Cleveland — Ah, Houston, we no longer have a problem.
Allan Houston broke out of a scoring and shooting slump with a career-high 39 points Tuesday night, leading the New York Knicks to their fifth straight win, 110-75 over Cleveland.
"He was unbelievable," said Knicks guard Mark Jackson. "It was unfair for a while. If it was my son, I would have stopped the fight."
Houston had been averaging just 14 points five below his average on 37 percent shooting this month before busting out against the embarrassed Cavs, who have lost 10 of 12 and are 9-36 since starting the season 15-7.
The 35-point home loss matched the largest in Cleveland's 31-year history. The Cavs lost 120-85 to Chicago on Dec. 1, 1990.
"How do you think I feel about that?" said an annoyed Cavs coach Randy Wittman.
Houston started slowly, missing his first four field-goal attempts, before making 15 of his next 19, including eight straight to start the second half. He capped his night with a three-pointer from beyond the top of the key with 6:16 remaining to eclipse his previous high set on March 23, 1996, for Detroit at Atlanta.
"Tonight, I just went out there had fun and relaxed and kind of let things come to me," Houston said. "And then you get to the point where you just get in a zone."
He entered the shooter's hallowed domain in the third quarter.
Houston scored 16 points on 6-of-6 shooting in the period and the Knicks went a combined 15-for-19 in the quarter as they opened a 32-point lead.
Houston was playing with so much confidence it looked as if he thought he wouldn't miss another shot.
"I didn't," he said. "It got to the point where all I wanted to do was make some room so I could get a shot off and run back (on defense)," he said.
Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy had spent extra time talking with Houston the past few days, hoping his swingman might break out of his slump.
"You know I've never believed in that word," Houston said. "Mentally, I thought it (slump) was over before the game."
Lamond Murray had 22 points and Jim Jackson 16 for the Cavaliers, who suffered their biggest loss this season and didn't do anything to help Wittman's chances of keeping his job.
"To sit and continue to take something like this, I can't do it," Wittman said.
Nets 104, Grizzlies 90
East Rutherford, N.J. Kenyon Martin had 24 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and several highlight-reel dunks as New Jersey Vancouver. Martin shot 12-for-20 from the field and added four assists and two steals. Keith Van Horn also scored 24 for the Nets, who snapped a five-game losing streak and sent the Grizzlies to their sixth consecutive defeat despite playing without leading scorer Stephon Marbury (sore hip). Mike Bibby had 23 points and Shareef Abdur-Rahim 19 for Vancouver.
Suns 105, Wizards 91
Phoenix With his struggling team in need of offense, Jason Kidd scored 36 points, his most in his five seasons with Phoenix, as the Suns pulled away to beat Washington . Kidd, whose career high is 38 points for Dallas against Houston on April 11, 1995, scored 26 in the first half, then had six points and two assists as the Suns finally put the game away with a late 13-0 run. He was 11-for-24 from the field, 12-for-12 at the foul line and had nine assists.
Jazz 84, Pistons 79
Salt Lake City John Stockton scored 14 points and Utah survived a slow start and a 13-point effort by Karl Malone. Malone hit two free throws with 12 seconds remaining. The Jazz rallied from a nine-point deficit early in the fourth quarter. Jerry Stackhouse scored 29 points for Detroit, which lost for the fourth time in five games. Chucky Atkins scored 17, but he shot 0-for-11 in the second half after hitting 7-of-9 in the first.
Kings 125, Rockets 109
Sacramento, Calif. Peja Stojakovic scored 29 points, and Chris Webber had 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as Sacramento reclaimed first place in the Pacific Division. The Kings made their first 14 shots and scored 46 points in the first quarter four off the NBA record and the most since the franchise moved to Sacramento. Webber and Jason Williams had 11 points apiece as the Kings used their trademark crisp passing to get open jumper after open jumper, much to the delight of a deafening Arco Arena crowd.
Clippers 88, 76ers 77
Los Angeles Lamar Odom returned from a league-imposed five-game suspension with 25 points and six assists as Los Angeles beat Philadelphia for its seventh straight home victory over the 76ers.
Odom, the Clippers' leader in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocked shots per game, was suspended for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy.
The 76ers, who lead the NBA with a 48-20 record, played their third straight game without coach Larry Brown and NBA scoring leader Allen Iverson. The Sixers have lost four in a row for the first time since Feb. 16-20, 1999. Brown, being treated for a hiatal hernia and acid reflux, is expected to rejoin the team today in Phoenix. But Iverson also back in Philadelphia getting treatment for a hip pointer has no timetable for his return.
Magic 103, Bulls 95
Chicago Reserve Monty Williams scored a season-high 22 and Orlando sent Chicago to its seventh loss in a row. Darrell Armstrong had 17 points and 13 assists and Mike Miller added 15 points for the Magic. The Magic won for the third time in four games despite Tracy McGrady being limited to 12 points on 5-for-16 shooting. Fred Hoiberg scored 19 for the Bulls. Marcus Fizer had 18 and Ron Mercer added 18 points and a career-high 10 assists for Chicago.
Raptors 102, Pacers 81
Toronto Vince Carter had 33 points and Toronto handed Indiana its sixth straight road loss, 102-81, Tuesday night. Carter, sporting a new look with knee-high white socks, scored 22 points in the first quarter and had 29 by halftime. The Raptors cruised to an easy win to sweep the season series over Indiana, 4-0. The loss dropped Indiana i to a tie with Boston for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Trail Blazers 96, Mavericks 88
Dallas Rasheed Wallace had 18 points, eight rebounds and his record-tying 38th technical foul as Portland rumbled past Dallas, ending the Mavericks' season-best winning streak at six. Rod Strickland had eight points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter and Bonzi Wells had nine points in the period as the Trail Blazers vaulted past the Mavs for the fifth spot in the Western Conference.
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