The Pacers held MJ in check all night. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana held Michael Jordan to a career-low six points, Jalen Rose scored 26 points and Jamaal Tinsley added 16 points and 12 assists as the Pacers beat the Washington Wizards 108-81 on Thursday night.

        Jordan played only 25 minutes and was held to 2-for-10 shooting from the field. The last time Jordan failed to reach double digits was March 22, 1986, when he scored eight points against Cleveland — his previous low. He had reached double digits in 866 straight games.

        The Wizards, who played their third straight game without second-leading scorer Richard Hamilton (strained groin), have lost two straight following a team record nine-game winning streak. Tyronn Lue scored 23 points to lead the Wizards, who shot 37 percent overall.

        Hawks 100, Heat 96

        ATLANTA — Dion Glover scored 16 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:36 left, as Atlanta rallied for a victory over Miami.

        Jason Terry added 32, including a clinching jumper with 12.3 seconds left, and the Hawks won for just the second time in six games. Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 22 points and 10 rebounds.

        Eddie Jones scored 22 points, and Brian Grant had 16 for Miami, which led by 19 in the second half and set season highs with 38 points in the first quarter and 58 in the first half.

        But for the second time in three games, the Hawks slowed down a hot-scoring opponent with a 1-2-2 zone. Miami made its first three shots of the fourth quarter, but went just 3-for-15 down the stretch.

        Nets 88, Pistons 75

        AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Jason Kidd had 18 assists and four points, and Kenyon Martin scored 21 points to lead New Jersey over Detroit.

        Kerry Kittles added 15 points, and Aaron Williams 12 for the Nets, who won for the second straight night and are off to the best start in franchise history with an 18-9 record.

        Martin returned from a one-game suspension by the NBA after committing a flagrant foul on Karl Malone in Utah's victory Sunday. Martin, who was ejected after the foul, was also fined $7,500.

        Jerry Stackhouse scored 16 points, but shot just 7-of-20, for the Pistons, who returned home after an 0-5 West Coast road trip. Cliff Robinson added 14 points, and Ben Wallace had 15 rebounds for Detroit, which has lost six straight and set a season low for points scored.

        Mavericks 89, Bulls 74

        DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 of his 24 points in the first quarter as Dallas cruised to a victory over Chicago and stretched its season-high winning streak to eight.

        Dallas reserve Eduardo Najera set career highs with 15 points and 14 rebounds as the Mavericks won easily despite playing the second half without injured starters Michael Finley and Evan Eschmeyer.

        Ron Mercer scored 19 points and Ron Artest 13 for the Bulls, who lost their eighth in a row and 16th straight on the road. Chicago interim coach Bill Berry fell to 0-2 since taking over after coach Tim Floyd's resignation on Christmas Eve. Chicago is a league-worst 4-23.

        Jazz 99, Trail Blazers 87

        PORTLAND, Ore. — John Stockton scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half, and Karl Malone scored 13 fourth-quarter points as Utah overcame a 19-point first-quarter deficit to beat Portland.

        Reserve Bryon Russell added 18 points for Utah (15-15), which won its third straight and reached .500 for the first time this season. Malone finished with 19 points, and Stockton had 11 assists.

        Damon Stoudamire led the Blazers with 22 points, and Ruben Patterson added 18.

        Suns 84, Celtics 82

        PHOENIX — Stephon Marbury, having a miserable shooting night, sank a 22-footer with two seconds to play to give Phoenix a victory over Boston.

        Boston's Paul Pierce, who scored 14 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, had a 3-pointer from the baseline bounce out of the basket at the buzzer.

        Shawn Marion scored a season-high 30 points for the Suns, who trailed by as many as 15 in the second quarter and trailed by 12 with 3:12 to go in the third. Penny Hardaway scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds for Phoenix, which split its season series with Boston.

        Marbury shot just 2-of-12 and scored seven points a night after scoring 33 in an 87-81 victory at Houston on Wednesday night. Before his game-winner, his only field goal was an uncontested layup at the end of the first half.

        SuperSonics 101, Clippers 90

        SEATTLE — Gary Payton scored 20 of his season-high 43 points in the fourth quarter as the Seattle SuperSonics beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night for their fifth straight win.

        Payton was one shy of equaling his career high of 44 points, set against Minnesota last season. He shot 18-of-27 in 45 minutes, had six assists, eight rebounds and no turnovers.

        Rashard Lewis added 16 points for the Sonics, who beat the Clippers for the 16th time in their last 17 meetings in Seattle. Seattle also evened its record at 15-15.

        Corey Maggette led the Clippers with 25 points, and Jeff McInnis added 20 and Elton Brand 16.

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