• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Kings Top Lakers; Knicks Win for Wilkens

Posted on: Saturday, 17 January 2004, 06:00 CST

The injury-depleted Los Angeles Lakers were no match for Sacramento. The New York Knicks looked like a force under new coach Lenny Wilkens.

Peja Stojakovic scored 23 points to help the Sacramento Kings rout the banged-up Lakers 103-83 in an anticlimactic meeting of archrivals Friday night. Stephon Marbury had 17 assists and New York made a winner of Wilkens in his debut as Knicks coach, blowing out the visiting Seattle SuperSonics 108-88.

"He was real, real cool. All he did, basically, was call timeout," Marbury said of Wilkens, who took over after Don Chaney was fired Wednesday.

In other games, it was Detroit 98, Washington 77; Orlando 124, Boston 118 in overtime; Indiana 89, San Antonio 79; Dallas 91, Denver 88; Phoenix 104, Golden State 93; and Miami 87, the Los Angeles Clippers 85.

In Sacramento, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Horace Grant and Rick Fox all missed the game, leaving coach Phil Jackson, Gary Payton and the Lakers' supporting cast to endure the taunts and cowbells of Sacramento.

"They didn't have their big guns, so we just did what we had to do: jump on them," said Brad Miller, who had nine points, 14 rebounds and five assists in his introduction to the heated rivalry.

Mike Bibby had 21 points for the Kings, who won their fourth straight and improved the NBA's best record to 28-9. But the Kings attached almost no significance to their first game of the season against Los Angeles - because these weren't the real Lakers.

Sacramento never trailed and scored 17 consecutive points early in the third quarter. The Kings took a 29-point lead early in the fourth and coasted the rest of the way.

"That's a good team, (but) when we get all our guys back, we'll be a good team, too," Payton said. "We have young guys in here that are trying to learn how to play."

Keith Van Horn scored 30 points for New York in just 28 minutes and Allan Houston added 18 in a game that turned into a blowout before halftime.

Fans at Madison Square Garden were chanting Wilkens' name by the third quarter after seeing an example of how he'll try to open up the offense.

"Whenever you come into the Garden, you better bring your best basketball," Wilkens said.

Pistons 98, Wizards 77

At Auburn Hills, Mich., Detroit won its 11th straight game behind Richard Hamilton's 17 points. Chauncey Billups added 12 points and 10 assists for the Pistons, who hadn't won 11 in a row since the 1990-91 season.

Pacers 89, Spurs 79

At Indianapolis, Reggie Miller scored 28 points, including seven 3-pointers. Jermaine O'Neal scored 12 of his 20 points in the final quarter, when the Pacers took control.

O'Neal also had 10 rebounds and five blocks. Tim Duncan led San Antonio with 16 points and nine rebounds, but the Spurs lost for the fourth time in five games.

Magic 124, Celtics 118, OT

At Orlando, Fla., Tracy McGrady had 42 points, Drew Gooden scored a career-high 32 and the Magic made their first four shots in overtime.

McGrady had his fourth 40-point outing of the season. Boston tied it at 111 with 2.3 seconds left in regulation on Walter McCarty's 3-pointer.

Paul Pierce scored 20 points to lead eight Celtics in double figures, but he shot 7-for-26.

Celtics forward Vin Baker played for the first time since he was suspended for failing to comply with the conditions of his aftercare program. He finished with 12 points.

Suns 104, Warriors 93

At Phoenix, Joe Johnson scored a season-high 26 points on 12-for-16 shooting - most of them from the outside.

Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire added 21 points apiece for the Suns, who shot a season-high 56 percent.

Marion shot 7-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-3 on 3-pointers. He also grabbed nine rebounds, had four steals and blocked three shots.

Mike Dunleavy and Erick Dampier each scored 19 points for the Warriors, playing their fourth game in five nights.

Phoenix went 9-for-12 on 3-pointers.

Mavericks 91, Nuggets 88

At Denver, Michael Finley scored five points in the final 1:26 to help Dallas hold on. Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 for the Mavericks, who won their third straight.

Andre Miller had 28 points for the Nuggets. Carmelo Anthony had 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Heat 87, Clippers 85

At Los Angeles, Eddie Jones capped a 21-point effort with a clutch 3-pointer in the final minute and Miami ended a four-game losing streak.

Lamar Odom, playing his first game against the team he spent his first four NBA seasons with, had 11 points and 15 rebounds for the Heat.

Elton Brand had 22 points and 12 rebounds for Los Angeles.

More News in this Category