[AP photo]
John Stockton, 41, says he does not plan to return for a 20th season with the Jazz.
SALT LAKE CITY - John Stockton left the Delta Center on the verge of tears Friday, all but certain it is time for him to retire.
Stockton, the NBA's career leader in assists and steals, met with Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and owner Larry Miller and told them he was not planning to return for a 20th season.
"I think I'm finished," Stockton said in the Jazz locker room.
"I informed those guys and that's the direction I'm headed. I just said, "I think it's time to move on.' "
The point guard's 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals all came with the Jazz.
Stockton, 41, would not definitively say he was retiring but made it clear that was his intention. Utah's season ended Wednesday night with a 111-91 loss to the Kings.
Blazers even series
PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland moved one step from making history - becoming the first team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs.
The Trail Blazers scored 37 in the second quarter and 64 in the first half, opening a huge lead that held up the rest of the way as they pounded the Mavericks 125-103 to force Game 7 in their first-round series.
Portland is the third team in league history to force a Game 7 after losing the first three. The others were Denver against Utah in 1994 and New York against Rochester in 1951.
Ruben Patterson scored 20 and Zach Randolph had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers, who led by as many as 32 and had six players in double figures.
Steve Nash, who didn't score in Game 4 and had seven points in Game 5, had 21 points and six assists for visibly stunned Dallas.
Dirk Nowitzki, who has four double doubles in the series, had four points. He and Nash went to the bench in the third and watched dejectedly the rest of the way.
76ERS 107, HORNETS 103: Allen Iverson capped a 45-point performance by scoring visiting Philadelphia's final six - including a key straightaway bank shot with 10 seconds left - as the 76ers eliminated the Hornets.
Iverson's second-best offensive showing of the series came one game after coach Larry Brown said Iverson's teammates appeared too hesitant to shoot big shots and relieve some of the pressure on the Sixers' leading scorer.
Several players had solid games for Philadelphia - Keith Van Horn with 18 points and 18 rebounds, Derrick Coleman with 16 points and Kenny Thomas with 10.
Jamal Mashburn, playing his second game with a chipped bone in his right middle finger, scored 36 to lead New Orleans, which was hurt by 14 for 23 free-throw shooting, missing 5 of 8 in the fourth.
Baron Davis added 21 points for New Orleans but missed substantial chunks of time because of foul trouble.
David Wesley added 19 points but fouled out while struggling to guard Iverson.
MVP ANNOUNCEMENT: The San Antonio Express-News reported Spurs forward Tim Duncan will be named the league's Most Valuable Player for the second season. The winner will be revealed during Sunday's ABC Sports pregame show and interviewed at 3 p.m.
PACERS: Ron Artest apologized for shoving a team official Thursday after Indiana was eliminated from the playoffs by the Celtics. Artest became enraged when he was pelted with debris from Boston fans. He attempted to get into the stands but was restrained by law enforcement officers and team officials.
SIXERS: A Mercedes-Benz registered to Allen Iverson hit Rosalina Mokhtar's Saab, then fled the scene Thursday. She was not injured. Philadelphia police Inspector William Colarulo said the Benz is used primarily by Gregory Iverson, Allen Iverson's uncle. Police said they want to interview both.
WIZARDS: General manager Wes Unseld is taking a leave of absence to deal with health issues. Unseld, 57, will leave after the NBA draft on June 26 for an undetermined amount of time.
