Atlanta ? Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Jacque Vaughn each scored 18 points and the Atlanta Hawks blew out the best team in the Eastern Conference, beating the New Jersey Nets 103-77 Tuesday night.

It was the worst loss of the season for the Nets, eclipsing a 22-point defeat at Washington on Dec. 31.

The Hawks, winning for the seventh time in nine games, took control with a 36-point second quarter. They hit 16-of-24 shots (67 percent) in the period to build a 59-44 lead at halftime.

The Nets focused on stopping Abdur-Rahim, who averaged 32 points in two previous games against New Jersey this season. All the extra attention freed up his teammates, especially Vaughn.

The backup point guard equaled his career high for points and could have eclipsed the mark in the final seconds. He passed up a layup to give the ball to teammate Leon Smith, who dunked.

Four Atlanta players were in double figures by halftime. Six finished there, with Jason Terry and Toni Kukoc scoring 13 each, Alan Henderson 12 and DerMarr Johnson 11.

The Hawks finished at 50 percent (40-of-80), while holding the Nets to 29-of-72 (40 percent). Richard Jefferson paced New Jersey with 21 points, but no one else scored more than 11.

Magic 96, Bulls 82

Orlando, Fla. Tracy McGrady had 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in his first game back after suffering back spasms last week.

Monty Williams contributed 18 points and a season-high 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.

Reserve Troy Hudson added 16 points as Orlando snapped a two-game losing streak.

For Chicago, Jalen Rose scored 20 points, 14 in the third quarter, and had six assists and six rebounds. Marcus Fizer had 11 of his 15 points in the first.

Wizards 103, Nuggets 87

Washington Chris Whitney and Richard Hamilton scored 22 points apiece as the Wizards routed the Nuggets for the second time in seven days.

Courtney Alexander scored 14 points and Etan Thomas had a career-high 13 for the Wizards.

Donnell Harvey had 18 points, and former Wizards forward Juwan Howard, scored 17 to lead the Nuggets.

Michael Jordan wasn’t needed much. Still recovering from knee surgery, he came in as a substitute to play 20 minutes, scoring nine points on 4-for-9 shooting with six assists.

Pistons 96, Pacers 77

Indianapolis Corliss Williamson scored 23 points for Detroit before he was ejected near the end of the game.

Williamson and Pacers forward Jermaine O’Neal were thrown out after a confrontation under the Pistons’ basket with 1:16 to play and Detroit in control. Williamson, driving the baseline, was fouled hard by O’Neal. Williamson bounced the ball off O’Neal’s back and the two stood on the baseline jawing before O’Neal advanced on Williamson. Several players stepped in to separate them, and O’Neal threw at least one punch and one elbow before he was wrapped up by Pacers assistant coach Tree Rollins.

Brad Miller had 18 points and 15 rebounds for Indiana (35-35), which holds the final playoff spot in the East.

Mavericks 112,

Bucks 106, OT

Milwaukee Nick Van Exel scored all 17 of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime as Dallas overcame a 17-point deficit.

Van Exel scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a 3-pointer with 1:27 left that tied it at 95.

His finger-roll gave the Mavericks their first lead of the night at 99-98 with 3:20 left in overtime. They never trailed again.

Dallas won for the first time in 14 games at the 14-year-old Bradley Center. The Mavericks hadn’t won in Milwaukee since 1987.

Warriors 115, Timberwolves 106

Minneapolis Antawn Jamison scored 25 points to help Golden State end a 10-game losing streak.

Reserve Chris Mills added 18 points for the Warriors, who had seven players score in double digits and won for just the third time in their last 29 road games. Even with Tuesday’s win, Golden State has lost 20 of 23.

Kevin Garnett scored 31 points and Wally Szczerbiak had 24 of his 28 in the first half for Minnesota, which lost for the seventh time in eight home games and is 2-9 in the last three weeks.

Jazz 109, Rockets 105

Salt Lake City John Stockton scored 20 points for the Jazz on his 40th birthday.

Karl Malone scored 23 and Ostertag had 11 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter.

The Jazz won their 11th straight at home over the Rockets despite 32 points by Steve Francis, who was held to two in the fourth quarter.

Stockton, who hit two free throws with 26 seconds on the clock, swished another pair to extend the lead to the final margin. He became the 10th man in NBA history to play after turning 40.

Kings 107, Clippers 90

Sacramento, Calif. Chris Webber dominated his matchup with Elton Brand and rookie Gerald Wallace scored 14 points in his first career start.

Webber made 11 of 12 shots during one stretch and finished with 35 points and 13 rebounds as Sacramento reached 50 victories. The Kings maintained a half-game lead over the Lakers for the NBA’s best record.

Brand was held to just three points and four rebounds by Webber, who also had three steals and two blocks. Doug Christie added 19 points for Sacramento, which now embarks on a six-game road trip.

Lakers 121, Cavaliers 116

Los Angeles Shaquille O’Neal had 19 points and eight rebounds despite sitting out the last 16 minutes, and Rick Fox equaled a season-high with 18 points.

Kobe Bryant, the only Los Angeles starter to play in the fourth quarter, had 17 points and seven rebounds. The Lakers (50-20) won for the 15th time in 19 games and remained one-half game behind Sacramento in the race for the NBA’s best record.