NEW YORK (AP) The NBA acknowledged Thursday there was an officiating mistake in the final minute of the Los Angeles Lakers' 112-111 victory over the host Denver Nuggets.

With the Nuggets leading Wednesday night's game 111-109, a shot by Denver's Andre Miller appeared to brush the rim and barely beat the shot clock. Teammate Carmelo Anthony got the rebound, but the whistle blew for a shot-clock violation. The officials huddled and ruled it was an inadvertent whistle, resulting in a jump ball.

The Lakers won the tip, leading to Kareem Rush's winning 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left.

NBA senior vice president Stu Jackson said there shouldn't have been a whistle on the play.

``That call was incorrect because the ball, in fact, hit the rim,'' Jackson said. ``This was an unfortunate call at a highly critical point in the game, and we very much regret the error.''

The National Basketball Referees Association said the league suspended referee Michael Henderson for three games and summoned him to New York for a meeting with league officials.

The group said the referee had followed NBA guidelines in making his call, but made a mistake.

``Yet rather than a traditional fine, the NBA is out-of-bounds in its actions,'' said Lamell McMorris of the NBRA.

Speaking before the Lakers faced the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night, coach Phil Jackson maintained that Miller's shot didn't hit the rim and Anthony fouled Kobe Bryant as he got the rebound.

``You just see the ball disappear below the rim,'' Jackson said. ``I've never heard of a decision like that rendered by the league office.''

A league spokesman could not immediately be reached to comment on the NBRA's statement.

DENVER (AP) The Denver Nuggets were awarded center Michael Doleac on a waiver claim Friday, scrapping the New York Knicks' plans to re-sign him.

Doleac was to join the Nuggets in Orlando for their game Saturday night. To make room for him on the active roster, center Francisco Elson was placed on the injured list.

Doleac was traded last Sunday from New York to Atlanta, and the Hawks waived him Wednesday. Knicks president Isiah Thomas was ecstatic Thursday when the Utah Jazz used up all their salary cap space in a trade, making them ineligible to claim Doleac.

But the Nuggets also had cap room _ along with a need for an outside shooting big man who can draw opposing centers away from the basket _ and claimed his $1.6 million contract. Doleac can opt out and become a free agent this summer.

``He knew our offense, he was starting to learn the screen-and-roll-and-pop real well with Stephon (Marbury),'' Knicks coach Lenny Wilkens said. ``He's a big guy who can make shots from the elbow.''

Doleac averaged 5.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in 46 games for the Knicks.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Denver's Voshon Lenard denied Sacramento's Peja Stojakovic from a third consecutive victory in the NBA All-Star 3-point shooting contest Saturday night.

Lenard edged Stojakovic 18-16 in the final round.

The Denver Nuggets guard hit all five red, white and blue money balls (worth two points) in the one-minute final. Stojakovic needed to hit the last money ball to force a tie, but it bounced off the rim as the clock expired.

``I knew it was going to be tough. He's a two-time champion,'' Lenard said. ``I just tried to hang in there, but to win it over Peja, it's a privilege.''

Stojakovic could have tied Larry Bird (1986-88) and Craig Hodges (1990-92) as a three-time winner. Last year, Stojakovic won his second title over Wesley Person of Memphis in overtime after a clock malfunction during the final round.

Lenard has been one of the league's top long-range shooters over his nine-year pro career, but it was his first appearance in the 3-point contest.

Philadelphia forward Kyle Korver also made the three-man finals. He scored 15 points after hitting all five shots from the left corner. He missed all five attempts at another of the five shooting stations.

Stojakovic led after the first round with 21 points, including hitting 4-of-5 from the top of the key. He hit the final money ball, kept his arms extended, then made the crowd laugh by cocking his head to the left as if to say, ``Take that!''

Korver was second with 19 points, making all five from the left corner and 5-of-6 from the right corner. Lenard was third with 18 points.

Rashard Lewis of Seattle, Houston's Cuttino Mobley and Detroit's Chauncey Billups didn't advance out of the first round. Lewis had 16 points; Mobley had 13 points; and Billups managed just 12 points after numerous balls bounced off the rim.

Lenard earned $25,000. Stojakovic received $15,000.

Players had a minute to shoot as many balls as they could from five spots around the 3-point line. The four orange balls at each station were worth one point.

With Thursday's trading deadline looming, the Knicks and Hawks are creeping closer toward a deal involving Nazr Mohammed and Michael Doleac, confirm sources on both sides of the negotiation. A third team is in the midst of being recruited to complete a transaction that promises to escalate into something considerably more significant.

The Nuggets and Raptors appeared to be with the program last week, but that's no longer the case. Denver VP Kiki Vandeweghe wants Kurt Thomas vs. Doleac or Othella Harrington, plus a couple of second-round draft picks for Rodney White. Meanwhile, Toronto VP Glen Grunwald was ordered by superiors not to acquire any players under contract past this season; so much for getting Harrington, who makes $3.1 million for '04-'05, or Christian Laettner from Washington for Michael Curry, Michael Bradley and Mo Peterson.

Should Isiah Thomas be unable to manipulate the appropriate strings by Feb. 19 there's a remote possibility recovering alcoholic Vin Baker will be given yet another unearned opportunity to exploit the system. Don't ask me why! For the past five or six years Baker has done nothing but rob employers, teammates and fans of beaucoup bucks, desperately needed support and a worthy effort while making pathetic pledges of redemption.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Fred Jones figures he has seen every slam dunk contest since the NBA revived the event in 1984. The Indiana guard is a dunking aficionado _ and yet he wavered when asked to take on two-time champion Jason Richardson on Saturday.

``I said no at first,'' said Jones, who will participate in his first dunk contest during All-Star weekend. ``I didn't know if I was ready to do it justice. I'm a basketball junkie. I know a lot about all the great champions in this event. I wanted to make sure I could measure up.''

Jones also was looking forward to a weekend vacation from the NBA grind. His friends and family were looking for a break of their own, however: They persuaded Jones to enter the contest so they could get a free trip to Los Angeles.

Jones will join Golden State's Richardson, Boston's Ricky Davis and Denver's Chris Andersen in a slimmed-down version of the event. LeBron James declined an invitation to participate.

Though Michael Jordan will always be Jones' favorite dunker, he ranks Richardson among the best in the event's history. Jones is particularly enamored with Richardson's signature dunk: leaping to catch a high bounce from the floor, then passing the ball between his legs for a one-handed slam.

``People don't understand how tough that is,'' Jones said. ``I could maybe (make that dunk) in college, but I was lighter then. I've been lifting weights too much.''

Andersen is unknown to most casual basketball fans, but the Nuggets' 6-foot-10 utility player has an athleticism that catches everybody's eye. He has a 34-inch vertical leap to go with his height _ and he also has a healthy appreciation for Richardson's work.

``I'm going to try to use some of his stuff against him,'' Andersen said. ``He has a few favorite moves that I think I can put a spin on. I'm a one-footed jumper, and he's a two-footer. Maybe I can use that.''

Though all three challengers are worthy, Richardson is the strong favorite to become the first three-time champion in the event's 19th edition (there was no competition in 1998 or 1999).

Earlier in the week, Richardson claimed he had no special plans or trick dunks for the contest _ just more of the phenomenal slams that have been propelling Warriors fans out of their seats for three years.

``He's going to be tough to stop,'' said former Phoenix star Cedric Ceballos, who won the 1992 contest with his famed blindfold dunk. ``J-Rich has some stuff that nobody has seen before. It's going to be fun to see what he comes up with.''

___

NOWITZKI ISN'T TIRED:@ Dirk Nowitzki thinks Mark Cuban worries too much.

Cuban made headlines last weekend after trading jabs with U.S. coach Larry Brown over NBA players' involvement in the Olympics and other international tournaments.

Cuban would prefer to keep his high-priced players out of international events to safeguard their health, though he hasn't yet made an ultimatum to international regulars Nowitzki of Germany, Steve Nash of Canada and Eduardo Najera of Mexico.

Nowitzki was the Most Valuable Player of the 2002 World Championships. He also participated in the European Championships last summer, and he doesn't think any of it has affected his play for the Mavericks _ quite the contrary, in fact.

``The whole thing is a little overrated,'' Nowitzki said. ``I'm 25 years old. I can take it. If I wasn't playing there, I'd be playing pickup every night. It's just not a big deal.

``When I'm in competition, I'm getting better. You can really improve your game if you're working at it all the time. I don't think it's something to worry about.''

___

3-POINT CONFIDENCE:@ Peja Stojakovic will try for his third straight victory in the Long-Distance Shootout on Saturday, and the Sacramento Kings' All-Star forward might be getting a bit cocky.

``The only way I can lose is if I get in the biggest slump of my life,'' Stojakovic said with a straight face. ``Really. It's over. They should go home.''

Stojakovic then broke into a laugh before praising his competition: Detroit's Chauncey Billups, Philadelphia's Kyle Korver, Seattle's Rashard Lewis, Denver's Voshon Lenard and Houston's Cuttino Mobley.

``This is a great field, and anybody could win it,'' he said. ``I just hope it's me.''

Stojakovic, who will appear in his third All-Star game Sunday, is hoping to become the first three-time champion since Craig Hodges in 1990-92. Larry Bird won the first three editions of the event.

___

T.O. THE REPORTER?:@ It was easily the most bizarre sight of the massive All-Star interview session on Friday, even stranger than seeing Allen Iverson in a Milwaukee Bucks (throwback) jersey: Terrell Owens became a member of the media.

The San Francisco 49ers' star receiver fancies himself an actor and a model, but he makes no effort to conceal his utter disdain for reporters. Owens has boycotted all media on several occasions since he became a superstar four seasons ago, and he has barely spoken to media at all over the past two years.

Yet the NFL Network enlisted Owens to participate in the All-Star weekend as a correspondent, and he provided several clever exchanges with the stars. He tried to jinx Kevin Garnett, who hasn't missed a free throw in an All-Star game, and he traded laughs with Iverson and Baron Davis.

Owens also joined 2000 slam dunk champion Vince Carter to critique the upcoming competition.

``Jason Richardson is great,'' Carter said. ``Just when you think he can't possibly pull out another stunt ...''

``Like pulling a pen out of his sock, so to speak?'' Owens replied.

``Exactly!'' Carter said.

LOS ANGELES (AP) LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were more than ready for prime time _ and their new buddy show was a smash hit.

James scored 33 points and hooked up with Anthony for four breathtaking alley-oop dunks that were the best moments in the sophomores' highlight-filled 142-118 victory in the Rookie Challenge on Friday night.

Though neither player was selected for Sunday's All-Star game, James and Anthony are arguably the NBA's most anticipated rookie duo since Magic Johnson and Larry Bird _ and in a game mercifully free of defense, they put on a show worthy of the hype.

In their only competition of the weekend, the 19-year-old prodigies were the main attractions on a rookie team going against a squad of second-year pros led by Yao Ming and MVP Amare Stoudemire, who had 36 points and 11 rebounds.

James' pairing with Anthony was so enticing that the NBA moved the game from its usual spot in All-Star Saturday festivities, giving it a prime-time slot Friday night before a sellout crowd at Staples Center. While James provided most of the gasp-inducing highlights, Anthony scored 17 points.

Stoudemire, last season's Rookie of the Year, made an incredible number of uncontested dunks. Carlos Boozer and Ronald Murray added 25 points apiece for the second-year pros, who made nearly 71 percent of their shots in the first half to turn it into a blowout.

But nobody cared: James, wearing gold-colored shoes that wouldn't be legal during the regular season, gave a performance that steadily got better after losing the opening tip to Yao, who barely jumped to swat the ball away from the 6-foot-8 James.

Rookies coach Doug Collins used James and Anthony in tandem during the first half, substituting them together and taking advantage of their teamwork. They needed less than four minutes to hook up on a spectacular play.

Anthony got loose on a fast break and served up an underhand alley-oop to James, who slammed it home to delirious cheers. They teamed up again 2{ minutes later, with Anthony throwing a longer pass for another emphatic slam by James.

Their third connection came with less than five minutes to play when Anthony dribbled under the hoop and tossed it up to James, who dunked from the other direction. They added one more in the final minute, when both teams abandoned any pretense of defense for an impromptu dunk contest.

James, who declined an invitation to participate in the real dunk contest, threw down a two-handed behind-the-head slam moments later _ and Anthony capped the game with a similar jam. After Stoudemire accepted his trophy, James tossed his new shoes into the crowd.

The dunk contest and the long-distance shootout won't be held until Saturday night, but dunks and 3-pointers were just about all the young players attempted during long stretches.

The sophomores led 72-59 at halftime, though Yao got jeered by his teammates after completely missing the basket support on a one-handed shot from halfcourt at the buzzer.

James scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting in the first half. Moments after halftime, James tossed a pass off the backboard to himself and rattled home a jam.

Though the game was sold out on the opening night of All-Star festivities, about half the lower bowl was empty as fans fought rush-hour traffic to make it to the game. The crowd got thinner up the building's four elevated levels, though it filled out nicely as the night progressed.

Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles native Baron Davis and rapper Jay-Z were among the celebrities who made it to the arena in time to see the showcase.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Two-time defending champion Jason Richardson of Golden State and three other players will participate in the NBA's slam-dunk contest Saturday night.

Ricky Davis of Boston, Chris Andersen of Denver and Fred Jones of Indiana also will be part of the event a day before the All-Star game.

No player has won three slam-dunk contests. The competition began in 1984.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Magic Johnson loves what teenagers LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have accomplished as rookies and is disappointed they weren't picked to play in the NBA All-Star Game.

``LeBron and Carmelo have brought so much interest, they should have made it,'' Johnson said Friday. ``They backed it up with their game. You can't tell me they shouldn't be part of the game. I understand that they've got to earn their stripes, so to speak.

``They're good guys. And they've made the other guys work harder at their game.''

James and Anthony, both 19, played in Johnson's charity game last summer.

``Both young men have brought a great freshness, a great smile back to the game,'' Johnson said. ``Nobody wants to smile. We've got to get back to smiling, destroying their man at the same time.''

The All-Star game will be played Feb. 15 at Staples Center _ its first time in the area since 1983 when the game was played at the Forum in Inglewood.

That was one of 11 All-Star games Johnson played in as a member of the Lakers.

James, averaging nearly 21 points for Cleveland, and Anthony, averaging 19 for Denver, will play with first-year players in the Rookie Challenge on Friday night of All-Star weekend against a team of second-year players.

Johnson left Michigan State after his sophomore season and was 20 when he played his first NBA game in 1979. He was known for his engaging smile throughout a brilliant career that was suddenly halted in November 1991 when he tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS.

He returned to play half a season for the Lakers in 1996 before retiring for good.

Johnson recalled his most memorable All-Star game _ the 1992 contest in Orlando when he played despite having retired for the first time. He had 25 points and nine assists in a 153-113 victory by the West and won MVP honors.

``That was the best All-Star game for me,'' Johnson said, recalling the hugs he received from players on both teams. ``So much has changed. You have to remember, that was 12 years ago. A few players were against me at that time (because of the virus). A lot of people thought I wouldn't be here. Here I am.''

Of the last 12 years, Johnson said: ``It's almost been like a blur.''

Now 44, Johnson said he works out five times a week between his business endeavors and public appearances, and feels great.

``I'm happy two times _ when I'm working out and when I'm working,'' he said. ``I'm always thinking about my next thing.''

A minority owner and vice president with the Lakers, Johnson has been very successful in the business world. He also established the Magic Johnson Foundation, which has worked to raise funds for community-based organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS education and provide programs to meet the educational needs of urban residents.

A bronze statue of Johnson standing nearly 14 feet tall and weighing 2,800 pounds will be unveiled Wednesday outside Staples Center near a statue of hockey great Wayne Gretzky.

Johnson will be honored Thursday night at a charity dinner, with host American Express donating $200,000 to his foundation.

``It's just a wonderful week starting off with the statue on Wednesday,'' Johnson said. ``It's not just about me, it's my family. It's not only what I've done on the court, but off the court.

``I'm happy, man. Next week, I'm just really going to be happy.''