Kings Now 3-0 Against Spurs

The Sacramento Kings would be quite happy to meet San Antonio in the playoffs. After all, they’re undefeated against the Spurs this season.

The Kings won at San Antonio for the second time this season, getting 28 points from Corliss Williamson in a come-from-behind 108-98 victory Wednesday night over the defending NBA champions.

Sacramento is 3-0 against the Spurs. The teams play again next Wednesday at Sacramento.

“This is a heck of a win for us,” Sacramento Coach Rick Adelman said. “I would have to say this is one of the biggest wins of the year. It goes to show how if you play hard and put out a great effort good things can happen for you in this league.”

Sacramento won despite the absence of leading scorer Chris Webber, who missed his second game in a row because of a strained left hamstring. Vlade Divac scored 20 points for the Kings, and Jason Williams had 18.

Houston 118, Portland 105--Shandon Anderson had 30 points and 10 rebounds as the Rockets made 10 of their first 11 shots in the third quarter to overcome a three-point halftime deficit and roll to victory.

The Rockets shots 67% in the period and 73% (25 of 34) in the second half to break a nine-game losing streak and beat a winning team on the road for only the second time this season.

Steve Smith scored 24 points to lead the Trail Blazers, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Detroit 111, Boston 106--The pesky Celtics wouldn’t go away, and what looked like a runaway victory turned into a tough win for the Pistons at Auburn Hills, Mich. The Pistons survived a 17-0 Boston run in the second quarter and several fourth-quarter surges before finally handing the Celtics their ninth consecutive loss.

Grant Hill led Detroit with 27 points and nine rebounds.

Indiana 105, New Jersey 101--Jalen Rose made three free throws and Reggie Miller two--all in the final 17 seconds--as the Pacers beat the Nets at Indianapolis.

Keith Van Horn had 26 points to lead the injury-plagued Nets, who were playing without leading scorer Stephon Marbury for the first time this season and lost Evan Eschmeyer to a sprained left ankle early in the second quarter. Marbury didn’t make the trip because he is scheduled to have an MRI on a sore right knee today.

Philadelphia 107, Atlanta 86--Allen Iverson scored 30 points and Toni Kukoc asserted himself in the offense as the 76ers beat the Hawks at Philadelphia.

The 76ers ended a three-game losing streak.

Kukoc had one of his best games since joining the 76ers with 10 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

Around the League

The New York Knicks’ Chris Childs, suspended for two games for fighting with Kobe Bryant, plans to appeal because his penalty was stiffer than Bryant’s one-game suspension. Regardless of his appeal, Childs will not play tonight at home against Washington and Friday in Orlando because his case will not be heard by Commissioner David Stern before then. At best, Childs could have some of his fine rescinded and be repaid some of his lost salary, according to the New York Times. . . . Jeff Hornacek, who missed his only free throw attempt against the Clippers Tuesday night, likely ended his run at Calvin Murphy’s NBA single-season free-throw percentage record. Hornacek needed to make 19 in a row by season’s end to beat Murphy’s record of 95.8% in 1980-81. The miss dropped Hornacek to 94.8% (165 of 174). . . . The 76ers, who gave Coach Larry Brown a contact extension less than two weeks ago, did the same for General Manager Billy King.