Carter Suffers Injury, but Raptors Prevail

Jalen Rose and Alvin Williams helped the Toronto Raptors overcome Vince Carter’s first-quarter injury.

Rose made a game-tying shot with one second left in regulation and scored a game-high 20 points as Toronto took a 78-74 overtime victory in New Orleans on Thursday night, sending the Hornets to a fourth straight loss.

Williams sank a pair of jumpers in a low-scoring overtime to finish with 16 points, and Donyell Marshall had 16 points and 12 rebounds. The game was tied at 70 after regulation.

Carter left the game with 4:41 remaining in the first quarter after going down holding his right leg after being fouled on a dunk attempt. Team officials called the injury a strained quadriceps and said Carter would be reevaluated today.

The struggling Hornets made one of 17 three-point attempts but kept it close with defense.

“Offensively, I’m really scratching my head right now,” said Hornet Coach Tim Floyd, whose team shot only 35% from the floor and has its longest losing streak of the season. “We’re not playing with any confidence at all.”

Hornet center Jamaal Magloire was doubly displeased after being pulled for much of the second half in favor of Robert Traylor. Floyd said Traylor seemed to be providing “more energy.” Magloire disagreed, saying “We’re not going to win like that, I can tell you that much.”

Baron Davis had only 10 points on four-for-17 shooting for the Hornets.

Milwaukee 86, New Jersey 83 -- Toni Kukoc scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter to help the Bucks win their 10th straight home game and spoil Kenyon Martin’s return from a suspension.

Martin, who sat out two games for fighting with the Clippers’ Corey Maggette last week, finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds.

Utah 97, Miami 85 -- Andrei Kirilenko scored 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter at Salt Lake City to help the Jazz beat the Heat for the sixth straight time in a game that featured a combined 67 personal fouls.

Eddie Jones had 18 points for Miami, which had more fouls (35) than rebounds (33) in its fourth straight loss.

Phoenix 105, Portland 96 -- Amare Stoudemire had 22 points and 10 rebounds at Portland, Ore., to help give the Suns their first victory without Stephon Marbury.

It also was the Suns’ first win of 2004, and snapped a four-game road losing streak. The Suns had lost six in a row and were 0-4 since the trade that sent Marbury to the New York Knicks.

Zach Randolph had 21 points for Portland.

Memphis 108, Chicago 93 -- James Posey scored 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter at Memphis, Tenn., to lead the Grizzlies to their third victory in a row.

Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams had 13 points apiece for Chicago, which has lost four of its last five.

Golden State 119, Cleveland 102 -- Clifford Robinson had a season-high 35 points, including a career-high seven three-point baskets, in a victory at Oakland. LeBron James had 29 points for the Cavaliers.

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The Houston Rockets signed 38-year-old point guard Mark Jackson, who ranks second in NBA career assists. Jackson, who was out of the league, played for Utah last season. ... Point guard Nick Van Exel was placed on the injured list by Golden State because of left knee inflammation.