Pacers extend winning streak over Kings

Jermaine O'Neal and the Indiana Pacers shut down All-Star Chris Webber and the Sacramento Kings to score a 97-86 victory on Sunday.

It was Indiana's fifth straight victory over Sacramento, the best team in the NBA with a 42-16 record.

The Pacers dominated despite the absence of Reggie Miller, who was starting a two-game suspension. Miller was also fined $10,000 for his fight after the buzzer with Los Angeles Lakers's Kobe Bryant on Friday.

O'Neal scored 12 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and had 11 rebounds. Reserve forward Austin Croshere added 19 points for the Pacers.

O'Neal made the Eastern Conference All-Star team after a season out of position at center. When the Pacers acquired center Brad Miller from Chicago as part of a seven-player deal, it allowed O'Neal to move to his natural position of power forward.

Mike Bibby had 19 points and Webber was held to 13 as the Kings suffered their third home loss of the season.

In Toronto, Allen Iverson recorded 40 points for the second game in a row to hand the tumbling Raptors their 11th consecutive loss as the Philadelphia 76ers coasted home 96-84.

It was the 40th time in Iverson's career he had hit the 40- point mark. The NBA's top scorer has had three of his six 50-point games against the Raptors.

"You've got to give the little guy credit. He comes up with the big plays, especially against us," said Antonio Davis, who led the Raptors with 26 points and nine rebounds.

While Iverson shone, Toronto All-Star Vince Carter was held to 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting.

The Raptors fell one-half game behind Indiana for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff berth. Philadelphia is sixth, one game behind Boston and Orlando.

BRYANT HONOURED

In Los Angeles, Shaquille O'Neal wore Kobe Bryant's jersey during the national anthem before leading the Lakers to a 95-79 victory over the Houston Rockets.

O'Neal was honouring Bryant, who is sitting out a two-game suspension for fighting with Indiana's Reggie Miller on Friday.

O'Neal had 36 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. Steve Francis led the Rockets with 20 points.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, Jerry Stackhouse scored Detroit's final eight points, including a layup with 3.7 seconds left, as the Pistons squeezed past the Hornets 83-81.

On the Hornets's final possession, Detroit's Clifford Robinson stripped the ball from Baron Davis as time ran out.

Stackhouse scored 28 points and made 14 of 14 foul shots as Detroit won for the eighth time in its last nine games to move a season-high 11 games over .500.

Elden Campbell scored 23 points and Jamal Mashburn added 18 for the Hornets.

In Cleveland, the Milwaukee Bucks got by without the injured Sam Cassell as they recorded a 101-91 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Glenn Robinson had 28 points and 10 rebounds. Ray Allen scored 27 points and made 10-of-21 shots, including 4-of-10 from three-point range for the Bucks.

Point guard Andre Miller led the Cavaliers with 17 points and Tyrone Hill had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

In Denver, the Dallas Mavericks edged past the Nuggets 116-110 in overtime.

SEVEN-PLAYER DEAL

It was the first time Dallas had met Denver since Nick Van Exel and Raef LaFrentz joined the Mavs in a seven-player deal on February 21.

Juwan Howard, who travelled in the opposite direction in the trade, had 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets while Tim Hardaway, another player involved in the deal, had 16 points and nine assists.

Michael Finley led the Mavs with 30 points and Van Exel added 20. The Denver fans booed Van Exel every time he touched the ball. It was the Nuggets's seventh loss in eight games.

In Memphis, Gary Payton had 20 points and 13 assists to lead six double-figure scorers for the Seattle SuperSonics in their 96-71 thumping of the Grizzlies.

It was the 22nd victory for the Sonics in 25 games against the Grizzlies. Seattle took a commanding 74-52 lead by the third quarter, with Payton recording 16 points and 10 assists.

The Sonics won for the ninth time in their last 10 road games.

At East Rutherford, New Jersey, Kenyon Martin scored eight of his 15 points in the third quarter as the Nets snapped a two- game losing streak by defeating the Chicago Bulls 92-84.

Jason Collins led the Nets with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Martin had his sixth flagrant foul this season early in the third quarter and will receive an automatic one-game suspension.

Jalen Rose topped the scoring for the Bulls with 27 points.

In New York, Tim Duncan had 25 points and 12 rebounds and David Robinson added 13 and 15 as the San Antonio Spurs cruised to a 99-83 victory over the Knicks.

Latrell Sprewell was held to 12 points and Allan Houston limped in with 13 for New York. The Knicks have lost eight of their last nine games.

In Washington, Courtney Alexander scored a season-high 32 points as the Wizards ended their seven-game losing streak with a 107-102 overtime victory against the Orlando Magic.

The Wizards were without Michael Jordan, their second leading scorer Richard Hamilton and injured starting center Jahidi White.

Alexander hit a jumper to tie the game 93-93 with 47 seconds left in regulation.