AROUND THE NBA Saturday's games
Pistons 106, Hawks 90
ATLANTA -- Jerry Stackhouse scored 31 points and Joe Smith added 16 as the Detroit Pistons ended a five-game road losing streak with a victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Toni Kukoc had his fourth career triple-double and his second in the last three games, leading the Hawks with 29 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Stackhouse, coming off a 46-point performance in a six-point overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday night, improved his scoring average to 33.7 points over the last seven games.
Heat 95, Grizzlies 81
MIAMI -- Anthony Carter and Eddie House made up for the absence of Tim Hardaway, combining for 33 points as the Miami Heat kept pace with their rivals in the Eastern Conference with a win against Vancouver. Anthony Mason led the Heat with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Brian Grant added 12 points.
Hornets 95, Wizards 93
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- P.J. Brown scored a season-high 22 points and Elden Campbell added 18 as the Charlotte Hornets rallied for a victory over the Washington Wizards. David Wesley contributed 17 points for the Hornets as all five starters hit double figures. Courtney Alexander paced Washington with 21 points, followed by Richard Hamilton with 20 and Christian Laettner and Hubert Davis with 16 each.
Knicks 101, Bulls 80
NEW YORK -- Latrell Sprewell scored 22 points, Marcus Camby had 19 and Kurt Thomas added 18 as the Knicks shot a season-high 62 percent and handed the Chicago Bulls their 20th straight road loss. The Knicks, who won their eighth straight home game and fourth straight overall, shot 70 percent in the first quarter and took the lead for good midway through the period. Camby missed only one shot in the game, going 8-for-9 from the field.
Bucks 87, 76ers 78
MILWAUKEE -- Tim Thomas came off the bench to score 22 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers. Philadelphia, with the NBA's best road record, started a four-game trip without its coach and best player. 76ers coach Larry Brown is scheduled to miss the first two games of the trip to undergo medical tests. Allen Iverson remained in Philadelphia to get treatment for a hip pointer. .
Rockets 103, Spurs 99
HOUSTON -- Steve Francis scored 30 points and Cuttino Mobley had 26 as the Houston Rockets ended an 11-game losing streak against the Spurs by beating San Antonio. Matt Bullard added 18 points and Maurice Taylor 15 as the Rockets won their third straight and sixth of their last seven.
Mavericks 109, Suns 99
DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 15 of his 34 points in the third quarter and Steve Nash had 28 points as the Dallas Mavericks won their sixth straight, beating the Phoenix Suns. Jason Kidd had 32 points, two shy of his season-high, and narrowly missed a triple-double with nine assists and nine rebounds.
Associated Press