Francis Leads Way in Rockets’ Win

A painful third-quarter fall couldn’t stop Steve Francis.

Francis got up slowly from the spill but was going strong by the fourth quarter as he scored Houston’s final 16 points and led the Rockets over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, 86-83, Tuesday night.

“It was over-exaggerated,” Francis said. “I got up. As long as I get up, I’m OK. It’s just something that happened.”

Francis, who scored 18 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, made a layup with 20 seconds left to put the Rockets ahead to stay, 85-83, and closed it out with a free throw.

Rasheed Wallace’s three-point shot with 3.3 seconds to play missed and Eddie Griffin rebounded for the Rockets, ending the game.

Francis fell hard under Houston’s basket with 4:43 left in the third quarter after a flagrant foul from Wallace. Francis remained in the game but took heat treatments on his lower back during each timeout.

“He’s a warrior, there was no doubt in my mind if he could walk, he was going to play,” Rocket Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. “He had those headaches all last year and fought through them. He’s a tough guy.”

Yao Ming played 15 minutes for the Rockets and scored seven points with four rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot.

Toronto 115, Orlando 109 -- Jerome Williams scored a career-high 30 points as the injury-riddled Raptors rallied from a 14-point deficit at Orlando, Fla. Williams’ layup with 57.8 seconds remaining broke a tie at 109.

Toronto was without starters Vince Carter (strained left quadriceps tendon), Antonio Davis (strained left ribcage muscle) and Lamond Murray (torn ligament in right foot).

Seattle 101, Washington 95 -- Rashard Lewis scored a career-high 37 points, and the SuperSonics withstood a late rally led by Michael Jordan at Washington.

Jordan scored 10 of the last 14 points for the Wizards, who cut an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to one before Lewis, Predrag Drobnjak and Brent Barry made big shots to seal the victory.

Jordan scored a season-high 27 points on 13-for-22 shooting in 31 minutes. Lewis was 16 for 19 from the field.

Utah 108, New York 87 -- In a game that further exposed one of the Knicks’ many weaknesses, the Jazz’s point guards controlled the game as the Knicks played their second straight game without the injured Charlie Ward at New York.

Mark Jackson had six points, three assists and three rebounds in the second quarter when matched against rookie Frank Williams, and Utah outscored New York, 26-12, in the period to take a 48-30 halftime lead.

John Stockton had 10 of his 12 points and four of his seven assists in the third as Utah went ahead by as many as 30.

Detroit 93, New Orleans 87 -- Chucky Atkins returned to the starting lineup with 20 points to lead the Pistons at Auburn Hills, Mich. Atkins, last year’s starter at point guard, played in place of the suspended Chauncey Billups.

Indiana 95, Cleveland 75 -- Ron Artest scored 22 points to lead the Pacers at Indianapolis.

Ricky Davis, who averages 23.4 points for the Cavaliers, was benched six minutes into the game and did not return for the start of the second half.

After coming out of the game, Davis put on his warmups, draped a towel over his back and didn’t join the Cavaliers in the huddle during timeouts, instead standing off to the side with his hands in his pockets and looking around.