Pistons’ Trip Begins With a Tough Victory

The Minnesota Timberwolves may be headed to the playoffs for the first time, but they’ve still got a lot to learn.

The Detroit Pistons taught them a lesson Wednesday night, getting 21 points from Lindsey Hunter and some clutch shooting down the stretch from Joe Dumars en route to a 92-88 victory at Minneapolis.

Grant Hill had 19 points and eight rebounds as the Pistons, in the opener of a five-game trip, survived a 23-point, 15-rebound performance by Tom Gugliotta.

“I was well aware we needed some big buckets down the stretch,” said Dumars, who scored seven of his 13 points in the final four minutes.

Chicago 111, San Antonio 69--Scottie Pippen scored 19 points and the Bulls needed neither Dennis Rodman nor a big game from Michael Jordan to defeat the decimated Spurs at Chicago.

The Spurs set team records for futility with their 69 points and 30.6 shooting percentage. They also have a seven-game losing streak.

Jordan scored 16 points in only 23 minutes. Rodman was serving a one-game suspension for hitting Milwaukee’s Joe Wolf in the groin.

Utah 96, Dallas 65--Karl Malone scored 20 points and Jeff Hornacek added 17 at Salt Lake City as the Jazz held the Mavericks to a franchise low and the lowest output by a Jazz opponent. Dallas also set another record for futility with only six field goals in the second half--the fewest in a half by an NBA team.

Portland 121, Phoenix 99--Kenny Anderson had 26 points, including six three-point baskets, and the Trail Blazers made a team-record 16 three-pointers at Phoenix to win their fourth in a row. The Suns’ Jason Kidd sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter and did not return. The severity of the injury was not immediately clear.

New York 100, Toronto 94--Patrick Ewing scored a season-high 36 points, including 11 in a row for New York in the final quarter, as the visiting Knicks won their fifth consecutive game. Marcus Camby had 24 points for the Raptors, losers of four in a row.

Cleveland 85, Indiana 78--Danny Ferry scored 19 points, including two late three-point baskets, and the Cavaliers ended the Pacers’ four-game winning streak. The Cavaliers ended a two-game losing streak and remained in the seventh Eastern Conference playoff spot. Indiana is in ninth position, three games behind Orlando.

Houston 90, Golden State 85--Hakeem Olajuwon scored 25 of his 31 points in the second half and grabbed 11 rebounds as the visiting Rockets posted their third consecutive victory. The Rockets also swept the four-game season series from Golden State, which got 26 points from Latrell Sprewell.

Sacramento 105, Denver 100--Mitch Richmond scored 13 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Kings at Sacramento. Bryan Stith scored 21 points for Denver, which made a franchise-record 15 three-pointers.