Francis Not Much Help to Knicks

The Steve Francis era got off to a slow start in New York.

The Knicks gave up the first 10 points, trailed the rest of the game, and were frequently booed during the second half of a 94-90 loss to the New Jersey Nets on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

Francis, acquired from the Orlando Magic on Wednesday for Penny Hardaway and Trevor Ariza, was received warmly by the New York crowd when announced during pregame introductions. He started in the backcourt alongside Stephon Marbury.

But there was little to cheer for Knick fans once the game started. By the time Francis made New York’s first basket 4:34 into the game, the Nets led 10-0. Channing Frye had a two-handed dunk on the next possession off a pass from Francis, but the Nets then scored 10 in a row to take a 20-4 lead.

Francis, a three-time All-Star who averaged 16.2 points with the Magic, scored 16 points in 32 minutes.

Marbury was playing in only his second game after sitting out 11 in a row because of a left shoulder injury and looked rusty. He scored six points on two-for-nine shooting, missing three layups.

Richard Jefferson scored 27 points to lead New Jersey, which has won four in a row and eight of its last 10. Vince Carter had 26 points.

Frye had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Knicks (15-39), who have lost 18 of 20 and are in last place in the Atlantic Division.

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Orlando 102, Seattle 89 -- The Magic ended an eight-game losing streak by beating the visiting SuperSonics, who had only seven available players.

Seattle was short-handed after taking part in a four-team trade Thursday and making another deal with Cleveland.

All-Star guard Ray Allen was on the bench at the start of the game so Seattle could meet the league-mandated rule of eight players in uniform.

Allen returned to the locker room as soon as the game started because of stomach flu, leaving Seattle with only seven players.

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Washington 102, Cleveland 94 -- The Wizards shut down LeBron James in the second half to defeat the Cavaliers at Cleveland.

James finished with 25 points but missed all eight shots and was only four for 12 from the free-throw line in the second half -- including missing his last seven.

Washington, which ended a four-game road losing streak, has won 15 of its last 21.

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Denver 102, Minnesota 101 -- Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points, including the game-winning three-point basket in overtime at Minneapolis.

After the Timberwolves took the lead with the help of two steals in a row, Anthony made the three-point basket from the corner with 3.4 seconds left.

Kevin Garnett had 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost 13 of 17. They fell to 0-4 in overtime games.

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Atlanta 117, Indiana 112 -- Joe Johnson matched his career high with 40 points, including a three-point basket that forced overtime, to help the Hawks win at Indianapolis.

The game featured 18 ties and 24 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than eight points.

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San Antonio 83, Memphis 80 -- The visiting Spurs survived a furious last-minute comeback attempt to defeat the Grizzlies.

San Antonio led, 78-70, with 40 seconds left before the Grizzlies’ Mike Miller and Shane Battier made consecutive three-point baskets and Memphis pulled to within 78-76 with 19 seconds left.

Another three-point basket by Miller cut it to one point, and Memphis trailed, 81-79, when rookie Hakim Warrick went to the free-throw line with 2.5 seconds left. But he made only one, and Nazr Mohammed made two free throws for the final margin.

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Detroit 95, Chicago 87 -- After being blown out twice by the Pistons in December, including their most lopsided loss this season in a 28-point defeat on Dec. 16, the Bulls stayed in it until the end at Chicago.

Leading 72-70 after three quarters, the Pistons maintained their lead in the fourth. Chicago pulled within two several times -- the last when Darius Songaila’s basket made it 87-85 with 2:37 left.

But a basket by Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince’s two free throws made it 91-85 with 47.4 seconds left.

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Philadelphia 116, Milwaukee 111 -- Kyle Korver scored a career-high 31 points and Allen Iverson had 30, passing Julius Erving on the NBA’s career scoring list, in the 76ers’ victory at Milwaukee.

A 17-foot basket by Iverson early in the first quarter gave him six points, which passed Erving’s 18,364 points for 47th on the all-time list.

Michael Redd scored with 14 seconds left to cut Philadelphia’s lead to 112-111. Korver was then fouled and made two free throws.

Redd missed a 27-foot three-point shot with 3.8 seconds left, and Korver, who scored 17 of the 76ers’ 22 points in the fourth quarter, secured the victory with two free throws.

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Houston 91, Golden State 88 -- Yao Ming and Juwan Howard each scored 22 points to help the Rockets win for the first time this season without Tracy McGrady.

McGrady was not with the team because of a death in the family, but Houston still won its season-high fourth in a row at home. The Rockets had been 0-13 when their leading scorer didn’t play.

Jason Richardson had a chance to put the Warriors ahead with two seconds left, but his three-point attempt bounced off the glass. David Wesley was fouled and made one of two free throws to secure the win.

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Boston 102, Portland 96 -- Paul Pierce scored 37 points, and the visiting Celtics handed the Trail Blazers their eighth loss in nine games.