Pippen Prevails in Return

Houston Rocket fans thought they were getting to Scottie Pippen. Pippen said he was having fun.

Pippen, booed every time he touched the ball, made two baskets in the tight closing minutes as the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Houston Rockets, 89-79, Tuesday night.

Pippen, traded to the Trail Blazers by the Rockets in the off-season, was greeted with resounding boos during introductions in his first game back in Houston. He finished with 13 points, eight assists and eight rebounds.

“They were taunting me, but I wasn’t saying much, I was just listening,” Pippen said. “The fans made it fun for me.”

The Trail Blazers ended a two-game losing streak by holding the Rockets to 11 fourth-quarter points.

Steve Smith led the Trail Blazers with 22 points, including a three-pointer with 1:30 to play that sealed the victory.

Cuttino Mobley had 20 points for Houston.

San Antonio 91, Phoenix 90--The Spurs’ Mario Elie stole the ball from Rex Chapman and made a game-deciding free throw with 3.1 seconds left in overtime at San Antonio.

The loss broke a four-game winning streak for Phoenix and was the first for Scott Skiles as the Suns’ coach.

Tim Duncan led San Antonio with 25 points and 16 rebounds. Sun guard Jason Kidd had his third consecutive triple-double, scoring 15 points with 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Indiana 113, Seattle 103--Reggie Miller scored 31 points and Jalen Rose had 19, the two combining for 19 points in the pivotal third quarter of a victory over the SuperSonics at Indianapolis.

Sacramento 108, Milwaukee 95--Jason Williams scored a career-high 28 points at Sacramento as the Kings ended a three-game losing streak.

Washington 97, Detroit 83--Mitch Richmond scored a season-high 33 points at Auburn Hills, Mich., to lead the Wizards to their third consecutive victory.

Wizard guard Rod Strickland and Piston Coach Alvin Gentry were both ejected for arguing calls.

Toronto 116, New Jersey 87--Vince Carter had 24 points at Toronto as the Raptors ended a three-game losing streak.

Around the League

NBA steals leader Eddie Jones of the Charlotte Hornets has a torn ligament in his left elbow and will be sidelined three to six weeks, the team said. He was injured in Monday’s loss to the New York Knicks. Dr. Glenn Perry, the Hornets’ team physician, said the injury will not require surgery. Bobby Phills probably will fill Jones’ spot. . . . After already sitting out eight games because of a right foot injury, Phoenix Sun guard Penny Hardaway was put on the injured list and won’t be eligible to come off until Jan. 4. . . . San Antonio Spur forward Sean Elliott, who underwent a kidney transplant last summer, was hospitalized with flu as a precaution against rejection of the transplanted organ, team doctors said. . . . Toronto Raptor Coach Butch Carter was given a four-year contract extension worth a reported $8 million. Carter, 41, was in the final year of a contract he signed after the 1997-98 season.