Anthony Parker, Raptors
114-106 win vs. Sonics
23 pts, 8-14 FG, 2-3 3-pt FG

Thaddeus Young, Sixers
119-97 win at Bucks
22 pts, 8-11 FG, 6-6 FT

Chauncey Billups, Pistons
116-109 win vs. Bulls
34 pts, 9-12 FG, 3-4 3-pt FG, 13-14 FT

With Rasheed Wallace out for the second straight game due to a sprained left ankle, other Pistons stepped up to help Detroit clinch a playoff spot for the seventh consecutive season and avoid a season sweep of Chicago. Newly-signed Theo Ratliff, for one, augmented his overall performance with 10 points, a season-best eight rebounds, three blocks and an assist – all above his season averages. The 13-year veteran started his career in Detroit.

Michael Finley, Spurs
94-87 loss at Suns
1 pt, 0-6 FG

Antonio McDyess, Pistons
116-109 win vs. Bulls
4 pts, 1-10 FG

Jordan Farmar, Lakers
114-113 loss vs. Kings
5 pts, 2-7 FG

They said give it some time. They told us to be patient and have some tolerance. They explained to us you can’t evolve overnight, and that chemistry and coexistence is a relatively slow progression. I even remember some saying, give it 10 games or so and we will learn if it will work or not. ‘They,’ the group who believed the Suns made the right decision to acquire Shaquille O’Neal last month, may have been on to something. In his 10th game in the lineup for Phoenix, ‘The Big Cactus’ had his overall best performance, posting 14 points and 16 rebounds in the Suns’ narrow triumph over the defending champion Spurs on Sunday. He even added two blocks to become the third player in NBA history to register 26,000 points, 11,500 rebounds and 2,500 blocks (Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon). Perhaps the most significant accomplishment in the victory, however, was helping limit Tim Duncan to just 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting from the floor.

They can match your athleticism and quickness. They can equal your aggressiveness and tenacity. They can disrupt your strategy and focus. They are one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They are the Philadelphia 76ers. In his latest Race to the MVP mailbag, Maurice Brooks examines the recent success of the Sixers, who after Sunday’s triumph over the Bucks have won four straight and 12 of their last 15. Since trading Allen Iverson, the team’s second all-time leading scorer behind Hal Greer, last season, Philadelphia has been one of the most balanced squads in the league. Take Sunday, for example, as seven Sixers scored in double figures, including rookie Thaddeus Young who tallied 22 points. Currently, the 76ers would be the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and are just a ½ game behind the Wizards for the sixth spot. The most fascinating thought, irrespectively, would be if Philly qualifies for the postseason and Denver, Iverson’s club, doesn’t.

There were evidently several reasons the Kings decided to trade Mike Bibby last month. Perhaps the main objective of the deal was to give Beno Udrih a more essential role with the team. The ‘Tasmanian Slovenian’ proved Sunday he is very deserving of a starting role as he recorded 25 points and nailed two go-ahead free throws with 4.6 seconds remaining to propel the Kings past the Lakers. Kobe Bryant’s last-second game-winning shot attempt fell short as the MVP candidate was held to just one point in the fourth quarter. In addition to Upset of the Night, this category could have also been labeled Cool/Clutch Performance or Lockdown of the Night.

How amazed would you be if I told you that before Sunday the reigning two-time Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout champion and league-leader in 3-point percentage was a combined 2-for-4 from downtown since Jan. 17? Jason Kapono, who signed with Toronto during the off-season to add to the team’s perimeter depth, hasn’t had many looks from beyond the arc recently. But after his alma mater, UCLA, came up with back-to-back dramatic victories in the college venue, the five-year veteran may have awoken. Kapono buried two treys Sunday and finished with 10 points to help the host Raptors roll over the Sonics. Chris Bosh missed his fifth straight game with a sore right knee.

It must be a relief to be a coach and have one of the all-time best collegiate free throw shooters on your squad. Duane Ticknor is experiencing the jubilation now in Dakota as Blake Ahearn, who at Missouri State won the NCAA free throw shooting title in three straight seasons, is currently at 96 percent from the foul line this season in the D-League. He nailed all 14 of his attempts on Sunday during the Wizards’ triumph over the Mad Ants and finished with a career-best 45 points. Ahearn was scorching from the field as he went 13-of-17 from the floor and 5-of-7 from 3-point range. He also dished out nine assists, hauled four rebounds and came up with two steals for the winners.