Wed, Dec 31, 2003 page20

• NY Knicks 3-point the Magic to death

  AMERICAN BASKETBALL Keith Van Horn had 19 points and 10 rebounds to help New York achieve their first three-game road winning streak since 1996

  • AP
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  Frank Williams made four of New York's 15 3-pointers Monday night in a 114-86 rout of the Orlando Magic, the Knicks' third straight road win.

  Allan Houston and Williams each contributed 18 points as New York shot 55 percent from the field.

  

  Vin Baker, left, of the Celtics, grabs a loose ball by Speedy Claxton of against the Golden State Warriors during an NBA game at the Arena in Oakland, California, Monday. Boston concluded a stretch of four road games with six players scoring in double figures.

  PHOTO: AP

  New York tied its season high in points, reaching 100 for the second straight game but only the fourth time this season.

  Magic guard Tracy McGrady was scoreless for the first time in his Magic career. McGrady, the NBA's second-leading scorer (25.2), left the game at the end of the first quarter with a strained right hip flexor and did not return.

  Pacers 94, Grizzlies 86

  In Indianapolis, Ron Artest capped an eventful and contentious day by coming off the bench to score 18 points in the Pacers' win.

  Artest was taken out of the starting lineup after he overslept and missed the morning shootaround. That episode came two nights after he was heavily criticized by coach Rick Carlisle for his behavior in a loss to New Jersey.

  Artest met with coach Rick Carlisle, CEO Donnie Walsh and president Larry Bird Monday afternoon to address the situation, then said he would not play because of a sore lower back. But he changed his mind shortly before gametime and entered with just under five minutes left in the first quarter, energizing a flat Pacers team.

  Artest shot 7-of-10 from the field with five rebounds and four assists, and Jermaine O'Neal had 20 points and 13 rebounds as Indiana handed the Grizzlies their sixth straight loss.

  Pistons 108, Hornets 99

  In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Chauncey Billups scored 31 points and Ben Wallace added 16 points and 18 rebounds.

  The Hornets overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter but couldn't take the lead. The game was tied at 87 with 7:56 to play before Detroit went on an 8-3 run to take control.

  Detroit got 13 points and seven assists from Richard Hamilton in posting its highest point total of the season. The Pistons reached 100 points for the first time since beating the Lakers 106-96 on Nov. 18.

  David Wesley had 22 points and Baron Davis added 19 for the Hornets, who lost their fourth straight road game.

  Trail Blazers 91, Nets 87

  In East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Portland Trail Blazers became the last NBA team to win on the road this season, using their defense and rebounding in the fourth quarter to defeat the Nets.

  Rasheed Wallace scored 16 points, and Zach Randolph had 14 points and 13 rebounds while holding his own in a tough-guy battle with Kenyon Martin to give the Trail Blazers their first road win in 11 games.

  Jeff McInnis added 13 points for the Trail Blazers, who outrebounded the Nets 44-28 in beating New Jersey for the second time this season.

  Richard Jefferson had 24 points and Martin added 19 for New Jersey, which had a three-game overall winning streak and a six-game home streak snapped.

  Heat 90, Bulls 83

  In Chicago, Brian Grant scored 12 of his 18 points in the pivotal third quarter, and the Miami Heat overcame a 17-point deficit.

  Lamar Odom had 25 points and 13 rebounds for the Heat, who have won eight of their last 12 games. Grant also had 12 rebounds, and Eddie Jones had 12 points.

  Jerome Williams matched his season-high with 16 rebounds to go with 14 points. But it was little consolation to the Bulls, who blew their biggest lead of the season in a stunning meltdown.

  Jazz 106, 76ers 97

  In Salt Lake City, Matt Harpring scored 19 points against his former team and Raul Lopez had 13 points and 10 assists off the bench.

  Carlos Arroyo had 19 points and seven assists and Andrei Kirilenko had 15 points, seven rebounds and four blocks for the Jazz, who swept the season series against Philadelphia for the second time in three years. Utah also won for the first time when scoring 100 or more points. The Jazz had been 0-3 when topping 100.

  The Sixers, playing their eighth straight game without Allen Iverson (sore knee), lost their third straight and for the fifth time in six games.

  Suns 113, Clippers 105

  In Los Angeles, Stephon Marbury scored 40 points and Penny Hardaway had 10 of his 18 points in the final 4:33 as the Phoenix Suns ended an eight-game road losing streak.

  Phoenix, the only team keeping the Clippers out of last place in the Western Conference, improved its road record to 3-12 and won consecutive games for the first time in more than a month.

  Corey Maggette scored 26 points for the Clippers, who lost at home for the second time in as many days after Sunday's defeat against Toronto ended their five-game home winning streak. Elton Brand and Quentin Richardson each had 24 points.

  Celtics 100, Warriors 91

  In Oakland, California, Paul Pierce had 21 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals, and the Boston Celtics held off a late rally.

  Jiri Welsch added 15 points and eight rebounds in his first game against his former team, and the Celtics concluded a stretch of four road games with six players scoring in double figures.

  Walter McCarty added 16 points and seven rebounds, making a key 3-pointer with 3:10 left that helped halt the Warriors' momentum.

  Jason Richardson scored eight of his 17 points in the fourth quarter for Golden State, which might have won if not for a pitiful third quarter in which the Warriors shot just 3-for-19 to fall behind 83-67.
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