Hornets Outlast Bulls After Three Overtimes

Worn out, David Wesley wound up a winner.

Wesley scored 28 points and the Hornets won the first triple-overtime game in their history Tuesday night, defeating the Chicago Bulls, 102-95, at Charlotte, N.C.

The Hornets rallied from a 19-point deficit in the third quarter to win their 12th consecutive home game.

Wesley, who played 55 minutes, made an 18-foot jumper that gave the Hornets a 100-95 lead with 16.8 seconds to play.

“That was just a sigh of relief,” Wesley said. “With all the emotions I’m sure the fans went through, we were going through likewise.”

Elden Campbell, who sat out the entire fourth quarter and the first overtime, scored seven of his 18 points in the third overtime for Charlotte. His free throw with 1:54 to play tied the score at 95-95 and started a game-ending 8-0 run for the Hornets.

Elton Brand had 30 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls. Ron Mercer added 27 points while playing an NBA season-high 58 minutes.

“I just feel like kicking the ball into the stands after this game,” said Brand, who missed a shot in the lane with 4.1 seconds remaining in regulation. “We had this game. We knew they were going to make a run, but we weren’t prepared for it.”

Denver 112, Vancouver 105--Antonio McDyess had 33 points and 13 rebounds at Vancouver, Canada, as the Nuggets won their fifth in a row.

McDyess has recorded a double-double in nine consecutive games and 15 of the past 16.

Houston 110, Toronto 91--Cuttino Mobley scored 27 points and Steve Francis had 24 to lead the Rockets at Toronto.

Francis also had 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Utah 103, Indiana 99--Karl Malone scored 35 points and had 10 rebounds while Donyell Marshall added 23 points in his second consecutive start for the Jazz at Salt Lake City.

Malone had 10 points in the fourth quarter as the Jazz ended a four-game home losing streak.

Milwaukee 99, Washington 95--Sam Cassell scored 23 points to lead the Bucks at Milwaukee.

San Antonio 112, Orlando 95--David Robinson scored 26 points at Orlando, Fla., leading the Spurs to their fourth consecutive victory.

Philadelphia 104, New Jersey Nets 87--Theo Ratliff came within two blocked shots of a triple-double and Allen Iverson scored 22 points at East Rutherford, N.J., to lead the 76ers to their seventh consecutive victory.

Ratliff had 14 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks in a dominating performance in the low post.

Seattle 95, Atlanta 86--Ruben Patterson scored all 15 of his points in the second quarter when the SuperSonics built a 22-point lead at Atlanta.

Around the League

Houston Rocket center Hakeem Olajuwon was put on the injured list because of a swollen right knee that already has sidelined him for four games. The 12-time all-star will be sidelined at least five more games because of the swelling, caused by a cyst. His knee has been sore since he fell in a Dec. 21 game against the Lakers. . . . San Antonio Spur forward Sean Elliott is sidelined indefinitely after suffering a small tear in the rotator cuff of his right shoulder during Saturday’s victory over the Detroit Pistons. . . . Larry Hughes will sit out the final two games of the Golden State Warriors’ trip while doctors evaluate his sprained right thumb.