Laettner Is on Target in Overtime

Christian Laettner made a 17-foot basket with 8.6 seconds left in overtime and the Washington Wizards defeated the Boston Celtics, 88-84, Saturday night at Washington.

Michael Jordan missed 17 of 24 shots but finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds as the Wizards ended an eight-game losing streak.

Laettner scored 17 points and Richard Hamilton scored 16.

After Laettner scored to make it 84-82, Hamilton stole the inbounds pass and made two free throws to seal the victory.

Washington never trailed after the first quarter but blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter and frittered away a four-point advantage in overtime.

Antoine Walker scored 24 points, Paul Pierce had 23 and Milt Palacio had 19 for the Celtics.

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Sacramento 98, New Jersey 97--Peja Stojakovic scored 29 points, including two free throws with 7.3 seconds left, to lift the Kings at Sacramento.

The Nets scored 13 consecutive points to trim a 16-point deficit to 92-89.

Vlade Divac had a basket and two free throws in the final 2:12 as the Kings improved to 7-0 this season at Arco Arena.

Mike Bibby scored 16 points for the Kings. Divac had 18 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists. Bobby Jackson had 13 points.

Jason Kidd had a triple-double, the 40th of his seven-year career, with 16 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

Milwaukee 95, Atlanta 88--Ray Allen made sure the Bucks extended their best start in 20 years.

Allen scored 21 points at Milwaukee to lead the Bucks, who are off to their best start since 1979-80.

Sam Cassell scored 18 points and Glenn Robinson finished with 17 for Milwaukee, winner of four in a row.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who scored a career-high and NBA season-best 50 points Friday, finished with 23 points for Atlanta. Toni Kukoc scored 18.

Dallas 119, Phoenix 104--The Mavericks shelved their defensive worries and returned to a more comfortable up-tempo offense.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 32 points and Steve Nash had a season-high 29 at Dallas as the Mavericks won their third in a row.

Michael Finley scored 20 points and Shawn Bradley scored 12 for the Mavericks. Nowitzki made 14 of 17 free throws and the Mavericks made 33 of 38.

Stephon Marbury’s 31 points paced the Suns.

New York 78, Chicago 71--Allan Houston scored a season-high 24 points and Othella Harrington had a season-high 18 before fouling out at New York.

Brad Miller had 23 points and nine rebounds for the Bulls, who lost their ninth in a row.

The Knicks were in front for nearly the entire game and held off a late rally by Chicago, which beat New York on Nov. 3 for its only victory this season.

Brad Miller had 23 points and nine rebounds for Chicago.

Kurt Thomas had 11 points and 12 rebounds and Mark Jackson had 11 points and seven rebounds.

Detroit 91, Memphis 84--Cliff Robinson scored 23 points as the Pistons, playing without Jerry Stackhouse and Corliss Williamson, rallied at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Jon Barry scored 15 points, Dana Barros had 14 and Ben Wallace had 11 rebounds and blocked four shots.

Stackhouse is sidelined by a groin strain.

Minnesota 99, San Antonio 94--Rasho Nesterovic scored a career-high 24 points and had 12 rebounds at Minneapolis as the Timberwolves took over first place in the Midwest Division.

Terrell Brandon finished with 21 points and Kevin Garnett had 17 for Minnesota.

Tim Duncan scored 21 points for the Spurs, whose seven-game winning streak ended.

Charlotte 103, Orlando 101--Elden Campbell scored a season-high 23 points for the Hornets at Charlotte, N.C.

Orlando’s Mike Miller, filling in for injured Grant Hill, scored a career-high 32 points, including six three-point baskets.

Campbell’s biggest basket came with 8.3 seconds remaining when he rebounded Stacy Augmon’s six-foot shot and dunked it. Thirty seconds earlier, Campbell connected on a five-foot jump shot that put the Hornets ahead, 101-98.

Orlando tied the score, 101-101, on a three-point basket from 26 feet by Darrell Armstrong with 30.3 seconds to play.

The Magic had the ball following Campbell’s last basket but Tracy McGrady’s 12-foot jump shot with under a second to play hit the rim.

McGrady finished with 31 points.

Cleveland 100, Miami 96--Wesley Person scored a season-high 25 points, including a go-ahead three-point basket with 1:03 left in overtime at Cleveland.

Person’s 26-foot shot gave Cleveland a 96-93 lead.

Eddie Jones had 27 points and 13 rebounds to lead Miami.