PLAY OF THE DAY

SHOOTING STUDS

LeBron James, Cavaliers
124-91 win vs. 76ers
37 pts, 13-22 FG, 7-9 FT

Joe Johnson, Hawks
96-94 loss at Nets
33 pts, 12-17 FG,
3-4 3-pt FG, 6-7 FT

Raef LaFrentz, Celtics
124-120 win at Raptors
20 pts, 7-10 FG, 5-7 3-pt FG

SHOOTING DUDS

Josh Smith, Hawks
96-94 loss at Nets
3-15 FG, 0-4 3-pt FG,
2-5 FT, 8 pts

J. Richardson, Warriors
100-75 loss at Grizzlies
4-15 FG, 1-3 3-pt FG, 0-2 FT, 9 pts

Mehmet Okur, Jazz
95-86 loss vs. Spurs
1-9 FG, 0-2 3-pt FG, 9 pts

STAT SHEET STUFFER

Not one but two players posted rare 20-20 games on Tuesday. Chris Wilcox became the first Sonic to do so since Shawn Kemp as he racked up 26 points and 24 boards to help Seattle beat the Rockets for the first time in seven tries, 104-87. Across the country, Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 22 rebounds - plus four assists and three steals - but his Wolves took their 12th straight road loss, 97-92 in Charlotte.

RICK KAMLA'S FANTASY TAKE

"Morris Peterson is too cool for school these days. On Tuesday, he went off for 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and two bombs. Over the past four games, Mo Pete has averaged 31 points, seven rebounds, 3.8 threes and 2.3 steals en route to ranking fourth in 8-cat leagues over that stretch."

D-LEAGUE STAR OF THE NIGHT

The Flyers trailed by as many as 32 points to the visiting Florida Flame on Tuesday, but Aaron Miles helped close the gap. The former Kansas University guard scored 18 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, but Fort Worth's comeback came up short, 107-99.

GAME OF THE NIGHT

The first half went as well as the Nuggets could have imagined, and the second half couldn't have gone much worse. After posting 77 points in the first two quarters to take a 20-point lead to the break, Denver scored just 16 in each of the final two periods. Carmelo Anthony had 20 points before halftime, but struggled after intermission to finish with 24. Down two with just over one minute remaining, a frustrated Anthony was fouled driving to the hoop, drew a technical foul and was ejected for knocking the ball into the crowd. Sam Cassell, who scored 10 of his team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, converted on the free throw and the Clippers selected Reggie Evans to replace 'Melo at the line. Evans missed both foul shots and Los Angeles held on for a thrilling 111-109 home win.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

"Mo said after the game everyone needed to come to play. He really felt like some guys came to play, some guys didn't. That is not a good thing if a coach honestly feels that way because at this point in the season and the magnitude of all these games, everybody should show up ready to play."

-- Philadelphia's Allen Iverson on coach Maurice Cheeks and the Sixers' playoff chase. Despite 38 points and eight assists from A.I., Philly lost 124-91 and stands just one half game ahead of the Bulls for the East's last playoff spot.

STORYLINES OF THE NIGHT

1. Good News, Bad News
The Cavs got one starter back and had another go down. Larry Hughes returned after missing 45 games with a finger injury, and scored 10 points, but starting center Zydrunas Ilgauskas left early in the first period with a sprained left ankle and did not return. None of that seemed to matter. Regardless of who he has around him, LeBron James continues to dominate. The Eastern Conference's Player of the Week and Player of the Month, James hit 13-of-22 from the field for 37 points, the seventh straight time he's posted at least 35. All that added up to the Cavs' ninth straight win, 124-91 over the Sixers.

2. Sweet 60
Homecourt advantage in the NBA Finals made the difference last year, when the Spurs hosted Game 7 and were crowned champs. On Tuesday, victories by Dallas and San Antonio put pressure on the Pistons if they want to host the event this time around. With last season in mind, Detroit answered the bell despite missing one of their regular five starters for the first time this year. Rasheed Wallace was suspended for one game for picking up his 16th technical of the season on Sunday, and Dale Davis started in his place. But it was Antonio McDyess who picked up the slack, scoring a season-high 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting and grabbing 14 rebounds as the Pistons earned their 60th win of the year, 101-93 over the visiting Hornets. Detroit last won 60 games in 1988-89, when the 63-19 Pistons rolled to a Finals sweep of the Lakers for the first title in team history.

3. Title on Lucky 13
The Nets' fourth division title in the five-year Jason Kidd era seemed like a foregone conclusion as New Jersey held a 23-point edge in the second half of Tuesday's contest against the Hawks. Atlanta opened the fourth quarter with a 22-4 run and sliced the deficit to just one basket before succumbing 96-94 in the Nets' 13th consecutive victory, one shy of a franchise record. The win also locked up the Atlantic Division crown and, at worst, the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. "This is my first (division title), so it's a great feeling," said Vince Carter, who scored 27 points. "But we, as my grandmother used to say, have bigger fish to fry. We have a lot of things we want to accomplish."

COOL/CLUTCH PERFORMANCE

Ben Gordon turned 23, scored 23 and looked like a certain No. 23. Gordon, celebrating his 23rd birthday Tuesday, evoked memories of Michael Jordan as he scored 16 of his 23 points in the final quarter as Chicago grabbed a come-from-behind 102-96 win over the visiting Pacers. "It was one of those times you feel like you just can't miss," Gordon said. "You don't hear the crowd or anything, you just zone in and focus on the game." Coupled with Philadelphia's loss to Cleveland, the Bulls are now just one half game out of the eighth and final playoff spot. "Ben is one of the most unique players I've seen," coach Scott Skiles said. "It is uncanny how one moment he is out there and not having a good game, then all of a sudden he just starts throwing in shots."

ROOKIE WATCH

Chris Paul, who has played some of his best basketball against the NBA's best, stepped up again Tuesday. Matched up against MVP candidate Chauncey Billups, the reigning Western Conference Rookie of the Month held his own. He racked up 24 points, 10 assists, four rebounds, five steals and one very nice compliment. "He's a tough cookie," Billups said of his counterpart.

SIXTH MAN OF THE NIGHT

University of Florida alumnus Matt Bonner celebrated his alma mater's first NCAA championship in style. The second-year red-haired big man came off the bench to post a season-high 16 points and a career-best 13 rebounds on Tuesday, but his Raptors couldn't slow down the Celtics in a 124-120 home loss.