NEW YORK (AP) Houston guard Cuttino Mobley was fined $5,000 Friday for publicly criticizing the referees following the San Antonio Spurs 86-77 win Tuesday over the Rockets.

The fine was announced by Stu Jackson, the NBA's vice president of basketball operations.

Mobley described the officiating as ``retarded'' and said the officials were incompetent.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Nona Gaye gave one of the most impressive performances at All-Star weekend _ and she did it with a little help from her late father.

Gaye, the daughter of legendary singer Marvin Gaye, sang a stirring rendition of the national anthem during the All-Star Saturday festivities at Staples Center. It was a duet with her father, who changed the nation's perception of ``The Star-Spangled Banner'' with his performance at Los Angeles' last All-Star game 21 years ago.

Images of Marvin Gaye's performance played on a screen behind Nona as she sang along with an enhanced recording of the performance. The crowd whooped and cheered throughout the song.

Before the 1983 All-Star game at the Forum, Marvin Gaye stole the show with a soul-flavored rendition of the national anthem. Though a few purists, including former commissioner Larry O'Brien, were unimpressed with the unique arrangement, the players and most of the fans recognized a watershed moment in the history of sports and music.

``It was the prettiest and the most soulful national anthem I've ever heard,'' said former Lakers guard Michael Cooper, who attended the 1983 game. ``I've never seen so many people tear up or feel the way they felt after someone sang the national anthem.

``That national anthem brought everyone together. ... You have some good renditions by different people, but nothing ever sounded, or compared to, or made you feel the way Marvin Gaye sang that one.''

There was nearly as much music as basketball on All-Star Saturday: Tamia, the wife of Orlando's Grant Hill, sang the Canadian anthem, while Ruben Studdard and the Beach Boys also performed.

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YAO HOMECOMING:@ The Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings will play two exhibition games in China in October, and Yao Ming expects to hear from a lot of friends and relatives in his hometown of Shanghai.

Asked how many might be on his list for free passes, Yao grinned and said: ``We may have to hold out the entire stadium.''

The Rockets' All-Star center, speaking through an interpreter, added: ``I'm very, very happy to get a chance to play in Shanghai again.''

The first game will be in Shanghai Stadium on Oct. 14. The teams play again at Capital Stadium in Beijing on Oct. 16.

Yao's Houston teammate, Steve Francis, already is excited about the trip.

``One of the things you hear about China, even when you're young, is about the Great Wall,'' Francis said. ``Maybe Yao and I can go run along the Great Wall.''

Both games _ the first to be staged by an American pro sports league in China _ will be televised by ESPN.

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JAY WILLIAMS:@ A year ago, Jay Williams played in the Rookie Challenge at All-Star weekend. The Chicago guard seemed headed for an outstanding NBA career until his motorcycle accident last June, which has put his career in jeopardy.

But Williams was back at the All-Star game this weekend as a correspondent for the NBA's TV network. Williams, who received a generous contract buyout from the Bulls last week, bantered with former Duke teammates Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer before speaking about his future.

``Rehab is coming well,'' said Williams, the second overall pick in the 2002 draft. ``It's something I do every day of my life. They say it's going good. I think I'll be running by summer. Then we'll work on cutting, and then trying to get back out here.''

The accident severed a main nerve in Williams' leg, fractured his pelvis and tore three of the four main ligaments in his left knee. He spent two weeks at a Chicago hospital and several more weeks at a hospital in North Carolina.

Williams still walks with a pronounced limp, and doctors have cautioned him to remain realistic about his rehab schedule. He realizes he might never play again, but refuses to give up.

Said Williams: ``It could happen. You never know.''

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LOOSE BALLS:@ California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will appear on TNT's pregame show before Sunday's All-Star game. ... Both All-Star teams held practices Saturday at the nearby convention center housing the NBA's interactive fan pavilion. At the end of the East practice, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin and Baron Davis threw their shoes into the crowd. ... Most of the All-Stars attended Saturday's proceedings. Iverson cheered loudly for Kyle Korver, his Philadelphia teammate, in the 3-Point Shootout. ... Lennox Lewis, who retired as heavyweight champion earlier in the month, sat next to actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith.

LOS ANGELES (AP) At 34, he finally made his first NBA All-Star squad.

Sam Cassell has been one of the league's more consistent performers for more than a decade, but it took him 11 years to get All-Star recognition.

``I don't know why. I'm not a bad guy,'' Cassell said, laughing and shaking his head. ``Looking at stats, and my team winning, I thought it was all there for me.''

Cassell, a reserve on the Western Conference squad, is averaging a career-high 21 points and 7.8 assists in his first season with Minnesota.

Even more importantly for the Timberwolves, he has provided stability and leadership for the team's banged-up backcourt, and Minnesota's 37-15 record is its best ever at the All-Star break.

``I'm very, very excited to see Sam finally getting the recognition he deserves,'' said Timberwolves _ and All-Star _ teammate Kevin Garnett. ``He's done a great job, and I think he's being rejuvenated a little bit by the All-Star recognition.''

Garnett smiled and added, ``Of course, he'd deny that.''

Whatever the case, Cassell certainly seemed to be having a good time Friday afternoon as he held court with reporters at his designated table, just a few feet from where Garnett was sitting and answering questions.

Talking about playing with Garnett, Cassell said, ``A guy like Kevin Garnett is like Advil; he relieves the pressure.''

Cassell is the second-oldest first-time All-Star in NBA history, one month younger than New York's Sweetwater Clifton in 1957.

``It's amazing, everything that I expected,'' Cassell said. ``Some of the guys I battle with night in and night out, I can be friends with for a while.

``Afterward, I won't like them again.''

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BIG MEN:@ Asked if Shaquille O'Neal is the most physical player he's gone up against so far, Houston's Yao Ming nodded.

Then he smiled and added, through an interpreter, ``And I don't think there will be anyone more physical than him afterward, either.''

Yao finished ahead of O'Neal in the fans' All-Star balloting for the second consecutive year, so will start for the Western Conference.

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GIMME MY TROPHY:@ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made a record 18 NBA All-Star appearances, but the five-time regular-season MVP never won that honor in the All-Star game.

His most memorable All-Star outing, he said, is the ``one where they wouldn't give me the MVP'' in 1971, when he was still Lew Alcindor and played for Milwaukee.

He scored 19 points, including a 5-foot jumper and free throw with 48 seconds remaining to give the West a 108-107 victory in that game, and also had 14 rebounds.

Seattle's Lenny Wilkens, who scored a a game-high 21 points, was the MVP.

``They voted for the MVP at halftime, and I definitely won it in the second half,'' Abdul-Jabbar recalled. ``Then the writers came over and said they were sorry. But that was the worst.

``Lenny Wilkens had a great first half, but the game was really decided in the second half. Jerry West and I took over the game in the last two minutes and I scored six or seven points and we won it.''

Abdul-Jabbar grinned and added, ``I told somebody that now that Lenny's coaching again, I'm going to go to his house and steal the MVP trophy.''

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STAYING EMPLOYED:@ The Lakers' Derek Fisher would prefer that Kobe Bryant _ and Shaquille O'Neal _ hang around Los Angeles for at least a few more years.

``My job security depends a lot on those two guys,'' Fisher said.

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KIDS' DAY:@ Shaquille O'Neal showed up at the media session Friday with 3-year-old daughter Aimirah.

At first, she happily munched a cookie, then took off her shoe. Soon, she poked a curious finger into the fuzzy microphones stuck in her father's face. She undid a pin that secured bunting to the table before O'Neal took it away from her.

When Aimirah climbed into O'Neal's lap and started babbling, he shushed her with a smile. She had O'Neal and reporters laughing when she grabbed his lips with her tiny hands and squeezed them together, then covered his face with her hands.

T.J. Kidd is a preschooler, too, but worlds apart in media savvy. The son of New Jersey's Jason Kidd wore a black headband and mugged for the TV cameras at the slightest provocation.

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STAR SIGHTINGS:@ Celebrities came out to see rookies LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony team up in the rookie game Friday night.

Rapper Jay-Z, actress-director Penny Marshall, former Miami Heat coach Pat Riley, New Orleans guard Baron Davis, Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell were among those in the crowd. Lakers teammates Shaquille O'Neal and Rick Fox each brought one of their kids.

The New Jersey Nets sure look smart for promoting Lawrence Frank.

Maybe NBA fans knew something, too, when they voted for Yao Ming over Shaquille O'Neal.

Frank matched a league record by improving to 9-0 since taking over the Nets, who won their 10th straight game Wednesday night with a 105-85 victory in Cleveland.

``Naismith, Wooden, all of them would be proud of him,'' All-Star guard Jason Kidd said. ``He doesn't like the attention, but the team is happy for him.''

Yao had 29 points and 11 rebounds, outplaying O'Neal to lead the Rockets to a 102-87 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.

Yao also edged Shaq in fan balloting and will start at center for the Western Conference in the All-Star game Sunday.

``He made the shots, but he got the whistle, too,'' O'Neal said. ``He's a big guy and has a soft touch. I don't think he'll ever be able to play me one-on-one, ever, ever, ever. We let this one slip away.''

In other games, it was: Sacramento 96, Detroit 94; Miami 111, Orlando 98; Philadelphia 113, Washington 88; Memphis 110, the Los Angeles Clippers 102; New Orleans 106, New York 98; Minnesota 77, Utah 66; and Golden State 110, Phoenix 99.

Yao flashed an array of fluid moves and helped the Rockets pull away in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of Houston's last 15 points in the final 6:12.

``We have to make adjustments throughout the game if you're playing against the best player in the league, and he did that,'' Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. ``He went with his jump hook and he drove and he spun.''

O'Neal, who finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, fouled out with 3:20 to play. Kobe Bryant came off the injured list and scored 14 points for the Lakers.

``I was very surprised how I was able to do,'' Yao said. ``We kept moving the ball and moving our people on defense and Shaq couldn't catch up to it.''

Frank, 33, is the youngest coach in pro sports _ and he doesn't look much older than some ballboys. The former assistant was named interim coach when Byron Scott was fired on Jan. 26.

With the win, Frank tied an NBA mark for the best start as a coach shared by Kurt Rambis (Los Angeles Lakers, 1998-99) and Buddy Jeannette (Baltimore Bullets, 1947-48).

Not bad for a kid who couldn't even make his high school basketball team in Teaneck, N.J.

``He's a leader,'' said Kerry Kittles, who scored all 27 of his points in the second half. ``Give him credit, he's pushing the right buttons. He comes up with a good game plan and we all feel comfortable going in.''

The Nets became the second team in league history to win 10 straight games by more than 10 points, tying a mark set by the 1946-47 Washington Capitals coached by Red Auerbach.

New Jersey also tied a team mark with its fifth straight road win, and the Nets' 10-game winning streak is their second-longest ever. New Jersey won 11 in a row in 1982-83.

Underscoring their turnaround under Frank, the Nets became just the second team to follow a five-game losing streak by winning 10 in a row. The Denver Nuggets did that in 1977-78.

``The players deserve all the credit,'' Frank said.

Cavaliers rookie LeBron James scored nine points _ his lowest output in 29 games _ and said he won't participate in the slam dunk contest this weekend.

Kings 96, Pistons 94

At Auburn Hills, Mich., Peja Stojakovic's 22-foot jumper with 0.4 seconds left sent Detroit into the All-Star break with a season-high five-game losing streak.

Mike Bibby scored 26 points and Stojakovic had 25 for the Western Conference-leading Kings, who have won seven of eight and five straight on the road. Brad Miller added 18 points and 15 rebounds.

76ers 113, Wizards 88

At Philadelphia, Allen Iverson scored 25 points and new coach Chris Ford was a winner in his 76ers debut.

Heat 111, Magic 98

At Orlando, Fla., Dwyane Wade scored 27 points, Rafer Alston added a season-high 23 and Miami snapped a five-game losing streak. Orlando lost its seventh straight.

Grizzlies 110, Clippers 102

At Memphis, Tenn., Pau Gasol had 22 points and eight rebounds to help the Grizzlies hold off short-handed Los Angeles.

Elton Brand had 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Clippers, who lost their fourth straight. They were missing leading scorer Corey Maggette and third-leading scorer Quentin Richardson due to injuries.

Hornets 106, Knicks 98

At New Orleans, Baron Davis shook off a sore ankle and had 29 points and a career-high six steals for the Hornets, who had lost five of six. Stephon Marbury led New York with 29 points and 10 assists.

Timberwolves 77, Jazz 66

At Salt Lake City, Kevin Garnett had 17 points and 12 rebounds for his 14th straight double-double. Sam Cassell finished with 24 points and seven assists.

Andrei Kirilenko had 21 points, nine rebounds and five blocks to lead the Jazz.

Warriors 110, Suns 99

At Oakland, Calif., Brian Cardinal scored a career-best 32 points, and Speedy Claxton had 19 points and a career-high 13 assists for Golden State.

Amare Stoudemire had a season-high 33 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who fell behind by 24 early in their fifth straight loss.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Houston Rockets All-Star Yao Ming is the new global spokesman for McDonald's, which let Kobe Bryant's contract expire after he was accused of rape.

Yao's multiyear sponsorship deal was announced Thursday at a McDonald's outlet inside the Los Angeles Convention Center. Yao is in town to play in Sunday's NBA All-Star game.

Bryant's three-year deal with the fast-food company expired Dec. 31. The Los Angeles Lakers guard has lost other sponsors since being charged with sexual assault.

``We had a long, mutually beneficial partnership with Kobe,'' said Larry Light, McDonald's global chief marketing officer. ``His contract expired and we mutually determined under the circumstances it was best to not renew.''

The company's research showed Yao's attitude and charm are as much a part of his appeal as his athletic ability, Light said.

``Yao has international appeal and also represents the character of our brand,'' Light said. ``He's youthful, dynamic and has a sense of humor. He's also very caring.''

Yao will be used in McDonald's global marketing campaign, with an emphasis on physical fitness and activity, Olympic initiatives and support of Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Yao was chosen as a Western Conference All-Star starter for the second consecutive year. He had 29 points and 11 rebounds in Houston's 102-87 victory over the Lakers on Wednesday night.

Lawrence Frank is within three victories of matching the best start by a coach in NBA history.

The New Jersey Nets improved to 6-0 under his watch, surpassing 100 points before the end of the third quarter in a 120-99 home victory over Orlando on Friday night.

``You have to give him credit,'' veteran guard Lucious Harris said. ``He has turned us around. He gave us a new focus. You have to give most of the credit to him. He has focused on small details every day, no matter how good we play.''

The six wins to start a coaching career are three shy of the NBA record shared by Kurt Rambis in 1998-99 with the Lakers and Buddy Jeannette with the Baltimore Bullets in 1947.

As he has done after each win, the 33-year-old Frank gave all the credit to his players.

``This is a very unique group,'' Frank said. ``Not to demean anyone else in the NBA, I would find it hard to find in any other locker room the type of character we have and the oneness in the sense of having one agenda _ winning.''

In other games, San Antonio defeated Sacramento 102-94, Minnesota downed Cleveland 103-92, Houston edged Chicago 82-80, Atlanta topped Boston 100-96, Portland defeated Utah 87-73, Seattle edged Phoenix 107-105, Golden State beat Denver 96-87, New Orleans defeated Detroit 92-81, Memphis downed Milwaukee 105-85, Indiana beat Toronto 83-77, and Washington topped the Los Angeles Clippers 112-100.

Jason Kidd had 18 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and a 3-pointer that cracked the 100-point mark at the end of third quarter.

The victory was the Nets' seventh straight; their sixth in a row since Frank took over the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions from Byron Scott less than two weeks ago.

The Nets' 120 points, 41 assists, 59.8 shooting percentage and 64 points in the paint were all season highs. The assist total was a league high, one more than Dallas had against New Orleans on Nov. 11.

Kerry Kittles made six of his first seven shots and scored 12 of his 17 points in the first quarter. Kenyon Martin had 18 points and 15 rebounds, Richard Jefferson added 15 points, and Aaron Williams had a season-high 17 after Jason Collins was injured.

Spurs 102, Kings 94

At Sacramento, Calif., Tim Duncan had 28 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks as the Spurs continued to be one of few teams to give the Kings trouble at home, defeating them at Arco Arena for the third straight time.

The defeat snapped a five-game winning streak for the Kings as the NBA's highest-scoring team was bothered all game by the league's top defensive team.

Timberwolves 103, Cavaliers 92

At Minneapolis, Kevin Garnett had 35 points and 12 rebounds, and Latrell Sprewell added 24 points, seven assists and had a hand in LeBron James' face most of the night. Minnesota won its 14th straight at home and is an NBA-best 26-6 since Dec. 1.

Rockets 82, Bulls 80

At Houston, Jim Jackson hit a difficult 22-foot jumper at the buzzer. Yao Ming led Houston with 22 points, followed by Jackson with 14.

``Losing like that, on a shot like that, is tough to swallow,'' Chicago's Jamal Crawford said.

Hawks 100, Celtics 96

At Boston, the Atlanta Hawks won consecutive games for the first time this season, getting 23 points from Shareef Adbur-Rahim and 22 from Stephen Jackson. It was the Celtics' sixth straight loss and fifth in a row under interim coach John Carroll.

Trail Blazers 87, Jazz 73

At Salt Lake City, Zach Randolph had 19 points and 14 rebounds to lead the surging Trail Blazers to their sixth victory in their last seven road games.

SuperSonics 107, Suns 105

At Phoenix, Rashard Lewis scored 23 points, taking a pass from Luke Ridnour for a layup with 2 seconds remaining for the game-winner. Ray Allen injured his shoulder and is day-to-day.

Warriors 96, Nuggets 87

At Oakland, Calif., Speedy Claxton scored 17 of his career-high 25 points in the fourth quarter to snap Denver's three-game winning streak.

Hornets 92, Pistons 81

At New Orleans, Jamal Mashburn scored 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to help the New Orleans Hornets snap a four-game losing streak.

Grizzlies 105, Bucks 85

At Memphis, Tenn., Pau Gasol had 27 points and 12 rebounds as the Grizzlies tied a franchise record for victories (28).

Pacers 83, Raptors 77

At Toronto, Ron Artest scored 27 points, Jermaine O'Neal added 20 and Al Harrington 19 in the Eastern Conference-leading Pacers' fourth win in five games.

Wizards 112, Clippers 110

At Washington, Gilbert Arenas scored 25 points, Jerry Stackhouse added 23 and the Wizards scored 25 of the game's first 28 points.

Warriors guard Nick Van Exel wants to play for one of the three Texas (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio) teams.

"All the teams are close to contenders, and just being close to home in Texas, I think that's what it all boils down to,'' Van Exel said before the Warriors' 107-93 loss in Dallas.

Van Exel has a home in Houston and his son lives in a Dallas suburb.

He can opt-out of the final two years of his contract this offseason but probably won't due to the large amount of money he would be giving up.

"Depends on where I'm at,'' he said when asked if he will opt out after the season. "That's a lot of money to give up. I gave up a lot of money already. ... I doubt if I'd do it again. But you never know, I'm pretty stubborn. Once I make up my mind, it's a done deal.''

HOUSTON (AP) New Jersey Nets forward Eddie Griffin must remain in jail at least until his Feb. 13 sentencing on a marijuana possession conviction, a judge said Tuesday.

Griffin was arrested Monday in Houston for allegedly violating a curfew set as a condition of his bond in an unrelated aggravated assault charge.

Griffin went on leave from the Nets last week so he could undergo six weeks of treatment for alcohol abuse, according to his attorney, Rusty Hardin. He signed with the Nets in January, a few weeks after being released by the Houston Rockets.

In November, Griffin was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a woman accused him of hitting her in the face and shooting at her as she drove away from his home Oct. 25. He was free on bond for that charge until Monday.

Griffin was convicted of marijuana possession Jan. 20.

HOUSTON (AP) New Jersey Nets forward Eddie Griffin was back in jail Monday after prosecutors said he violated bail terms stemming from a prior assault charge.

Griffin's bond was revoked Monday and a hearing was set for Tuesday over alleged curfew violations.

``He has violated the curfew several times and some violations are more serious than others,'' Jane Waters, an assistant district attorney for Harris County, told The Associated Press.

Griffin must abide by a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew unless he must work.

His lawyer, Rusty Hardin, did not immediately return a call.

Griffin was released by the Houston Rockets this season and signed with the Nets in January. He then requested a leave last week so he could undergo six weeks of treatment for alcohol abuse, Hardin said. He was set to check into the Betty Ford Center in California on Wednesday.

Griffin is to be sentenced Feb. 13 for a marijuana possession conviction. He was charged in November with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a woman accused him of hitting her three times in the face and shooting at her as she drove away from his home Oct. 25.

HOUSTON (AP) Rockets scoring leader Steve Francis was suspended for Monday night's game for missing a flight to Phoenix.

He missed the Sunday night flight and would not be with the team for its game against the Suns. Rockets spokesman Nelson Luis said the team would have no further comment.

Francis leads Houston in scoring (16.6) and assists (5.9).