Nuggets 93, Lakers 82
DENVER -- The Denver Nuggets backcourt was more than a match for Shaquille O'Neal.Ron Mercer scored 24 points and Nick Van Exel had 23 against his former team as Denver defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 93-82 Thursday night.
Four of the Nuggets' five starters reached double figures to combat O'Neal's season-high 36 points and end a three-game losing streak.
"Mercer carried us offensively in the first half," Denver coach Dan Issel said. "Van Exel and Antonio McDyess took over in the second half, and that is how we have to play."
O'Neal, who had eight rebounds and six assists, was just 2-for-14 from the foul line, including 1-for-12 in the fourth quarter. Derek Fisher was the only other Lakers player in double figures with 15 points. He added nine assists.
McDyess had 15 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out late in the game for Denver. James Posey added 13 points and his defense held Glen Rice to four points, 15 below his average, on 1-for-8 shooting.
"We can't play as five individuals because we aren't that good," Issel said. "We have to play as a group."
Van Exel, acquired from the Lakers on June 24, 1998, for Tony Battie, was 4-for-8 with two 3-pointers in the final period.
KINGS, 128 ROCKETS 110: At Houston, Jason Williams had 23 points and 10 assists as the Sacramento Kings used a 17-1 burst in the fourth quarter to end their 11-game losing streak against Houston.
The Kings won their fourth game in a row and the Rockets dropped to 0-6 in Compaq Center, their worst home start ever.
The Kings had to overcome a season-high 31-point performance by Hakeem Olajuwon.
BUCKS 99, SPURS 88: At Milwaukee, Ray Allen had 26 points and Dale Ellis scored all of his 13 points in the fourth quarter as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the San Antonio Spurs.
The matchup of the NBA's highest-scoring offense and its stingiest defense remained tight until midway through the fourth quarter, when the Bucks' offense began clicking and San Antonio's inside combination of Tim Duncan and David Robinson couldn't shut it down.
Duncan had 29 points and 14 rebounds, but also made seven turnovers. Robinson added 21 points, but the defending champions missed nine free throws in the second half and faded in the closing minutes.
WIZARDS 92, RAPTORS 81: At Washington, Isaac Austin had season-high 20 points and 13 rebounds as the Washington Wizards stopped a seven-game losing streak with a victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Michael Smith and Mitch Richmond, reduced to a reserve role after starting 808 straight games, each added 12 for Washington, which hadn't won since its Nov. 2 season opener. The Wizards were attempting to avert their worst start since beginning the 1966-67 season 1-10.
Vince Carter led the Raptors, who had won five of six games to take the Central Division lead, with 23 points. He has scored 20 or more points in seven straight games, breaking the franchise record set by Marcus Camby in March 1997.
SONICS 110, GRIZZLIES 108: At Vancouver, Gary Payton helped the Seattle SuperSonics overcome a 10-point deficit in the final 1:39 for the victory over Grizzlies.
Payton scored 10 points as the Sonics closed the game with a 14-2 run. He finished with 24 points.
Seattle trailed 106-96 before rallying. Payton put the Sonics ahead for good by hitting a 3-point basket with 5.2 seconds left. The basket was set up when Horace Grant picked off Shareef Abdur-Rahim's inbounds pass.