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Rockets draw closer in West race

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 2001

WASHINGTON -- On the night Maryland played its first Final Four game, Steve Francis outdueled former Terrapins teammate Laron Profit. Just barely.

Jawing, bumping and smiling as they faced each other for the first time in the NBA, Francis had 25 points and Profit set career highs with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 7 steals as the Houston Rockets beat the Wizards 96-86 Saturday night.

The Rockets went on a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter to break a four-game road losing streak in their bid to move into playoff position. Houston moved within 21/2 games of eight-place Minnesota in the Western Conference.

PISTONS: Director of player personnel Brendan Suhr was reassigned as a special consultant to basketball operations. He asked for the change to spend more time with his family in Florida, team president Joe Dumars said.

Late Friday

KINGS 110, TIMBERWOLVES 98: If this was a playoff preview, sparks will fly in the post-season. The final minutes were contentious as Minnesota fouled and applied the full-court press even with a double-digit deficit, causing the sellout Arco Arena crowd to boo loudly. More boos followed when Sacramento rookie Hedo Turkoglu sprained his left ankle when he was knocked to the ground by Sam Jacobsen on an acrobatic rebound in the final minute.

JAZZ 95, CAVALIERS 88: Karl Malone scored 25 of his 33 in the second half for host Utah, which snapped a three-game skid. Malone make two baskets in the last four minutes when the Cavaliers closed within five points. John Stockton played in his 1,330th game, passing Moses Malone for third place on the career list.

LAKERS 98, MAVERICKS 89: So much for "Hack-a-Shaq," if Shaquille O'Neal can keep up his sharpshooting from the free-throw line. The Lakers center outshot the entire Mavericks team at the line, going 13-for-17 for host Los Angeles. Dallas was 9-for-20. O'Neal had 35 points to lead the Lakers.

SUPERSONICS 94, CLIPPERS 84: Host Seattle won its fourth straight and 10th of 11 to pull within 21/2 games of Minnesota for the eighth Western Conference playoff spot.

TRAIL BLAZERS 96, KNICKS 79: Host Portland used a 16-0 run to open the second half and cruised after that. Rasheed Wallace scored 30 to lead the Blazers. New York fell a half-game behind Miami and into fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

WNBA

CHARLOTTE: Anne Donovan, interim coach of Indiana last season, was named Sting coach. Donovan, a member of three U.S. Olympic teams and the Basketball Hall of Fame, replaces T.R. Dunn, who became director of scouting after last season.

TODAY ON TV/RADIO: Magic at Raptors, 12:30, WWBA-AM 1040 (9 taped, Sunshine); Pacers at 76ers, 12:30, Ch. 8; Knicks at Lakers, 5:30, Ch. 8.

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