Advertisement

Trail Blazers Win Again to Move Ahead of Lakers

Share
From Associated Press

The Portland Trail Blazers might have felt slighted over the All-Star game selections, but they’ll gladly take the NBA’s best record in return.

Brian Grant scored 19 points Tuesday night as Portland moved past the Lakers for first place in the NBA’s overall standings with a sloppy 92-81 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Portland, Ore.

“First place feels good, and we’re going to keep playing hard to stay there,” said reserve guard Bonzi Wells.

Advertisement

The Trail Blazers moved a half-game ahead of Lakers, who lost to the San Antonio Spurs, 105-81. Portland is 34-10, while the Lakers fell to 34-11 after losing for the sixth time in nine games.

Rasheed Wallace, who earlier in the day was selected to the All-Star team for the first time in his five-year career, added 14 points and nine rebounds for Portland.

“It surprised me just as much as the next person,” Wallace said of being named a reserve on the Western Conference team. “For somebody [else], that is their dream, maybe, but that ain’t no dream of mine. It wasn’t one of my goals when I came into this league, honestly.”

The last time the Trail Blazers were alone in first place in the Pacific Division was Dec. 7, when they were 15-4 and the Lakers 14-4. Two days later, the Lakers pulled into a tie at 15-5 and held onto first until their recent slide.

Wallace became the first Trail Blazer player to make the All-Star team since Clyde Drexler and Clifford Robinson in 1994.

“I was disappointed that we didn’t get a couple of others on the team,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said.

Advertisement

Philadelphia 101, Dallas 100--Allen Iverson scored 29 points, including two free throws with 17.1 seconds left, to lift the 76ers at Dallas.

The 76ers trailed by 10 points early in the fourth quarter but tied the score at 89-89 within minutes. A basket by George Lynch put them ahead, 99-98, for the first time in the quarter.

Michael Finley answered with a jumper with 28.4 seconds left and appeared to be the hero again when he snagged a rebound off an Iverson miss.

But officials said Cedric Ceballos fouled Iverson on the play and Iverson swished his first free throw and bounced the second in off the front rim.

Seattle 104, Utah 96--Gary Payton scored 35 points and Vin Baker had a season-high 33 at Salt Lake City as the SuperSonics handed the Jazz its fourth straight loss.

Houston 99, Charlotte 83--Cuttino Mobley of the Rockets scored 23 points at Houston, including seven in a row in a crucial fourth-quarter stretch.

Advertisement

The Hornets cut Houston’s lead to 86-82 with 5:43 to play, but Mobley countered for the Rockets with his scoring spree. He scored 11 of the Rockets’ final 16 points.

Cleveland 112, Washington 108--Shawn Kemp scored 28 points at Cleveland to help the Cavaliers spoil Wizard Coach Darrell Walker’s debut.

Former Wizard coach Gar Heard beat the Cavaliers in his last game Saturday before being fired by part-owner Michael Jordan.

Orlando 98, New York 77--Chucky Atkins matched a career high with 22 points to lead the undermanned Magic at New York.

The Magic played with only nine sound players, having traded Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Chris Gatling to the Denver Nuggets earlier in the day for Ron Mercer, Chauncey Billups and Johnny Taylor.

Indiana 99, Boston 96--Rik Smits scored a season-high 26 points at Indianapolis as the Pacers extended their home winning streak to 16 games.

Advertisement
Advertisement