Ray Allen, Sonics
99-72 win vs. Bucks
21 pts, 8-13 FG, 4-5 FT

Boris Diaw, Suns
106-101 win vs. Blazers
21 pts, 9-13 FG, 1-11 3-pt FG 2-2 FT

Grant Hill, Magic
114-93 loss vs. Wizards
24 pts, 10-14 FG, 4-4 FT

Gerald Wallace wasn't even supposed to play on Friday. Wallace had missed seven straight games with a separated right shoulder before making a suprise return to Charlotte's starting lineup on Friday. He appeared to be in peak form as he tallied 18 points, 15 rebounds, three steals, three assists and a block in a 96-75 win at Atlanta. The Bobcats tied a franchise record with their third straight road victory.

Earl Boykins, Bucks
99-72 loss at Sonics
1-10 FG, 0-2 3-pt FG, 4 pts

Drew Gooden, Cavaliers
110-99 loss at Nuggets
1-8 FG, 3-6 FT, 5 pts

Charlie Bell, Bucks
99-72 loss at Sonics
2-11 FG, 0-4 3-pt FG, 4 pts

Shawn Marion scored over 15 points below his average. Steve Nash scored six in the fourth quarter just to finish within 6.6 points of his scoring average. What did it mean for Phoenix? Victory No. 12 in a row. Nash and Marion both showed they are a lot more than one-dimensional players and the Suns showed once again that they have scoring options in all shapes and sizes. Nash had 15 assists, Marion had 12 rebounds and five blocks and three of their teammates scored at least 20 points in a 106-101 win over the Trail Blazers. Amare Stoudemire paced Phoenix with 23 points, Boris Diaw had 21 and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Leandro Barbosa had 20. It was the 28th win in their last 30 games for the Suns, who already had a 15-game winning streak this season.

First place in the Southeast Division was on the line Friday, and although there is still a little over half a season to go, the Wizards seemed intent on sending a message. Mission accomplished. Antawn Jamison scored 31 and Gilbert Arenas added 30 points as Washington cruised to a 114-93 win in Orlando. "Coach [Eddie Jordan] said it the best at shootaround today," said Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson. "He asked Gilbert, did Orlando make the playoffs the last two years? And he said, 'No.' Then he asked, did we make the playoffs the last two years? And he said, 'Yes.' We said: 'Let's make this a playoff game,' and that's what we did. We sent a message tonight." The Wizards now lead the Magic by 1 1/2 games and have a five-game edge over the Heat, who will have Shaquille O'Neal back in the lineup any day now.

The Nets have flat-out dominated their neighbors from across the river since the beginning of the 2001-02 season and you don't have to search for the impetus behind their domination. Jason Kidd tallied 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in N.J.'s 101-100 win over the Knicks on Friday. Since Kidd was acquired prior to the 2001-02 campaign, the Nets have a 21-4 record against New York, including a four-game sweep in the 2004 playoffs. Kidd and Co. have excelled at Madison Square Garden, running their record in their last 12 games at the Garden to 10-2 with Friday's triumph. Clifford Robinson provided the heroics in this one by tipping in the game-winner with 2.8 seconds to play, just seven seconds after David Lee put the Knicks on top with a putback of his own.

Chris Webber turned in a solid performance in his first start for the Pistons with 16 points on efficient 8-of-12 shooting, seven rebounds and four assists in Friday's 104-98 win at Minnesota in double overtime. But it may have been the solid play of Chauncey Billups that is of more importance to Detroit. Billups missed eight games with a calf injury and the Pistons won only three of those contests without their floor leader. He scored 26 points in his return on Wednesday and had another solid game with 25 points, including several clutch buckets, and eight assists on Friday. The Timberwolves nearly improved to 5-0 in OT games despite having Kevin Garnett ejected for a fourth-quarter altercation with Antonio McDyess. Mike James and Randy Foye were clutch for Minnesota, but Billups and Richard Hamilton proved to be too much.

Kevin Martin made sure the Kings would not make history on Friday. Martin scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter as Sacramento avoided losing eight straight for the first time since dropping 12 in a row in the 1997-98 season with a 96-91 victory at Boston. Martin pushed a two-point lead to 94-89 on a three-point play with 20.5 ticks to go and added a pair of free throws the rest of the way.

Seattle coach Bob Hill decided to shake up the lineup six games ago. He inserted Nick Collison into the starting lineup and he responded by averaging 18 points and 13.5 rebounds over that span. Mickael Gelabale hasn't put up numbers as gaudy, but he has provided a spark. The 2005 second-round pick out of France had seven points, three boards and two assists as the Sonics downed the Bucks for their third straight win.

The departures of Allen Iverson and Chris Webber have not resulted in Kyle Korver moving into Philadelphia's starting lineup, but that doesn't mean he isn't a valuable member of the team. The 6-foot-7 forward scored 30 in a loss to Memphis on Wednesday and turned in another solid performance on Friday. He scored 13 points and added four boards and four assists as the Sixers overcame 28 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists from Miami's Dwyane Wade in a 98-95 overtime win.

James Augustine didn't see any action in his time with the Magic this season, so they felt it would be best for the second-round pick to go to the D-League and get some seasoning. He appeared pretty sharp on Friday with 26 points on near-perfect 12-of-13 shooting from the floor. He also grabbed 10 rebounds for Anaheim in a 124-116 win over Colorado. A few more games like that and he may be re-joining college teammates Luther Head, Deron Williams and Dee Brown.