L.A. Lakers at Minnesota (8 p.m. EST). The Lakers will be without injured Karl Malone and may also be missing Shaquille O'Neal when they meet the Timberwolves in a rematch of last season's first-round playoff series.

STARS

Sunday

_ Jason Kidd, Nets, scored 19 of his season-high 35 points in the fourth quarter to lead New Jersey past New York 95-85.

_ Elton Brand, Clippers, had 30 points and 15 rebounds in a 101-98 win over the Lakers.

BACK IN THE BLACK

Milwaukee beat Washington 100-94 on Sunday to improve to 17-16 this season. The Bucks moved a game over .500 for the sixth time this season, but they have yet to move to two above.

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST

Sacramento had the highest-scoring performance in the NBA this season, beating Seattle 130-99 on Sunday night. The Kings had a season-high 37 assists and shot a season-best 58.4 percent.

STRONG IN DEFEAT

Kobe Bryant scored 44 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 101-98 loss to the crosstown Clippers on Sunday night. ... Kwame Brown scored a career-high 23 points and had 11 rebounds in Washington's 100-94 loss to Milwaukee. Eighteen of Brown's points came in a 10-minute stretch in the first half.

BLOCK PARTY

New York's Dikembe Mutombo tied a Knicks record with 10 blocked shots in a 95-85 loss to New Jersey on Sunday night. Mutombo's blocks were the most in an NBA game this season.

SPEAKING

``We definitely have bragging rights, we own the city tonight _ at least until we play them again.'' _ Clippers forward Elton Brand, after his team beat the Lakers 101-98 Sunday night for just their third win over their Los Angeles rivals in 26 games.