PLAY OF THE DAY

SHOOTING STUDS

Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
90-87 win at Jazz
34 pts, 14-25 FG,
4-6 3-pt FG

Mehmet Okur, Jazz
90-87 loss vs. Mavericks
32 pts, 10-16 FG, 2-2 3-pt FG, 10-12 FT

Gilbert Arenas & Caron Butler, Wizards
110-92 win vs. Pistons
64 pts, 23-33 FG, 8-14 3-pt FG, 10-14 FT

SHOOTING DUDS

Deron Williams, Jazz
90-87 loss vs. Mavericks
2-11 FG, 5 pts

T.J. Ford, Bucks
106-98 loss vs. Clippers
1-7 FG, 3 pts

Cuttino Mobley, Clippers
106-98 win at Bucks
2-9 FG, 7 pts

STAT SHEET STUFFER

Elton Brand celebrated his 27th birthday in style on Saturday, posting 22 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and six blocked shots as the Clips beat the Bucks. But what can you buy a man who already has a full stat line?

RICK KAMLA'S FANTASY TAKE

"What is up with the roller coaster named Mehmet Okur? Dude went off for 32 and 11 Saturday, continuing an every-other-game trend that has lasted for the last six. Over that stretch, he's scored six, 29, seven, 22, six and now 32, averaging 17 a game. He's at 17.8 for the season, though, so the math checks out."

D-LEAGUE STAR OF THE NIGHT

Ndudi Ebi tallied his second straight double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds as his Fort Worth Flyers rolled to a 96-69 win over the visiting Tulsa 66ers on Saturday. Originally a draft pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ebi was picked up by the Flyers on Feb. 4.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

"We can't expect Jason to get 40 every night. We've been counting on him to put up big numbers, but obviously they keyed on him."

-- Golden State coach Mike Montgomery on guard Jason Richardson, who scored 42 points Tuesday in Atlanta and then poured in a career-high 44 Friday at Miami, but posted just 11 in Saturday's loss in Orlando.

STORYLINES OF THE NIGHT

1. Best of the Best
The Pistons came into Saturday action with a chance to become the first team to reach the 50-win plateau, but the Wizards proved to be rude hosts, shooting 55 percent from the floor and dealing Detroit, led by Rasheed Wallace's 18 points, a 110-92 defeat. The 110 Washington points represent the highest total the Pistons have allowed since Nov. 25, when the Wizards scored 120 in a double-overtime victory. At 49-12, Detroit still holds a nine-game lead over idle Miami for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Dirk Nowitzki scored 34 points as Dallas came away with a 90-87 win in Utah to match the Pistons' 49 wins and extend its own Conference lead to a full game over the idle Spurs.

2. Cellar Dwellers Unite
On the other side of the spectrum we have the Knicks and Bobcats. Both teams were sitting at the bottom of their respective divisions with just 17 wins apiece coming into a Saturday showdown. Surprisingly enough, both Larry Brown's and Bernie Bickerstaff's squads were coming off victories, so something had to give. Jumaine Jones hit five treys on his way to 28 points, and Gerald Wallace had another well-rounded effort with 16 points, 12 boards, three blocks and three steals. The Knicks, behind 23 points from Jalen Rose, cut a 15-point deficit to two before succumbing in a 116-109 defeat. With the win, Charlotte moves out of the league basement, inching ahead of New York in the Eastern Conference standings. "I don't think we want to be the worst team in the league. It's not by design," said Stephon Marbury, who had 18 points. "We're all losers - whoever doesn't win the championship."

3. The MVP Effect
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash sat out with a sprained ankle Thursday, and Phoenix looked lost without him in a 117-93 shellacking at the hands of the Spurs that ended an 11-game winning streak. Nash returned Saturday and made his presence felt, to say the least. He hit 12-of-18 from the floor, 3-of-4 from deep and all four from the charity stripe for a game-high 31 points and dished out 11 assists as the Suns bounced back with a 110-102 win over the visiting Timberwolves. It's turnarounds like this one that helped Nash become the first point guard MVP since Magic Johnson, and have him in the hunt again this season.

SIXTH MAN OF THE NIGHT

Baron Davis is starting to adjust to the reserve role he's been handed since returning from a sprained ankle. He recorded his best backup performance to date with 17 points and seven assists in 27 minutes relieving starting point Derek Fisher, who tallied 20 points and six helpers of his own in the Warriors' road loss.

ROOKIE WATCH

His alma mater (UNC) might have lost earlier Saturday, but Raymond Felton didn't let that bother him when he took the court against the Knicks. Felton scored 20 points and tacked on six rebounds, six assists and two of the Bobcats' nine steals in a home victory. New York got a boost from its own rookie, as David Lee notched a double-double with 11 points and 12 boards.

COOL/CLUTCH PERFORMANCE

Hedo Turkoglu busted out of his mini March slump in a big way on Saturday. He hit 7-of-13 field goals, including 3-of-6 from downtown, for a game-high 21 points and notched season highs of 14 rebounds and eight assists. Five of those points and three of those boards came in the closing minutes as Orlando held off the visiting Warriors for its second straight triumph, 103-92.