Washington Wizards' chairman of the board Abe Pollin, left, shakes hands with Wizards' Michael Jordan as he presented Jordan with a trophy that commemorated his 30,000 point scoring milestone. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        WASHINGTON — In a rare visit to the MCI Center last season, president of basketball operations Michael Jordan threw a tantrum in the owners' box while watching the Wizards blow a 21-point lead and lose their annual home game against the Clippers.

        That game was fresh in Jordan's mind when the Clippers returned Tuesday night. Back in uniform, Jordan had 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to lead Washington to a 96-88 victory.

        Washington was 4-15 after that Clippers loss in December 2000. By contrast, Tuesday's victory was the fourth straight for the Wizards (18-14) and moved them within one victory of their total from all last season.

        Jordan recovered from a 1-for-8 first quarter to make nine of 24 shots in 42 minutes. It helped that Lamar Odom, who played well early and did a credible job defensively on Jordan, left the game for good in the second quarter with the stomach flu.

        Jordan's supporting cast included Popeye Jones (season-high 16 points), Chris Whitney (18) and Hubert Davis (16).

        Jeff McInnis scored a season-high 27 points to lead the Clippers.

        Lakers 121, Pistons 92

        AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Shaquille O'Neal scored 28 points, and Kobe Bryant had 20 — then both sat out the entire fourth quarter — as Los Angeles won its fifth straight game.

        The two-time defending champions, who are an NBA-best 25-6, led by 30 points after three quarters.

        Jerry Stackhouse led the Pistons with 27 points. Detroit (16-17) has lost 11 of 13 games to fall below .500 for the first time since opening night.

        O'Neal played 25 minutes in his third game after missing the previous five with an arthritic toe. He went 11-of-17 from the field, 6-of-10 on free throws, had 10 rebounds and three assists.

        Rockets 88, Knicks 86

        HOUSTON — Moochie Norris made a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer, and Houston dealt New York its third straight loss.

        Norris, who had 13 points, was called for an offensive foul with 13 seconds to play. That led to Allan Houston's basket, which gave the Knicks an 86-85 lead with 7 seconds to play.

        The Rockets worked the inbounds pass to Steve Francis, but he got bottled up near the basket and passed to Norris, who was alone in the corner. After his winning shot went through the net, Norris went over and jumped atop the scorer's table.

        Kenny Thomas scored 24 points, and Francis 19 for the Rockets.

        Houston led the Knicks with 28 points, and Mark Jackson scored 14. But Latrell Sprewell, who came into the game as the Knicks' leading scorer with a 20.1-point average, shot just 4-for-15 from the floor and scored eight.

        New York has lost five of its last six games and dropped to 4-11 since Don Chaney replaced Jeff Van Gundy as coach.

        Hawks 101, Trail Blazers 92

        ATLANTA — Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 30 points, and Jason Terry added 24 as Atlanta ended a two-game losing slide.

        The Hawks shot 50 percent (37-of-74) from the field, the first time in 19 games they made at least half of their shots.

        Bonzi Wells scored 26 for the Trail Blazers, who had won two straight games. Wells, though, missed five open layups.

        Portland rallied from a 10-point deficit to take an 85-84 lead midway through the fourth quarter, with Wells scoring seven points during the run. It was the Trail Blazers' first lead since early in the second half.

        But Cal Bowdler started a 12-4 Atlanta run with two free throws, and Emanuel Davis added a three-point play.

        Nets 104, Heat 95

        EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Keith Van Horn scored eight of his 19 points down the stretch, leading seven Nets in double figures.

        Kerry Kittles added 18 points, Jason Kidd had 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Aaron Williams had 11 points and a key late block as New Jersey came back to win after blowing a 17-point first-half lead.

        Lucious Harris and Richard Jefferson each added 12 points as New Jersey ended Miami's season-high three-game winning streak.

        Nets forward Kenyon Martin sat out his second straight game — both won by New Jersey — because of a league suspension for a flagrant foul on Orlando's Tracy McGrady. Martin can return for New Jersey's next game, against the Clippers on Thursday.

        Alonzo Mourning had season bests of 26 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Heat.

        Grizzlies 84, Raptors 81

        MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Stromile Swift scored Memphis' final six points as the Grizzlies ended a four-game losing streak.

        Swift's dunk off a Pau Gasol miss gave Memphis a three-point lead with 10 seconds left. Alvin Williams' 3-point attempt with a second left was short for Toronto.

        Swift and Gasol both had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Tony Massenburg added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

        Memphis outrebounded Toronto 49-38.

        Vince Carter led the Raptors with 31 points on 14-of-28 shooting. Raptors reserve Dell Curry scored 14, including 10 in the first half, while Jerome Williams finished with 12.

        Mavericks 95, Nuggets 94

        DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points, and his three-point play with 6.9 seconds left gave Dallas the victory.

        Avery Johnson's layup with 19.7 seconds remaining had given Denver a 94-92 lead. But Nowitzki spun into the lane and shot a turnaround jumper that rolled around the rim before falling in. He was fouled by Ryan Bowen, and Nowitzki converted the free throw to put Dallas ahead for good.

        Nick Van Exel, who paced Denver with 31 points, fired an air ball on a 3-point attempt with two seconds left, and Dallas' Eduardo Najera came away with the rebound as time expired.

        Raef LaFrentz added 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who trailed by as many as 16 in the third quarter. Denver lost its fifth straight and ninth in the last 10.

        Juwan Howard added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks, who have won 10 straight home games against Denver.

        Dallas was without No. 2 scorer Michael Finley, who went on the injured list for the first time in his six-year career before the game. He has a strained left hamstring.

        Jazz 98, Suns 84

        SALT LAKE CITY — Scott Padgett scored a career-high 17 points as Utah dealt Phoenix its season-worst fourth straight loss.

        Karl Malone scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half, but it was Utah's reserves that made the difference with 49 points.

        Jarron Collins also had a career high with 13 points, Bryon Russell scored 11, and John Crotty added 10 for the Jazz (18-16), who have won six of their last seven and are two games above .500 for the first time this season.

        Shawn Marion and Rodney Rogers each scored 17 for Phoenix (18-17).

        Bucks 113, Warriors 97

        OAKLAND, Calif. — Sam Cassell had 23 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as Milwaukee emphatically ended its four-game losing streak.

        Milwaukee moved ahead of Indiana atop the Central Division with an impressive shooting display even though star guard Ray Allen struggled. Michael Redd scored 18 points, and Tim Thomas had 17 for the Bucks, who jumped to a 27-point lead in the first half and shot 54 percent for the game.

        Danny Fortson had 19 points and 13 rebounds before getting ejected, and Antawn Jamison scored 23 points for the Warriors, who lost their sixth straight. After a promising start to Brian Winters' tenure, Golden State is 4-8 under its interim coach.

        Allen was just 5-of-15 from the field for 13 points, but the Bucks' reserves more than made up for it. Redd, Darvin Ham and Jason Caffey combined for 48 points.

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