Pro write up tonight

NJ Nets -1½
PHI 76ers 178
Scheduled Start Time: 5:05pm (Pacific Time)
The Nets played at Atlanta on Tuesday. On Sunday, Jason Kidd had 22 points and 15 assists as the New Jersey Nets moved closer to their first playoff berth in four years with a 116-102 triumph over the Atlanta Hawks. The win, coupled with Washington's loss at Toronto, reduced New Jersey's magic number for its first playoff berth since 1998 to one. Kerry Kittles, who has the longest tenure on the Nets, scored 22 points. Kenyon Martin added 16, Keith Van Horn had 15, Aaron Williams chipped in 14 while Todd MacCulloch and rookie Richard Jefferson scored 10 apiece. With Allen Iverson sidelined, the Sixers' role players came to the forefront and helped Philadelphia take a 90-82 winon Monday over the Knicks at home. Eric Snow had 14 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, Derrick Coleman had a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds and Speedy Claxton scored 17 on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. The 76ers begin life without Allen Iverson as the injury bug strikes the 76ers once again. Unfortunately for them, this time the bug turns out to be a tarantula and the Nets move a step closer to Eastern supremacy.
Projected Score: NJ Nets 111, PHI 76ers 103
Matchup Report
Injury Report

GST Warriors 209
BOS Celtics -12½
Scheduled Start Time: 4:05pm (Pacific Time)
Bob Sura and Adonal Foyle spearheaded a comeback as the Warriors trimmed a 16-point deficit to three before eventually falling 116-104 Sunday to Houston. Sura scored 19 points and Antawn Jamison had 17 as six Warriors scored in double figures. The Warriors have won just two of their last 26 road games. Erick Strickland scored a season-high 23 points and nailed a huge 3-pointer in the final minute as the Boston Celtics posted an 87-82 victory over the Heat, whose playoff hopes were dealt a crippling blow. Paul Pierce had 19 points and Antoine Walker 17 for the Celtics, who are in third place in the Eastern Conference, 1 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee. The Celtics shot just under 38 percent (29-of-77) but had just 10 turnovers despite playing without point guard Kenny Anderson, who was placed on the injured list Monday. The Warriors just don’t win often enough on the road, the Celtics are playing well right now. Go with the home team in a cake walk.
Projected Score: BOS Celtics 96, GST Warriors 88
Matchup Report
Injury Report

ORL Magic 200
CHA Hornets -4½
Scheduled Start Time: 4:05pm (Pacific Time)
The Magic, who were without Tracy McGrady due to back spasms, could never get on track against the Bucks on Sunday, as Milwaukee handed Orlando a 110-85 loss on the road. Monty Williams scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Darrell Armstrong had a team-high 17 points for the Magic, who looked to rebound when they hosted the Bulls on Tuesday.(Check newspaper to determine Wednesday availability on McGrady). The Hornets took sole control of the seventh playoff spot in the East on Sunday, with a 99-84 win over the Pacers in Indiana. Jamal Mashburn led all scorers with 36 points, Baron Davis added 21 and 11 assists and P.J. Brown scored 10 and grabbed an impressive 19 boards for the Hornets, who moved one game ahead of the Pacers in the East. The Magic will need to look up their sleeves to find a way to handle the Hornets, who are playing well and have the big mo-mentum on their side.
Projected Score: CHA Hornets 99, ORL Magic 86
Matchup Report
Injury Report

NY Knicks 188½
DET Pistons -9
Scheduled Start Time: 4:35pm (Pacific Time)
The Knicks, doing what they do best, gave back a 19-point margin in the second half and lost to the dismal Denver Nuggets, 84-83, a dilapidated team that had won five of its previous 31 road games. Incredibly, the loss marked the 15th time this season that the Knicks had been defeated after building a double-digit lead. The Knicks (26-43) have lost three straight games and are in danger of losing 50-plus. Of their final 13 games, the Bulls are the only opponent that is out of playoff contention, while the Heat and Wizards are fighting to reach eighth place in the East and have each beaten the Knicks at least twice. Latrell Sprewell, who scored 33 points with Allan Houston sidelined. Houston, the Knicks' leading scorer, missed his first game of the season with a sprained left ankle. He is not expected to play against the Pistons in Detroit. Ben Wallace matched a career high with an NBA season-best 28 rebounds, leading the Detroit Pistons to a 109-101 victory over the Boston Celtics. Jerry Stackhouse scored 30 points and Cliff Robinson chipped in 22 for the Pistons, who returned home from a 4-1 road trip and used a 15-0 third-quarter run to pull away. Detroit shot 46.5 percent (40-of-86) and beat Boston at its own game, going 8-of-22 from long range. Stackhouse hit 4-of-9. On paper, this looks like an easy Piston win, on the court it will look the same way.
Projected Score: DET Pistons 100, NY Knicks 86

Matchup Report
Injury Report

LA Lakers -6
PHX Suns 189½
Scheduled Start Time: 6:05pm (Pacific Time)
Kobe Bryant made two clutch baskets down the stretch after teammate Shaquille O'Neal fouled out and Webber missed a potential game-winning shot as the Los Angeles (R: 22-13 SU, 16-19 ATS) Lakers sent a huge message with a 97-96 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Bryant scored 29 points as he picked up the slack for O'Neal, who had 21 points but was limited to nine shots by a collapsing defense and 36 minutes by foul trouble. He took over the offense after the 7-2, 350-pound O'Neal fouled out with 1:19 left. After subpar second and third quarters, the Suns (H: 20-16 SU, 17-19 ATS) came out on fire in the fourth, scoring 38 points, which helped them take a 102-96 win over the Cavs in Phoenix. Shawn Marion led the way with 29 points and 10 rebounds on his Bobblehead night, while Jake Tsakalidis added 23 points and nine boards in the win. This is the time of the year when the Lakers will begin to show that they are a step ahead of everyone else. The Suns find that out on Wednesday.
Projected Score: LA Lakers 107, PHX Suns 96
Matchup Report
Injury Report

MIA Heat -3½
TOR Raptors 170
Scheduled Start Time: 5:05pm (Pacific Time)
The Heat lost to the Boston Celtics 87-82 on Monday dealing a blow to the Miami (R: 17-19 SU, 17-17 ATS) playoff hopes. The Heat contained the Celtics' potent combination of Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker but were done in by the team's sixth-leading scorer Erick Strickland who scored 23. Alonzo Mourning collected 20 points and 10 rebounds and Eddie Jones scored 19 points for Miami, which fell four games behind Indiana for the final playoff spot in the East. Center Marc Jackson finished with 12 points and nine rebounds and Brian Grant added eight and 12 for Miami, which shot just 38 percent (26-of-68) and committed 21 turnovers leading to 22 points for Boston. Antonio Davis stole the ball from Michael Jordan for the game-winning points and Jerome Williams defended Jordan's final errant shot, allowing the Raptors (H: 17-17 SU, 13- 21 ATS) to beat the Wizards, 92-91, on Sunday in Toronto. With neither Vince Carter or Jordan in the starting lineup, the game still had its share of drama as the Raptors have now tied Washington for ninth place in the East. The Raptors battle to make the playoffs just became more difficult as the team announced Friday that Vince Carter will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. This news on Carter is particularly painful as it essentially puts an end to the Raptors disappointing season. Miami is in dire need of wins and the Raptors are an excellent target on Wednesday.
Projected Score: MIA Heat 97, TOR Raptors 88
Matchup Report
Injury Report

MEM Grizzlies 190
SEA Sonics -11
Scheduled Start Time: 7:05pm (Pacific Time)
Lorenzen Wright scored 21 points and Rodney Buford added 20 as the Grizzlies overcame a 25-point deficit and recorded a 103-100 victory over the red-hot Portland Trail Blazers. Memphis trailed by 25 points late in the third quarter and by 19 heading to the final period before outscoring the Trail Blazers, 39-17, to snap a six-game losing streak. It also was the Grizzlies' first road win since Feb. 17, ending a seven-game slide. The Grizzlies were behind 83-64 after 36 minutes but used a 23-4 run over a 7:47 span of the fourth quarter to tie it at 87-87 on a jumper by Will Solomon. He scored all of his 10 points during the outburst. Rashard Lewis led the Sonics with 28 points and 11 rebounds on Monday, as the Sonics cruised to a 106-92 win over the Jazz in Seattle. Gary Payton chipped in with 24 points and seven assists, and Brent Barry added 18 points for the Sonics, who moved a game and a half ahead of the Jazz in the West. Not too many eastern teams visit the Northwest and come out with consecutive wins over the Blazers and Sonics. The Grizzlies have pulled off ½ of the task but the Sonics are on a roll and Wednesday they say “not in my house.”
Projected Score: SEA Sonics 107, MEM Grizzlies 97
Matchup Report
Injury Report

No line available at this time.
SAN Spurs
POR Trail Blazers
Scheduled Start Time: 7:35pm (Pacific Time)
The Spurs (R: 22-12 SU, 19-13 ATS) won their 13th consecutive game, all in March, with a 91-85 victory over the Clippers on the road Monday. Tim Duncan led the way with 33 points and David Robinson added 19 for the Spurs, who see if they can extend the longest winning streak in the league this season in Portland on Wednesday. The Memphis Grizzlies overcame a 25-point deficit and recorded a 103-100 victory over the red-hot Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. The Blazers led 57-44 at halftime and started the second half with a 20-8 run for a 25-point bulge with 3:44 left in the third quarter. Scottie Pippen scored seven of his 13 points during that stretch and Bonzi Wells added six of his 34. Almost everything went right for the Blazers (H: 25-10 SU, 19-14 ATS) on Monday except the final score. In the NBA comebacks happen in just about every other game. Just ask the Knicks. The Blazers were embarrassed once this week and lost to the Spurs in San Antonio by 18 back in December. As well as the Spurs are playing, they will be tough but Portland is playing just as well and they have a revenge factor on their side. In the Rose Garden, the Blazers hold on in a squeaker on Wednesday.
Projected Score: POR Trail Blazers 109, SAN Spurs 104

nss write up