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Eastern Conference team reports, exclusively on InsideHoops.com, updated through games of January 3, 2005:

ATLANTA HAWKS - The Hawks ended 2004 the way they’ve ended most games - with a double-digit defeat. Thursday afternoon’s loss to the Seattle Supersonics dropped Their record to 5-23 and was their 18th by more than 10 points and 13th by 15 or more points. … How bad was 2004 for the Hawks? Including the preseason, they went 6-30 And after winning their exhibition opener, they dropped 11 in row. So what are they going to do about it? Rookie guard Josh Childress had the obvious answer to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, "(We need) new ways of going about how we handle our business, just a new outlook. (The year) 2004 obviously wasn't very friendly to us in the wins and losses column." … One thing that was new was Tyronn Lue, who becomes the latest to enter the revolving door at starting point guard. After rookie Royal Ivey lasted three games in the role, Lue made his first start for Atlanta against the Wizards, one of four other teams he played with. He scored 16 points as in the 104-101 loss, which was Atlanta’s second-closest of the season. … Veteran point guard Kenny Anderson has made 18 starts this season but played just four minutes Tuesday vs. Cleveland, was a DNP-CD Thursday vs. Seattle and played 10 scoreless minutes Sunday … Guard-forward Boris Diaw averaged 19.1 minutes while getting nine straight starts December 5-19 but has played a total of four minutes since, getting DNP-Cds in four of his last five games.

BOSTON CELTICS - Instead of going over another tape of a difficult loss, coach Doc Rivers was able to enjoy his New Year’s Eve. The Celtics played their 21st game decided by 10 points or less Friday and emerged with their ninth win, a 108-103 win over the Wizards. … Six players reached double figures, including rookie Tony Allen, who scored 10 points and a career-best 18 Sunday at Detroit after getting his first DNP-CD Wednesday in Memphis. Before pulling out Friday’s close win, the Celtics had collapsed in Memphis, ending an 0-3 road trip by blowing a double-digit lead. … The Celtics have won their last six games when getting at least 15 points from guard Gary Payton. Payton played through knee tendonitis Friday and scored 18 points in 32 minutes. “I just keep myself right," he told the Boston Herald. “If I feel something wrong I get it checked. It's swelling in the knee. I ain't never had tendonitis. But you just have to get treatment on it and work with it. I've never had it before. `It aches and it swells a little bit. You just have to ice and keep an eye on it.'' However, Payton injured his strained his left hamstring in Sunday’s 100-88 loss at Detroit. On Monday, Payton was questionable and missed his first game since February 5, 2001 - a span of 305 straight games. He tried to give it a go in practice but missed his fourth game due to injury and that allowed Marcus Banks to start. Payton watched from the bench as Pierce bounced back from his 13-point showing in Detroit to finish with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his fourth career triple-double. … Rookie forward Al Jefferson has suffered from a cold recently and it has effected his play of late. Jefferson, who turns 20 Tuesday averaged 10.3 points in a six-game stretch in mid-December. But in his last five games entering Monday’s game vs. the Bobcats he is averaging 6.2. … The Celtics had allowed at least 100 points in 11 straight games before Monday’s. … Forward Tom Gugliotta was activated from the injured list Friday but has yet to play, leaving him one game shy of 600 for his career.

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS - Since their first road win December 22 at Houston, the Bobcats have lost six in a row, their longest losing streak of the season. One positive is Emeka Okafor, who recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds for his 19th straight double-double, the longest such streak by a rookie since Elvin Hayes did it in 60 straight games. Okafor got his first look at Shaquille O’Neal in person Saturday night in a 113-90 loss and left with the same feeling many others have had “He’s an Animal” Okafor said. However, Okafor’s streak ended Monday vs. Cleveland, when he finished with 12 points and six rebounds. During the week, coach Bernie Bickerstaff faced two teams that he previously coached. He lost at Washington Monday and lost a tough one to Seattle, which he coached during the late 1980s. In the 103-97 loss to the Sonics, he was infuriated with the numbers at the foul line. The Bobcats had just 13 free throws - none in the fourth quarter, while the Sonics had 10 in the fourth. “I may be biased, but in my opinion, the 12 guys in that room that suited up tonight deserve better than that,” he told the Charlotte Obsever. "We made 11 ... of the 13 we got,". … With center Primoz Brezec and guard Brevin Knight out with the flu, the Bobcats scored a season-worst 71 points in a three-point loss to the Pacers Wednesday night.

CHICAGO BULLS - The Bulls bounced back from a pair of close losses to losing Teams with Saturday’s 105-90 victory over the Magic, a team they led by as many As 33 points. The win came just two days after coach Scott Skiles told the Chicago Tribune that he felt the Bulls had become a little too complacent with their recent strong Play. "I've seen a couple of things creeping in the last three or four days that look like we're feeling awfully happy about our situation,” he told the newspaper. "That's a dangerous situation. It's just a little more silliness, which is reminiscent of how it was last (season)." Rookie guard Ben Gordon has yet to crack the starting lineup but has scored in double figures 10 out of his last 13 games, including 27 in Monday’s loss to Detroit He is averaging 10.9 attempts in 23.3 minutes but Skiles doesn’t mind the high ratio. "This is a guy who will go out and get 20 points, but it never appears he's trying to get them on his own," Skiles told the Tribune. "He does it within the offense and uses good judgment." … Center Eddy Curry sat out Monday with the flu and Tyson Chandler pulled down 14 rebounds in his first start in 19 games… The Bulls snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Pistons December 22 in Detroit but have lost nine in a row to Detroit at the United Center Monday.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS - LeBron James turned 20 Thursday and in his first games as a 20-year-old he will be wearing a protective mask to protect his broken left cheek. He got hurt during Wednesday’s loss to Houston when center Dikembe Mutombo elbowed him. He was not on the team plane to Charlotte but is expected Scored 26 points Monday vs. the Bobcats. James has scored 2,362 points, more than any teenager in league history, a list that includes Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tracy McGrady. "I didn't let it affect me," James said of the mask to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I can't afford to be out there timid. It doesn't matter if I've got a mask on or if I don't. I've just got to be aggressive." James scored 40 points Tuesday in Atlanta, falling three shy of his career high set November 24 vs. Detroit. ... The Cavaliers are 18-12 and have a good chance for 20 wins before their six-game West Coast trip starts January 13. They have two games vs. Charlotte and another vs. the Atlanta to go along with a home game vs. the Knicks. … Forward Drew Gooden has scored double-digits in 18 straight games and guard Jeff McInnis is averaging 16.1 points in his last six games and has reached double figures in his last 16 contests. … Rookie forward Anderson Varejao collected 10 points and seven rebounds Wednesday and entered Monday, averaging seven points and five rebounds in his last three games. … The sale of the team to Detroit businessman Dan Gilbert came Monday and he could get approval from the board of governors before the end of the season.

DETROIT PISTONS - The Pistons haven’t hit their stride yet as they are 17-13 but their schedule in January may force them to get their act together quickly. After playing seven sets of back-to-backs through the first two months, they have that same amount this month. … The Pistons lack of depth has resulted in an eight-man rotation, resulting in more minutes for some key players. The starting five of Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups have all seen their minutes increase by two to five minutes per game, with the most notable increase coming to Hamilton, who is up to 40.2 per game entering Sunday’s game vs. Boston. … When the Pistons have a road game scheduled for a Wednesday, they may post a comeback victory. They have won their last two road games played on Wednesday, erasing a 16-point deficit in New York December 15 and overcoming a 19-point deficit two weeks later in Washington. At the forefront of the wins was Billups, who won the game in New York with a pair of late free throws and then hit a fade away over Gilbert Arenas with seven-tenths of a second remaining. Coach Larry Brown didn’t object to Billups going coast-to-coast in New York and overruled Brown’s play for Hamilton on this one. “I wanted a clear-out," Billups told the Detroit Free Press "He was saying two-chest and I was saying no. Everybody clear out. It was not to say that we wouldn't have gotten a good shot, but the dude had five fouls so he couldn't be too aggressive on me. I thought it was the best play and everybody else did, too. It was not a ruckus or nothing, but I just felt that way and we ran it." … Center Ben Wallace finished with five blocks Sunday vs. Boston and joined Terry Tyler as the second player to post 1,000 blocked shots in a Detroit uniform. … Detroit’s bench came in averaging just 17 points, the worst in the NBA and were outscored by the Bulls, 37-19, Monday night in Chicago. After Chicago’s Ben Gordon lit up the Pistons for 17 second quarter points, Brown put Tayshaun Prince on him and Gordon scored 10 points on 3-of-12 from the floor in the second half.

INDIANA PACERS - With center Jermaine O’Neal’s suspension for his role in the November 19th brawl over, the Pacers have won three of four, including the last three. In games against weaker competition (New Orleans, Charlotte and New Jersey), he averaged 23.6 points and 11.6 rebounds while going 29-of-64 from the field. O’Neal had his appeal upheld by a federal judge and scored 31 points in Thursday’s win at New Jersey. … “There's really no vindication,” he told the Associated Press. “It's a lose-lose situation. Did I think this altercation warranted a penalty? Yeah. I welcome it with open hands, but excessive suspensions are something we are concerned about.'' … With O’Neal coming back, the Pacers are now looking to January 26 when guard Stephen Jackson’s 30-game ban ends. Indiana has 11 games before he returns and eight are on the road and against teams that currently own winning records. Jackson has been working on his defense and the Pacers’ plays during practice and is looking forward to his return January 26 at Boston. "My life has basically been on hold because my life is filled with basketball; that's what I love to do," Jackson told the Indianapolis Star. "Just being here practicing with the team is good, being around the game and trying to stay in shape is good. But I can't wait to get back. . . . I'm definitely excited." … The Pacers had 24 assists Thursday, their most in 16 games and fourth in a row over 20. Forward Jeff Foster had 16 rebounds Thursday and has grabbed at least 15 five times this season. … Point guard Jamaal Tinsley is three 3-pointers shy of 200 for his career.

Miami HEAT - In his two previous stops with Los Angeles and Orlando, center Shaquille O’Neal had Kobe Bryant and Penny Hardaway as his sidekicks. In his first season, O’Neal is playing sidekick to “Flash” - otherwise known as second-year guard Dwyane Wade. Wade recorded his first career triple-double Thursday in Detroit, where he finished with 31 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Wade’s triple-double was the fifth in team history and prompted O’Neal to call him the best-second year pupil he’s ever played with. And then during Saturday’s 113-90 win over the Bobcats he had one of those plays that causes amazement and people to do double takes. With 3:53 left in the third, he drove by Kareem Rush, got fouled by Brevin Knight and managed to release a shot over his head from seven feet out and it hit off the glass and through. ''I put that in the top 15 -- of all time,'' O'Neal told the Miami Herald. During the team-record 14-game winning streak eight of the wins have been against opponents at or under .500. Starting with Monday’s game vs. the Sonics, Miami plays four of its next five against winning teams. … Although he was outplayed by Charlotte’s Emeka Okafor, Saturday, O’Neal was not too complimentary in his comments to the Miami Herald. “He gets the golf clap,” O’Neal said of Okafor, who held the 7-footer to 16 points. … Despite failing by two points for its 15th straight win Monday vs. Seattle, Miami has outshot its opponents from the field in 21 straight games, the longest streak since the 76ers did it in 22 straight games November 13-December 27, 1980. … Wade’s nine assists Saturday gave him 500 in a Miami uniform. Other Heat players to reach 500 in their first two seasons in Miami are Sherman Douglas, Tim Hardaway, Rory Sparrow, Anthony Carter, Kevin Edwards, Bimbo Coles and Steve Smith. … With 12 sellouts, the Heat have already surpassed their total from a year ago.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS - After losing five in a row, December 12-December 22, the Bucks won three games in four nights but have been blown out in Houston and Dallas. Sunday’s 123-104 loss in Dallas was an awful display, one that saw the Bucks allow the Mavericks to shoot 55 percent in the first half and 53 percent overall. ... Center Dan Gadzuric has collected at least 10 rebounds in his last three games and forward-center Zaza Pachulia has done that twice in his last four. The duo has drawn the moniker of the “unknown names in Milwaukee’s frontcourt” from Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy, who came away impressed with their athleticism in two games vs. the Rockets last week. “They’re fast and aggressive,” Van Gundy recently told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “They manhandled us on the boards (in the first game). We were like lambs. Those are skills and talents. You can’t put in the heart, the reaction or the will of a rebounder. You can’t instill that.” … When guard Mike James led the Bucks with 20 points Sunday, it was just the third time all season someone other than Desmond Mason Michael Redd to lead the team in scoring. … The Bucks have just nine wins, the fewest in the Central Division. But amazingly they enter Tuesday’s contest vs. the Pacers 5-1 against divisional opponents. Milwaukee gives up an average 102.6 against non-division teams but just 87.8 against the Central. … The Bucks have averaged 103.8 points in winning three of their last five games. … On Friday, guard Erick Strickland was activated from the injured list but has been a DNP-CD in his last two games. Forward Keith Van Horn missed 10 games with ankle tendonitis before being placed on the injured list December 28.

NEW JERSEY NETS - The Nets have opened the Vince Carter era with a split of the four games with him in the lineup. They lost at Detroit and at home to Indiana while beating New York and Chicago on the road. … In his four games as a Nets, Carter is averaging 22.3 points in 41minutes. Carter’s arrival also signaled a boost in ticket sales at Continental Airlines Arena. He made his home debut in Thursday’s loss to the Pacers and a team-record 20,174 fans were on hand. The Nets will not have many chances this month to capitalize on Carter’s arrival at the box office as they play 11 of their next 15 games on the road, including a treacherous five-game West Coast swing January 23-29. Since losing six of their first seven road games, the Nets have four of their last seven away from home. … Saturday’s game at New York was highlighted by ex-Net and current Knick point guard Stephon Marbury’s declaration of being the best point guard in the league. Asked about it, Kidd and forward Richard Jefferson offered contrasting responses. “That's how he feels, everyone has as right to their own opinion," Kidd told the Star-Ledger. "For me, I go about my job. I'm not one to talk or boast about what I've done or how I feel or how I am against other guys. Jefferson’s opinion appeared more critical on Marbury. “John Stockton never said he was the best point guard in the NBA," he told the Newark Star-Ledger. "Michael Jordan, I don't recall too many times him saying he was the best player. Magic Johnson. You know, not too many guys come out and say they're the best (except for) Shaq. And everybody knows how Shaq says things and how he acts.” … Guard Rodney Buford scored 13 points Saturday and over his last seven games is averaging 13.8 points while shooting 57 percent (42-of-74). … Kidd scored 13 points Saturday and reached double figures in points for the first time in six games. … Since his 42-point game December 22 in Cleveland, Jefferson is shooting just 33 percent (23-of-69). … The Jerome Moiso era ended Monday less than a week after the Nets added him. Selected 11th overall by Boston in 2000, ahead of Desmond Mason, Quentin Richardson ahead of Morris Peterson, Moiso got just three minutes with the Nets.

NEW YORK KNICKS - The latest week in the Knicks season was highlighted by the first somewhat controversial comment from point guard Stephon Marbury since he was acquired on January 5 from Phoenix. During practice on Friday, Marbury boldly proclaimed he was the best point guard in the NBA. Criticized by media and posters on internet message boards, Marbury has yet to back down from his claim as he reiterated them following Saturday’s 93-87 loss to the Nets. He scored 31 points Saturday, becoming the first Knick to score 30 or more in three straight games since Patrick Ewing in March 1997. Marbury was named Eastern Conference player of the week Monday and revealed to reporters team president Isiah Thomas was happy Marbury made his statement. … Marbury has 12 double-digit assist games but just four over his last 10 games. … Reserve forward Penny Hardaway was activated from the injured list Saturday and played 13 scoreless minutes Saturday. … The 87 points allowed last Wednesday to the Timberwolves marked just the eighth time the Knicks held an opponent under 90 points. … New York finished December 9-7, giving them winning records in four straight months dating to last season.

ORLANDO MAGIC - On December 10, the Magic were 13-6 and their turnaround was among the hot topics in the NBA. But since then they are 2-8 to fall to 15-14 and defense has been the problem. The Magic rank last in the league in team defense and over this 10-game stretch, they have given up 105.9 point per game. On Monday, the Magic were handed a frustrating 105-94 defeat in Toronto, one that saw guard Cuttino Mobley get ejected for the first time in his career. During their four-game losing streak, the Magic have faced double-digits in each first half. … In his second back from a shoulder injury, center Kelvin Cato returned to the starting lineup and scored 11 points in 19 minutes. The Magic’s last three losses have been against losing teams and they are 9-8 vs. the league’s losing squads. … Over his last 10 games, guard Steve Francis is shooting 41.9 percent (68-of-162). … Rookie forward Dwight Howard has grabbed 10 or more boards 17 times but three of those games have during this slide.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS - The 76ers have completed five games of their West Coast trip and are 3-2. After solid wins in Portland and Seattle, they lost to the Nuggets and Clippers. The box score was really ugly for the 76ers in Sunday’s 89-83 loss to the Clippers. The team shot 35.6 percent and Allen Iverson was 16-of-30. But the other four starters were a combined 4-of-20 and Philadelphia didn’t get a field goal from its bench The good news is the Sixers bounced back with a solid 112-104 win in Golden State. Each starter reached double figures and Iverson scored 29. … Guard Willie Green was replaced in the starting five by John Salmons. After missing battling with bronchitis, Salmons scored eight points in 19 minutes while Green was a DNP-CD. … After Sunday’s loss, coach Jim O’Brien did not conduct a shoot around Monday. "We're aware that we are playing, in some cases, nine or 10 guys a game," he told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We try to make sure that they have days off. We have a good medical staff to make sure they're rejuvenating. But you're always aware as a coach not leaving their legs on the practice floor." After his grandfather died, forward Kyle Korver scored 13 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in Friday’s loss at Denver. … Including the Dec. 22 game at Indiana, the 76ers have played eight straight road games for the first time since 1994-95. … The Sixers have scored 100 points, 13 times already, two more than last season. … Philadelphia’s trip ends Friday in Minnesota but that doesn’t mean they can put their suitcases away. After Monday’s home game vs. Portland, the 76ers play seven of 10 on the road.

TORONTO RAPTORS - The Raptors lead the league in road games played with 19 and are 2-17. They have lost 10 in a row on the road and before opening a five-game homestand with Monday’s vs. Orlando, they had played 12 of their previous 17 games on the road. … Until the All-Star break, the Raptors play 15 of their next 21 on the road. … Since trading Vince Carter to the Nets December 17, they are 3-5. … On Monday, center Chris Bosh tied a career high with 25 points and swept 12 boards. … Rookie center Rafael Araujo averaged 10.5 points in the losses to the Warriors and Lakers but played just five uneventful minutes Monday. … Aaron Williams missed the game with an ankle injury and Loren Woods returned after a pair of DNP-Cds and contributed seven points and five rebounds in 19 minutes. … Coach Sam Mitchell told the Toronto Star that he was toying with the idea of a nine-man rotation but used 11 players Monday. … The Raptors concluded their three game trip by allowing 111 points to the Warriors last Wednesday and Mitchell was more than a bit ticked after his team allowed 29 points to Mike Dunleavy Jr. and 35 to Jason Richardson. “We don't guard, man," Mitchell told the Toronto Star. "I've been looking at ESPN for the last week and Mike Dunleavy's name has been flashing across: Three-for-21 (from the field) in his last three games. I'm not taking anything away from him, he's been struggling. And then he goes out and gets 29 points (against Toronto)? Jason Richardson (gets) 35 points?"

WASHINGTON WIZARDS - The Wizards salvaged the week with Sunday’s 104-101 victory over the Hawks. The win came after close losses to Detroit and Boston. Guard Gilbert Arenas missed Friday’s game in Boston with the flu and scored 17 points Sunday while still battling the illness. During Washington’s stay in Boston, Arenas passed out twice in his hotel room and needed three stitches to repair a cut in his head. … Guard Juan Dixon scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter Sunday while playing just 14 minutes - all in the second half. Prior to Sunday, Dixon had gone 14 straight games without reaching double figures and had shot 14-of-47 in that span. … "Juan was Superman for us," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan told the Washington Times. "He's had some struggles lately but he's a professional. He stayed in it and made some big shots for us." … Forward Kwame Brown missed his third straight game with a strained tendon in his ankle but also has experienced some swelling. … Friday’s loss in Boston featured guard Larry Hughes’ fourth 30-point effort as he tied a season best with 33. But it also featured just 10 free throw attempts for the Wizards while the Celtics got 34. … Since holding the Nets to 68 points December 1, Washington has allowed at least 100 points in 12 of the last 16 games, going 8-8 in that span.