Rice Is Hot in Return, but Rockets Still Fall

On a night when the Glen Rice trade looked like a steal for the Houston Rockets, the New York Knicks could at least take solace in a victory.

Allan Houston got the better of Rice on the most important play of the game, spoiling Rice’s return to Madison Square Garden for the first time since being traded, as the Knicks beat the Rockets, 89-86, Monday night at New York.

Rice scored a season-high 20 points and was at his best when matched against Houston, repeatedly driving around and scoring over his former teammate.

But when Houston got the ball isolated against Rice with 18 seconds left, he dribbled to his left and launched a quick jumper from the baseline to give New York an 87-85 lead.

From there, Houston and Latrell Sprewell each made one of two free throws and the Knicks survived an off-balance three-point attempt by Cuttino Mobley just before the final buzzer.

Sprewell scored 23, Houston 22 and Charlie Ward had eight points and six assists while playing the final 16 minutes and leading the Knicks back from a 17-point deficit.

Ward took over because Coach Jeff Van Gundy lost confidence in Howard Eisley, who was acquired along with Shandon Anderson in the Rice trade.

Anderson missed all four of his shots from the field and went one for four from the free-throw line in the first half and did not play in the second half.

Eisley played seven scoreless and assist-free minutes and also sat out the second half.

Kenny Thomas scored 20 points for Houston.

Orlando 113, Memphis 71--Mike Miller scored 26 points and the Magic snapped a three-game home losing streak. Tracy McGrady added 22 points and eight rebounds and Pat Garrity had 18 points, including 13 in the second quarter, for Orlando.

Stromile Swift scored 13 points, and rookies Shane Battier and Pau Gasol each had 12 for Memphis, which scored 26 points on 11-for-41 shooting in the second half.

Memphis center Lorenzen Wright injured his left knee midway through the third quarter and didn’t return.

Phoenix 110, Golden State 93--Shawn Marion had 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Stephon Marbury had 20 points and 11 assists in only three quarters for the Suns at Phoenix.

Larry Hughes had 19 points for the Warriors, who lost their fourth in a row.