Washington ? In a game that already had three players 39 or older, Washington Wizards coach Doug Collins dusted off one more fossil for the rough-and-tumble stretch run.

Charles Oakley, who hadn’t played since a brief appearance in the season opener, entered the game in the fourth quarter and became a defensive enforcer right up to the final buzzer, twice disrupting DeShawn Stevenson’s potential game-tying shot in the Washington Wizards’ 105-102 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.

“I’m old,” said Oakley, who turns 39 next month, “but I still have a feel for the game. I’m a warrior. I want to play, and I just wait for my turn.”

Michael Jordan (age 39) scored 19 points, including back-to-back layups that gave the Wizards the lead for good. Jerry Stackhouse scored 25 points and went 14-for-14 from the free-throw line.

But it was Oakley who made the difference after the Wizards had blown a 21-point first-half lead. Utah led by five when Oakley got off the bench with 6:56 left ” to huge cheers from the crowd.

“I wanted somebody who was going to keep Karl Malone from just laying the ball in the basket, because he was having his way,” Collins said. “I knew the minute Oak stood up it would rev up the crowd. I just hoped we would get good results. Sometimes you’ve got to gamble as a coach, and we were going south fast.”

There were two double technicals after Oakley entered. He didn’t get either, but his presence had turned up the intensity. He also stole the ball from John Stockton (41 in March) to set up a layup for Jordan that put the Wizards up by five with two minutes left.

The Jazz cut it to three and had a chance to tie on their final possession, but Oakley twice knocked the ball out of Stevenson’s hands at the 3-point arc. Stevenson never got off the shot.

Philadelphia guard Allen Iverson stumbles as San Antonio's Malik Rose bats the ball in the first half. The Sixers won Thursday's game, 99-94.

“He brings toughness, and he’s got the quickest hands in the NBA. Still,” Collins said. “Did you see the last two plays he made? Like a cat.”

Jordan called Oakley his “Breakfast Club workout guy.”

“He’s there in the morning,” Jordan said. “He’s been patiently waiting his chance. Tonight we needed him.”

Oakley’s big finish overshadowed Bryon Russell’s revenge night. Russell, who played nine seasons for the Jazz before leaving as a free agent this summer, scored 10 of his 16 points in his first game against his old team.

He and Matt Harpring had one of the double technicals.

“Every time we play them, we’re going to whip ’em,” Russell said. “We’re going to play hard. I’m going to make sure of that.”

Malone (also 39) scored 26 points, and Stockton had 17 points and 11 assists before fouling out in the final minute.

“We didn’t have a lot of enthusiasm,” Utah coach Jerry Sloan said.

“Just give me the ball and I’ll do that instead of getting after people.”

76ers 99, Spurs 94

Philadelphia ” Allen Iverson scored 37 points, including a go-ahead basket in the final minute.

The Sixers snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 5-0 at the First Union Center. San Antonio has lost three straight after winning three in a row.

Keith Van Horn had 21 points and nine rebounds, Brian Skinner added 13 points and 11 rebounds and Aaron McKie had 12 points and nine boards for the Sixers.

Tim Duncan had 29 points and nine rebounds and Stephen Jackson added 15 points for the Spurs.

Iverson left after hurting his left ankle with 8:08 remaining. He got his ankle taped, returned two minutes later and made a driving layup and a 3-pointer to give the Sixers an 87-83 lead.

Iverson had 13 of Philadelphia’s final 17 points. He had missed eight of his last 10 shots before getting hurt, but made 4-of-5 after returning and finished 12-of-25.

The Sixers were without starting forward Derrick Coleman, backup center Samuel Dalembert and key reserve Monty Williams ” all out since the start of the season with knee injuries.

Magic 101, Clippers 80

Los Angeles ” NBA scoring leader Tracy McGrady had 35 points, including a spectacular drive-and-float dunk as the Orlando Magic took charge in the third quarter.

McGrady went 14-of-26 from the field for Orlando, which snapped a two-game losing streak after a 5-1 start.

Grant Hill had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Pat Garrity added 14 points in reserve for the Magic, who were missing usual sixth man Mike Miller because of an ankle injury.

Corey Maggette and Michael Olowokandi led Los Angeles with 16 points each, but Olowokandi had just two in the second half. Elton Brand had 10 points and 12 rebounds.