Tue, Feb 24, 2004 page20

• James shines in Madison Square debut

  GARDEN GLOW The Cleveland star scored 22 points, but it was center Zydrunas Ilgauskas who did the much of the work as the Cavaliers made the Knicks look ordinary

  • AP
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  LeBron James scored 22 points in his first game at Madison Square Garden, where the fans turned on the home team as the New York Knicks fell behind by 23 points in the fourth quarter of a 92-86 loss.

  Whether they were booing or chanting the name of the departed Keith Van Horn, the crowd let it be known that they weren't happy seeing the Knicks play so poorly. The loss Sunday was the fourth in five games for New York, which now embarks on a four-game Western road trip.

  "Our chemistry isn't where it was four games ago. We have to get back there," Knicks coach Lenny Wilkens said.

  

  Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James lays one up against the New York Knicks during first half action on Sunday at New York's Madison Square Garden.

  PHOTO: AP

  James didn't have his flashiest or most productive game, stepping aside to let center Zydrunas Ilgauskas carry most of the offensive load.

  Ilgauskas had 31 points and 15 rebounds, Carlos Boozer added 14 points and 17 rebounds and Jeff McInnis scored 13 points.

  "What can I say?" Ilgauskas said. "It was one of those days where the hoop looked like a swimming pool."

  Stephon Marbury shot just 4-for-21 in the first three quarters and finished 13-for-34 for 30 points, while Penny Hardaway shot 2-for-13 and Tim Thomas -- the main player acquired a week earlier in the trade that sent Van Horn to Milwaukee -- had a quiet 10 points.

  Kings 96, Raptors 81

  In Toronto, Peja Stojakovic scored 27 points and Mike Bibby had 21 to lead the Sacramento Kings past the short-handed Toronto Raptors. Bibby had 18 points in the second half for Kings, winners of six of seven.

  Sacramento played without injured center Brad Miller, suspended forward Chris Webber and injured guard Bobby Jackson.

  Chris Bosh had 20 points for the Raptors, who tied a season-high with their fifth straight loss. Toronto is in danger of falling out of the playoff race after losing Vince Carter and Jalen Rose to injuries.

  The Kings, the NBA's highest scoring team, had a season-low 39 points in the first half and trailed Toronto, the lowest scoring team, by eight. However, Bibby got Sacramento going in the third quarter, scoring 12 points.

  Spurs 94, Timberwolves 92

  In Minneapolis, Tony Parker had 26 points, and Tim Duncan made seven of eight free throws in the fourth quarter to finish with 25 points and help the San Antonio Spurs beat the first-place Minnesota Timberwolves.

  Hedo Turkoglu had 13 points -- all in the second half -- and a career-high 14 rebounds, and Manu Ginobili added 11 points as the Spurs snapped Minnesota's five-game winning streak and pulled to within three games of the Wolves in the Midwest Division.

  In a game featuring two of the NBA's premiere post players -- Duncan and Kevin Garnett -- Duncan, a notoriously bad free-throw shooter, helped win the game at the line in the final seconds.

  Garnett, who led Minnesota with 28 points and 10 rebounds, answered with a quick layup and Duncan was fouled on the ensuing inbound.

  Pacers 94, Jazz 80

  In Indianapolis, Jermaine O'Neal had 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks and the Indiana Pacers pulled away in the fourth quarter and beat the Utah Jazz.

  O'Neal shot just 4-of-10 from the field but hit 13-of-15 free throws as the Pacers repeatedly went inside in the second half and won for the fifth time in six games.

  Al Harrington, starting in place of the injured Ron Artest, scored 14 points, and reserves Austin Croshere and Jonathan Bender added 15 and 11, respectively.

  Andrei Kirilenko scored 22 points and Raja Bell added 21 for Utah, which lost for the fourth time in five games -- including three of four on its road trip.

  In other NBA games: Bucks 113, Wizards 85; Magic 87, Pistons 86; Lakers 104, Suns 92; SuperSonics 108, Celtics 87
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