NEW YORK, 25 January 2005 — Damon Stoudamire scored 23 points as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 107-99 Monday, breaking out of a six-game losing skid with an upset victory over the NBA’s top team.
Portland, with only one win in its previous 11 outings and missing forwards Zach Randolph and Shareef Abdur-Rahim, was given little chance of ending its slump against the streaking Spurs, who had won five in a row.
But the host Blazers produced a gritty effort for the home supporters, five players contributing double figure scores.
After the Spurs pulled to within 102-99, Stoudamire nailed a three-pointer and then sank two free throws. Darius Miles picked up 21 points for the Blazers while Joel Przybilla added 17 points and 16 boards.
Tim Duncan had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs.
In Cleveland, the Washington Wizards received double figures from six players, led by 30 points from Gilbert Arenas, to collect a 106-97 victory over the Cavaliers.
The Wizards stumbled through the opening half, scoring only 30 points. But they found their rhythm in the second, erasing a 17-point deficit on the way to their third consecutive win and 10th in 12 games.
The victory improved the Wizards’s record to 25-15, matching their win total from all of last season.
LeBron James continued his sizzling play for the Cavaliers by hitting for 31 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
In Houston, Yao Ming grabbed 22 points and 10 rebounds while Jon Barry added a season-high 19 points as the Rockets eased past the Orlando Magic 89-78, despite missing leading scorer Tracy McGrady.
McGrady, absent because of a family emergency, was not needed as the Rockets completed a two-game sweep of the Magic to extend their winning streak to three games.
In Philadelphia, Allen Iverson, the NBA’s leading scorer, poured in 45 points and dished out 11 assists to spark the 76ers to a 106-98 triumph over the Miami Heat, their third victory in four games.
Shaquille O’Neal answered with 24 points and Dwyane Wade added 17 for the Heat, who have lost five of their last eight games.
The Philadelphia crowd spent large portions of the game cheering members of the Super Bowl-bound Eagles, including quarterback Donovan McNabb and wide receiver Terrell Owens, who sat courtside.
In Minneapolis, NBA MVP Kevin Garnett registered 22 points and nine rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the undermanned Detroit Pistons 86-83 and stretch their unbeaten run to three games.
The Timberwolves led 48-39 at the half but struggled to nail down the win.
Meantime, a judge set up a possible courtroom reunion between the five Indiana Pacers players and four Detroit Pistons fans seen brawling on countlessly replayed video loops when she ordered them to appear in court on the same day.
Nine people charged in the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills were scheduled for a pretrial conference Tuesday afternoon in Rochester Hills District Court.
It was not immediately clear if District Judge Lisa Asadoorian planned to gather the defendants in the same room at the same time; it was also not known whether each planned to attend the hearing, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in suburban Detroit.
``It’s going to be a zoo,’’ James Burdick, lawyer for Pacers player Stephen Jackson, told The Detroit News.
A warrant would be issued for any defendant who fails to appear. The Pacers were not scheduled to play a game Monday night or Tuesday; their next game is Wednesday night in Boston.
Burdick said Asadoorian’s attendance order is uncommon but not unprecedented. He said some defendants may seek to move the trial out of Rochester Hills District Court because of extensive publicity.
The pretrial conference is to discuss matters such as evidence and witnesses, and to establish a timetable.
Other Pacers players facing misdemeanor charges in the Nov. 19 brawl are Ron Artest, Anthony Johnson, David Harrison and Jermaine O’Neal.
Fans charged with misdemeanors are John Green, John Ackerman, William Paulson and David Wallace, brother of Pistons center Ben Wallace. Fan Bryant Jackson is charged with felonious assault for allegedly tossing a chair. He was scheduled to appear for a preliminary examination in the same court Tuesday morning.
On Monday, a spectator who police say was punched by two players during the fight pleaded no contest to violating a local ordinance that prohibits fans from entering the basketball court during an NBA game.
Charlie Haddad, 21, of Burt, is scheduled to be sentenced March 16. He faces up to 90 days in jail or a $500 fine.
The Pistons closed the deficit to 82-81 with less than a minute to play before Anthony Carter and Fred Hoiberg each drained two free throws.
In Los Angeles, Elton Brand claimed 23 points and 12 rebounds as the Clippers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 97-87 to end a five-game losing streak.
In Atlanta, Eddy Curry scored 19 points and Andres Nocioni added 18 to help the Chicago Bulls rout the Hawks 107-82, improving their record to 20-19 to go above .500 for the first time in more than two years.
