Extra Work Pays Off for Nuggets’ LaFrentz

Raef LaFrentz had to do something--and he had to do it quickly.

After going 0 for 11 in his last two games, LaFrentz headed straight from the second game to the practice court, shooting about 750 jumpers late into the night.

Two nights later, LaFrentz led the Denver Nuggets with 28 points in a 102-96 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at San Antonio.

The victory Thursday night ended Denver’s five-game losing streak and LaFrentz’s frustration--at least temporarily.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been around a player who, after a game, has gone out to practice that many shots,” Nugget Coach Dan Issel said. “If he’s going to work on his game like that, he’s going to have games like this.

“That was a big weight off his shoulders.”

The victory came on the heels of a tumultuous week for the Nuggets.

After Sunday’s overtime loss at Boston, Issel scheduled an early practice on Monday in Denver, which the players didn’t like. Feeling that Issel mistreated the struggling LaFrentz during a postgame tirade, the players skipped practice Monday without consulting the coach.

Houston 98, Golden State 95--Moochie Norris banked in a three-point shot from three steps behind the line as time expired, giving the Rockets the victory at Oakland.

Toronto 70, New York 68--Vince Carter scored 24 points, including three free throws in the last minute, to lead the Raptors at Toronto.

Around the League

Prosecutors in Paradise Valley, Ariz., filed a criminal charge Thursday against Phoenix Sun guard Penny Hardaway, who is accused of threatening and intimidating his girlfriend with a handgun last month. The misdemeanor charge was filed by the Paradise Valley Town Attorney’s Office. Police investigated the incident as domestic violence because Hardaway and Latarsha McCray have an 8-year-old daughter. The two do not live together. “I have done absolutely nothing wrong,” Hardaway said in a statement. . . . Veteran Sun guard Mario Elie will be sidelined at least three weeks because of a broken hand suffered in Wednesday night’s victory over the San Antonio Spurs. . . . Veteran point guard Avery Johnson, the only San Antonio player to appear in all 82 games for the Spurs last season, was put on the injured list because of a bruised left thigh.