The NBA

[USO36]

The Hawks go 1-3 on the week yet move up one spot in the rankings. Minnesota loses three of four games and improves by three slots. Golden State moves from 21st to 19th after losing two of three games. Orlando has lost 16 of its last 21 games, yet there are still 10 teams behind the Magic in the rankings.

How is this possible? Because, after the top 10 teams or so, the rest of the league just is not very good.

From week to week, it's impossible to know what to expect from teams like the Clippers, Pacers, Nets or Kings. Or the Nuggets, Hornets and Knicks. The bottom line is that, for me, ranking the last 17 or 18 teams every week is increasingly difficult. It's a process of elimination, but it seems that almost every team in that range deserves to be eliminated.

Things are much easier at the top, where Dallas, Phoenix, Utah, Detroit and San Antonio seem to reside week after week.

Here's a look at the batch of good – and not so good – NBA teams: (records and statistics are through Feb. 26):

1. Dallas Mavericks (46-9, Last ranking: 1) – The beat goes on for the Mavs. They're at 11 wins in a row and counting as Dirk Nowitzki continues his quest for the MVP.

2. Phoenix Suns (43-13, Last ranking: 2) – Steve Nash's shoulder isn't quite right, but it didn't keep him from leading his team to four straight wins last week. He averaged 13 assists per game during the streak.

3. Utah Jazz (37-18, Last ranking: 3) – Back comes Carlos Boozer, out goes Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko. Despite all the injuries, however, the Jazz keep winning.

4. San Antonio Spurs (38-18, Last ranking: 4) – Watch out for the Spurs. They've won five in a row and have held opponents to 82 points or fewer in four of those games.

5. Detroit Pistons (36-19, Last ranking: 5) – A perfect 4-0 week was capped off with a thrilling comeback win over the Bulls. Chris Webber scored the game-winner with just 2.2 seconds left.


6. Houston Rockets (35-20, Last ranking: 6) – Tracy McGrady went back to Orlando and dropped 34 on his old team in the Rockets' 97-93 win.


7. Toronto Raptors (31-25, Last ranking: 8) – Since beginning the season 13-19, the Raptors have won 18 of 24 games.


8. Chicago Bulls (32-26, Last ranking: 11) – The Bulls went 3-1 and played as if they were trying to justify the non-trade for Pau Gasol. They knocked off Atlanta, Cleveland and Washington.


9. Cleveland Cavaliers (32-24, Last ranking: 7) – The Cavs couldn't pull off the Mike Bibby trade, and it may cost them. They need a clutch shooter to play next to LeBron James.


10. Washington Wizards (31-23, Last ranking: 10) – No Caron Butler, no victory. The Wizards' All-Star forward sits out the Minnesota game with back spasms and Washington goes down.


11. Los Angeles Lakers (32-25, Last ranking: 12) – Vladimir Radmanovic? Good grief.


12. New Orleans Hornets (27-29, Last ranking: 14) – David West averaged 27.5 points in two Hornets victories last week.


13. Indiana Pacers (29-26, Last ranking: 13) – Danny Granger showed his all-around game in a win over Milwaukee: 26 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and three steals.


14. New Jersey Nets (27-30, Last ranking: 17) – Vince Carter returned from the All-Star game refreshed and ready: He averaged 37 points in three games.


15. Los Angeles Clippers (26-29, Last ranking: 16) – Elton Brand helped the Clippers end their four-game losing skid with 31 points and 12 boards against Golden State.


16. Miami Heat (27-28, Last ranking: 9) – Dwyane Wade is trying to decide between rehab and surgery on his dislocated shoulder. In the meantime, the Heat try to hang on for dear life.


17. Minnesota Timberwolves (26-30, Last ranking: 20) – So much for that post All-Star break surge. The Wolves lost three in a row before knocking off the Wizards.


18. Atlanta Hawks (22-34, Last ranking: 19) – Anthony Johnson looked good in his first game as a Hawk, scoring 17 points and adding five assists in a loss to Phoenix.


19. Golden State Warriors (26-31, Last ranking: 21) – If the Warriors are going to make a playoff push, they'll have to survive a five-game Eastern road swing beginning Tuesday.


20. Orlando Magic (27-30, Last ranking: 15) – Get out the parachutes, Magic fans. Your team is plummeting.


21. Denver Nuggets (26-28, Last ranking: 18) – The Nuggets finally got Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony on the court together after the break, but the Nuggets went 0-3 last week. Time is running out on Denver.


22. New York Knicks (25-32, Last ranking: 22) – With Miami in trouble and the Magic struggling, the Knicks have a shot at a playoff spot in the East.


23. Charlotte Bobcats (22-34, Last ranking: 26) – Michael Jordan sent a letter to season ticket holders last week, promising that the team would spend whatever was necessary to build a winning team. Some of that money will have to go to Emeka Okafor, who is averaging almost 16.6 boards and three blocks over his last five games.


24. Portland Trail Blazers (24-33, Last ranking: 25) – Good week for the Blazers, who went 2-1 with wins over the Lakers and Jazz. Brandon Roy averaged 21 points and seven assists on the week.


25. Sacramento Kings (24-31, Last ranking: 23) – Kevin Martin figured his way out of a shooting slump by going to the basket in Indianapolis. Martin made 18 free throws on the way to 35 points in the Kings' win.


26. Seattle SuperSonics (21-34, Last ranking: 24) – How bad were the Sonics in their 102-71 loss to the Spurs? Ray Allen led them in scoring … with 12 points.


27. Milwaukee Bucks (20-37, Last ranking: 28) – The Bucks ended a seven-game skid with a 19-point thrashing of the Sixers, but this season looks like a lost cause.


28. Philadelphia 76ers (18-38, Last ranking: 27) – Sixers fans can take comfort in the fact that the Nuggets are struggling. Spite? Hardly. Philly has Denver's first-round pick, which conceivably could end up being a lottery selection.


29. Memphis Grizzlies (15-42, Last ranking: 29) – Pau Gasol still is in a Grizzly uniform, at least until the offseason. This summer figures to be pretty interesting for the franchise, though.


30. Boston Celtics (13-42, Last ranking: 30) – After beating Milwaukee to end their 18-game losing streak, the C's started a new one: four straight losses on the road last week.

[USO36]

Despite the $1.5 billion spent on security, Tracy McGrady declared the 2004 Athens Games too unsafe to honor his promise to play for the U.S. team. As it turned out, it wouldn't be the terrorists creating chaos for USA Basketball's personnel, but Larry Brown.

So now, McGrady is threatening to boycott the 2008 NBA All-Star game in New Orleans, because, well, he's behaving like a selfish baby.

"When they first mentioned to me that the All-Star game was going to be in New Orleans, the first thing I thought about is how much security they are going to have for the players and everybody there," McGrady said. "If I don't feel that I'm going to be safe, if I am on that team, I will look into probably not even going."

Besides NFL cornerbacks, it's hard to imagine what impending doom awaits the Houston Rockets star during All-Star weekend in the Big Easy.



What, beads?

Breasts?

Because that'll be about all that comes at him and his peers in New Orleans or anywhere else. If McGrady feels that unsafe, he can hunker down in his Ritz Carlton hotel suite, play video games and order room service for three days. The way T-Mac is going, he's going to be a shut-in by his 40th birthday.

McGrady is a smart, likable guy, but this doomsday act is getting tired. What's worse, it's irresponsible.

As one of the Rockets' franchise stars and a face of the league, McGrady knows he has an obligation to go to All-Star weekend and sell his sport on one of its biggest stages. He is a chronic complainer to begin with – someone so self-defeating that he's turned Doctor Doom himself, Jeff Van Gundy, into Mary Poppins in an attempt to nullify his narcissism.

New Orleans is desperate for the boost, both spiritual and financial, that an All-Star weekend will bring. Of course, the New Orleans Hornets will lean on the All-Star game as a marketing tool as they re-enter the city post-Katrina. Maybe it won't be the easiest All-Star weekend, maybe it won't be the most convenient, but for goodness sakes, it is important.

Once in a while, maybe McGrady and the NBA's stars can do something that isn't easy, that doesn't indulge every remote scenario that that they can concoct in their minds.

"I don't think it's the right city to have this type of event right now," McGrady said. "I know the city is in need of trying to get back on their feet, in need of money. Safety comes first. I'm sure they have to do a lot of research and look into before they really make this decision."

Whose safety? What is he talking about? For all the talk about how horrible Vegas was two weeks ago – and all the sad, scared alarmists who sounded like frightened school children – do you know what Jermaine O'Neal told me was his biggest problem in Vegas? Getting stuck on the Strip in traffic. If McGrady hasn't figured this out in his multiple All-Star appearances, no one goes to that weekend to attack basketball players, but rather worship them.

Here's some advice, T-Mac: If you want to go marching down Bourbon Street at 3 o'clock in the morning, you'll take your chances like everyone else. Odds are, he'll get a beer spilled on him. That's life in the big city. If he goes to New Orleans to do his job, if all the league's players do, there won't be a problem.

Essentially, here is what McGrady is trying to say: The congestion of humanity and the police force will conspire to make it risky for the players to go out partying. If that's the case, McGrady is feeding into the stereotype of the selfish NBA star that sensible people believe is largely exaggerated.

Get over yourself, T-Mac, and do New Orleans – and do the sport – a favor and tell everyone that it's the league's honor to go do something for the punished people of that city and region. You need to understand that someone smarter than you will make sure you're tucked in safe and sound in New Orleans next February.

Until then, do something that has come easier on the court than off it: Think about someone else.

[USO36]

2007 NBA Preseason Standings

2007-08 Preseason 2006-07 Season 2006-07 Preseason 2005-06 Season 2004-05 Season 2003-04 Season 2002-03 Season
Eastern Conference Standings
Atlantic W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Boston 3 0 1.000 -- 1-0 2-0 2-0 2-0 Won 3 3-0
New Jersey 2 1 .667 1.0 1-0 1-1 2-0 2-1 Won 1 2-1
New York 1 2 .333 2.0 0-0 1-2 1-2 1-2 Lost 2 1-2
Toronto 0 1 .000 2.0 0-1 0-0 0-1 0-1 Lost 1 0-1
Philadelphia 0 4 .000 3.5 0-3 0-1 0-2 0-3 Lost 4 0-4

Central W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Indiana 4 0 1.000 -- 3-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 Won 4 4-0
Chicago 2 1 .667 1.5 2-0 0-1 0-1 1-1 Won 2 2-1
Detroit 3 2 .600 1.5 3-1 0-1 0-1 1-1 Won 2 3-2 Ya there just letting someone else win for a change
Milwaukee 2 2 .500 2.0 1-2 1-0 1-0 1-0 Lost 2 2-2
Cleveland 1 3 .250 3.0 1-3 0-0 1-0 1-2 Lost 2 1-3

Southeast W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Atlanta 5 1 .833 -- 2-1 3-0 4-0 4-0 Won 2 5-1
Orlando 3 1 .750 1.0 2-1 1-0 2-1 3-1 Won 3 3-1
Washington 3 1 .750 1.0 1-0 2-1 0-0 2-1 Lost 1 3-1
Charlotte 2 3 .400 2.5 2-1 0-2 1-3 2-3 Lost 1 2-3
Miami 0 4 .000 4.0 0-1 0-3 0-3 0-4 Lost 4 0-4


Western Conference Standings
Southwest W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
New Orleans 2 2 .500 -- 1-1 1-1 1-0 2-0 Lost 1 2-2
Houston 1 1 .500 -- 1-0 0-1 1-1 1-1 Won 1 1-1
San Antonio 1 1 .500 -- 1-0 0-1 0-1 1-1 Won 1 1-1
Memphis 1 1 .500 -- 1-0 0-1 0-0 1-0 Lost 1 1-1
Dallas 2 3 .400 0.5 1-0 1-3 1-1 2-1 Lost 1 2-3

Northwest W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Portland 2 1 .667 -- 1-0 1-1 0-1 1-1 Won 1 2-1
Denver 3 2 .600 -- 2-0 1-2 1-0 2-0 Lost 1 3-2
Utah 3 3 .500 0.5 1-2 2-1 0-0 0-2 Lost 1 3-3
Seattle 1 3 .250 1.5 0-0 1-3 0-0 0-2 Lost 2 1-3
Minnesota 0 3 .000 2.0 0-1 0-2 0-0 0-1 Lost 3 0-3

Pacific W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Phoenix 3 1 .750 -- 1-1 2-0 2-0 3-1 Won 2 3-1
Golden State 2 2 .500 1.0 0-1 2-1 2-1 2-2 Lost 2 2-2
Sacramento 2 2 .500 1.0 1-2 1-0 0-1 2-2 Won 1 2-2
LA Lakers 1 2 .333 1.5 1-2 0-0 0-2 1-2 Won 1 1-2
LA Clippers 1 3 .250 2.0 0-1 1-2 1-1 1-3 Lost 1 1-3

[USO36]

Have Chris Webber and the Detroit Pistons stopped talking? If so, if C-Note is to be believed, he intends to call it a career rather than replant again away from his Michigan roots. Perhaps Joe Dumars simply is waiting to see whether forwards Jason Maxiell (wearing out opponents during the preseason) and Amir Johnson are ready for prime time.

Then again, I'm told it's not that simple. Yes, the Pistons would like to bring back Webber, though not as a starter. But first money and a roster spot must be cleared. They're a mere $400K below the luxury tax number of $67 million and change.

Source: New York Post

[USO36]

There was no migraine headache holding Jason Kidd out of the New Jersey Nets' loss to the New York Knicks Wednesday night, but a superstar sending a message to a floundering franchise that he's irate with management and teammates, several league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

As the Nets flew back to New Jersey late Tuesday from a victory over Cleveland, sources said Kidd already had decided he would be sitting out against the Knicks in the Meadowlands. Kidd didn't tell Nets officials until Wednesday afternoon, but several people inside and outside the organization were made aware of the meaning behind his sick day.

Kidd's agent, Jeff Schwartz, isn't believed to have formally demanded a trade, but Wednesday's bold act could be the precursor to starting that process. Two sources said Kidd has been a constant text messaging partner with LeBron James since playing with him this summer on Team USA and that the Cavaliers are his preferred destination.

"They've been communicating about the (trade) options that could get them together in Cleveland," one Eastern Conference official said.


As one Nets official confessed, Kidd's absence due to a purported migraine was "very suspicious." No one wanted to believe he would sit out a game in protest, but that's how bad it has become between Kidd and the longtime laughingstock that he delivered credibility to. He has no history of migraines with the Nets, and with the way he traditionally has loved to destroy the Knicks, the timing of a walkout left Nets officials deeply disturbed.

In an act of defiance that has been building for most of this season, Kidd, 34, has grown irritated over his belief that the franchise no longer is chasing greatness while his chance for a championship closes. He called out his teammates two weeks ago in Utah, just days after his bid for a contract extension was spurned by team president Rod Thorn. Right now, the Nets are 9-10 and going nowhere.

Thorn has praised Kidd for a "football player's" mentality when it comes to playing hurt, but the point guard privately is wondering how much more he wants to sacrifice his body for a team mired in mediocrity. So far this season, Kidd has played brilliantly for the Nets, second to Steve Nash with 10.4 assists. He performed with cracked ribs and a bad back a year ago, pushing the Nets past the Toronto Raptors in the opening round of the playoffs by averaging a triple-double.

Yet Kidd has been frustrated with some of his teammates' inability to stay on the floor and play through pain, especially Vince Carter. These days, everything about the Nets bothers Kidd. Everyone had to wonder Wednesday night: Could this have been the beginning of the end for Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets?

[USO36]

2007-08 NBA Regular Season Standings

2007-08 Season 2007-08 Preseason 2006-07 Season 2006-07 Preseason 2005-06 Season 2004-05 Season 2003-04 Season 2002-03 Season
Eastern Conference Standings
Atlantic W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Boston 22 3 .880 -- 14-1 8-2 7-0 18-3 Won 2 9-1
Toronto 15 14 .517 9.0 8-6 7-8 3-3 10-7 Lost 3 5-5
New Jersey 12 16 .429 11.5 6-11 6-5 2-5 8-10 Lost 1 3-7
Philadelphia 12 16 .429 11.5 7-9 5-7 2-5 8-9 Won 2 7-3
New York 8 20 .286 15.5 7-9 1-11 2-3 5-11 Lost 3 2-8

Central W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Detroit 21 7 .750 -- 11-2 10-5 2-2 13-2 Won 6 8-2
Indiana 15 14 .517 6.5 7-7 8-7 1-2 8-8 Lost 1 6-4
Cleveland 13 16 .448 8.5 8-6 5-10 3-2 7-11 Won 1 4-6
Milwaukee 11 15 .423 9.0 9-3 2-12 2-2 6-8 Won 1 3-7
Chicago 9 16 .360 10.5 5-7 4-9 2-2 7-9 Lost 2 5-5

Southeast W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Orlando 19 11 .633 -- 6-6 13-5 4-1 11-5 Won 1 3-7
Atlanta 15 12 .556 2.5 10-6 5-6 6-1 9-9 Won 5 8-2
Washington 14 13 .519 3.5 8-6 6-7 4-2 9-8 Won 1 6-4
Charlotte 10 16 .385 7.0 9-7 1-9 2-7 6-14 Lost 2 4-6
Miami 8 21 .276 10.5 4-9 4-12 1-6 3-14 Lost 2 4-6


Western Conference Standings
Southwest W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
San Antonio 19 7 .731 -- 14-1 5-6 5-3 14-7 Won 1 6-4
Dallas 19 9 .679 1.0 13-2 6-7 6-2 13-4 Won 5 7-3
New Orleans 18 10 .643 2.0 8-5 10-5 4-2 14-7 Won 3 6-4
Houston 13 15 .464 7.0 6-5 7-10 2-5 8-10 Lost 1 4-6
Memphis 8 20 .286 12.0 5-10 3-10 2-7 5-12 Lost 3 2-8

Northwest W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Denver 16 11 .593 -- 11-4 5-7 4-2 10-8 Won 1 6-4
Portland 16 12 .571 0.5 13-3 3-9 5-1 12-6 Won 11 10-0
Utah 15 14 .517 2.0 9-2 6-12 2-2 8-8 Lost 1 2-8
Seattle 8 20 .286 8.5 4-9 4-11 1-4 2-14 Lost 1 5-5
Minnesota 4 22 .154 11.5 3-10 1-12 0-3 3-12 Lost 1 2-8

Pacific W L Pct GB Home Road Div Conf Streak L10
Phoenix 19 9 .679 -- 8-3 11-6 3-3 7-7 Lost 1 5-5
LA Lakers 18 10 .643 1.0 10-4 8-6 4-1 12-5 Won 3 8-2
Golden State 16 12 .571 3.0 7-5 9-7 4-2 9-6 Won 1 6-4
Sacramento 11 15 .423 7.0 8-5 3-10 0-4 5-12 Lost 1 5-5
LA Clippers 9 17 .346 9.0 4-8 5-9 2-3 5-9 Lost 4 3-7


x-Clinched Playoff Spot; y-Division Champ; z-Clinched Home Court

Last updated Wednesday, Dec 26, 2007 10:09 pm EST


Eastern Conference
Team GB
1. * Boston --
2. * Detroit 2.5
3. * Orlando 5.5
4. Atlanta 8.0
5. Washington 9.0
6. Toronto 9.0
7. Indiana 9.0
8. Cleveland 11.0
9. New Jersey 11.5
10. Philadelphia 11.5
11. Milwaukee 11.5
12. Charlotte 12.5
13. Chicago 13.0
14. New York 15.5
15. Miami 16.0



Western Conference
Team GB
1. * San Antonio --
2. Dallas 1.0
3. * Denver 3.5
4. * Phoenix 1.0
5. New Orleans 2.0
6. LA Lakers 2.0
7. Portland 4.0
8. Golden State 4.0
9. Utah 5.5
10. Houston 7.0
11. Sacramento 8.0
12. LA Clippers 10.0
13. Memphis 12.0
14. Seattle 12.0
15. Minnesota 15.0

[USO36]

Kidd traded to Dallas in latest blockbuster deal

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
February 13, 2008




Jason Kidd was so determined to make his way back to the Dallas Mavericks, he has contemplated wearing No. 2 on his jersey to honor a return to where his career started in 1994.

Despite Kidd’s doubts that the Nets and Mavericks would ever come to an agreement, two league sources close to the negotiations said an agreement in principle has been reached on Wednesday. After wavering for weeks, Dallas owner Mark Cuban has sacrificed some of his franchise’s future to chase a championship in the short term. The agreement would send five players, including point guard Devin Harris, and first round picks in 2008 and 2010, for the future Hall of Fame guard.

The two teams are still exchanging insurance information and going through the normal procedures with the league office to finalize the deal.

Kidd, who turns 35 next month, goes to Dallas with an unmistakable mandate: Bring a title for a team and career that are desperately seeking it. As part of the trade, the Mavericks would also send Jerry Stackhouse, Devean George, DeSagna Diop, Maurice Ager and $3 million to New Jersey. Along with Kidd, the Nets send reserve forward Malik Allen to the Mavs.

In a separate deal, the Nets are sending guard Antoine Wright to Dallas for a future second-round pick and possibly other considerations, one source said.

For New Jersey, president Rod Thorn brought back the three elements he most wanted for Kidd: a good young player (Harris), expiring contracts (Diop and George) and draft picks. What’s more, the Nets plan to buyout the rest of Stackhouse’s contract. Stackhouse can become an immediate free agent, but must wait 30 days to re-sign with Dallas.

One league source expected Stackhouse to return to the Mavericks.

For the Nets, this clears cap space next season. It will allow them to re-sign forward Nenad Krstic and start rebuilding the franchise after seven straight playoff appearances with Kidd. The Nets are still discussing a Vince Carter-Jermaine O’Neal trade with the Indiana Pacers, but two sources close to those discussions placed odds below 50 percent. According to one source, the Nets have gone so far as talking to O’Neal’s doctors in Indiana about the state of his troubled knee.

Despite Cuban’s public dismissals, the talks between the two teams were restarted on Sunday when the Mavericks lost to the Nets in New Jersey. After watching the Lakers and Suns make moves for Pau Gasol and Shaquille O’Neal, the Mavericks could no longer sit on the sidelines. There was an element of toughness and leadership that had been missing in Dallas, and team officials believe Kidd transforms them. Immediately, this trade solidifies the Mavericks, who are 34-17 and holding the third spot in the Western Conference playoff, as a serious championship contender.

When motivated, Kidd can still play the point-guard position at the highest level. He desperately wanted this trade and Nets officials knew that they could no longer function as a franchise until they honored his wishes.

[Ranma4699]

WOW cant believe u got to this one 2 lol Nice job USO u the man

[Ranma4699]

Kidd to Dallas trade on hold

http://www.s9.com/images/portraits/16402_Kidd-Jason.jpg

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
February 13, 2008

Jason Kidd will have to wait another day, if not longer, before his wish to return to the Dallas Mavericks is fulfilled. The blockbuster trade between the New Jersey Nets and Mavericks is on hold after Dallas forward Devean George blocked the deal Wednesday, a source close to the negotiations said.

George does not want to participate in the trade because he would have to give up some of his free-agent rights.

"We're not trying to block anything,'' agent Mark Bartelstein told the Dallas Morning News. "But just like teams have to make tough decisions, my job is to protect Devean and sometimes we have to make tough decisions. Right now, he feels good about his situation in Dallas.

"The whole thing is uncomfortable. But this is a right Devean has.''

[Ranma4699]

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports

http://www.hoopsvibe.com/IMG/jerry_stackhouse-arton21194-240x240.jpg

NEW ORLEANS – As the New Jersey Nets and Dallas Mavericks feverishly worked to convince Devean George to join in the trade for Jason Kidd on Thursday, there suddenly loomed another issue that could obliterate the proposed deal: the loose lips of Jerry Stackhouse.

The NBA will investigate the possibility the Mavericks and Stackhouse violated league rules with a prearranged agreement for the forward to return to Dallas after reaching a contract buyout in New Jersey and sitting out the 30-day waiting period, sources said. Several league sources said the NBA will consider forbidding Stackhouse to re-sign with the Mavericks this season as punishment for public comments the forward made on Wednesday that suggested tampering could have occurred.

If it comes to that, the deal is dead. Dallas owner Mark Cuban wouldn't complete the trade for Kidd without a belief that he could bring back Stackhouse this season. Ultimately, sources say, Mavericks management decided that losing Stackhouse would be too hard of a hit to the Mavericks' depth, too steep a price to pay for Kidd.

For the Mavericks, the trouble started when Stackhouse, 33, gave an interview to the Associated Press on Wednesday that suggested there was a plan for how his trade, buyout and eventual re-signing with Dallas would unfold.

Stackhouse said that he was only part of the deal "to make the numbers work."

What's more, he said, "I feel great. I get 30 days to rest then I'll be right back. I ain't going nowhere."

Even if George changes his mind on Friday about agreeing to waive his "Early Larry Bird Rights" and accept the trade to New Jersey, sources said the league office will not immediately approve the trade. With angry rival executives across the league expressing outrage over Stackhouse's comments, as well as the NBA's own issues and suspicions with the comments, senior VP of basketball operations Stu Jackson is obligated to look deeper into the matter.

The NBA doesn't allow such prearranged agreements. The rest of the league is required to have a fair chance to sign Stackhouse in the 30 days before he is eligible to re-sign with the Mavericks. It doesn't help appearances that Stackhouse and Kidd share the same agent, Jeff Schwartz.

When several league executives read Stackhouse's comments on Wednesday, they were irate and privately promised to protest if Stackhouse ends up passing on leaguewide offers and returns to the Mavericks.

"It sounds like a side deal, doesn't it?" one Eastern Conference executive said. "The league will have a lot of explaining to do if Stackhouse goes back to Dallas."

Another general manager said, "I thought it was the most blatant statement someone could make about a trade. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the league disallowed Stackhouse to go back to Dallas. Stackhouse is too impulsive and is prone to say stuff like that which could really end up hurting Dallas."

Finally, a third GM said, "It's caused a lot of people to wonder how they could get away with that, how those kind of pre-existing arrangements can be allowed."

For now, it is clear the trade that would send Kidd and Malik Allen to Dallas for George, Stackhouse, Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop and Maurice Ager, two first-round picks and $3 million is stuck. Before the Mavericks' 109-97 loss to the Suns in Phoenix on Thursday night, agent Mark Bartelstein insisted that his client hadn't changed his mind about vetoing his trade to the Nets.

"There's nothing new," Bartelstein said. "Right now, he's just focusing on playing for the Mavericks."

Between now and next Thursday's trade deadline, the Nets and Mavericks are exploring scenarios that still include George and a sign-and-trade with Keith Van Horn, but the Stackhouse case could make everything else irrelevant. Across the league, there's a belief that Stackhouse revealed too much with his words and the NBA plans to take a hard look and ask the obvious question: Is there strong enough evidence of a pre-existing agreement between the Mavericks and Stackhouse that deserves punishment? If they league decides there is, and refuses to let him re-sign with the Mavericks, the results could be devastating for Dallas.

No trade.

No Kidd.

It would be a steep price to pay for the loose lips of Jerry Stackhouse.

[Ranma4699]

Nets president Thorn says there is no previous agreement with Stackhouse for Kidd trade

By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer

http://letsgonets.com/netsnews/bigpics/thorn_avail_275.JPG

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Nets president Rod Thorn said Friday he has no side deal with Mavericks swingman Jerry Stackhouse, an illegal arrangement that could put a potential Jason Kidd-to-Dallas trade in jeopardy.

The Nets thought they had worked out a deal with the Mavericks on Wednesday that would have sent Kidd to Dallas, but the trade is on hold because Devean George exercised his right to block it.

However, it may have been in trouble before that. Earlier that day, Stackhouse told The Associated Press that he may be able to rejoin the Mavs, an indication the Nets planned to buy out his contract.

"I get 30 days to rest, then I'll be right back," Stackhouse said. "I ain't going nowhere."

Not so, Thorn said Friday.

"I'm perfectly willing to take Stackhouse on my team. You can't make deals like that," he said. "Those are illegal. You can't do that. I'm not going to do it."

Thorn said there was nothing new with the deal after talking to George on Friday morning. If the trade does go through, he said then he would talk to Stackhouse about his future plans.

"He knows whether he'd want to play for us or he wouldn't," Thorn said. "Until you get a player, you aren't allowed to make any deals."

Thorn was surprised the deal was blocked, saying George had asked to be traded earlier in the season. George used his "early Bird rights" in rejecting the trade, a right given only to players on a second one-year deal that gives them a chance to sign their next contract for more than the salary cap allows. Those rights don't carry over if traded.

"Allegedly he had asked to be traded a couple of weeks before. Those rights were not an issue when he asked to be traded," Thorn said. "Dallas felt that it was not an issue. Why it became an issue I'm not sure. Obviously Bird rights were not an issue at that time."

Neither Thorn nor Kidd could guess the chances the deal, which also was to send point guard Devin Harris, and reserves DeSagana Diop and Maurice Ager to the Nets, would go through. Thorn conceded there was a chance Kidd could still be with the Nets after next Thursday's trade deadline.

"Right now it's inconclusive," Thorn said. "All I know is, a deal was made ... we agreed to a deal, we were getting the NBA office (to approve it). Right now, it's definitely on hold."

[Ranma4699]

Hawks send 4 players to Kings for point guard Bibby
By CHARLES ODUM, AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Hawks are trying balance out their backcourt and make a playoff push by bringing in Mike Bibbyhttp://www.hoopsvibe.com/IMG/mike_bibby-arton20868-240x240.jpg.

Hawks coach Mike Woodson said Bibby, acquired from the Sacramento Kings for four players on Saturday, will provide scoring help for Joe Johnsonhttp://www.hoopsvibe.com/IMG/joe_johnson-arton21040-240x240.jpg. Atlanta's All-Star shooting guard often faces gimmick defenses because he's the team's only outside shooting threat.

"There's another option now," Woodson said. "It'll be like a one-two punch in the backcourt."

Bibby has averaged 16.7 points for his career and is making more than 36 percent of his 3-point shots for the ninth straight year.

The Hawks sent starting point guard Anthony Johnsonhttp://www.nba.com/media/act_anthony_johnson.jpg, 2007 first-round pick Shelden Williamshttp://www.nba.com/media/act_shelden_williams.jpg, backup point guard Tyronn Luehttp://www.nba.com/media/act_tyronn_lue.jpg, veteran forward Lorenzen Wrighthttp://www.nba.com/media/act_lorenzen_wright.jpg and a 2008 second-round pick to the Kings.

The Hawks, in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and percentage points behind the eighth and final playoff spot, are trying to make the postseason for the first time since 1999.

[Ranma4699]

http://passtheword.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/dwightsticker400.jpg

Super Slam: Orlando's Dwight Howard flies to title in spectacular All-Star dunk contest

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Look, up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Dwight Howard -- super slam dunk champion.

A red cape trailing behind him, Orlando's man of steel made like Superman and won perhaps the best dunk contest, definitely the most creative, in NBA history to close a memorable All-Star Saturday.

Using a variety of props as well as teammate Jameer Nelson, Howard scored perfect 50s from judges on his first two dunks before the contest was turned over to fan voting for the first time in the final round.

Fans, too, picked the 6-foot-11 Howard, who dispelled an old dunking myth: Big men can fly high.

"It's really for the big men," Howard said. "Everybody always says, big men can't jump and big men don't look good dunking. I just tried to add a little bit of my personality. With me being so tall, I knew it was going to be tough. I tried to play to the crowd and have fun."

In any other year, Minnesota's Gerald Green would have easily walked away with his second straight dunking crown, but he was upstaged by the amazingly athletic Howard, whose performance has to rank up there with anything Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter or even tiny Spud Webb ever did above the basket.

The dunk contest, bland for so many years as the game's high risers seemed to run out of ideas, was freshened up by some of the most creative aerial assaults in memory.

Howard, Green, Toronto's Jamario Moon and Memphis' Rudy Gay all used tape, ladders, teammates and even a tasty dessert to show their stuff.

"I think the dunk contest is back," said Howard, who was disappointed when he failed to make it out of the first round last year. "I don't think people want to see the same old dunks. They want to see something else, see some spice."

Howard started things off with a dunk he has been practicing for two years. Standing on the baseline, he tossed the ball off the reverse side of the backboard, caught it with both hands, and after peering through the glass at the rim, dunked left-handed.

The crowd roared and a celebrity panel of judges including Magic Johnson, Karl Malone as well as Dominique Wilkins, Julius Erving and Darryl Dawkins -- three of the game's most famed dunkers -- all gave him perfect 10s.

Not to be outdone, Green tried to blow the field away. Literally.

After Timberwolves teammate Rashad McCants climbed up and placed a cupcake with a single candle in it on the back of the rim, Green soared in and puffed out the flame before throwing down a nasty left-hander.

"At first I thought he was going to take the cupcake, eat it and then dunk it," Howard said. "I thought he would have won with that."

In the second round, McCants sat on the top step of the ladder and handed the ball off to a rising Green, who crushed another dunk.

That's when Howard stripped off his blue Magic jersey to reveal an "S" on his chest. As the crowd stood, he tied the cape around his massive shoulders.

"I didn't have time to get the telephone booth," he quipped.

Nelson placed a piece of tape to mark Howard's take-off spot, and after a running start from near mid-court, the Magic's main man took off just inside the free-throw line and fired down the ball with authority.

In the final round, Green performed two acrobatic dunks, one in only green socks after removing his sneakers. But neither of those could top Howard's last two efforts.

First, Howard bounced the ball off the floor, tapped it left-handed off the backboard and dunked with his right hand. For Howard's finale, Nelson affixed a miniature Orlando backboard next to the rim and balanced a ball on it.

Howard flew in from the right side, picked the ball off cleanly and slammed it in. He then only had to wait for fans to text message a result that seemed to be a no-brainer. Howard won in a landslide, receiving 78 percent of the vote.

Earlier, Jason Kapono showed nobody's close to him from long distance.

The NBA's best 3-point shooter this season, the Toronto forward with the silky touch won his second straight 3-point Shootout, tying a 22-year-old record with a final round of 25.

Kapono missed his first two shots in the last round before dropping 10 straight. By the time he approached the last rack of balls, Kapono had already clinched the win and didn't have to fire up another shot.

But he knocked down a few more anyway, matching three-time winner Craig Hodges' mark of 25 set in 1986. When his final shot swished through, Kapono, who made all five money balls -- worth two points apiece -- and went 20-for-25 in the last round, slapped high-fives with other All-Stars and hugged Raptors teammate Chris Bosh.

Kapono wasn't sure what he'll do with his second shiny trophy.

"I'm thinking in the bathroom or something," he said. "Maybe every time I take a shower or I go in and brush my teeth I'll start my day out staring at this beautiful trophy."

Cleveland's Daniel Gibson, who made 11 3-pointers in Friday night's rookie challenge finished second. He scored 17 points in the final round, finishing three points ahead of Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, who replaced the injured Bryant.

Kapono almost didn't get out of the first round. He was in danger of elimination as he approached the last rack but came through in the clutch by sinking five straight shots to advance.

In the Skills Challenge, Utah's Deron Williams was flawless and fast.

With a nearly perfect run through an obstacle course of dribbling, passing and shooting, the Jazz point guard defeated New Orleans playmaker Chris Paul in the final round.

Williams blazed up, down and around the floor of the New Orleans Arena in 25.5 seconds, a new record for the six-year-old event. Cheered on by his home crowd, Paul, who completed the circuit in 29.9 seconds in the first round, finished in 31.2 seconds for second place.

In the night's first event, San Antonio's Becky Hammon, David Robinson and Tim Duncan won the Shooting Stars competition. It featured three-person teams consisting of an NBA player, a WNBA player and a former NBA great from the same city. Contestants had to make six shots with the final one a heave from mid-court.

[Ranma4699]

Eastern Conf 134, Western Conf 128
By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer

Highlights of the game:
http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?&brand=null&videoId=3251105&n8pe6c=3

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Toss some leftover Mardi Gras beads toward the East. LeBron James and his crew earned them.

Outdunking, outpassing and outperforming their more trumpeted counterparts from the Western Conference, the Eastern Conference All-Stars avenged a year-old beating with a 134-128 win on Sunday night.

Ray Allen scored 28 points, making three straight 3-pointers in the final 3:15, and James added 27, including a did-he-really-do-that? dunk in the last minute to propel the East and earn MVP honors.

Last year, the West humiliated the East in a 153-132 rout in Las Vegas when Kobe Bryant and Co. rewrote the event's record books. However, this time led by Allen's 14 fourth-quarter points and James, the East salvaged some pride and can return to the season's second half with bragging rights.

"They beat up on us pretty bad last year," James said. "We didn't want to allow that to happen. We wanted to win."

James, who added nine assists and eight rebounds, was MVP for the second time in three years. He also won the honor in 2006, when the East beat the West in Houston.

Amare Stoudemire, Brandon Roy and Carmelo Anthony scored 18 points apiece to lead the West, which trailed by 13 entering the fourth quarter before rallying behind New Orleans' own Chris Paul. The sensational guard's seventh assist of the final period set up Roy's layup to give the West a 122-119 lead.

But Boston's Allen, the final player added to either roster, knocked down his second 3-pointer in 48 seconds to tie it before Paul answered with a 3, sending the hometown crowd into a frenzy.

Allen finally missed and James poked away the ball, and then came up with the night's most stirring moment.

Slashing through the lane, Cleveland's megastar rose and dunked over several West defenders, much like he did in Game 5 of last year's Eastern Conference finals in Detroit when he scored the Cavaliers' final 25 points

"We had two people on him," Paul said. "but that still wasn't enough."

Paul was called for an offensive foul on the West's next trip. Dwyane Wade hit a layup and Allen scored to make it 131-125. Roy's 3-pointer with 8.7 seconds brought the West within three, but Allen made three free throws to close it out.

The weekend in New Orleans was about much more than spectacular dunks, a game featuring marginal defense or collecting strings of beads while strolling down boozy Bourbon Street. The NBA came to the Big Easy hoping to help this special city continue its comeback from Hurricane Katrina, the effects of which are still being felt 2 1/2 years since she blasted through.

On Friday, the world's biggest basketball names as well as hundreds of volunteers fanned out to all sides of the city to help refurbish playgrounds, paint houses and lend a hand with whatever they could on a day devoted to community service.

Many of the players were moved by the experience and came away with a greater sense of what the area has gone through and the monumental work that lies ahead in the Gulf Coast Region.

"Well, I hope not just me, but every All-Star from the East and West was able to put smiles on kids and on families faces," James said. "I think we all know what happened, the devastation down here and to bring the NBA All-Star game here I think it really uplifted the families down here. We had a great time."

Bryant, who won MVP honors last year, played less than 3 minutes so he could rest his injured pinkie. The 10-time All-Star dislocated his finger earlier this month and doctors have advised him to have surgery.

Bryant, though, energized by the club's addition of center Pau Gasol in a trade, wants to delay any operation until late summer. As soon as he took on the West's bench, a trainer wrapped a large ice pack around his entire hand, rendering arguably the league's top player to spectator status.

The West could have used him.

"There's one player we really, really missed, and that was Kobe," West coach Byron Scott of New Orleans said. "Obviously, Kobe would have loved to play."

New Jersey's Jason Kidd spent the weekend wondering whether he would be going back to the Nets or changing into a Dallas jersey. A complex trade, snagged when Mavericks guard Devean George blocked the deal, may have new life.

The clubs still hope to get a deal done before Thursday's deadline.

Players were grooving even before they hit the floor.

Introduced under a balcony resembling one in the city's historic French Quarter, several of the All-Stars danced as a local brass band filled New Orleans Arena with the sounds that exemplify the area's laid-back, fun-loving ethos: Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez -- Let The Good Times Roll.

The East came out flying, getting seven dunks and a layup in the first 5 minutes to take an early 11-point lead before the West awakened. Paul and Hornets teammate David West sparked the West, which cut it to two before James, Kidd and Dwight Howard, whose Superman routine won him Saturday's dunk contest, put on passing display like they were playing pickup ball in the schoolyard.

On one possession, Kidd threw a lob pass to James, who then bounced it off the glass for a charging Howard, who slammed it in. Both teams were scoring so quickly in the second quarter that the p.a. announcer was having a hard time keeping up.

"Rasheed Wallace," he said before catching a breath to say, "Carmelo Anthony."

The game was missing one of its biggest stars as Shaquille O'Neal was not selected, snapping his record-tying 14-year run. Without O'Neal, there were no comedic moments like when Shaq pulled out a giant sneaker phone or made like a point guard and dribbled his way up the court.

Notes

Phoenix will host next year's All-Star game. The event was last held there in 1995, when the West won 139-112 and Sacramento's Mitch Richmond was named MVP. ... Celtics C Kevin Garnett, the leading vote getter who missed the game because of an abdominal strain, worked out for coach Doc Rivers on Sunday. He's expected to practice with the club in Denver on Monday and could return to action on Tuesday. "I'm back to my old self again," he said. ... The East attempted 36 3-pointers, breaking the record of 30 set by the West in 2002. ... Paul's 14 assists are the most since Kidd had 14 in 2000. ... James is the 11th multiple MVP winner.

[Ranma4699]

All the King’s men: Cavs acquire Ben Wallace, Szczerbiak in three-way trade to help LeBron

CLEVELAND (AP)—At 2:59 p.m., one minute before the deadline expired, Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry called NBA officials in New York to say he was making a major trade. Two, actually.

http://pictopia.com/perl/get_image?provider_id=202&size=550x550_mb&ptp_photo_id=2834349

They must have been surprised.

Ferry was dismantling his team.

In a complex, 11-player swap involving Cleveland, Chicago and Seattle, Ferry dealt half his active roster to acquire center Ben Wallace and forward Joe Smith from the Bulls, and forward Wally Szczerbiak and guard Delonte West from the SuperSonics.

LeBron James wanted help to win an NBA title. Ferry got it for him.

“I didn’t think we were good enough to win the championship,” Ferry said, explaining his motives for the move. “I thought we had a very good team. But I do believe if we have a chance to make ourselves better we should try.

“Was it a risk in doing so? Yes, it was a risk. But we’re going to have to make some decisions that have some risk in them if we want to continue to build and grow.”

Unable to finalize major deals in the past, Ferry pulled off a colossal one at the 3 p.m. buzzer. He sent guard Larry Hugheshttp://www.hoopsvibe.com/IMG/larry_hughes-arton21011-240x240.jpg, forwards Drew Goodenhttp://www.nba.com/media/act_drew_gooden.jpg and Cedric Simmonshttp://images.usatoday.com/sports/_photos/2006/01/25/in-ncstate.jpg, and guard Shannon Brownhttp://www.clevelandleader.com/files/shannon_brown.jpg to Chicago for Wallace, one of the game’s top inside enforcers, and Smith, a versatile veteran.

Cleveland also acquired the sharpshooting Szczerbiakhttp://www.hoopsvibe.com/IMG/wally_szczerbiak-arton21206-240x240.jpg and Westhttp://www.nba.com/media/act_delonte_west.jpg from Seattle for forwards Ira Newblehttp://www.nba.com/media/act_ira_newble.jpg and Donyell Marshallhttp://hoopedia.nba.com/images/3/39/Act_donyell_marshall.jpg, two expendable parts. In addition, the Cavs will get Chicago’s second-round pick in 2009. The Sonics will receive guard Adrian Griffin from the Bulls.

While giving the Cavaliers a new core to surround James, Ferry didn’t hurt his team’s long-term salary cap flexibility. He did create one short-term problem, however. Because their new players have to take physicals, the Cavaliers could be very short-handed for Friday’s game against Washington.

“I think Mike Brown might be a player/coach,” Ferry joked.

He’s dead serious, though, about getting the Cavaliers an NBA championship. James, who led them to their first finals last season, had publicly campaigned for Ferry to do something before the deadline.

James got his wish. Ferry overhauled the Cavs, trading 60 percent of the starting lineup Brown had Wednesday night.

The deal caps a busy month of trades as several stars, including Shaquille O’Neal, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and Pau Gasol, all were dealt to new teams. The Gasol swap triggered an arms race of sorts among the Western Conference’s top squads, while this one could have a major impact atop the East.

In the 33-year-old Wallace, the Cavaliers are getting a defensive intimidator. Big Ben will give them next to nothing on offense, but that’s not what the defending Eastern Conference champs need.

“Ben Wallace is tough,” Ferry said. “He’ll bring an energy, a toughness, a presence to what we are doing.”

Wallace was a major disappointment for the underachieving Bulls, who are 17 1/2 games out of first in the Central. Chicago signed Wallace to a four-year, $60 million contract in 2006.

At the time, the Bulls thought he was the missing piece to get them back into contention for an NBA title, something they haven’t sniffed since Michael Jordan retired.

Wallace got the Bulls into the second round in last year’s playoffs. But the team hasn’t recovered from a slow start this season and Wallace is averaging 5.1 points and 8.8 rebounds—his worst season statistically since 1999-00.

Bulls GM John Paxson defended the decision to sign Wallace.

“When we made the deal for Ben, we did it for the right reasons,” he said. “He helped us become a better team last year and advance in the playoffs. I’m still as surprised as anyone that this year, we weren’t better than we played.”

Much like Wallace, Hughes didn’t deliver as the Cavs had hoped. They signed him to a five-year, $60 million free agent deal in 2005, but he struggled with injuries and his jump shot. Recently, though, Hughes had found his touch, which could help the Bulls climb back in the playoff picture.

Hughes, who is making $12.8 million this season, had become a target of abuse at Cleveland home games as fans grumbled with every miss and every mention of a contract that seemed untradeable.

Paxson said bringing in Hughes doesn’t mean they’re preparing for Ben Gordon’s departure. Gordon is eligible to be a restricted free agent this summer.

“It gives us an issue in the backcourt, but it’s a good issue to have,” Paxson said. “This has nothing to do with Ben Gordon’s future.”

The Cavaliers will be the eighth team for the well-traveled Smith, a 32-year-old veteran averaging 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds. Smith brings the Cavaliers experience and versatility up front.

Gooden, too, can boost Chicago’s inside game. The 26-year-old is averaging 11.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per season.

It’s unusual for two teams in the same division to swap key players and the Cavaliers and Bulls haven’t played yet this season. They’ll meet for the first of four games on March 1 in Cleveland.

Szczerbiak, who was part of the draft day trade that sent Ray Allen to Boston for the No. 5 pick—Jeff Green—and West, added scoring punch in a reserve role for the rebuilding Sonics.

He averaged 13.1 points, second behind rookie sensation Kevin Durant, and consistently showed he was fully recovered from offseason ankle surgery. In his final game with Seattle on Tuesday, Szczerbiak scored 24 points, including the go-ahead basket with 31 seconds remaining in a victory over Memphis.

Szczerbiak should get plenty of open looks in Cleveland. With more and more defenses double- and triple-teaming James, the club needs perimeter players capable of making outside shots consistently—something Hughes couldn’t do.

“When you have a superstar like LeBron James, it’s important to be able to put shooters around him,” Ferry said. “When you have guys who make the extra passes, having somebody to knock down that shot is big.”

West never found a spot in Seattle’s rotation. Nagging foot injuries shuffled him farther down the bench, and when coach P.J. Carlesimo finally settled on a rotation, West was often the odd man out.

The 24-year-old could develop into the quality point guard the Cavs have coveted since James arrived.

The dealing by young GM Sam Presti only adds to the flexibility the Sonics will have in their rebuilding. Combined with the trade of Kurt Thomas to San Antonio for Brent Barry, Francisco Elson and a 2009 first-round pick, the Sonics now have 13 picks in the next three drafts and have acquired three players with contracts expiring after this season.

[Ranma4699]

Garnett, Pierce lead Celtics to 94-74 win over Houston, snapping Rockets’ 22-game win streak

By CHRIS DUNCAN, AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP)—It took the NBA’s best team to end the Houston Rockets’ 22-game winning streak.

Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics stopped the Rockets’ remarkable run in emphatic fashion Tuesday night, pulling away in the second half for a 94-74 victory.

Garnett scored 22 points and Paul Pierce added 20 as Boston handed Houston its first loss since a 97-89 defeat to Utah on Jan. 27. The Rockets then put together the NBA’s second-longest winning streak, which ended 11 victories shy of the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, who won 33 in a row.

“Our names will be mentioned there with Hall of Fame people,” said Houston point guard Rafer Alston. “We have something to tell our kids.”

It was only Houston’s second loss in 28 games and its fourth since a 97-93 loss in Boston on Jan. 2, a game Tracy McGrady sat out with a knee injury. The Rockets also lost for the first time in 11 games since Yao Ming went out with a season-ending foot injury on Feb. 26.

The Rockets were finally doomed by poor shooting and mistakes that they overcame during their streak with hustle and solid defense.

“I’m too close to the situation right now to really appreciate,” Rockets forward Shane Battier said. “When I’m old and gray and can’t dribble this basketball anymore, I think I’ll appreciate it. Right now, we’re still in a playoff run and have got some dogs barking at our heels.”

Boston blanketed McGrady all night, holding Houston’s remaining All-Star to eight points on 4-for-11 shooting. Other Rockets had routinely picked up the slack during the seven-week run whenever McGrady struggled, but the Celtics never let that happen.

The Rockets scored a season-low 34 points in the second half on 11-for-33 shooting.

“It’s not disappointing,” McGrady said. “It’s a hell of a team over there. They outplayed us. I’ve never seen a defense like that. I mean, if they play defense like that, night in and night out, the NBA is in trouble because that was defense at its finest.”

Luis Scola scored 15 for Houston, which had a 15-game home streak snapped. Only the 1985-86 Rockets, who won 20 straight at The Summit, had a longer home-court streak in franchise history.

Reserve Leon Powe added 21 points for the Celtics, who’ve won 13 of their last 14 games, the last three without All-Star guard Ray Allen, who’s out with a sore left ankle.

Boston beat San Antonio 93-91 on Monday night and Garnett said the Celtics were all business in their approach to Tuesday’s game.

“There wasn’t really a lot of talking on the bus last night after the win,” Garnett said. “We got on the plane, it was real subtle. There wasn’t a lot of talking and I know when we’re like that, we’re focused.”

The Rockets still have one more streak to protect—they’ll go for their 13th straight road win in New Orleans on Wednesday night. The end of the big streak hadn’t quite sunk in moments after this loss.

“I feel worse for the fans than I do for us,” Battier said. “We’ll be all right. We’ve got a game in 20 hours. We’ll be out there trying to win another game. For the fans, they really were captivated by the streak and we hope they still get behind us and cheer us on.”

Houston beat the Lakers on Sunday to take over sole possession of first place in the Western Conference and set up Tuesday’s showdown between conference leaders.

They were tied at 40 at halftime, but Boston took control in the third quarter, led by its All-Star duo.

Garnett swished a jumper from the top of the key 15 seconds out of the break and Pierce sank a 3-pointer on Boston’s next trip down, the start of an 18-5 spurt. The Rockets missed eight of their first 10 shots out of the break and stopped getting the bounces that had always gone their way throughout the streak.

“I loved the way we played defense tonight,” Garnett said. “We had a lot of energy.”

Even when Houston got aggressive, it backfired.

With 3:18 left in the third quarter, Tony Allen drove the baseline and McGrady and Scola both jumped to block him. McGrady blocked the ball, but Scola whacked hit Allen and sent him hard to the court. Referee Scott Foster called a flagrant foul on Scola as Allen lay on the floor for several minutes. He finally got up and hit two free throws to put Boston up 64-52.

McGrady missed a jumper in the final seconds of the third quarter and Battier was there for the rebound, but tipped it right to James Posey, who started a fast break the other way.

“All good things must come to an end,” McGrady said.

The Celtics outscored Houston 32-16 in the third quarter and built a 72-56 lead, the largest deficit the Rockets had faced since Boston had them down 20 in their first meeting. Houston went 7-for-16 from the field with six turnovers in the decisive quarter.

Boston pushed the lead over 20 early in the fourth quarter. During a timeout, the crowd stood and applauded as a video on the scoreboard finished with a shot of the arena and the line: “Where 22 in a row happens.”

The rest of the game was a cold dose of reality.

McGrady left with 8:45 left and fans slowly filed out of the arena. With 2:09 left, Garnett drove down the line and hammered home a one-handed dunk, then added a milder throwdown on Boston’s next possession.

The loss dropped Houston back into a first-place tie with the Lakers in the West. The Hornets are a half-game behind heading into Wednesday’s matchup.

Notes

Boston coach Doc Rivers said he would re-evaluate Ray Allen’s injury on Wednesday. Rivers said Allen could “possibly” play in Dallas on Thursday. … The Celtics have won seven straight road games and all seven meetings against teams from the Southwest Division. … Former Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon had a courtside seat for the second straight game. … Rockets rookie forward Carl Landry sat out for the sixth straight game with a bruised right knee. Landry will travel with the team to New Orleans for Wednesday’s game.