Barkley Is Expected to Plead Not Guilty

Houston Rocket forward Charles Barkley, accused of throwing a bar patron through a window, plans to plead not guilty today in Orlando, Fla., and ask for a jury trial.

Barkley, 34, was formally charged last month with battery, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief and resisting an officer without violence for the Oct. 26 fight.

Barkley had waived his arraignment appearance and filed a not guilty plea in court papers in November, but the arraignment date was pushed back to today. He will not attend the proceeding, said his attorney, Kirk Kirkconnell.

Barkley said he was provoked after Jorge Lugo, 20, threw a glass of ice at a table he was sitting at with three women.

Lugo, who suffered a small cut to his upper right arm, was charged with disorderly conduct.

The incident took place at Phineas Phogg’s at downtown Orlando’s Church Street Station.

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Detroit Piston forward Grant Hill has regained the total vote lead from Chicago Bull guard Michael Jordan in the latest balloting for the Eastern Conference all-star team.

Hill, who led all players in votes in 1995 and 1996, has drawn 276,092 votes to 274,405 for Jordan. A week ago, Jordan led Hill by 1,821 votes.

Jordan has led the voting eight times in his career.

Trailing Hill at forward were Cleveland’s Shawn Kemp (208,057) and Chicago’s Scottie Pippen (123,718), who played his first game of the season Saturday.

Jordan led all guards with Orlando’s Penny Hardaway second with (160,890). Hardaway also has been out most of the season.

Atlanta’s Dikembe Mutombo continued to lead all centers with 156,846.

The All-Star game will be played Feb. 8 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

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Orlando Magic swingman Nick Anderson, enduring a sub-par season before breaking his left hand last month, was activated from the injured list.

Anderson suffered the injury Dec. 8 against Philadelphia and has sat out the last 15 games.

Anderson is averaging 6.8 points--by far the lowest of his career--and 4.2 rebounds in 20 games. He has made only 30% of his free throws.

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San Antonio Spur guard Vinny Del Negro, who had sat out 13 games because of a right elbow triceps strain, was activated from the injured list before Tuesday night’s game at Boston.

Forward Malik Rose went on the injured list because of tendinitis in his left knee.