Finicky Morris Is Happier Now

Exactly one week ago, a bitter Chris Morris was trudging through the airport, returning to a team he thought he had escaped.

On Thursday night, after Morris scored 20 points in the Utah Jazz’s 108-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Salt Lake City, his attitude had suddenly improved.

“Life goes on,” said Morris, who scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to help the Jazz hold off a Phoenix rally. “This is the team I’m on, and I’m going to try to make us successful.”

Karl Malone dominated the Suns in the first half, getting 18 points and 12 rebounds on the way to 28 and 17 for the game. But Morris, who made four three-point baskets, was the unlikely focus.

“He killed us, just killed us,” Phoenix Coach Danny Ainge said. “Chris has a lot of talent when he chooses to use it.”

Morris was returned to Utah by the Orlando Magic last week when the Jazz’s deal for Rony Seikaly fell through. He didn’t play in Utah’s previous two games, but when he got in Thursday’s game, he made his presence felt with five quick points.

“I know what I can do and what my abilities are,” Morris said. “When I get the chance, I can make stuff happen.”

Houston 118, Minnesota 98--Hakeem Olajuwon had 20 points, giving him 24,000, as the Rockets ended a three-game losing streak at Houston.

Olajuwon had 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter as the Rockets, losers in overtime to the Timberwolves in two earlier meetings this season, erased any thoughts of another Minnesota rally.

Houston never let the Timberwolves get closer than 59-49 early in the second half, then used a pair of baskets from Kevin Willis and another from Clyde Drexler to go ahead by 16.

New York 102, Milwaukee 90--The injury-depleted Knicks didn’t have any depth problems in this game, getting big boosts from reserves Brooks Thompson and Terry Cummings at New York.

Thompson scored a season-high 11 points and helped the Knicks pull ahead for good in the second quarter. Cummings had a season-high 18 to help New York maintain a double-digit advantage the rest of the way.

New York avoided being swept by the Bucks in the four-game season series.

Miami 91, Dallas 72--Tim Hardaway scored 20 points and the Heat used three-point shooting to win their season-high eighth consecutive game at Miami.

The Heat made 10 of 17 shots from three-point range and beat the Mavericks for the 12th time in a row.

Michael Finley scored 31 points for Dallas.

Washington 110, Golden State 87--Chris Webber and Tracy Murray burned the Warriors again, combining for 50 points for the Wizards at Washington.

Webber and Murray scored 19 of the Wizards’ first 24 points in the third quarter as Washington built a 17-point lead.

Murray scored an NBA season-high 50 points against the Warriors two weeks ago, while Webber had triple-doubles in his previous three games against his former team.

New Jersey 102, Sacramento 99--The Nets got all the calls and bounces in the final minute at East Rutherford, N.J., in a game that featured Sacramento Coach Eddie Jordan screaming at referee Leroy Richardson at midcourt.

The confrontation came seconds after Mitch Richmond’s desperation three-point shot hit off the backboard, bounced off the front of the rim and fell out, sending the Kings to their fifth consecutive loss in a game where they held an 18-point first-half lead.

The wild ending also featured a questionable foul call against Kings’ forward Corliss Williamson after he rebounded a missed foul shot by Otis Thorpe with 24.9 seconds left and Sacramento behind, 96-95.

The foul call so enraged Jordan that he walked on the court and screamed at Richardson, drawing a technical foul.

San Antonio 97, Toronto 86--Tim Duncan had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs at San Antonio.

Monty Williams tied his season high with 16 points as San Antonio won for the fourth time in six games without David Robinson.

Doug Christie scored 17 points for Toronto, which has lost seven of eight since the All-Star break.