Celtics to bring out Rasheed Wallace’s inside game

As they stand now - wobbly as the aftershocks of Saturday’s loss to the New Jersey ne’er-do-wells still reverberate - the Celtics [team stats] are masters of their own fate. Or demise.

Ray Allen noted that no cavalry is coming over the hill to the rescue. About the only substantive change the club could make now would be, in anticipation of greater doom, to fire team physician Brian McKeon and replace him with Dr. Jack Kevorkian.

But Rasheed Wallace thinks such talk is unwarranted. He still believes the Celts will engage their parachute, break their fall and regain their place in the championship discussion. He is sure of this, citing the Celtics’ experience and heart.

As a guy much wiser than the apparent crazy man arguing with referees, however, Wallace understands that all these points must be corroborated by actions.

“We’re a great team on paper if you look (and) see what we have,” he said. “But we have to go out there and prove it. We have to go out there and put fear in our opponent’s heart.”

And if the Celtics don’t, if they continue to come up small as the tests become even larger, Sheed knows the No. 30 on his chest and back will take on the appearance of a target.

“Aw, that ain’t nothing new,” said Wallace. “(Expletive), I’ve been facing it since Day 1 when I came into the NBA. People get upset with me because I speak my mind. I don’t hold my tongue. I don’t care who it is or who it’s about. In this league and this game and this business, they don’t like that. They want you to kiss (butt). I ain’t no kiss-(butt) dude.”

His game is alternately endearing and infuriating to fans. His makes beget some of the Garden’s loudest cheers; his clanged treys set of a chorus of groans. That Wallace is bold and unapologetic simply highlights the latter.

“Like my mom said, 50 percent of the people are going to love you and 50 percent are going to hate you,” he said. “You can’t please everybody. That’s pretty much how I play. I don’t sit out there and worry about what the next person is thinking at all. ‘Oh, he’s got too many techs (technical fouls) and he shoots too many 3’s.’ I don’t worry about that.”

Just as opponents don’t worry much when Wallace work’s outside the arc. Prior to a recent game, an assistant coach from another club saw him practice his 3-pointers and said, “Every guy in the league loves to watch that. They love him shooting 3’s.”

When it was mentioned that Wallace’s inside game is better than expected, the assistant said, “Unstoppable. Unstoppable. He’s got so many moves down on the low block that you can’t stop him. That’s why we love to see him outside.”

Wallace came to the Celts with a .471 career field goal percentage, with a .342 mark on treys. This year he’s .404 from the floor and .283 from long range. Hidden therein is the fact he is shooting .518 on 2-pointers.

Asked about getting inside more, Wallace said, “That’s where I was born at. That’s my bread and butter. That’s what I want. That’s what I want. But if that play design is for that 3, then that’s what I have to do.”

He has made good on his vow to do more in the paint after the All-Star break. Prior to that point, 216 of his 431 attempts (50.1 percent) were treys. Since then, 24 of his 64 shots (37.5 percent) have been from the distance.

Wallace spoke of a certain unnamed opponent/friend.

“He was telling me, ‘Oh, I can guard you. All you’re going to do is go to the turnaround,’ ” Sheed recalled. “I said, ‘Dude, I taught you half of your (expletive). The teacher doesn’t show the student all his moves.’

“You know, I don’t show my whole package during the beginning of the season. If you do, then that’s what’s going to be in the scouting report on me. So now, come money time, it’ll say that I’m going to go to the turnaround. Yeah, I’m going to turn around, but I’m going to go by you left, by you right, come with the jump hook. I told my buddy to look at it like a kung fu teacher. I might teach you the lotus and I might teach you the tiger, but I’m not going to teach you the crane, because the crane can beat both of them.”

But Wallace knows, too, that if he and his mates don’t get it going, the crane they see after the season could have a wrecking ball attached to it.

Lakers right at home vs. Nuggets

So much for all that confidence the Denver Nuggets had built up during their two impressive wins against the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this season.

The defending NBA champions picked up on the playoff vibe inside Staples Center yesterday and got things back to normal, despite a poor shooting effort from Kobe Bryant.

Lamar Odom scored nine of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed 12 rebounds, helping the Lakers overcome an 11-point third-quarter deficit and pull out a 95-89 victory in Los Angeles against the team they knocked off in last year’s Western Conference finals. Pau Gasol added 15 points and 14 rebounds.

“It was nice to be in somewhat of a pressure-cooker,” Bryant said. “It’s been two years now where we’ve beaten them in the postseason, so I’m sure they’re fed up.”

Ron Artest added 17 points and tied a season high with six steals for the Lakers, who trail the Cavaliers by one game for the league’s best record. They lead Denver by 5 games for the Western Conference lead.

Bryant was just 3-for-17 from the field, finishing with 14 points and 12 assists.

Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points for Denver before fouling out for the second time this season with 2:13 to play and the Nuggets down by four.

Spurs 113, Suns 110 - Richard Jefferson scored 20 points in his best game since losing his starting job, and San Antonio beat visiting Phoenix to end the Suns’ five-game winning streak.

Amare Stoudemire had a season-high 41 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix, but Jefferson and the Spurs hung on late to hand the Suns only their second loss since the All-Star break.

Wizards 89, Nets 85 - In East Rutherford, N.J., Andray Blatche scored a career-high 36 points and had 15 rebounds, and Randy Foye hit two jumpers in the final 44 seconds to lead Washington to a comeback victory over New Jersey.

Al Thornton added 20 points, and Foye had 16 as Washington rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to deny the Nets their first winning streak of the season.

Hawks 106, Bucks 102 - Joe Johnson scored nine of his 24 points in overtime, Josh Smith had 22 points and 15 rebounds, and host Atlanta ended Milwaukee’s winning streak at six.

The Bucks lost for the first time since trading for John Salmons, who finished with a season-high 32 points, including a straightaway 3-pointer that cut it to 103-102 with :09.7 left in the extra period.

Magic 96, Heat 80 - Rashard Lewis had 22 points, and Vince Carter added 17 to help Orlando overcome Dwight Howard’s subpar game against visiting Miami.

Dwyane Wade, who returned to the Heat lineup after missing four games because of a strained calf, led Miami with 21 points.

Thunder 119, Raptors 99 - Kevin Durant scored 29 points, Nenad Krstic had a rare 3-pointer and added 16 points and host Oklahoma City handed Toronto its third straight loss without All-Star forward Chris Bosh (sprained left ankle).

Jeff Green had 20 points and a career-best four steals for the Thunder.

Elsewhere in the NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal will undergo surgery today to repair his injured right thumb. . . .

Minnesota Timberwolves star and former Celtics [team stats] center Al Jefferson [stats] apologized to the team and fans after his arrest on suspicion of DWI following a weekend loss to Portland. The Timberwolves suspended Jefferson for the next two games without pay - a punishment Jefferson said he accepts.

Doc’s coaching not an issue

With 3:47 left in yesterday’s crime against Celtics [team stats] nature, the deficit had shrunk from 18 points to 11, leading the New Jersey Nets to call a timeout. The game presentation folks at the Garden opted for the John Belushi soliloquy from “Animal House” - the one in which he implores his frat brothers to fight back.

The latest sellout crowd loved it, but on a day when most everything went awry, this, too, was a flawed maneuver. Right film, wrong clip.

Better to show the scene where Boon tells Katy, “A new low. I’m so ashamed.”

The New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Bobcats (twice) and your Boston Celtics are notches on the belt of the now 6-52 Nets.

The few. The embarrassed.

With two days until the C’s play next, there will be ample time to CSI the hell out of this team on the heels of the 104-96 loss to New Jersey. Every suspect will be investigated, from roster architect Danny Ainge to Martha Coakley’s campaign manager.

In the wake of Thursday night’s collapse against the Cleveland Cavaliers, there were calls for coach Doc Rivers’ ouster that will only increase in volume and number after this debacle. But while Rivers isn’t Red Auerbach, such shot selection would seem to be from the Antoine Walker catalog of fine masonry.

Rivers isn’t perfect, but the coach isn’t this team’s problem.

To those who claim the fault lies not in the stars, we say only this: The hell it doesn’t.

The Celtics have gone 13-16 since Christmas Day because the well-heeled people in sneakers neglect to follow directions. And when one player doesn’t make a defensive rotation, it looks like The Three Stooges trying to squeeze through a doorway at the same time.

Quibble with Rivers’ substitution pattern if you like, but there is no reason that whatever quintet is on the floor should choose not to execute the plans as set forth by the staff.

Don’t take our word for it. Take injured captain Paul Pierce [stats]’s. He put it very plainly at the start of this month down in Washington.

“It’s like you have the answers to the test and you still fail,” Pierce said during a visit to play the Wizards. “It’s just like that. We know the answers.”

That concept was supported late yesterday.

Asked if this is up to the players, Kevin Garnett nodded.

“I think so,” he said. “That’s what it is. Doc gives us direction, and guys have to go out there and follow the plan and execute. That’s all it is. I’m not going to sit up here and give a whole bunch of excuses. That’s not my style. You know, you lose, you lose. They kicked our (butt) tonight, period. Point blank.

“Players have to do more, including myself. We’ve all got to dig deep and see what we’re made of as a team. Seriously.”

Added Rasheed Wallace: “Oh, definitely it’s in this room. . . . We’re the ones out there on the floor. Doc can only do but so much. So we can’t sit up there and say, ‘Oh, it’s Doc’s fault that we lost or Doc’s not doing this or Doc’s not doing that.’ Doc’s not out there on the floor. It’s the five guys that are out there.”

You will now hear claims that the players have therefore tuned out Rivers, that he’s lost the team. These are fallacies. The players like working for this coach and, as Pierce and others have said, they know the plays and defensive schemes are proven.

It will be said then that the coach needs to motivate them better. But if the dignity of the job and earning the respect of your teammates aren’t enough to make players focus, then it won’t matter who’s telling them what to do.

New low for Celtics

And you thought Thursday’s 20-point loss to the Cavaliers was bad.

The Celtics [team stats] showed that their struggles may run deeper than anyone expected when they were beaten 104-96 by New Jersey yesterday at the Garden.

That’d be the same Nets team that is on pace for the worst record in NBA history. The win “improved” New Jersey’s record to 6-52.

“I feel disgusted,” Kevin Garnett said after the game.

Granted, the Celtics were without Paul Pierce [stats], who missed his third straight game with a sprained right thumb. But that hardly was an excuse.

The C’s charged out to a 12-2 lead and then failed to apply themselves until they were trailing 94-76 with 5:16 remaining. By then, it was too late.

The Celtics staged a late rally, waking up a Garden crowd that had booed the team’s dismal display during the first three quarters. A furious 16-4 run pulled the C’s to within 98-92 with 2:09 left.

The Celtics could have drawn closer, but Ray Allen missed an open 3-pointer from the right wing. New Jersey’s Kris Humphries answered with a bucket at the other end to give the Nets an insurmountable 100-92 edge.

“I talk about it a lot with our guys, ‘Those are the basketball gods punishing you. You have no right to get back in this game,’ ” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “I thought all those little breaks went to them, and I thought the basketball gods were saying that they deserved to go to (the Nets).”

Though the Nets will challenge the 9-73 mark the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers [team stats] set for all-time futility, they do possess a trio of talented young players. Brook Lopez (25 points), Devin Harris (23) and Courtney Lee (21) torched the once-vaunted Celtics defense.

Garnett led the C’s with 26 points and nine rebounds, but his postgame focus was on the defensive woes.

“We’re a team that takes a lot of pride in getting stops,” Garnett said. “We got to get back to that. Hearing it is starting to make my ears ring, but that’s what it is. And we will. We have no choice.”

Marquis Daniels, who was starting in place of Pierce, had 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting, but was limited to 27 minutes by foul trouble. Rajon Rondo [stats] had 13 points and 17 assists, but he too was plagued by fouls.

Rondo keyed the fast start, but when he was sent to the bench with his second foul less than four minutes into the game, the team’s ball movement suffered.

After Rondo left, the Nets went on a 27-15 run to take a 29-27 lead at the end of the first quarter. New Jersey extended its advantage to 49-42 at the break and, with its newfound confidence, opened up a 68-54 edge midway through the third quarter.

The Celtics showed signs of life with a 10-2 run, sparked by Nate Robinson (13 points). But New Jersey kept its foot on the gas, its lead ballooning to 94-76 on a Keyon Dooling 3-pointer midway through the fourth.

There were suggestions afterward that perhaps a loss to the NBA’s worst team could serve as a wake-up call. But the Celtics [team stats] sounded like a team that has heard the alarms going off for some time. They just don’t seem sure how to answer the call.

“I don’t know how many wake-up calls we need,” Kendrick Perkins [stats] said. “We’ve had a few this year. We’ll see how we bounce back against Detroit (on Tuesday). We’ve got a few days to think about these last two losses.”

Problems pop up in fits and starts

Doc Rivers is unhappy with the Celtics [team stats] starters, too. A day after general manager Danny Ainge spanked the unit with pointed comments, the coach concurred.

“What Danny said was very true,” Rivers said yesterday - even before his regulars went out and made him and his boss look smart with a hideous 104-96 loss to the New Jersey Nets at the Garden. “I think it comes to our starting five. Our starting five is a group that’s been here. They’re the group that’s going to have to lead the way. They’re the group that must set the example. They’re the group that knows every rotation every single night.”

Ainge opened the door to potentially serious changes this offseason if the Celtics don’t play better.

Rivers isn’t paying attention to that aspect.

“Honestly I’m coaching this year, you know what I mean?” Rivers said. “So that stuff I could care less about. I could care less about anything past this season, because as a coach you have to coach this year. I’ll let Danny, Wyc (Grousbeck, the C’s co-owner) and all those other guys worry about the future. But this team is built for right now. . . . After that we’ll see. But I believe this team’s good enough to win a world championship. This team. I don’t think we’ve proven that. I think we still have to prove that. And we can talk about it all day, but at some point we have to show it - and I don’t think we’ve shown it. But I still believe that.”

As for any potential benefit from Ainge supporting concepts the coach already has offered the team, Rivers said, “I don’t think that matters. I think at the end of the day it’s in the locker room, and it’s going to have to come out of the locker room. I can talk about it. Danny, Wyc, you know, whoever, Bill Walton . . . it doesn’t matter. At some point it’s going to have to come out of the locker room. And it will, and I believe that. But it hasn’t consistently yet. It has in stretches, but nothing consistently yet. We haven’t been able to sustain a game.

“Even in some of our good wins we haven’t been able to sustain 48 minutes yet. So that has to come from in the locker room.”

Ainge noted that it’s difficult to judge the Celts because they’re getting big leads against good teams before losing them.

“We’re both,” Rivers said. “I’m not confused at all. I’m actually positive we’re both. At some point we’re going to have to be one or the other, and I’ll take the one that gets the lead.”

Theatre in the roundball

Doc Rivers took a few pages out the coaches’ motivational handbook before yesterday’s game against the Nets.

Still stinging from Thursday’s 108-88 beating at the hands of the Cavaliers, Rivers had his team watch the HBO documentary about Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on Friday.

“I thought we needed to be together,” Rivers said. “Sometimes instead of watching us play - and I don’t think anybody wanted to watch (the Cavs film) - instead of watching a horror film, I decided to watch a good film.”

Yesterday, players were greeted with a new sign near the exit to the locker room, which read: “Individuals win games, but teams win titles.”

Rivers admitted before yesterday’s game that he didn’t know if the ploys would have any impact in the short term. He was proven prophetic when the C’s lost, 104-96, to the hapless Nets.

“You don’t just watch it one day and the next day it seeps in or the next day the message is either received or lost,” Ray Allen said. “It’s something that hopefully those ideas of what that film was about and everything that we’ve been about just stays with us forever.”

Captain comeback?

Help might be on the way, as Rivers said he was hopeful Paul Pierce [stats] will play Tuesday when the C’s visit Detroit. Pierce has missed three games with a sprained right thumb.

“I’m hoping for that, and we’ll take it from there,” Rivers said. “He’s looking good, he’s running good, he’s catching the ball without any pain right now, so that’s a good sign.” . . .

Marquis Daniels looked much better after battling the flu Thursday night. Daniels said he was up all night after the Cavs game sweating the fever out of his system and spent all of Friday in bed.

Daniels had 16 points in 27 minutes against the Nets.

Vintage KG

Kevin Garnett matched his highest scoring output of the season with 26 points. Limited to just 27 minutes, the power forward was remarkably efficient, making 12-of-16 shots from the field.

Garnett, whose balky right knee remains closely monitored, showed his full repertoire, drilling his patented mid-range jump shots while also finishing at the rim.

“I liked that he was aggressive,” Rivers said. “Kevin is so unselfish, as everyone who’s been here knows. . . . Kevin is so 100 percent about the team, he’s always thinking ball movement early. One of the things we told him, ‘We are moving it - to you. And we want you to look at it.’ I thought he did a great job of that early on.”

Free pass

The Nets were 34-for-41 at the foul line compared with just 9-of-11 for the C’s.

“I guess they were being more aggressive than we were,” Daniels said. . . .

Kendrick Perkins [stats] (two points) picked up his 12th technical of the season in the second quarter for arguing a traveling call. Players are suspended for one game after their 16th technical. . . .

Nets guard Courtney Lee left the game with 10:56 remaining in the fourth quarter and did not return after spraining his left ankle when he landed on Brian Scalabrine’s foot.

Baby: I’m getting bad rap

Glen Davis thinks he’s been the victim of some creative video editing.

The Celtics [team stats] forward has been criticized because of footage that shows him pulling on Shaquille O’Neal’s right thumb while playing defense in Thursday night’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

O’Neal left the game midway through the second quarter after being hit on the right thumb when Davis blocked his shot. The controversy developed after TNT replays, as well as ESPN highlights, focused on Davis pulling at the same thumb.

Davis objected to the suggestion that he was trying to injure O’Neal, saying the clip was taken before O’Neal hurt his thumb.

“I was like, ‘That’s false,’ ” Davis said. “They edited that. That was before he hurt his hand.”

The timeline and replays appear to back Davis’ story.

Davis blocked O’Neal’s shot out of bounds with 7:37 remaining in the second quarter. The Cavs took the ball out of bounds and Anderson Varejao scored four seconds later.

On the Celtics ensuing possession the ball went out of bounds and O’Neal left the game and didn’t return. The injury has been termed significant, but no timetable has been established for O’Neal’s return.

“I was pulling on his hand before that,” Davis said. “He hurt it and came right out. Right after I came down on the ball, he came out.”

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Friday that some Cavs were upset with Davis’ actions. Davis said players frequently do little things to irritate opponents, but his intentions weren’t malicious.

“I was just messing with him,” said Davis, who is friendly with O’Neal, a fellow LSU alum. “I wasn’t trying to hurt him.”

Michael Jordan to be Bobats owner

Michael Jordan’s drive and immense physical talent made him an NBA superstar. His stardom and shrewdness helped him make millions in business.

His latest venture will test his talents and skills like no other.

NBA commissioner David Stern said yesterday he expects Jordan to be approved as majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats by the end of next month. Minutes before his exclusive negotiating window expired late Friday night, Jordan struck a deal with owner Bob Johnson to take over the money-losing team in his home state.

It puts the biggest basketball star of his generation in charge of a 6-year-old team that’s never made the playoffs, has struggled to win over fans and has more than $150 million in debt.

Can Jordan’s streak of business success continue?

“If he’s going to be an absentee owner, just like Bob was, it’s not going to work,” said Felix Sabates, a NASCAR team owner who also holds a minority stake in the Bobcats. “I think if Michael makes a commitment and shows dedication, he can be very successful. He’s a big icon in this part of the country.”

An icon that rarely has been seen. He’s been a part-owner of the Bobcats with the final say on all basketball decisions since 2006. But Jordan has kept a low profile, rarely attending practices or games, taking no role in marketing and leaving the day-to-day operations to a team of assistants.

But former Houston Rockets executive George Postolos, who had an ownership group together to buy the team before Jordan swooped in at the last minute, thinks the deal shows Jordan really wanted the team.

“It’s a very substantial part of his net worth,” Postolos said. “He’s very, very committed.”

Jordan remained silent yesterday. Details of his ownership group - called MJ Basketball Holdings LLC - weren’t available. Sabates said he won’t be part of Jordan’s ownership group, and believes Jordan is buying 100 percent of the team.

Johnson, the first black majority owner of a major professional sports team, has also declined comment after coming close to ridding himself of a venture that cost him a fortune.

“Whatever the number is, Bob is taking a huge financial loss,” Sabates said. “He tried hard. He just made some stupid mistakes. Bob has a bit of an attitude problem that some people owe him. Nobody owes anybody anything.”

Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, paid $300 million for the expansion team, which replaced the New Orleans-bound Hornets in this town and began play beginning with the 2004-05 season.

Grizzlies 120, Knicks 109 - Zach Randolph had 31 points and a career-high 25 rebounds against his former team, and Memphis beat host New York to tie a franchise record with its fourth straight road victory.

Al Harrington scored 31 points for the Knicks, who got only 15 minutes from Tracy McGrady because of a sore left knee. David Lee added 21 points.

Pacers 100, Bulls 90 - Danny Granger had 30 points and eight rebounds to help Indiana beat Chicago in Indianapolis.

Bucks 94, Heat 71 - John Salmons scored 18 points and Milwaukee took advantage of injured Dwyane Wade’s absence to win its sixth game in a row in Miami.

Milwaukee improved to 3-0 this season against Miami.

Trail Blazers 110, Timberwolves 91 - In Minneapolis, Nicolas Batum scored a career-high 31 points, LaMarcus Aldridge added 21 and Portland cruised to another easy victory over Minnesota.

The Blazers have won 12 straight over the Wolves, including four victories this season by a combined 93 points.

Jazz 133, Rockets 110 - Deron Williams scored 20 of his 35 points in the first quarter and Utah routed Houston in Salt Lake City.

Williams (13-of-17 from the field) had 13 assists and seven rebounds to help the Jazz set a season high for points.

Cavaliers regain Mo in overtime

Mo Williams made back-to-back 3-pointers in overtime and finished with 22 points, LeBron James scored 36, and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Raptors 126-118 last night in Toronto.

Antawn Jamison scored 22 points and Delonte West added 15 for Cleveland, which won its third straight. Anderson Varejao had 11 points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 2:12 left in the fourth quarter.

Jarrett Jack and Andrea Bargnani each scored 24 points for the Raptors.

Rockets 109, Spurs 104 - Kevin Martin had his best game since being traded, scoring 33 points to lead host Houston to a win over San Antonio.

Bulls 115, Trail Blazers 111 - Derrick Rose scored 33 points and Luol Deng added seven of his 23 in overtime to lead host Chicago over Portland.

Brandon Roy’s jumper with 3:46 left in overtime gave the Blazers a 107-106 lead, but Kirk Hinrich answered for the Bulls with a driving layup, Deng made a fadeaway jumper, and Joakim Noah found Taj Gibson for a layup to put the Bulls up 112-107 with 2:09 remaining.

Bobcats 93, Grizzlies 89 - Stephen Jackson scored 32 points and grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds, helping visiting Charlotte withstand a fourth-quarter rally and defeat Memphis.

Knicks 118, Wizards 116 - David Lee’s layup with 1.6 seconds to play in overtime gave visiting New York a victory over Washington.

New York snapped an eight-game losing streak by surviving a bizarre overtime where the teams combined to miss 13 of their 16 field goal attempts.

Mavericks 111, Hawks 103 - Dirk Nowitzki scored 37 points, Jason Kidd had 19 points, 17 assists and 16 rebounds, and Dallas beat host Atlanta in overtime for its sixth straight victory. Kidd had his first triple-double this season and 104th of his career, third-most in NBA history.

Thunder 109, Timberwolves 92 - Kevin Durant scored 24 points, Russell Westbrook narrowly missed his second triple-double against Minnesota in less than a week, and host Oklahoma City cruised to victory.

Nuggets 107, Pistons 102 - Chauncey Billups scored 25 points, Carmelo Anthony added 24 and host Denver snapped a seven-game losing streak to Detroit.

Suns 125, Clippers 112 - Robin Lopez scored 19 of his career-high 30 points in the first half and host Phoenix beat Los Angeles for its fifth straight victory.

Hornets 100, Magic 93 - David West scored 40 points and New Orleans erased an 18-point deficit in the second half to beat visiting Orlando.

Kings 103, Jazz 99 - Beno Udrih scored 25 points, Tyreke Evans had 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Sacramento snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory over visiting Utah.

Lakers 99, 76ers 90 - Pau Gasol had 23 points and 11 assists, Kobe Bryant added 19 points and eight assists, and host Los Angeles held Philadelphia to one field goal over the final 3:40. Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who was fined $25,000 by the NBA for publicly criticizing the officiating, finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Elsewhere in the NBA - Heat guard Carlos Arroyo was charged with resisting arrest after police say he was pulled over for driving suspiciously.

A lot rides on Celtics finish

The plan was pretty well set in the Celtics [team stats]’ minds. The club would ride the wave as best it could this season and next, then be in a position where it could squeeze out another year or rebuild almost from scratch.

Whatever that call might be, at least in the summer of 2011, the Celts would be looking back on at least one championship with the possibility of more. Four years as a top contender would have infused the organization with great revenue streams, and with a young point guard and center in place, the chance for a quick reconstruction project would be strong.

But the best laid plans of general manager Danny Ainge and friends have been hit with a case of uncertainty. The way the C’s have played these last months, alternately with brilliance and utter mediocrity, has left the franchise wondering if it may have to make more serious moves this summer.

Ainge is watching the same things you are, and he’s well aware the time is coming when he’ll have to hold, draw or fold.

“I’m constantly thinking about that,” he said. “But I think what happens beyond this season will be based more on how this team performs from here on out than what’s happened to this point.

“I think we’ll know a lot more about this team over the next few months. All we can do now is speculate.”

And be ready to cut in widely divergent directions based on the findings.

“I’m prepared in either scenario,” Ainge said. “We’ll either add to this team or change it.

“And,” he added, “change it big or small. It will become more clear as the season winds down.”

For now, nothing is clear.

“My take is simple,” Ainge said. “My take is that we do a lot of things right. We’re getting leads against top teams on the road and at home. And then we’re doing a lot of things consistently wrong to let those leads go by the wayside.

“If we were not getting the leads, it would be a simpler conclusion. But we’re playing good basketball.”

And then the Celtics do not play good basketball.

“We’re somewhat consistent in how we respond to adversity, and that’s a big problem,” Ainge said. “When things start going in the other direction, we’re not doing a good enough job of stopping the bleeding.

“(Thursday) night was a good example,” he went on, referring to the Cavaliers game in which the C’s led by double figures before losing by 20. “We were ready to play. We came out and we were playing good basketball. We didn’t play great in the first half, but we were playing good. Then in the second half we looked bored. We gave up four layups, and it’s like, where is the urgency?”

Like everyone else, Ainge has tried to pinpoint the root of the problem. Like almost no one else, his diagnosis is discussed in the dressing room.

“There are always little things you can point to,” Ainge said. “We didn’t shoot the 3 (well), we didn’t make free throws, or the bench didn’t come in and play well. But the one consistent pattern is that our starters have to come out and set the tone and they have to play better down the stretch of games, and that hasn’t happened.

“Our starters have been together three years, and age is not a factor. They have to do a better job of finishing games and playing better as a unit. But they haven’t, and that’s the pattern that has developed. I do believe that pattern can be rectified, because I’ve seen it. But that has been the theme song the last month and a half - not getting it done when we have to.”

The question now is whether this is a team dribbling toward its demise like the Pistons of a few years ago or whether it’s one of those Celtics [team stats] squads of the 1960s that stumbled into the playoffs and then just kept winning.

“I don’t know the answer to that,” Ainge said. “I don’t know what the real case is. I don’t know if we’ll know the answer until we get to the playoffs. Until this team runs its course, all we can do is speculate. The playoffs is when this team will be defined, and I still have hope.”

And questions.

Alvin Robertson arrested

Former NBA All-Star Alvin Robertson faces sexual assault of a child and sex trafficking charges alleging he was among seven people who kidnapped a 14-year-old girl who was forced into prostitution and made to dance at a strip club, authorities said. . . .

International gymnastics officials say China should be stripped of its bronze medal from the 2000 Olympics because Dong Fangxiao was 14, 2 years younger than allowed. . . .

Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall testified in the trial of a man accused of killing teammate Darrent Williams and identified the suspect as the same man he saw outside a club in a confrontation before the shooting. . . .

Liz Watson, the wife of ex-slugger Barry Bonds for 12 years, filed for divorce.

Scouting report: Nets at Celtics

THE NUMBERS

12: Consecutive wins by the Celtics [team stats] over New Jersey.

5-52: Nets’ record this season.

9-73: Philadelphia’s record in 1972-73, worst in NBA history.

WHO’S HURT

For the Celtics, Paul Pierce [stats] (sprained right thumb) is day-to-day. For the Nets, Jarvis Hayes (strained left calf) and Chris Quinn (left ankle sprain) are out.

WHO’S HOT

Ray Allen has made 44-of-70 shots in the last five games.

WHO’S NOT

Rasheed Wallace has made 2-of-15 treys in the last five games.

BOTTOM LINE

Considering how the Celtics played in Thursday’s loss to Cleveland, this is a game they need to get for their mental well-being. The Celts should be able to exploit the Nets inside, but then again they were doing that to the Cavs before they stopped moving the ball.

After biding their time, Magic and Howard are busting out

Dwight Howard is on pace to become the first player to lead the league in blocks and rebounds twice.

If patience, as the famous philosopher Archie Bunker once said, is a virgin, then Dwight Howard is learning the value of being chaste. Because he has been toiling in and terrorizing the paint on NBA courts for nearly six seasons, we tend to forget sometimes that Howard is only 24 years old.

Then the 6-foot-11 center of the Orlando Magic has a night like Wednesday in Houston, where he rises like Godzilla out of Tokyo Bay, with 30 points and 16 rebounds on 11-for-11 shooting. Then, the value of forbearance is foremost.

"I'm just staying patient and taking what the defense give me now," Howard said. "I worked extremely hard in the offseason to get better and I work every day in practice to get better.

"I told a lot of our guys at the beginning of the season that it might not show right away, but it would start showing eventually. Now I think everything is getting better for me offensively and defensively."

There's no arguing with the results. With his perfect shooting night in Houston, Howard became the first NBA player to combine 30 or more points and 15 or more rebounds without missing a field goal (minimum 10 attempts) since Wilt Chamberlain did it on March 11, 1969.

Howard currently leads the NBA in both rebounding (13.5 a game) and blocked shots (2.8) and is on pace to become the first player ever to lead both categories in the same season more than once. (The league started keeping blocks as an official stat in 1973-74.)

The truth is, Howard is doing more while expending less energy. In short, he's developed patience.

"I'm a little bit older now than when I first got into the league," he said. "I understand now that you don't have to go 100 miles per hour and do everything at a fast pace. Just let it happen. I'm starting to read the defense, learning when to move and pass the ball out."

Since Jan. 15, Howard has strung together 19 consecutive double-double performances, which broke the old franchise record held by Shaquille O'Neal (1993). During that stretch, he has averaged 22.3 points, 14.3 rebounds and 3.47 blocks per game.

"I don't think this is just a stretch," said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. "First of all, he's matured to where his effort and energy are consistently high. He's so far ahead of everybody else in the league in terms of rebounding.

"He's changed the way he plays now. He's just taking what they give him. If you take away his move across the middle, he'll counter. If you take that away, he'll come back again. He's not going to force through double teams.

"It takes time. Big guys take longer than other people. Dwight has actually come quicker than most big guys."

Since Howard has puffed up his game, the questions surrounding the Magic have begun to fade. Over the past five weeks, they've scored wins over Cleveland, Boston (twice) and Atlanta, the other elites of the Eastern Conference.

While the Cavaliers and Celtics both felt the need to make changes to their rosters ahead of the trade deadline, the Magic, who essentially swapped Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alson and Courtney Lee for Vince Carter, Jason Williams and Ryan Anderson over the summer, stood pat.

"I didn't feel that we needed to make any changes," Howard said. "We did our changing at the beginning of the season. Now the guys in this locker room are ready to win a championship.

"It's the same thing with me about being patient with my game. We had to do that as a team. We understood that we had a lot of new pieces and it was going to take time for guys to get accustomed to the system. Now we're playing better because, instead of us pointing a finger and complaining, we understood at the start that we had to put in the work at practice and would eventually pay off in the games."

Howard is also getting a payoff from his work with Hall of Famer and assistant coach Patrick Ewing.

"He stays on my back a lot," Howard said. "The thing that Pat has mostly helped me with is maturity. He's been through everything I've gone through as a player. Me and him sit in the gym and talk and then we go to work on my post game."

Howard has lately been showing off added prowess with left-handed offensive moves.

"What people don't know is that I'm actually left-handed," Howard said. "My left hand has always been better than my right. I used to shoot with my left hand, but I broke my wrist in high school and had to switch over to my right hand. So now they're both equal."

Said Van Gundy: "What he's doing is incredible. Yet people want more and now they're getting more."

Lakers deal with complacency in dog days of season

Sunday's clash against the Nuggets should bring out inspired play from the Lakers.

Kobe Bryant admitted he was looking forward to Sunday afternoon's clash with the Nuggets. On Wednesday. Before playing Philadelphia. Such are the challenges facing the defending champs, who more often than not face their fiercest competition within their own locker room.

The Lakers tackle two opponents every night -- one wears different colors and the other is a ghost. Phil Jackson's crew is playing against the memory of last season, his other nine title teams and all those legends who fashioned the NBA's most glamorous franchise.

So when the Lakers sleepwalk through parts of wins over the 76ers and Grizzlies or fail to match the intensity of the Mavericks in the last week, questions arise. Do they lose focus, rely too much on Bryant, not take their foes seriously enough or are they just looking ahead to the playoffs?

"Sometimes we just feel like we're too comfortable, too confident in games," Pau Gasol confessed, "and we don't push hard enough at times to be able to pull away from teams."

After getting a late push Friday night to subdue Philly, Jackson didn't sound like the winning coach.

"We weren't proud of our defense. We weren't exactly happy with our offense," he moaned. "I would like to play inspired basketball. It was more like a cursory job getting that out there."

Nitpicking, sure. The Lakers are 44-15 and the experts and the rest of us have pretty much conceded the Western Conference's top seed throughout the playoffs. The only drama left is the home-court edge in The Finals. LeBron James and the Cavaliers do own a season sweep for the Lakers, but the potential Puppet Series is still four months away.

Let's stick to the now. The Lakers are the first to admit they get a little out of whack at times. Some misguided souls put the blame on Bryant, advancing the theory that some teammates have a tendency to concede to his will and fade. Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmer, the premise goes, were more assertive when Kobe was out for five games recently and lost that edge when No. 24 returned.

Kobe, remember, is always there to bail out Showtime: Next Generation. Never mind that Gasol is an All-Star and among the most skilled 7-footers in the world. Lamar Odon is as close to a five-position player as there is in the league. Ron Artest may be the strongest '3' this side of LeBron and easily the nastiest. Andrew Bynum is a star anywhere else, but almost lost in Los Angeles.

"We have to make sure we control games," Gasol said. "We have enough guys here and enough quality where we can do that."

But it always goes back to Bryant. When the Lakers needed a miracle 3-pointer in the closing seconds at Memphis, the ball ended up in the hands of the guy who hadn't played in 2 1/2 weeks, was coming off a sprained ankle and is playing with a broken finger. Kobe, of course, nailed it.

Still, the close call on Beale Street was followed by a loss in Dallas and an unwanted slugfest with the Sixers at Staples Center. Close calls don't sit too well with the Lakers because, apparently, they don't get enough of the referee variety to go their way. The gospel according to Pau.

"We have to step it up a notch here in order to be successful down the road and not come down to the wire every single time," Gasol said, "because we're never going to get the benefit of the doubt on calls."

The other 29 teams and everyone who guards Kobe just filed a protest to the office of You've Got to be Kidding Me, but Gasol isn't the first athlete to cry foul about fouls. Gasol did say Friday that the Lakers' level of play going into the playoffs is more important than where they sit in the standings.

Even with a road-heavy schedule to finish out the regular season, finding a reason to be inspired with 23 games to go is a challenge in itself. Teams that repeat as champion rarely have a better record the second time around. The proverbial bull's-eye and getting everyone's best punch are overplayed expressions that just happen to be true.

To carry the clichés further, the Lakers are in the dog days of the season. The No. 1 seed is in sight and there's really not much to prove before the tournament. Sunday does offer a reason to perk up. The Nuggets are second in the West, fell to the Lakers in the conference finals last year and have won the first two games between the freshly-minted rivals this season.

"We're looking forward to it," Bryant said without any added emotion in his voice.

Maybe more so to grade themselves.

Still a lot to be determined in East over final six weeks

Brandon Jennings and the Bucks are above .500 for the first time since Dec. 2 and right in the playoff hunt.

The Eastern Conference playoff picture isn't nearly as cluttered as that of the West, but there's still a lot to be determined over the final 6 1/2 weeks of the season.

While the top four teams have set themselves apart since October, the bottom half of the playoff picture has looked different almost every week. And right now, it looks a lot different than it did on Jan. 11, when no team beyond the top four was above .500.

In fact, teams 5-8 have just as many wins since Christmas (69) as teams 1-4, which could make things interesting come April. Despite the top-heavy nature of the conference, we've still had some pretty good first-round series in the East over the last couple of years. And we may see another one or two go seven games again this season.

With only one game in the loss column separating the Magic, Celtics and Hawks, and just three games separating teams 5-9, we have no clue what the first-round matchups will be. And we may not find out until the games of April 14 are complete.

Here's how the teams line up for final month and a half of the season...

1. Cavaliers (46-14)

Remaining games: 22

Vs. teams .500 or better: 13

Opponents' winning percentage: .472

Home/road: 11/11

Back-to-backs: 3

The Cavs are down to zero centers on their roster, but they'll find out soon if they're getting Zydrunas Ilgauskas back and when they're getting Shaquille O'Neal back.

With a six-loss cushion over the Magic and Celtics, the Cavs' lead atop the East is pretty safe. But on the other side of the standings, the Lakers trail them by just one game in the loss column. And that should certainly be a concern if Cleveland is thinking championship. The team with home-court advantage has won the Finals 19 of the 25 years since the league went to the 2-3-2 format.

More concerning than the Cavs' center situation may be their defense of late. They've allowed their opponents to shoot 49 percent from the field and score 112.5 points per 100 possessions over the last nine games.

2. Magic (39-20)

Remaining games: 23

Vs. teams .500 or better: 11

Opponents' winning percentage: .465

Home/road: 12/11

Back-to-backs: 5

The Magic are 13-5 since that rough patch they had in January, but after Friday's loss in New Orleans, they're tied in the loss column with the Celtics. Last Sunday's win over Cleveland was good for the psyche, and they get the Cavs one more time (in Cleveland on April 11) this season.

The next test is the Lakers, who visit Orlando on March 7. They've also got three straight against the Nuggets, Mavs and Spurs at the end of March. The main objective for the final 23 games should be getting some consistency out of Vince Carter.

3. Celtics (36-20)

Remaining games: 26

Vs. teams .500 or better: 15

Opponents' winning percentage: .483

Home/road: 14/12

Back-to-backs: 7

Kevin Garnett is looking a little more mobile of late, but now Paul Pierce is out with a sprained thumb. And the Celtics have shown no signs of being able to flip the switch as the playoffs approach. They're just 13-15 since Christmas, having cracked 100 points just seven times in those 28 games.

The Celtics still have the No. 1 defense in the league, but they've struggled offensively. They have one of the tougher schedules of this group, but if they can get the offense going, they still have the ability to beat anybody they play.

4. Hawks (36-21)

Remaining games: 25

Vs. teams .500 or better: 12

Opponents' winning percentage: .472

Home/road: 11/14

Back-to-backs: 7

The Hawks have been treading water for the last couple of months, lacking any consistency on the defensive end of the floor. They haven't won more than three straight since Dec. 18.

Atlanta is in position to meet the Cavs in the conference semifinals again, which may be a better matchup than the Magic. They've lost six straight games to Orlando, by an average of 18.5 points.

5. Raptors (31-26)

Remaining games: 25

Vs. teams .500 or better: 13

Opponents' winning percentage: .479

Home/road: 11/14

Back-to-backs: 8

The Raptors have gone 20-9 since Dec. 18, but they've dropped two straight and lead the Bulls by just 1/2 game for the fifth spot. A drop to sixth wouldn't be the worst thing, because they were crushed by the Hawks in both meetings this season. Of course, they're just 1-10 against the Celtics since Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen arrived in Boston.

It's hard to say if the Raptors have an easier schedule than the Bulls. Though the Bulls have more games remaining against winning teams, they've had more success against them. Toronto is just 9-17 against teams at .500 or better. They've also got a road-heavy schedule the rest of the way, include a four-game trip out west.

6. Bulls (31-27)

Remaining games: 24

Vs. teams .500 or better: 16

Opponents' winning percentage: .508

Home/road: 13/11

Back-to-backs: 8

The Bulls are 17-7 over their last 24 games, and only the Cavs have a better record in that time in the East. While Derrick Rose has been carrying them offensively, their defense has been consistently good.

They've got the toughest schedule of any team on this list, but they've been solid (14-15) against winning teams and have won six of their last eight on the second night of a back-to-back.

7. Bucks (29-28)

Remaining games: 25

Vs. teams .500 or better: 15

Opponents' winning percentage: .515

Home/road: 14/11

Back-to-backs: 7

The Bucks have won five straight and are above .500 for the first time since Dec. 2. Andrew Bogut has been their star, but like the Bulls, the defense has been their backbone.

They've got a tough remaining schedule too, and they're just 9-17 against teams at .500 or better, but the Bucks are an impressive 10-5 (tied with Cleveland for best in the East) on the second night of a back-to-back.

8. Heat (29-29)

Remaining games: 24

Vs. teams .500 or better: 10

Opponents' winning percentage: .439

Home/road: 13/11

Back-to-backs: 5

No team on this list has an easier remaining schedule than the Heat, but Dwyane Wade is currently out with a calf injury, and this team has been on a roller coaster all season. So you never know what you're going to get.

It may all come down to their two remaining games with the Bobcats: March 9 in Charlotte and March 20 in Miami.

9. Bobcats (28-29)

Remaining games: 25

Vs. teams .500 or better: 15

Opponents' winning percentage: .476

Home/road: 13/12

Back-to-backs: 8

Still chasing their first ever playoff berth, the Bobcats have made multiple in-season trades to try and get them over the hump. But they're just 4-7 in February and play the Mavs, Celtics and Lakers before their schedule eases up a bit.

They're the one team at the bottom of this list that may have a shot against the Cavs in a first-round series, having won three straight against Cleveland. If only they weren't 1-2 against New Jersey, they'd be in playoff position right now.

Note to Bosh: Superstar solo acts have better shot at MVPs

The Raptors' Chris Bosh isn't in a big hurry to play second banana to another MVP-type player.

While waiting to see whether and where Zydrunas Ilgauskas asserts himself in the wholly owned subsidiary of this weekly endeavor -- The Race to The MVP (Most Valuable Pickup edition) -- let's look at some numbers as they pertain to the big-boy race here.

And in this case, we're not talking about basketball statistics. We're talking simple math. As in, what's better: One star or two?

At All-Star Weekend in Dallas, Toronto's Chris Bosh was asked on an ESPN Radio show about the widespread assumption that he not only would be leaving the Raptors as a free agent this summer, but that he would select a team based on where LeBron James and Dwyane Wade land. The thinking behind that view was that two stars always are better than one, which is why the New York Knicks, for example, cleared a staggering amount of cap space last week.

Not so fast, though. Bosh said he already had given some thought to that possibly mistaken notion.

"I was just looking at what people say and it's like, 'Chris is going to go here and play with him, or this, this and that.' I'm like, 'Wait a minute,' " Bosh said. "I feel like I should be built around. And maybe that's just my ego talking, but I feel that I'm a very good player in this league and I'm only going to get better. So ... maybe we should be getting somebody [in Toronto]."

Interesting. Maybe it was Bosh's ego talking. He at least showed self-awareness by suggesting that. Maybe he had just tired of hearing outsiders predict his fate and dictate his thought process. Maybe he believes in the Raptors' and general manager Bryan Colangelo's long-term vision. Or maybe he just wanted to throw a bone to worried fans in Canada.

What Bosh needs to remember, though, is that the one-superstar strategy is better for winning MVP awards than for winning championship rings.

It's possible to do both, certainly, if a championship team's best player is undeniably better than its No. 2. The Race has a murkier time of it with team leaders of similar value. Think back to Boston's 2008 title team -- it was nearly impossible to choose from among Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen as a head-and-shoulders-superior MVP candidate. And appropriately, none of them won; Garnett's Defensive Player of the Year Award was a lower-profile acknowledgement of his contribution in hitching up the Celtics' defense.

You can make a case now that Atlanta and Portland are seen more as ensembles than as star-driven teams, though Brandon Roy and Joe Johnson might be firsts among equals. That's how the Detroit Pistons got so deep into the postseason through most of the 2000s without a Maurice Podoloff trophy winner.

Now consider the Denver Nuggets, as Chauncey Billups -- the engine of those Pistons teams -- continues to build a case for MVP consideration while playing alongside a seasonlong candidate in The Race. Does Billups' play detract from Carmelo Anthony's worthiness? Does the presence of a helpful fellow All-Star lead inevitably to split votes and diminished MVP chances for the other guy?

Good questions. We've got about a month and a half to figure them out, as we plug teammates into spots in The Race for the first time in a while.

1. LeBron James, Cavs (45-14)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
59	39.0	29.9	7.1	8.5	1.6	1.0	.502	.352	.772

Last Week's Rank - 1
While 33 points, nine rebounds and six assists couldn't get it done at Orlando Sunday, James' 36 points, seven boards and nine assists did grind down the Celtics in Boston on Thursday. It came two days after his 20 points, 13 assists against New Orleans, with a two-game winning streak making up for the Cavs' little skid.

2. Kevin Durant, Thunder (33-23)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
56	40.0	29.8	7.6	2.9	1.4	0.9	.479	.381	.882

Last Week's Rank - 2
Into each MVP candidate's life, some rain must fall: Durant's streak of 25-point games ended at 29 when he shot 3-of-12 over the final three quarters at San Antonio on Wednesday, had a potentially pivotal attempt down the stretch blocked by Manu Ginobili and settled for 21 in the Thunder's loss. The Race does not penalize for blips, though, not this deep into the season.

3. Dwight Howard, Magic (39-19)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
58	35.3	18.7	13.5	1.6	1.0	2.8	.607	---	.611

Last Week's Rank - 4
In the victory at Houston on Wednesday, Howard (30 points, 16 rebounds, 11-of-11 FG) became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain in March 1969 to reach 30 and 15 without missing a field goal. "I don't think this is just a stretch, I think his game has matured," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He's changed the way he plays now. He's not forcing his way to the basket. If you take away his move across the middle, he'll counter." Scary.

4. Kobe Bryant, Lakers (43-15)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
53	38.6	27.9	5.4	4.6	1.7	0.3	.463	.330	.816

Last Week's Rank - 3
The Lakers went 4-1 while their leader nursed a sprained left ankle. Now they're 1-1 with him back. File this for playoff reference: Bryant averaged 16.3 points on 40 percent shooting and went 2-of-13 from 3-point range in four meetings (2-2) with Dallas.

5. Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets (38-19)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
44	38.0	29.1	6.3	3.4	1.2	0.4	.463	.359	.839

Last Week's Rank - 5
Anthony scored 27 in Denver's victory at Golden State but he trailed a certain teammate by 10. The committee notes but isn't too worried that the Nuggets' forward has scored 30 points or more "only" three times in his last 12 games, compared to eight such outbursts in his previous 11.

6. Dirk Nowitzki, Mavs (37-21)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
57	37.7	24.8	7.6	2.5	0.9	1.1	.474	.345	.905

Last Week's Rank - 8
Sure, Nowitzki had help in the form of Jason Terry's 30 points in the victory Wednesday over the Lakers. But it still was the Mavericks' fifth consecutive triumph and, with Nowitzki scoring 31, it was his 13th such performance of the season and first since Jan. 18.

7. Chauncey Billups, Nuggets (38-19)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
48	33.6	20.2	3.0	6.2	1.2	0.1	.436	.435	.902

Last Week's Rank - --
Billups led Denver at Oakland with 37 pints, two shy of his career high, and had nine assists, six rebounds and a game-altering four-point play. Not unlike the 37, eight and eight he had against the Warriors back on Jan. 20. Denver is 22-4 when Billups scores at least 20 points, and his floor leadership is more vital than ever with George Karl's health absences.

8. Chris Bosh, Raptors (31-25)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
53	36.4	24.5	11.4	2.3	0.6	1.1	.525	.375	.790

Last Week's Rank - 6
Bosh was iffy heading into Toronto's game vs. Cleveland on Friday, which would make it four games missed with an ankle injury. At 2-1 while he's out, the Raptors could strengthen Bosh's MVP standing by losing again -- but that's as counterproductive as the one-superstar theory.

9. Deron Williams, Jazz (37-20)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
51	37.2	18.4	4.2	10.0	1.1	0.2	.474	.361	.788

Last Week's Rank - 9
Speaking of teammates who make teammates better, it's less important whether Race member Williams is fueling Carlos Boozer's recent tear or whether it's the other way around. It's happening and Utah keeps winning.

10. Steve Nash, Suns (36-23)

G	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
58	33.6	17.6	3.3	11.2	0.5	0.2	.513	.426	.936

Last Week's Rank - 10
With back and abdomen issues, Nash gets 11 points, 17 assists and then 20 points, 13 assists in victories over Sacramento and Philadelphia. No one's bumping him off this final perch this week after outings like that.

Only six weeks left to clear up a sizeable West traffic jam

The Nuggets and Jazz have a furious finish ahead as they try to claim the West's No. 2 seed.

Three quarters down, forever to go.

The Western Conference playoff race, annually a traffic jam into the final weeks, is particularly cluttered now, with the seven teams following the Lakers separated by 4 1/2 games and several among that group entering the final 6 1/2 weeks on hot streaks.

The Spurs can still get home-court in the first round with one good mini-run or -- dare we think it? -- start sweating about just making the playoffs. The Nuggets can pressure Los Angeles for No. 1... or lose the division title in a double blow that could position them to face the Lakers as soon as the second round. Deron Williams could be the star who drives the Jazz ... or the man who accurately read the stars, when he declared the Jazz worse off after their recent trade of Ronnie Brewer.

Plus, the cutline to make the playoff projects to a formidable 47 wins. It's not the ridiculous entry fee of 50 in 2007-08, but it is better than the pace of earlier in the decade, when qualifiers routinely got in without breaking 44, and it is far better than the East. All it takes there, based on the current pace, is 41-41. [See If the Playoffs Started Today.]

The trade deadline is over, buyouts are coming fast to allow players to join new teams in time to qualify for playoffs rosters, and it's hard to hear anyone preaching patience anymore. If this isn't the stretch drive, you can see it from here.

How they're lining up for the final quarter:

1. Lakers (43-15)

Remaining games: 24

Vs. teams .500 or better: 14

Opponents' winning percentage: .485

Home/road: 10/14

Back-to-backs: five

This is the big moment. Not for the Lakers, of course. They tend not to do big March moments. But it is for everyone else in the chase, starting with the Nuggets, who have won the first two meetings and head to Staples Center on Sunday. Denver has a chance to close real ground with the potential two-game swing of winning the matinee and claiming the tiebreaker in the process.

Then, the Lakers on Thursday begin a stretch of 11 of 14 on the road. If no one has at least applied serious pressure by the end of that time, forget it -- their regular season closes against the Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Kings and Clippers.

2. Nuggets (38-19)

Remaining games: 25

Vs. teams .500 or better: 19

Opponents' winning percentage: .529

Home/road: 12/13

Back-to-backs: eight

The difference in the mindset from the start of the season, when they didn't react well to life as the favorite for the first time, has been a huge factor in the Nuggets holding at No. 2 in the West. But the Jazz have been playing even better.

This far into 2009-10, Denver is still capable of the strangeness of beating the Celtics, Cavaliers and Mavericks and losing to the Wizards within five games. Because that just happened.

3. Jazz (37-20)

Remaining games: 25

Vs. teams .500 or better: 14

Opponents' winning percentage: .470

Home/road: 10/15

Back-to-backs: seven

Williams, upset at the Jazz for trading friend/starting shooting guard Brewer, told Salt Lake City reporters that, "You look at all the teams that are getting better around the West and we essentially get worse, if you ask me." OK, then. Utah keeps stacking up win streaks, though.

4. Mavericks (37-21)

Remaining games: 24

Vs. teams .500 or better: 14

Opponents' winning percentage: .465

Home/road: 13/11

Back-to-backs: five

They're in a good place. The so-called transition period following a big trade never materialized -- a five-game winning streak did, with victories over the Suns, Magic and Lakers -- and now the Mavs have one of the smoother rides to the finish.

Of particular importance, the numbers give them a substantial edge over the Spurs, a threat for the Southwest Division lead. Dallas has fewer back-to-backs, an easier home-road ratio, and its opponents have a lower winning percentage.

5. Suns (36-23)

Remaining games: 23

Vs. teams .500 or better: 14

Opponents' winning percentage: .482

Home/road: 13/10

Back-to-backs: six

The critical moment is March 16-April 3, 10 games of favorable scheduling that include two meetings with the Timberwolves and one each with the Warriors, Knicks, Nets and Pistons. It's critical because of what comes next: finishing the regular season vs. San Antonio, at Oklahoma City, vs. Houston, vs. Denver and at Utah. Phoenix can't afford to have its playoff lives on the line heading into that final week..

6. Thunder (33-23)

Remaining games: 26

Vs. teams .500 or better: 16

Opponents' winning percentage: .488

Home/road: 14/12

Back-to-backs: six

It's not just the Thunder in a tight race. It's the Thunder in a tight race while in any race for the first time. How the young team responds to the emotional challenge will be one of the best subplots to this West roller-derby. Good stuff.

Their chance is now. Beginning Tuesday, the Thunder have a six-game stretch that includes two against the Kings and one against the Clippers, Nets, Hornets and Nuggets. A playoff-ready roster would capitalize.

7. Spurs (32-23)

Remaining games: 27

Vs. teams .500 or better: 20

Opponents' winning percentage: .527

Home/road: 11/16

Back-to-backs: eight

As if the season hasn't been tough enough, now they get arguably the toughest finishing schedule in the group. Playing 16 of the final 27 on the road is a particularly sizeable task for a team that is 12-13 away from AT&T Center. And 20 of the games against opponents at .500 or better is a lot of heavy lifting, just to get to the playoffs.

8. Trail Blazers (34-26)

Remaining games: 22

Vs. teams .500 or better: 12

Opponents' winning percentage: .475

Home/road: 9/13

Back-to-backs: five

No one could have imagined at the start of the season they would be in a race just to make the playoffs. Then again, no one could have predicted the harsh circumstances of the last few months, either.

The chance to turn it into a long postseason run could start from far back in the pack, with the most unwanted situation of all, a first-round meeting with the Lakers, at the end. But the finishing schedule is also reasonable enough that the Blazers could move up. They definitely need to take advantage of the second week of March -- vs. Kings, at Warriors, at Kings, vs. Raptors, vs. Wizards.

There's another grouping after Portland, with the Hornets three games back of the eighth spot and New Orleans, Memphis and Houston separated by a game.

The order could change. The field could change. There's still forever to go.

Reports of Ilgauskas' return to Cavs premature says source

Reports that Zydrunas Ilgauskas has made up his mind and is heading back to Cleveland are premature, a source close to the situation told NBA.com on Sunday. Five playoff contenders remain in the mix, along with the favorite Cavaliers, for the 7-foot-3 center who was bought out by Washington last week.

The Nuggets, Jazz, Hawks, Mavericks and Celtics continue to pursue Ilgauskas hard, and he's considering the merits of each situation. Atlanta and Utah has easily the most to spend in the group, having a prorated portion of the mid-level exception ($4.1 million) available if Z decides to sign as soon as Monday.

Denver, Dallas and Boston have the biannual exception to use, with prorates to approximately $1.4 million. Cleveland, which has to wait until March 22 to sign their former two-time All-Star, would have $1.1 million left in its biannual.

The Cavaliers became more desperate to get Z back Sunday with Shaquille O'Neal likely out for at least the rest of the regular season because of thumb surgery.

So of the six finalists, the Hawks and Jazz have a full $3 million more than Cleveland can spend and $2.7 above the biannual competitors. The Heat and Spurs also expressed interest, but Ilgauskas has narrowed his list.

"He's going to make up his mind as his pace," agent Herb Rudoy told NBA.com on Friday. "He's in no rush. He could decide this weekend or sometime next week, but he feels no pressure to rush into a decision."

Cleveland does remain the safe bet based on Ilgauskas' "emotional investment" to the franchise, according to the source. But the Cavs have the least amount to financially invest in Z, who surrendered about $1.5 million to part with the Wizards.

Ilgauskas, a 12-year veteran, spent his entire career in Cleveland before the trade-deadline deal to Washington. The 34-year-old Lithuanian didn't play a game for the Wizards as the buyout was being negotiated.

Cavs star LeBron James has openly campaigned for an Ilgauskas reunion and most in the league remain convinced that's where this is headed. But that hasn't stopped the pitches from those still in the running. Nuggets coach George Karl said Sunday that he's spoken to Z by phone.

Bosh to miss fifth straight game with ankle injury

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- All-star forward Chris Bosh did not travel with the Toronto Raptors and missed his fifth straight game Sunday night due to a sprained left ankle.

Bosh is listed as day-to-day for the Raptors, who played at Oklahoma City on Sunday night and are scheduled to play at Houston on Monday night.

Bosh ranks eighth in the NBA with a 24.5-point average and he's also fifth in the league with 11.4 rebounds per game.

Toronto has gone 2-2 without Bosh, including an overtime loss against Cleveland on Friday night.

Wolves' Al Jefferson arrested on suspicion of DWI

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota Timberwolves star center Al Jefferson apologized to the team and fans Sunday after his arrest on suspicion of DWI following a weekend loss to Portland.

The Timberwolves suspended Jefferson for the next two games without pay -- a punishment Jefferson said he accepts.

"I want to apologize to the entire Timberwolves organization, owner Glen Taylor, my teammates, coaches and Wolves fans everywhere for my actions last night," Jefferson said in a statement released Sunday by the Timberwolves. "I made a very poor decision and I am truly sorry for that. As a leader on this team, I know that more is expected of me, and I am disappointed in myself."

A Minnesota State Patrol trooper stopped Jefferson, 25, on Interstate 394 near downtown Minneapolis early Sunday for speeding and changing lanes without signaling, patrol spokesman Lt. Eric Roeske said.

After taking a field sobriety test, Jefferson was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center for a blood test, which he had agreed to, then to Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of fourth-degree driving while impaired, Roeske said. Jefferson was released after an hour in jail and faces an April 23 court appearance.

Results of the blood test are expected in two to three weeks, Roeske said. He said the trooper noted that Jefferson was "very cooperative." Jefferson's vehicle was towed away, Roeske said.

Jefferson led the Timberwolves with 19 points in Saturday night's 110-91 loss to the Trail Blazers at Target Center. He's averaging 17.7 points and 9.6 rebounds a game.

David Kahn, Timberwolves president of basketball operations, said Jefferson "feels terrible" about what happened.

"On behalf of the Timberwolves organization, we are disappointed that Al used poor judgment last night. Thankfully, nobody was injured or hurt," Kahn said in a statement Sunday.

"Having spoken to Al, I can assure everybody associated with our franchise that Al understands this is a matter of the utmost seriousness. He feels terrible about what occurred and I believe him when he says he will learn from his mistake," Kahn said.

But Kahn said it's appropriate that Jefferson be suspended for the Wolves' games at Dallas Wednesday and at home against Houston Saturday.

The 6-foot-10 Jefferson missed the last 2 1/2 months of last season after injuring his right knee and undergoing surgery. Telephone calls to his agent's office were not immediately returned Sunday.

O'Neal to have surgery Monday on injured thumb

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal's regular season could be over. Now the Cavaliers hope the center they acquired for the postseason will be back in time for the playoffs.

O'Neal will undergo surgery Monday to repair his injured right thumb. He was examined Sunday by Dr. Thomas Graham at the National Hand Center in Baltimore. Graham will perform the surgery.

The Cavaliers said they will update a timeline for his return following the procedure, but a typical recovery period is 6 to 8 weeks. There are seven weeks left in the regular season.

"I think we'll be all right," point guard Mo Williams said before learning O'Neal needed surgery. "We'll weather the storm while the big fella gets some rest."

The Cavaliers acquired O'Neal last summer with an eye toward the postseason, and more specifically Dwight Howard and Orlando after the Magic eliminated Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals. O'Neal has played well for the Cavaliers this season, averaging 12 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games.

More importantly, he has played a big role in the Cavaliers going 4-1 against the Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers, two teams Cleveland struggled against last season and two teams likely to block Cleveland's path to a championship.

O'Neal injured the thumb Thursday at Boston when his shot was blocked by Glen "Big Baby" Davis with just over 7 minutes left in the first half.

Anderson Varejao will continue to start at center for the Cavs. Former backup Zydrunas Ilgauskas, traded to Washington for Antawn Jamison, is now a free agent following a buyout from the Wizards. Ilgauskas is free to sign with any team, but will have to wait until March 21 under NBA rules should he elect to re-sign with the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers are a more up-tempo team with O'Neal out of the lineup.

"With Shaq, you have to take advantage of his size and you have to go in the paint. He gets teams in foul trouble real easy," Williams said. "Without Shaq, it'll be more pick and rolls, more drive and kicks and more 3-point attempts. We'll spread the floor out and attack the rim in different ways."

O'Neal suffered a similar injury while playing with the Magic in 1995, when he missed the first 22 games of the season when he fractured the same thumb. Counting Monday's game against New York, the Cavaliers have 22 games left in the regular season.

Cleveland also recalled rookie Danny Green from Erie of the NBA Development League on Sunday. He was assigned to Erie on Feb. 24 and played in two games for the BayHawks.

Ellis out as Warriors face Pistons with eight players

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Golden State guard Monta Ellis missed the Warriors' game Saturday night against the Detroit Pistons because of a sore back.

Ellis, sidelined for sixth game this season, leads the Warriors in scoring at 25.7 points per game. The injury left the Warriors with only eight healthy players.

Chris Wilcox was inactive for the Pistons, also because of a sore back.

Rockets' Battier (flu) misses first game of season

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Houston's Shane Battier missed the Rockets' game Saturday night against the Utah Jazz because of flu-like symptoms.

Battier, averaging 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds, had started every game this season for the injury-decimated Rockets.

Utah's Andrei Kirilenko, after playing 31 minutes at Sacramento on Friday night and scoring 16 points, sat out with chronic back spasms. Kirilenko also missed games against Atlanta and Charlotte this week. He has missed nine games this season because of back pain.

Meanwhile, Trevor Ariza missed his third consecutive game for the Rockets because of a left hip injury.

McGrady (knee) misses second half vs. Grizzlies

NEW YORK (AP) -- Knicks guard Tracy McGrady missed the second half of the New York Knicks' 120-109 loss to Memphis on Saturday night because of a sore left knee.

Playing for the second time in two nights, McGrady logged 15 minutes in the first half, going scoreless while missing all three shots. Coach Mike D'Antoni said before the game he hoped McGrady could go 25-30 minutes, but would leave it up to the player.

McGrady said he wasn't concerned about the injury, but didn't want to take any further risks after feeling pain in the first half.

"Usually in the first half I'm pretty good, but tonight even the first couple of trips up the court I noticed that this wasn't my night," McGrady said.

McGrady is still working his way back into shape after microfracture knee surgery last February. He played six games for Houston in December, then wasn't active again until last Saturday, two days after the Knicks acquired him at the trade deadline.

Jordan reaches deal to buy controlling interest of Bobcats

Michael Jordan, part-owner of the Bobcats since 2006, still needs NBA owners to approve the purchase.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Michael Jordan's drive and immense physical talent made him an NBA superstar. His stardom and shrewdness helped him make millions in business.

His latest venture will test his talents and skills like no other.

NBA commissioner David Stern said Saturday he expects Jordan to be approved as majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats by the end of next month. Minutes before his exclusive negotiating window expired late Friday night, Jordan struck a deal with owner Bob Johnson to take over the money-losing team in his home state.

It puts the biggest basketball star of his generation in charge of a 6-year-old team that's never made the playoffs, has struggled to win over fans and has more than $150 million in debt.

Can Jordan's streak of business success continue?

"If he's going to be an absentee owner, just like Bob was, it's not going to work," said Felix Sabates, a NASCAR team owner who also holds a minority stake in the Bobcats. "I think if Michael makes a commitment and shows dedication, he can be very successful. He's a big icon in this part of the country."

An icon that has been rarely seen. He's been a part-owner of the Bobcats with the final say on all basketball decisions since 2006. But Jordan has kept a low profile, rarely attending practices or games, taking no role in marketing and leaving the day-to-day operations to a team of assistants.

But former Houston Rockets executive George Postolos, who had an ownership group together to buy the team before Jordan swooped in at the last minute, thinks the deal shows Jordan really wanted the team.

"It's a very substantial part of his net worth," Postolos said. "He's very, very committed."

Jordan remained silent on Saturday. Details of his ownership group -- called MJ Basketball Holdings LLC -- weren't available. Sabates said he won't be part of Jordan's ownership group, and believes Jordan is buying 100 percent of the team.

Johnson, the first black majority owner of a major professional sports team, has also declined comment after coming close to ridding himself of a venture that cost him a fortune.

"Whatever the number is, Bob is taking a huge financial loss," Sabates said. "He tried hard. He just made some stupid mistakes. Bob has a bit of an attitude problem that some people owe him. Nobody owes anybody anything."

Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, paid $300 million for the expansion team, which replaced the New Orleans-bound Hornets in this town and began play in 2004-05. Johnson, who maintained his residence in Washington, had several missteps, from a failed venture to start a regional sports network, pricing tickets too high, clashing with business leaders and struggling to win over fans soured by the Hornets' ugly exit.

While the Bobcats lost on the floor, Johnson was losing tens of millions of dollars each year despite a new arena funded by taxpayers. The losses mounted as he increased the player payroll after his successful effort to recruit Jordan, who bought a small stake in the team and was given control of personnel moves.

Just like his stint running the Washington Wizards and his decision to draft Kwame Brown No. 1 overall in 2001, Jordan quickly had a gaffe in Charlotte when he selected the disappointing Adam Morrison with the third pick in the 2006 draft.

While Jordan was eventually fired in Washington, he's been praised for some recent moves in Charlotte, most notably persuading fellow Hall of Famer Larry Brown to take over as coach before last season. They've paired up to complete seven trades involving 21 players since the start of last season, and the Bobcats (28-29) are in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.

"Everybody wanted to see him involved and I can't imagine the NBA not having Michael Jordan involved," Brown said Saturday while watching the North Carolina-Wake Forest game. "He's been great for us to work with, he lets us do our job and he's the best. So thankfully, he's back."

Bobcats guard Stephen Jackson echoed his coach. Jackson, acquired from Golden State in November, has been one of Jordan's best pickups.

"I think it's great, an opportunity for me to continue to play for a guy who I've looked up to my whole career, the best to ever play the game," he said Saturday night. "I think he's going to get this team, the right guys on the court, and go in the right direction to be a consistent team in the playoffs."

Jordan will become the second black majority owner for this franchise in a state where he's adored. He grew up in Wilmington and hit a last-second shot to give North Carolina the 1982 national championship.

"We have been anticipating an agreement for transfer of a majority interest in the Bobcats and are pleased it has occurred," Stern said in a statement. "Bob Johnson brought the excitement of the NBA back to Charlotte and I am certain that as Michael Jordan returns to his home state as the principal owner of the Bobcats the team will continue its growth as a success on the court, as a business success and as a valued community asset."

Sabates said making Charlotte his home is key to making it work for Jordan. If he doesn't, his streak of business success may end.

"If Michael doesn't do that, he's wasted a lot of money," Sabates said. "But Michael is pretty smart and Michael's got some pretty good advisers. He didn't get to where he's at by being dumb.

"This is the biggest investment of his life. He can have 19,000 people at every game. It's up to him."

Commissioner David Stern statement on Bobcats purchase

NEW YORK -- National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern issued the following statement today:

"We have been anticipating an agreement for transfer of a majority interest in the Bobcats and are pleased it has occurred. Bob Johnson brought the excitement of the NBA back to Charlotte and I am certain that as Michael Jordan returns to his home state as the principal owner of the Bobcats the team will continue its growth as a success on the court, as a business success and as a valued community asset. We expect the expedited approval process to be completed by the end of next month."