NBA
Bucks spoil Iverson's return
By Associated Press
Published January 6, 2004
[Last modified January 6, 2004, 01:33:37]
PHILADELPHIA - Desmond Mason spoiled Allen Iverson's return to the 76ers, scoring a season-high 24 in Milwaukee's 88-76 win Monday night.
Toni Kukoc added 14 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 in the second quarter when the Bucks built a 17-point lead. "We played basketball the right way," Mason said. "We were sharing the ball and everyone got involved."
Iverson was back after missing the past 10 games with a bruised right knee. The Sixers went 3-7 without Iverson, including 1-4 on their Western road trip.
Iverson, playing without a protective pad, scored 18 with seven turnovers in 37 minutes - six below his average.
"I was kind of winded in the first quarter. I didn't have my legs like I wanted," he said.
Milwaukee rookie guard T.J. Ford left the game after slamming his head on the court following a collision with Iverson in the first quarter. Ford complained of dizziness and did not return.
PISTONS 78, CELTICS 68: Tayshaun Prince scored seven of his 13 during a key 11-0 run in the fourth quarter and visiting Detroit held Boston to a season-low point total. The win was the sixth straight for the Pistons, who have held their opponents under 100 in all 35 games this season.
PACERS 87, HEAT 65: Jermaine O'Neal had his eighth consecutive double double, 22 points and 11 rebounds, and visiting Indiana earned its fifth win in a row. The Pacers beat the Heat for the seventh straight time.
JAZZ 108, MAVS 94: Raja Bell matched his career high with 25 points to lead host Utah. The Jazz played without coach Jerry Sloan and leading scorer Matt Harpring. Sloan missed the game to be with his wife, Bobbye, who has been ill, and Harpring missed his third straight game while resting a strained right knee.
SONICS 120, BLAZERS 108 (OT): Ray Allen had 42 points and host Seattle outscored Portland 15-4 in overtime.
ROCKETS 83, WARRIORS 65: Maurice Taylor scored a season-high 25 as host Houston handed Golden State its sixth straight loss.
BULLS 87, SUNS 82: Kirk Hinrich scored 19 and Rick Brunson hit two clutch free throws in the final seconds as host Chicago defeated short-handed Phoenix.
SPURS 98, NUGGETS 74: Tim Duncan had 30 points and 12 rebounds for visiting San Antonio, which won for the 14th time in 15 games.
Injury keeps Shaq out
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Shaquille O'Neal traveled to Minnesota with the Lakers, but coach Phil Jackson doesn't expect his center to play on a two-game road trip because of a strained right calf.
"His progress has been slow. He's still limping," Jackson said. "It's ... undefinable - this injury. It's not something you can measure." Jackson said it's a matter of waiting until the pain subsides and O'Neal says he can play again.
O'Neal, averaging 20 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.44 blocks, missed two games in November because of a similar injury. He didn't speak with reporters Sunday or before the trip to Minnesota.
The Lakers have lost four of five and six of nine. "The long picture is for us to get our players back on the floor together as a group," Jackson said.
Kobe Bryant said the team has to pick up its defense. "I'm not ready to say it's effort - it's execution," Bryant said. "We just have to stop people."
FIGHTING FINES: New Orleans' George Lynch and Jamaal Magloire and Indiana's Al Harrington were each fined $10,000 for their roles in a fight Saturday. No punches were thrown in the fight.
MAGIC: Free-agent forward Lee Nailon was signed, and center Mengke Bateer was waived. Nailon played in 27 games this season for the Hawks, averaging 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds.
SPURS: Guard Manu Ginobili was placed on the injured list, two days after hurting his back in a loss to Philadelphia. ... Team chairman Peter Holt checked into an alcohol treatment center last week. In a statement released by the team, the 55-year-old said he entered the residential facility at the request of his family.
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