No games scheduled. The All-Star game is Sunday in Los Angeles.

STARS

Thursday

_Kirk Hinrich, Bulls, had 23 points and 14 assists as Chicago defeated Boston 107-87.

_Voshon Lenard, Nuggets, had 31 points in Denver's 107-98 victory over Portland.

WAITING GAME

The Los Angeles Lakers suspended negotiations to extend coach Phil Jackson's contract until after the season. The five-year, $30 million contract Jackson signed in June 1999 expires at the end of the season.

BOSTON DROPS

Boston's Paul Pierce tied a season low with four points, and the Celtics dropped to 1-7 under interim coach John Carroll with Thursday night's 107-87 loss at Chicago.

NEW BLAZERS

Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau made their debuts for Portland on Thursday night, three days after being acquired from Atlanta for Rasheed Wallace. Abdur-Rahim scored 20 points while Ratliff had 14, both in reserve roles, in a 107-98 loss to Denver.

SIDELINED

Chicago placed Scottie Pippen on the injured list for the second time this season Thursday with a sore left knee. He has played in just 23 of the Bulls' 52 games this season and had surgery on his knee in December.

MING EMPIRE

Houston 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. Bryant's three-year deal with the fast-food company expired Dec. 31.

BOSTON BAKER

Suspended Boston forward Vin Baker missed his 10th straight game Thursday night, a number that could allow the team to terminate his contract. Baker was suspended Jan. 23 after failing to comply with his aftercare program for treatment of alcoholism.

SPEAKING

``I can't make somebody learn the plays. That's like a trash man going to work and not knowing where to pick up their garbage.'' _ Chicago's Jerome Williams, criticizing teammates on not knowing where to be on the court. His comments came hours before Thursday night's 107-87 win over Boston.