Zach Randolph scored a career-high 37 points for the Trail Blazers, who made a strong showing but fell to 7-17, the worst record in the Western Conference.
Nets 99, Clippers 85
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Vince Carter scored 35 points and added nine assists and seven rebounds, leading New Jersey over Los Angeles for its season-high third straight victory.
Richard Jefferson scored 20 points and Nenad Krstic had 17 for Nets (12-12), who returned to .500 for the first time since they were 7-7 after beating Denver on Nov. 28. Carter had 20 points in the first half.
Elton Brand had 21 points and 13 rebounds for his 16th double-double of the season. Cuttino Mobley added 15 points for the Clippers, who have lost four of five.
Bobcats 105, Bulls 92
In Chicago, Brevin Knight shook off a bruised right forearm and finished with 20 points and 10 assists as Charlotte beat Chicago.
Raymond Felton scored 21 points to go with six assists as the Bobcats (8-18) won for the third time in four games and beat the Bulls for the first time.
Gerald Wallace added 19 points, Primoz Brezec finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Keith Bogans and Jumaine Jones added 11 points apiece.
Chris Duhon did his best to keep the Bulls in it, hitting several 3s in the fourth quarter and finishing with 16 points. Othella Harrington scored 16.
Notebook
AP, HOUSTON
Houston center Yao Ming is expected to miss several NBA games after undergoing surgery on Monday on his infected left big toe.
Yao, who is averaging 19.9 points and nine rebounds, flew from LA to Houston on Sunday, missing the Rockets' game against the Lakers.
Yao's toe is infected with osteomyelitis, a common inflammation of the bone caused by bacteria, the Rockets said. The surgery was performed on Monday by Rockets chief physician Dr. Tom Clanton at the Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center in Houston.
The Rockets said the procedure was successful and that Yao will require antibiotics and rest for several weeks in order to allow the infection to properly heal.
Before Sunday, the 25-year-old Chinese center had missed only two games in his first three NBA seasons. He started all of Houston's first 22 games this year.
Yao isn't the only Houston big man who is hurting heading into Wednesday's game against Toronto.
Dikembe Mutombo started for Yao on Sunday, but left the game with a dislocated left finger with 4:51 left. His status for Wednesday's game was not immediately known, and the Rockets have no other centers on their roster.
Injuries have been a problem for the Rockets (10-13), who already had to play eight games -- all losses -- when leading scorer Tracy McGrady was out with a back injury.
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