New York at Indiana (7:30 p.m. EST). The Pacers (12-2) have the best record in the NBA.

STARS

Wednesday

_ Vince Carter, Raptors, scored a season-high 43 points, including a jumper with 1.2 seconds left in overtime to give Toronto a 99-97 win over Atlanta.

_ Stephon Marbury, Suns, had 18 points and 12 assists to help Phoenix rout Dallas 121-90.

_ Paul Pierce, Celtics, scored 30 points in Boston's 94-92 win over Orlando.

_ Manu Ginobili, Spurs, had 17 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in San Antonio's 109-98 win over Chicago.

_ Dikembe Mutombo, Knicks, had 18 points and 17 rebounds in New York's 97-92 victory over Minnesota.

_ Baron Davis, Hornets, had 26 points and eight assists, leading New Orleans over Cleveland 82-72.

COOL RECEPTION

Detroit coach Larry Brown was booed loudly by 76ers fans Wednesday night in his first game back in Philadelphia _ a 90-86 loss _ since leaving to coach the Pistons last spring. Brown spent six often-turbulent seasons in Philadelphia, taking the Sixers to the playoffs five straight years. The fans' jeers were offset by the warm reception Brown received from his former players. Allen Iverson hugged his former coach during team introductions, as did Eric Snow and Derrick Coleman.

STRONG IN DEFEAT

Atlanta's Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 30 points and 13 rebounds in the Hawks' 99-97 overtime loss to Toronto on Wednesday night. ... Minnesota's Kevin Garnett had 25 points and 14 rebounds in a 97-92 loss to New York.

LEAN ON ME

Toronto's Vince Carter has led the Raptors in scoring in 13 of 14 games this season. Carter scored a season-high 43 points in Toronto's 99-97 overtime win over Atlanta on Wednesday night.

BY THE NUMBERS

The Spurs' Tim Duncan had his 11th double-double of the season and 356th of his career Wednesday night, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in San Antonio's 109-98 victory over the Bulls on Wednesday night.

SPEAKING

``He's a thug. He always has been and is. He should be put down for every day that he (Cabarkapa) is out. I'll do everything in my power to see that happens. With the game over, there's no excuse for that.'' _ Phoenix Suns' owner Jerry Colangelo on the Mavericks' Danny Fortson after Fortson pushed Suns' rookie Zarko Cabarkapa as he drove to the basket with less than three minutes to play in the Suns' 121-90 win on Wednesday night. Cabarkapa broke his right wrist on the play and will be out six to eight weeks. Colangelo said that he would ask the NBA to either fine or suspend Fortson.