MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Latrell Sprewell scored 30 points while keeping Kobe Bryant in check, and the Minnesota Timberwolves sent the struggling and injury-plagued Los Angeles Lakers to a 106-90 loss Tuesday night.

Shaquille O'Neal sat out his second straight game with a strained right calf, and the Lakers have been missing Karl Malone for more than two weeks because of a sprained right knee.

They were sorely missed. Los Angeles lost for the seventh time in 10 games, and Bryant had only six of his 20 points in the second half.

Minnesota's two other stars gave Sprewell plenty of support. Kevin Garnett had 26 points and 18 rebounds, and Sam Cassell scored 19 of his 26 points in the first half.

Cavaliers 107, Knicks 96

CLEVELAND (AP) Stephon Marbury didn't do much for the new-look Knicks after being cleared to play just 30 minutes before tipoff, and LeBron James' 10 assists and Zydrunas Ilgauskas' 24 points led the Cavaliers over New York.

Marbury, traded from Phoenix to New York along with Penny Hardaway a day earlier, had eight points and eight assists in the Knicks' third straight loss.

James had 14 points on a poor shooting night, but his assists tied his career high. Eric Williams hit baskets at several key points and finished with 22.

For much of the game, New York resembled a team that hadn't practiced together. Hardaway shot just 3-for-9 for six points. Keith Van Horn led New York with 20 points and Allan Houston had 18.

Nets 92, Clippers 75

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Jason Kidd had his second straight 30-plus point game and Nets held Los Angeles to a season-low 28 first-half points.

Kenyon Martin and Corey Maggette were ejected after exchanging punches in the third quarter, and both face automatic suspensions.

The players fought after Martin committed a hard foul on Maggette on a drive to the basket. Maggette shoved Martin to the court, and Martin got up and went after Maggette.

No one else was involved in the fracas, which detracted from a 32-point night by Kidd as he shot 13-of-20 from the field. The Nets gave an outstanding defensive effort in their 13th win in 16 games and fourth straight.

Pacers 114, Magic 107

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Jermaine O'Neal had 25 points, nine rebounds and four blocks to help Indiana overcome a 43-point performance by Tracy McGrady.

McGrady made eight 3-pointers and shot 14-of-27, but he didn't have the support O'Neal had for Indiana. O'Neal was one of six Pacers in double figures as they won their sixth in a row.

The 114 points were a season high for the Eastern Conference-leading Pacers, who also got a little payback for an embarrassing home loss to the Magic on Dec. 17, 2003.

The Magic got as close as seven in the final period on Rod Strickland's layup with 7:38 to play. Ron Artest, who scored 23 points, helped hold them off with seven points down the stretch, including a fast-break dunk that made it 114-103 with less than a minute to play.

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