PLAY OF THE DAY

SHOOTING STUDS

Boris Diaw, Suns
123-110 win vs. Bucks
16 pts, 8-8 FG

Kevin Garnett, Wolves
100-90 win vs. Nets
26 pts, 10-14 FG, 6-6 FT

Zaza Pachulia, Hawks
113-111 OT win at Raptors
17 pts, 7-8 FG, 3-3 FT

SHOOTING DUDS

Rasual Butler, Hornets
89-67 loss at Clippers
1-9 FG, 2 pts, 0-3 3-pt FG

Caron Butler, Wizards
99-93 loss vs. Pacers
3-14 FG, 6 pts

Tayshaun Prince, Pistons
98-87 loss at Nuggets
3-12 FG, 8 pts, 0-4 3-pt FG

STAT SHEET STUFFER

Pulling down 20 rebounds is an impressive feat against any opponent, doing it against the league's top team (and Ben Wallace) is a special accomplishment. Marcus Camby should be very proud of himself after he put up 12 points, 20 boards and five blocks in Denver's 98-87 upset win of the mighty Pistons. It was the fourth 20-rebound game this season for Camby, but his first since Dec. 2.

RICK KAMLA'S FANTASY TAKE

"In this third game with the Nuggets, Ruben Patterson got his first start - at the two. In 36 minutes, Patterson had 13 points, seven rebounds, one block and one steal. The Nuggs have been searching for a two all season, and it appears they have found the answer. Pick him up."

D-LEAGUE STAR OF THE NIGHT

In just his second D-League game since he was assigned by the Lakers, Von Wafer scored 21 points off the bench in Fort Worth's 106-102 win over Roanoke on Wednesday. Wafer shot 6-of-11 from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 from the charity stripe. Wafer, the 39th pick in the 2005 draft out of Florida State, has appeared in 16 games for the Lakers, averaging 1.3 points and 0.5 rebounds in 4.6 minutes.

LOCKDOWN OF THE NIGHT

The entire Clippers team gets a piece of this award after they held the Hornets to an NBA record-low 16 points in the second half of an 89-67 home victory on Wednesday. Los Angeles overcame a 10-point third-quarter deficit, scoring 25 unanswered points while New Orleans/Oklahoma City went scoreless for 12:41. The previous record for lowest-scoring half in the shot-clock era (since 1954) was set by the Clippers against the L.A. Lakers on Dec. 14, 1999 and matched by Miami at Orlando on March 26, 2000.

GAME OF THE NIGHT

While it may not have been the marquee matchup of a busy night on Wednesday, the Hawks and Raptors engaged in an exciting contest at Air Canada Centre that featured 21 lead changes and 15 ties. Atlanta held an eight-point lead with 1:57 left in regulation before the Raptors began their comeback, scoring four of the next six points. Mike James' 3-pointer with 25 seconds left drew Toronto within 105-102, and after a turnover, Josh Childress inexplicably fouled Morris Peterson on a 3-point attempt. Peterson sank all three foul shots to force overtime. Childress atoned for his mistake in the extra period, sinking a hook shot with 3:23 to go to put the Hawks ahead to stay at 111-110. Joe Johnson added a basket to extend the lead and the Hawks held on for a 113-111 win. The Raptors had four starters score at least 20 points for the second time in three games and only the third time in franchise history. Toronto first accomplished the feat Nov. 13, 1996 against Philadelphia.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

"Last night at 7 o'clock I got a call that he was in the health club playing 5-on-5 with a bunch of 40- and 50-something-year-old guys. A couple of our staff people tried to get him off the court and he wouldn't come. I had to go down there myself and talk him out of playing. Fortunately, I was able to get him off the court before anything happened and it certainly put us in a stronger position tonight."

-- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle on center David Harrison, who overcame an ankle injury to score 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter and grab nine rebounds in Indiana's 99-93 win at Washington.

STORYLINES OF THE NIGHT

1. The Answer
Whether he admits it or not, it's hard to believe Allen Iverson didn't feel snubbed after he learned he was not among the 22 players named to compete for spots on team USA for this year's World Championships and the 2008 Olympics. In his first game after receiving the news, the Answer was everywhere in Philadelphia's 106-101 win at Houston. He shook off the flu and scored 40 points on 16-of-29 shooting, dished out 10 assists and grabbed seven boards. It was A.I.'s 12th 40-point game this season and the 71st of his career (most among active players). He moved past past Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Rick Barry into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list in that catetgory. Iverson, a member of the U.S. bronze medal-winning team at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, was the only one of the NBA's current top eight scorers that didn't recieve an invitation. "I was a little disappointed at first, but it means I get to spend more time with my kids," Iverson said of the snub.

2. Heat Rising
While the Western Conference boasts several elite teams (San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix), there's no question that Detroit stands in a class by itself in the East. The one team that could conceivably join the Pistons in that group would be Miami, and after some early-season struggles, the Heat are among the league's hottest teams. Miami has won a season-best seven straight, 10 of 12 and 26 of 36 since Pat Riley took over for Stan Van Gundy as coach on Dec. 12. Dwyane Wade has clearly been the team's biggest spark, averaging 29.8 points in February, the highest scoring month ever by a Miami player. Wade had 24 points and eight assists and Antoine Walker burned his former team by scoring all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter in Wednesday's 103-96 victory at Boston.

3. Comings and Goings
With teams gearing up for the stretch run, several notable players were released on Wednesday, while another recognizable name found a new home with the league's top team. Tim Thomas was let go by the Bulls and will almost certainly sign with a playoff contender. Thomas never found a role with Chicago after he was acquired from the Knicks in the Eddy Curry trade and hasn't played since Nov. 14. The Rockets parted ways with Jon Barry, who scored 24 points in a season-opening win over Sacramento, but foot and calf injuries forced him to miss 22 of Houston's last 25 games. The extremely well-traveled Jim Jackson (11 teams in 14 years) had not seen any action for the Suns in 24 games so red-hot Phoenix shouldn't miss his presence. Guard Tony Delk was signed by Detroit five days after he was waived by Atlanta. Delk, who scored 53 points for Phoenix on Jan. 2, 2001, could help fill the void created by last month's trade that sent Carlos Arroyo to Orlando.

ROOKIE WATCH

Although Rashad McCants hasn't made a huge impact in his rookie season in Minnesota, he has showed signs of picking up his game lately. The 6-4 guard scored (at the time) a career-high 18 points in a 111-100 Ioss at Chicago on Tuesday, then bettered that by three in the Wolves' 100-90 home victory over New Jersey on Wednesday. McCants shot 7-of-9 from the field, including a perfect 3-of-3 from long range. Not surprisingly, McCants' improved play has come as the result of increased minutes. He has been on the court for at least 24 minutes in three consecutive contests.

COOL/CLUTCH PERFORMANCE

With Baron Davis still sidelined and his team in danger of falling out of playoff contention, Jason Richardson has little choice but to take on an even greater role for the Warriors. One game after dropping 35 points, J-Rich shook off a sprained ankle and scored 16 of his 25 in the fourth quarter to help Golden State erase a six-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 98-94 home win over Orlando on Wednesday. Richardson also grabbed nine boards and had a season high-tying six assists for the second straight game.

UPSET OF THE NIGHT

Coming off a disappointing performance two nights earlier in a 110-89 home loss to Milwaukee and the league-leading Pistons up next, the Nuggets had every reason to be concerned on Wednesday. Denver, though, pounded the glass with a vengeance and pulled out a 98-87 victory over visiting Detroit. What was most surprising about the game was the final rebound totals. The Nuggets outrebounded the Pistons by a whopping 59-35 margin, thanks in large part to Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin, who combined for 32 caroms.

SIXTH MAN OF THE NIGHT

Coming off the bench is a very unfamiliar role for Steve Francis, but with his team having lost 20 of 22, New York coach Larry Brown kept the newest Knick on the pine for the second straight game on Wednesday. Francis provided the struggling Knicks with a spark, scoring 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting and dishing out five helpers before New York absorbed a tough 101-99 loss at Memphis. Led by Francis, New York's bench outscored Memphis' reserves, 45-25.