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NBA briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 31, 2001

Pistons dump Magic

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Jerry Stackhouse scored 31 and Ben Wallace added 14 points and 21 rebounds as the Pistons beat the Magic 100-97 Friday night.

Detroit snapped its five-game losing streak and ended its string of 29 losses when trailing at halftime.

Joe Smith finished with 11 rebounds and helped Detroit outrebound Orlando 66-46.

Mike Miller led Orlando with 21. Tracy McGrady added 18.

Orlando led 56-54 at the half and took control with an 8-0 run midway through the third quarter.

Orlando led 86-78 at the start of the fourth quarter, but did not score for the first 3:58 of the quarter.

"This game didn't slip away, we gave it away," McGrady said. "I guess we thought they were going to give up, but they didn't. All of the hard work from beating Philly, and we blew it here."

Detroit pulled within 88-87 on a Corliss Williamson's jumper with 5:54 left.

Darrell Armstrong scored for the Magic, but Williamson answered and Stackhouse hit a three-pointer to put Detroit ahead 92-90.

76ERS 102, WARRIORS 89: Allen Iverson had 35 points and a career-high 11 rebounds to lead host Philadelphia on the night Charles Barkley had his jersey retired in the city where he became a star. The victory gave the Sixers 50 wins for the first time since 1989-90, when Barkley played for Philadelphia.

PACERS 92, CELTICS 87: Austin Croshere hit the winning three-pointer with 38 seconds left on his way to a career-high 32 points as visiting Indiana pulled even with Boston in the race for the final playoff spot in the East.

NUGGETS 103, HORNETS 96: Nick Van Exel returned from a two-game absence to score 41. Van Exel, who was sidelined by a back injury, stepped up after forward Antonio McDyess left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury.

RAPTORS 110, NETS 99: Vince Carter scored 27 and Alvin Williams added a career-high 23 as host Toronto extended its winning streak to four games.

BLAZERS 96, KNICKS 79: Rasheed Wallace scored 30 as host Portland handed New York its third defeat in a row. Bonzi Wells added 16 points for Portland, which beat every team in the NBA this season for the first time since 1989-90.

SONICS 94, CLIPPERS 84: Gary Payton scored 28 as host Seattle kept its playoffs hopes alive. The Sonics, who entered the game 31/2 games behind Minnesota for the eighth spot in the West, have won 10 of 11.

JAZZ 95, CAVS 88: Karl Malone scored 33 as host Utah snapped a three-game losing streak.

Committee looks at zone

NEW YORK -- The competition committee suggested that teams be allowed to play zone defense for the first time in the 55-year history of the league.

The rule change was among the topics discussed by the Board of Governors at its meeting Friday.

The board also adopted a Canadian Assistance Program and formed a Relocation Committee to investigate requests by the Grizzlies and Hornets to move to Memphis, Tenn., next season.

The most significant rules change would abolish the existing and often-confusing illegal defense rules, which committee chairman and Suns owner Jerry Colangelo said encourages "boring" isolation play.

"It's a very bold step," Colangelo said, adding that, had a vote been taken, the measure would've had the two-thirds support needed to pass.

Deputy commissioner Russ Granik said an official vote on the rules changes would be taken in a few weeks. The new rules would be implemented next season.

The NBA also would institute a defensive three-second rule. Critics of the zone have said it would allow a defender to stand under the basket, making it hard to score. Under the plan, a defensive player couldn't stand in the painted area under the basket for more than three seconds.

The Board of Governors also unanimously approved the $200-million sale of the Sonics to a group led by Starbucks Corp. chairman Howard Schultz.

CELTICS: Boston activated center Tony Battie and placed forward Jerome Moiso on the injured list with tendinitis.

MAVS: Wang Zhi Zhi, the 7-foot-1 center drafted from China, arrived in Dallas. A news conference is scheduled for Wednesday to announce the signing of Wang, who would be the first player from China in the NBA.

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