming of Smith, who enjoyed two stellar seasons at the University of Maryland before becoming the No. 1 pick in last June’s NBA draft.

Smith finished with 15 points and eight rebounds in 31 minutes. He scored 27 points last week in the Warriors’ 132-117 rout of Washington in Oakland.

“I had a lot of incentive. There were a lot of people teasing me about Joe doing so well against us,” Webber said. “I knew he’d be excited about coming home, but this is our house. We don’t want to get embarrassed in our home.”

Smith played well, but he just couldn’t keep up with Webber. He wasn’t alone. Webber pretty much had his way against anyone the Warriors threw at him.

“I am very disappointed,” Smith said. “I wanted to get the win because it’s on the road, it’s my homecoming and we need to improve our record. Any time you lose, it’s hard.”

Phoenix 105, Philadelphia 90--Charles Barkley had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and helped key a third-period spurt that carried the Suns to a victory at home.

Philadelphia, which had only 10 players in uniform, was led by Vernon Maxwell’s 30 points, including six three-point goals.

Rookie Jerry Stackhouse had 24 points, but only nine in the second half for the 76ers, who were missing Derrick Coleman, who had a sprained right ankle, and Sharone Wright, out because of a sore right hamstring.

Milwaukee 99, Minnesota 93--Sherman Douglas sent the game into overtime with a basket with 4.9 seconds left, and Glenn Robinson scored five of his 19 points in overtime of the Bucks’ victory at Minneapolis.

Douglas scored a season-high 24 points, two on an off-balance six-footer that tied the game, 87-87.

Portland 135, Boston 109--Clifford Robinson scored all of his 30 points in the first three quarters as the Trail Blazers snapped a six-game losing streak with a victory at home.

Robinson, who also had 10 rebounds, made six of eight three-point shots--four of five in the third quarter.

Seattle 99, Denver 83--Hersey Hawkins scored 24 points and Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp each had 22 for the SuperSonics, who raised their home record to 12-1 with the victory.

NBA Notes

Michael Jordan, Grant Hill and Shaquille O’Neal led their positions and Hill was the overall leader in votes with 151,077 after the second week of fan voting for the NBA Eastern Conference All-Star team. . . . Miami has asked waivers on reserve center-forward LeRon Ellis, who came to the Heat in the Alonzo Mourning trade.