Stephon Marbury is returning to his hometown as part of a blockbuster trade between the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns on Monday.
The trade is the fourth of Marbury's career. The Brooklyn native was drafted by Milwaukee and immediately dealt to Minnesota, where he subsequently forced a trade to New Jersey. The Nets sent him to Phoenix for Jason Kidd, and he's now headed to the Knicks in the first major move made by new team president Isiah Thomas.
"I think we got the best deal," Knicks center Dikembe Mutombo said. "He's among the best point guards in the league, he's an All-Star player."
PHOTO: AP
The trade represents a major shakeup for both teams. In exchange for its best player, Phoenix will go under the salary cap next summer and will have at least US$8 million to offer to a free agent class that includes Kobe Bryant.
Colangelo said the Suns will save US$20 million to US$25 million in salary and luxury tax costs through the 2004-2005 season. That will allow the Suns to rebuild a team that was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season after missing the postseason the year before.
"This is a big picture kind of move, and a bold move," Colangelo said. "We didn't have flexibility under the cap, and we were hamstrung by some contracts. This allows us to be a player in free agency if we choose to. This is not a telent-for-talent deal."
PHOTO: EPA
The contracts of McDyess and Ward expire at the end of this season, and Ward has a buyout clause that can be exercised before Jan. 10. Eisley is under contract for three more seasons. Vujanic, the starting point guard on the Yugoslavian team that won the 2002 World Championship, is playing in Europe.
Marbury, one of the league's best point guards, is averaging a team-high 20.8 points for the Suns, who are in last place in the Pacific Division.
Hardaway, a former All-Star, has been a reserve in Phoenix and will have the same role in New York. He will earn US$14 million next season and US$16 million in 2005-2006.
McDyess, who played for the Suns in 1997-1998, returned to action last month after missing more than a year because of knee surgery. McDyess took over a spot in the Knicks' starting lineup from Kurt Thomas, then lost it -- thereby becoming expendable.
NBA dishes out fines
George Lynch and Jamaal Magloire of New Orleans and Indiana's Al Harrington were each fined US$10,000 by the NBA on Monday for their roles in an altercation Saturday.
Tempers flared with 9:15 to play when Harrington fouled Lynch near the Pacers' bench. Lynch elbowed Harrington in the jaw and Harrington responded by first shoving Lynch, then tackling him into the bench. No punches were thrown.
Harrington was pleased to avoid a suspension.
"I'm relieved," Harrington said Monday. "It's a good thing that all of us can continue to play. Guys were being very competitive, and emotions spilled over a little bit."
Bucks' 88, 76ers 76
Desmond Mason spoiled Allen Iverson's return to Philadelphia's lineup, scoring a season-high 24 points in the Milwaukee Bucks' 88-76 win over the 76ers on Monday night.
Toni Kukoc added 14 points for the Bucks, who have won three straight and are a season-high two games over .500. The Bucks have won seven of 10, including two straight on the road.
Mason scored 17 points in the second quarter when the Bucks built a 17-point lead, then added a 3-pointer early in the fourth for a 75-57 lead.
Iverson was back after missing the last 10 games with a bruised right knee. The Sixers went only 3-7 without Iverson, including 1-4 on their Western road trip.
Iverson, playing without a protective pad, scored 18 points with seven turnovers in 37 minutes -- six fewer minutes than his average.
Pistons 78, Celtics 68
In Boston, Tayshaun Prince scored seven of his 13 points during a key 11-0 run in the fourth quarter and Detroit held the Celtics to a season-low point total.
The win was the sixth straight for the Pistons, who have held their opponents under 100 points in all 35 of their games this season. They have done it 37 consecutive times dating back to last season.
Boston also shot a season-low 29.3 percent in the game, including just 9-for-34 on 3-pointers.
Ben Wallace scored 12 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for Detroit, and Richard Hamilton scored 15 points.
Pacers 87, Heat 65
In Miami, Jermaine O'Neal had his eighth consecutive double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds and Indiana earned its fifth win in a row by beating Miami.
Ron Artest also scored 22 points for the Pacers, who defeated the Heat for the seventh straight time, including four games in Miami.
The Heat, coming off a season-high 112 points Friday in a win over Orlando, shot 33 percent and were held to their lowest total since Feb. 1, 2003. They trailed only 45-41 at halftime but shot 21 percent in the second half.
Miami missed 12 consecutive shots in the fourth quarter, going more than nine minutes without a basket before 12th man Wang Zhi-Zhi scored with 10 seconds to go.
Rockets 83, Warriors 65
In Houston, Maurice Taylor scored a season-high 25 points as the Rockets handed Golden State its sixth straight loss.
The Warriors lost for the eighth time in 10 games, despite holding Rockets leading scorer Steve Francis without a point until he made a layup with 1:35 to play. Francis finished with a season-low two points and a season-high 12 assists.
A season-low 9,956 fans attended the game. The previous low in Houston's new Toyota Center was 10,679 for the Rockets game against Portland on Dec. 9.
Mike Dunleavy led Golden State with 13 points and Nick Van Exel, Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy each added 10 points.
Bulls 87, Suns 82
In Chicago, Kirk Hinrich scored 19 points, Jerome Williams added 13 points and 15 rebounds and Rick Brunson hit two clutch free throws in the final seconds as Chicago defeated short-handed Phoenix, only hours after the Suns completed a blockbuster eight-player trade.
Phoenix opened the game looking flat, playing just a few hours after the trade that sent Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski to New York for Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward and Maciej Lampe, and the rights to Milos Vujanic and two first-round picks to Phoenix was finalized.
The Suns dressed only eight players for the game.
It looked like the Bulls were going to pull away early in the fourth quarter when they went on a 7-0 run to take a 71-60 lead with 8:25 left on a pair of free throws by Eddie Robinson, but the Suns fought back.
Leandro Barbosa, who had a career-high 27 points, cut the Bulls' lead to 83-82 on a driving layup with 19 seconds left.
Brunson then hit two free throws to make it 85-82. Phoenix's Shawn Marion missed a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left that could have tied it.
Spurs 98, Nuggets 74
In Denver, Tim Duncan had 30 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and San Antonio won for the 14th time in 15 games.
Duncan shot 10-for-15 from the field in recording his 28th double-double of the season and the 373rd of his career, the most by any player since the 1998-99 season.
Tony Parker added 14 points for the Spurs and Ron Mercer put down antother 13.
Marcus Camby led the Nuggets with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Voshon Lenard had 12 as Denver lost its third consecutive home game.
Jazz 108, Mavericks 94
In Salt Lake City, Raja Bell matched his career high with 25 points and Andrei Kirilenko added 21 points and 12 rebounds to help Utah beat Dallas.
Utah played without head coach Jerry Sloan and leading scorer Matt Harpring. Sloan missed the game to be with wife Bobbye, who has been ill, and Harpring sat out his third straight game while resting his strained right knee.
DeShawn Stevenson added 17 points and a career-best 11 rebounds for the Jazz.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points and Antoine Walker had 11 for Dallas, which has dropped six of seven on the road.
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